Advertisement Effects of Advertising on Children

Advertising has been widely recognized as having many negative effects on children. These include excessive materialism, underage substance abuse, youth violence and commoditization of the human body.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents restrict their child’s exposure to television and other forms of media. The advertising industry has responded by developing campaigns to reach child audiences in various demographics.

It has been estimated that children see tens of thousands of commercial messages a year. Some studies suggest that the number of times the average child is exposed to such advertisements is higher than that of adults.

Children are also influenced by other forms of media such as radio, billboards, television and even newspapers. Despite the best intentions of marketers, many of these media platforms offer less scrutiny than other forms of advertising.

In fact, some research suggests that if children are not protected from advertisers, their exposure to the various ad types can lead to negative effects. For example, studies have found that children who are exposed to more than a few ad campaigns are more likely to suffer from obesity.

On a positive note, some advertising methods may be useful in creating awareness of issues. One example is McDonald’s sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic Games. They make fast food look healthy and support active living. However, they also misrepresent facts about the foods they promote.

There are a number of other negative effects of advertising. For instance, the average American child is exposed to tens of thousands of commercial messages yearly.