Advertising to Children
"You can tell the ideals of a nation
by its advertisements"
Our children are a primary target of advertising, with companies spending $15 billion a year on marketing to children under the age of 12, twice the amount they spent just 10 years ago. What tends to be overlooked, however, is that children are uniquely susceptible to advertising messages. For instance:
- Children under the age of eight do not recognize the persuasive intent of ads and tend to accept them as accurate and unbiased.
- A 30-second commercial can influence brand preferences in children as young as two years old.
As such, Children Now works to better understand advertising’s impact on children’s health and ensure their best interests are reflected in our nation’s advertising policies. You can learn more about our work in the following areas: