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The
pocket monsters have just been dealt a punch in the solar plexus.
For the numerous Pokemon-panicked parents in the country,
reeling under a barrage of products that flog the popular brand
to severe advantage, two just-released studies in the US should
come as a boon. While a similar study on the effects of advertising
on children in India begs to be done, the American example could
well set a benchmark for broadcasters and advertisers alike here.
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Chewing
gum for the soul? - APA says children under eight are prone
to accept advertiser messages as truthful...
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Restrict advertising targeting kids
A task force of the American Psychological Association (APA) has
recommended that advertising targeting children under the age of
eight be restricted. In a compilation of studies done on children's
media habits spanning nearly four years, the APA has deduced that
children under eight are unable to critically comprehend televised
advertising messages and are prone to accept advertiser messages
as truthful, accurate and unbiased, leading to unhealthy eating
habits.
Food advertising linked to obesity
Another study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation on Wednesday,
says children’s exposure to billions of dollars worth of food advertising
and marketing in the media may be a key mechanism through which
media contributes to childhood obesity. The report, which also reviewed
more than 40 studies on the growing phenomenon of childhood obesity
in the US, indicates that children who spend the most time with
media are more likely to be overweight. Contrary to common assumptions,
however, most research reviewed for this report does not find that
children’s media use displaces more vigorous physical activities.
The findings of these two reports may lead to a new
wave of regulatory or legislative actions that could have a profound
impact on the estimated $12 billion spent each year in the US on
kids-oriented media buys - especially on TV. The report is especially
damning for food advertising aimed at kids, a category that is expected
to emerge as the No. 1 ad category aimed at kids 2-11 in the US.
How much
is too much? According to the Kaiser Foundation, a typical US
child watches an average of 40,000 ads in a year
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The key indicators thrown up by both reports are daunting, to say
the least. The typical American kid sees about 40,000 ads a year
on TV. Advertisers spend more than $12 billion per year to target
the youth market. Children aged 14 years old and under make $24
billion in direct purchases and influence $190 billion in family
purchases. According to the APA, companies now recognize that brand
loyalty built at an early age may reap economic rewards over a child’s
lifetime.
The APA, which pondered several studies in the last three years,
a representative survey of children’s media use across the USA,
found that nearly half (48 per cent) of 8–18-year-olds live in a
home with a computer linked to Internet access, while households
with younger children aged 2–7 years are just slightly less likely
(40 per cent) to be online. Roughly one in five (19 per cent) of
eight–13-year-olds reported visiting a website on the previous day,
and more than one in four (28 per cent) of 14–18 year-olds indicated
such use.
And one
in my room too.... 53 per cent of US kids aged 2-18 have a TV
in their bedroom |
With this growth in children’s access to the Internet, thousands
of child-oriented Web sites have sprung up, and many are laden with
commercial promotions. 53 per cent of all children aged two–18 years
have a television in their bedroom, with substantial proportions
of 2–4-year-olds (26 per cent) and five to seven year-olds (39 per
cent) enjoying such privilege. Another common feature of advertising
to children is the use of product disclosures and disclaimers such
as “batteries not included” or “each part sold separately.” Studies
make clear that young children do not comprehend the intended meaning
of the most widely used disclaimers.
Interestingly, popular programme figures are frequently used in
advertising directed to children, often used in separators that
distinguish the content from the commercial. Evidence also indicates
that most children below four to five years of age do not consistently
discriminate between television program and commercial content.
The ability to recognize persuasive intent does not develop for
most children before eight years of age. Even at that age, such
capability tends to emerge in only rudimentary form, with youngsters
recognizing that commercials intend to sell, but not necessarily
that they are biased messages which warrant some degree of skepticism,
the APA report says.
The key findings of the Kaiser Foundation's study say that
* The majority of research finds a link between the amount of time
children spend watching TV and their body weight.
* Experimental interventions that reduce children’s media time
result in weight loss.
* Most research indicates that time spent with media does not
displace time spent in physical activities
* Studies indicate that children’s exposure to food advertising
and marketing may be influencing their food choices
* Leading policy options promoted by public health experts include:
reduce or regulate food ads targeted to children, expand public
education campaigns to promote healthy eating and exercise, incorporate
messages about healthy eating into TV storylines, and support interventions
to reduce the time children spend with media.
Kids in
India hooked to television - is anyone keeping a watch?
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The two reports may not be music to the ears to the advertising
and television industry in India, which is poised to launch at least
three to four children's channels this year, apart from existing
player Nickelodeon turning Hindi. While no Indian agency has undertaken
a similar study here, broadcasters and regulators too, are yet to
take cognizance of the issue. Kids channel leader Cartoon Network
which has also recently spawned a sibling, Pogo, undertakes regular
research into viewer behaviour, but this does not much touch upon
the effect of advertising on children. Its New Generations survey,
an annual feature, studies changing demographic patterns of viewers
and the kind of programming preferred, giving advertisers an idea
of the bands they can zero in for the kill.
Last year's survey had one aspect of advertising touched upon,
when it registered that children viewers in India are usually perceived
as 'ad avoiders'.
"Advertising
targeted at kids in India has changed for the worse in the last
few years" - Prahalad Kakkar |
Ad man Prahalad Kakkar who is a veteran at making advertisements
for children's products, says,"In the Indian advertising industry,
there are no set of standards and practices followed as far as advertising
for kids is concerned."
Starcom India MD, West and South, Ravi Kiran puts the adspend per
year on products that are for kids' consumption but bought by mothers
(parents) like Horlicks and Complan is 12 to 15 per cent of the
total Rs 38000 million pie, close to Rs 5000 to 6000 million. "Ad
spend per year on products targeted for kids' consumption and also
bought by them like chocolates, wafers etc is seven to eight per
cent, that is around Rs 3000 million," says Kiran.
'Advertising targeted at kids in India has changed for the worse'
How is this huge sphere tackled by advertisers? Kakkar, himself
a parent of three, opines that advertising targeted at kids in India
has changed for the worse in the last few years. "Children don't
have the power to rationalize and ads are becoming more and more
sophisticated these days which do impact the kids. Unlike the West,
in India there is no psychological help that is provided to advertisers
to tell them what is right and what is wrong for the kids to see."
He adds, "Advertising today interferes with the value
system and morality of kids. Since there is no regulatory check
on what children watch on television apart from the parents, it
can't be said in so many words that this specific thing is meant
for kids to watch and this is not."
There are others in the advertising sector who disagree.
"We do follow some guidelines in the sense that we cannot show
a child talking back to his parents or being a rebel. the guidelines
for us is to keep in mind while making an ad targeted at kids that
we don't start a new trend that is socially unacceptable...," says
an adman who's worked on many ads targeting kids.
While Kakkar may not agree, other ad professionals
say that with pester power increasing, it is the kids' choices that
drive brand preference. "Earlier a brand such as Horlicks used
to talk to mothers through their ads about the nutritional values
of Horlicks. But now the same brand has started talking to kids.
Even Nestle for example only talks to kids but there is an 'inclusive
audience' that is also being spoken to in the ad and that is the
mothers, as at the end of the day it is the mothers that are the
buyers of the products. So the brand though specifically targeted
at kids 'has' to speak to the mother too," says one.
Ad spending
on products targeted at kids has more than doubled - but has
the advertising of these products improved too? |
India's top advertising spenders have included Nestle India at
Rs 1507.1 million in December 2002, Britannia Industries which spent
Rs 906.3 in March 2002 and Cadbury India which spent Rs 876.7 million
in December 2002 - MNCs all which push products consumed predominantly
by children.
According to Kiran, ad spending on products targeted at kids has
grown in the last few years by at least more than double of the
overall television growth. Most marketers are no longer ignoring
the role of kids in influencing parents / adults to buy products.
'It may not be the product itself that a kid favours but he will
definitely have a say in the colour of the product... like for example
a car… so even that is kept in mind by the marketers. The influence
of kids on purchase of commodities has really increased in the last
few years," he feels.
The Pokemon
tazos that come with the Cheetos chips packets - cashing in
on the frenzy |
At the release of the Kaiser Foundation report, Nickelodeon officials
said that the channel's efforts have included six months of "reconnaissance"
on the issue through conversations with trade associations, nutritionists,
marketers, government officials and others; the introduction of
a campaign with the theme "Let's just play," to encourage more physical
activity among children; and restricting commercials during programming
for preschoolers to the very beginning and very end of shows. Procter
& Gamble, one of the world's biggest advertisers, also said it was
working to market itself fairly and responsibly. "We feel we need
to have responsible marketing, especially in this obesity environment,"
according to Gary Dowdell, director for external relations.
Even in the US, after the release of the two reports, marketers
rejected the premise that advertising, marketing and promotions
aimed at children made up the "main mechanism by which media use
contributes to childhood obesity," as the report says is likely.
As an ad professional in Mumbai too puts it, "When you say
that kids are influenced by advertising and it leads to obesity
in them, it depends on what amount they are consuming. Anything
in excess is bad. So I don't really see advertising as a cause of
this."
For Pokemon harassed Indian parents, then, the torture may just
be beginning.
Also read:
Is your kid watching
too much TV?
(Pictures
courtesy: www.gettyimages.com)
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