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IMPACT OF TV ADVERTISING ON CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR

Conference Paper · December 2007

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Bimali Wijesundara Sandamali Galdolage

University of Kelaniya University of Sri Jayewardenepura
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 Impact of TV Advertising on Children’s Behavior

Galdolage B.S.
Wijesundara C.B.

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to make a review of the impact of television

advertisements on children’s behavior in Sri Lanka with special attention given to
understanding the potential effect of TV advertising and specific pessimistic view of that
exposure to young audiences.

The study was conducted by using both primary and secondary data. The primary data
were collected through the survey conducted in three (3) selected areas (Colombo,
Gampaha and Kalutara) of the Western province and, prescheduled questionnaires were
distributed among a sample of 200 parents and children, which is enough for
generalization of results. In selecting them, nonrandom convenience sampling tool was
employed in accordance with the judgment of the researchers. Secondary data were
collected by relevant journals, reports, articles, published data of relevant authorities and
the Internet. Descriptive statistical techniques were utilized to analyze the data with the
help of the SPSS package. The major statistical techniques which were used in this study
are the percentage analysis, correlation and regression analysis.

Findings indicated that television is not only providing entertainment, but also force
young children to demand for must have items. Earlier, young children were off limits to
advertisers and now they directly appeal to them. This has resulted in adverse effects on
the way children interpret and understand the message being presented to them.

So, all aspects of the impact of TV advertising on children has spoiled their habitual
actions, leading to pester, emerge conflicts and animosity in the family, increase the
family budget, make demand for less nutritious products linked with obesity and poor
health, imitate celebrities etc while it provides limited advantages.

Researchers recommend to parents who desire to secure their children from unnecessary
advertising exploitation, to have a clear understanding of these issues and, to the
government to take necessary actions to control children’s targeted advertisements.

Keywords: Advertising, Advertising to Children, Influence on Parents, Television

In Sri Lanka, more than twelve TV channels air

1. Introduction
Children are the most precious asset for the
parents. Now, nowhere is a component that more
friendly with them (with the development of the
working culture of both parents) and sharply
reflect messages than TV.
In South Asia, especially in the Sri Lankan
context, a very few number of studies have so far
investigated the consumer behavior of children.
From those, not a single study revealed the
impact of television commercials on the behavior
of children.
over 20,000 advertisements per day through their
TV programs: including children’s programs and
non children’s programs. Other than station
owned TV channels, cable TV networks are also
dominant in some areas of the country. There are
several product advertisements that are specially
aimed at children; breakfast foods, sugared
snacks/drinks, healthy foods, fast foods and some
of the services (bank accounts, insurance
schemes, restaurants, etc.). Most of the
advertisements aired by TV stations come under
food categories -breakfast and sugared products.
In Sri Lanka, more than 260 millions rupees per
year is spent on milk powder advertisements and
over eighty percent of that money goes to TV
advertisements which are mostly targeted at
children. The advertisements aimed at children
specially using fun/happiness appeal to address
children. There are several advertisements that
target parents using very attractive child models.
These advertisements capture children’s
attention, recalling of particular advertised
product, enhanced.
But it is very difficult to define who the
‘children’ are and what the ‘children aimed
advertisements’ are? In general definitions
‘children’ are below the age of 18 years and
‘children targeted ads’ are those which give
advice, information and influence them. But in
accordance with the survey, ‘children’ are below
twelve years of age and advertisements which
use child-models, cartoon characters, animations
and those which are able to get their attraction,
recalling power and active participation are
considered as ‘children targeted ads’.
Children are assuming larger roles in house hold
decision making and have also emerged as
independent consumers (George Willson & Katie
Wood 1994). So, children can be identified as a
primary market component through
implementing their own buying decisions and
them as an influencers on their parents decision
making process. Childhood experiences that they
get through television interaction will be highly
influenced in the future, as they are also the
potential adult consumers.
Children pass through the following five stages
of their development and the influence of
television through the advertising campaigns to
create purchasing and consumption attitudes of
advertised products in children’s mind is
considerable (Mcneal 1993).
• Observing the advertised product
through the interaction with the
advertisements.
• Making requests by pointing, gesturing,
and making statements to parents when
they see the products which they are
familiar through advertisements.
• Making selections by choosing and
taking the particular products.
• Assisting parents in family decisions.
• Making independent purchases.
Commercial appeals to children, however, did
not become common place until the advent and
wider spread adoption of the television. A variety
of studies using different methodologies found
that children recall content from the ads to which
they have been exposed and their influence on
the family decision making process, pestering
power, imitating advertising heroes have also
increased by the repeated exposure of kids
targeted advertisements.
Parent- child conflicts occur when parents deny
their kids’ requests that were stimulated by
advertising and it has a cumulative effect on
children’s habits. Several studies had found
strong association between increases in
advertising on non nutrition foods and rates of
childhood obesity.
Children targeted TV advertisements in Sri
Lanka will be the most common problem in the
near future rather than the current situation,
unless parents are aware of this disaster and if
responsible authorities do not take necessary
action to ban or minimize the harmful effects of
TV advertisements.
2. Research Problem and Objectives
Why do companies spend huge sums of money
on advertising that are mainly focused to
children? They believe advertising aimed at
children have a great influence on consumer
behavior, especially in the process of making
purchasing decisions children act as initiator and
influencers through their pestering power over
parents. They further believe that children are the
appropriate audience for addressing parents
indirectly. The literature and some of the foreign
researches reveal that there is a positive
relationship between advertising aimed on
children and their involvement in purchasing
decision process. But in Sri Lanka nobody has
done any comprehensive study on the impact of
TV advertising on children. Therefore, this study
focuses on whether TV advertising on children
can influence the buying decision process.
The purpose of the study is to investigate the
following objectives:
• To find out whether children targeted
TV advertisements influence the buying
decision process in Sri Lankan families
and to what extent.
• To find out the influence of TV
advertising on children to their own
evaluation of goods and services,
selection and purchasing decision.
• To find out whether children are getting
advertising heroes as role model to
imitate.
• To find out whether children targeted
advertisements influence the
consumption patterns and habits of
children.
 • To find out the impact of children family. “Another source of animosity is the
targeted TV advertisements on the family budget” (Brody, 2002). Advertising
socializing process of children. makes kids demand must have items and it
creates the desire which puts a lot of pressure on
3. Literature Review parents. “Advertisers are now using even very
young children, cartoon characters, fantasy
characters” (Maine, 2002) to entice the child into
The topic of television advertising to children
thinking about their product. “Compounding the
first emerged as an important issue in the 1970s.
growth in channels for advertising targeting
Concerns were raised in response to children
children has been another development” (Wileas
targeted advertising which indicated that young
Brian, 2004).
children, did not comprehend television
advertising in the same way as adults did.
“Children exposed to advertising choose
advertised foods products at significantly higher
Children below the age of 8 years were found to
rates than those who are not exposed” (Coon and
have little awareness on persuasive intent of
Tucker 2002). “Exposure to commercials for
commercials (Blatt, Spencer & Word 1972).
sugared products leads to greater consumption of
“When the child grows up with age basis of
sugared products” (Scammon and Christoper
receptivity to television commercials is shifting
1981) I believe that TV advertising is a public
attitudinal construct to cognitive construct and
health problem” (Michael Brody, 2006). The
effect persuasion to buy”.(Rossister &
effects of this are harmful to the people, those
Robbertson 1974). “Children’s attitude and
who cannot understand the real meaning of the
behavior towards advertised products are
advertisement and the marketing purpose, like
influenced in the direction intended by
children.
advertisers” (Goldberg & Gorn 1974)
In Sri Lanka, there are more than twelve TV
“The impact of television advertising on children
channels and they all get their income through
clearly depends upon their level of exposure to
commercial advertising. “Some children have
commercials and on the characteristics of the
television in their bed room” (Wilease Brian,
child” (Rosister & Robertson 1977)
2004) and also have unsupervised access to TV.
“The most prevailing appeal is fun/happiness as
Parents are more susceptible than they used to be
the persuasive strategy used by marketers for
to their children’s expressed wants and desires
children” (Kunkel 1992)
and more eager to include children in the family
decision making process” (KFF survey, 2000).In
Marketers also work hard to increase their
Sri Lanka, parents now tend to want their
product’s “nag factor”-a term which refers to
children to express their opinion on what food to
how often and how vehemently children pressure
buy, what drink to have, which toys to play with,
parents to buy an item.” Kanner and Kasser
which restaurant to go, etc. ‘Foods generally
2000)
promoted in the TV tend to be among those
contributing to the obesity epidemic in children.”
“Children seem to be “pushing at an open door”
(Janet Raloff, 2004). “Among these advertised
with products which are primarily for their own
products most of the foods are high calorie, fatty,
consumption”(willson and Wood 2004) “just the
heavily sweetened and low- fiber fare.” (KFF
process of being immersed in the commercial
Survey, 2000)
culture harms children” (D, E.Levin, 2006).
Findings show that an above average number of
“Misleading commercial messages and
children are close to the television rather than
advertising treatments may encourage potential
other communication and entertainment tools.”
harmful behavior among young viewers”
Children have become their own market to
(Cantor, et.al. 2004). Children’s recall of food
advertisers” (Mergomaine,2000) and so
advertisements correlates with what they ask for
advertisers spend more than twelve billion
during shopping trips. (Galse.et.al.1976) and
dollars per year on advertising on children in the
what they eat”. (Hitchings and Moynihan, 1998).
USA (Conn.et.al.,2000) and they do this in order
to influence about five hundred billion dollars in
“Though a direct cause and effect link is difficult
spending (Mergomaine.et.al.,2000)
to be established there is a growing consensus
that some children may be vulnerable to violent
Brody found by his research that kids are
images, messages of advertising campaign”(
bombarded by superficial values from media and
CTF, 2003).
this can create conflicts and animosity in the
“Advertising to children remains an economic
necessity in need of adjustment and regulations”
(Preston 2004)

4. Methodology

4.1 Data Collection

Data Type
• Primary Data
• Secondary Data

Data Collection Method

Primary data were collected from 200
respondents including children and parents from
Colombo, Gampaha and Kaluthara districts of
the Western province.

Secondary data were collected by website 4.2 Implementation

published articles, newspapers, relevant journals
and from relevant organizations.
Data Collection Instrument
Data for the survey were collected mainly
through a questionnaire. The questionnaire
comprised 22 questions including both close
ended and open ended questions. Close ended
questions were according to the Likert scale.
Sampling
Respondents for the survey were selected by non
probability –convenience method in accordance
with the judgment of the researchers and 200
residents, including parents and children
(between the age 6-12) from Colombo,
Gampaha, and Kaluthara districts of the Western
province. All respondents were those with much
exposure to the television and this sample size is
also enough to generalize findings to the Sri
Lankan context.
Sample Profile
Primary data were collected by the researches
themselves and highly trained field assistants.
4.3 Data analysis procedure
Descriptive statistical techniques were utilized to
analyze the data with the help of SPSS package.
The major statistical techniques, which were
used in this study, are the percentage analysis
and the correlation analysis. Percentage and
correlation values highlighted the salient features
of the collected data, facilitated comparisons
between variables and enabled the study
relationships more readily. Percentage values
were used to identify the contribution of various
categories of each variable. To identify the
nature of the influence to each variable of
children’s behavior and for comparisons,
researchers utilized correlation and regression
analysis. Answers to open ended questions were
coded and categorized before analyzing.

Table 1: Respondents from each district 5. Findings and discussions

Parents Children Total According to both quantitative results and

qualitative descriptions, researchers found out
Colombo 48 24 72 that advertisements aimed at children caused to,
Gampaha 61 17 78
Kalutara 38 12 50 Influence of children to family decision making
Total 147 53 200 process

Table 2 Child respondents to age 85% of parents get the children involved when
purchasing goods for them, but 68% of the
6 to 8 8 to10 10 to 12 children between age 6-12 pester the parents
Colombo
while shopping rather than negotiate with them.
4 15 5
There is a strong positive relationship with the
Gampaha 3 8 6 children’s TV viewing habit and their active
Kalutara 1 5 6 participation in buying decision making process.
Increase family budget food items at inappropriate times (having ice-
cream in the rainy time).
From the survey researchers found out that 80%
of the children who are above 6 years, also have Imitating advertising heroes and celebrities
a considerable disposable income and they spend
these money for junk foods and sweetened Most of the young children tend to imitate others
products on the way they to school and 68% of especially those whom they believe as heroes.
children asked products by the brand name they Research reveals that 68% of the children are
familiar with through advertisements. In addition willing to be like several advertising characters.
to that, they influence and request parents while Researchers found that this has a positive
visiting supermarkets. relationship between seeing TV ads and imitating
those models.
Children as ‘initiators’, ‘influencers’ and
‘deciders’ rather than ‘users’ of products 6. Conclusion and Recommendations
Few decades ago children used products that
With a considerable group of children and their
their parents bought for them, and they played
parents, this research explored, to measure the
the “user” role in the buying decision process.
extent to which, children below the age of 12
But, in the recent decades, it has changed
influence their parent’s decision making with
dramatically as now children are the ‘initiator’ of
regards to product choices and consumption
the need and ‘influencers’ on parents to buy the
patterns. Both parents and their children in this
products and ‘deciders’ of the purchase decision.
study agreed on the influence exerted by the
Now, most of the school going children play the
children and the study found out that the children
buyer role by having the disposable income from
have pester power, and their own disposable
their parents.
income. Furthermore, Consequences of over
exposure to TV advertising make children more
Creating conflicts and animosity within the
vulnerable and violent. Further research can be
family
carried out in this area to find out the relationship
between TV advertising aimed at children and
92% of the parents are not willing to accept all
the violence behavior of children that make intra
the requests made by their children while
conflict within the family. Researchers found that
shopping. So these un- successful requests cause
the following recommendations are useful for
strains in the parent-child relationship. This
policy makers and parents with regards to
strain may be high in the economically
children targeted TV advertising.
disadvantaged families in which parents
presumably deny most requests of the children.
Parents should watch TV with children and
discuss about TV programs and how it differ
Bad food habits, unhealthy food choices and
from children targeted TV advertising. Further,
childhood obesity.
they should create a special family time with
children.
Researchers found out that there is a moderate
positive relationship of TV ads viewing of
The government should take action to regulate
children and the bad food habits. It makes
and establish an authorized regulatory body to
substantial contribution to childhood obesity,
control TV advertising, specially aimed at
because commercials promote unhealthy dietary
children. Further certain restrictions should be
practices. Most food advertisements are high
implemented on air time of advertisements and
calorie foods –such as fast foods, sweetened
then, maximum number of maximum
foods, cereals etc.TV viewing has also caused
advertisements that can be aired for one hour.
childhood obesity as not doing any exercise
during that time.
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