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Advertising and Children

Model essay
Choose the correct answer for items 1-10 :

People's exposure to advertising is on the increase, 1) as a result of / leading to the advent of

technology and fierce competition in the markets. This includes ads targeting specifically children,
an issue which has caused many to raise concerns and demand a solution 2) to be / be given in order
to protect the youngsters from its hazardous influence.
When considering this issue, one must first examine the nature of young children and the
characteristics which make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of advertising. It is widely
known that kids at such a young age 3) lack / lack of critical thinking, are unable to distinguish what
is necessary or not or even choose something that will be able to capture their interest for a long period
of time. They are 4) thoughtful / impulsive, inexperienced and immature, traits which make them
rather easy to manipulate. The situation is worsened by the degree to which they are exposed to ads,
as nowadays it is unfeasible to be completely secured from them.
While it is only natural for children to behave in such a way, it is unacceptable to treat them as
potential consumers, since doing so can have many serious drawbacks. 5) As a result / First and
foremost, it can cause conflict between them and their parents, as at the end they are the ones
responsible for making the purchase. Children may exert 6) excessive / moderate pressure on their
parents so as to obtain a specific product, which the latter are unwilling to buy either for financial
reasons or because they are in a position to judge whether the product is worth it. Moreover, deceptive
promotion of junk food has been linked to obesity among kids, causing, 7) so / thus, another important
problem.
All of the above constitute necessary the implementation of strict rules, so as to regulate the
amount and the type of ads 8) aimed between / aimed at young audiences. The State ought to restrict
advertising targeting kids during children's shows and 9) ensure / assure promotion of such products
is done during hours that children are not watching TV, as their parents should be the ones making
the choice as to which products are suitable for them. Protection of both parties is absolutely
mandatory and this also includes stricter standards 10) as to / so as to which adverts are close to
reality and which view the audience as mere consumers.
To conclude, while it is impossible and probably ill-advised to completely shield our children
from advertising, one ought not to forget their vulnerable nature and take the right measures to limit
their exposure and protect them.