Advertising Targeting Children - Essay Example

The researchers implemented a two-level Bayesian hierarchical linear model. The research concluded that all three methods – incentives, pledges, and competitions – were successful in improving students to increasingly incorporate fruits and vegetables into their diet. Further analysis of these results demonstrated that younger children responded more actively to incentives and pledges than did older children. While I had difficulty understanding the specific way the quantitative data was used, for the most part, I understood the article. I appreciated this article as it is concerned with a socially responsible cause. I also felt that these findings could greatly aid students throughout their lives. Even though many of the students in the study may go back to poor eating habits, the very act of them practising these habits at this age will for sure contribute to their developing strong habits in the future.   

            Dar et al. (2011) examined the role and functions of fast food advertising on children. Within this area of investigation, the research indicates that the Canadian government became highly concerned with the childhood obesity epidemic. Because of these concerns, there is growing policy measures proposed that would prohibit or restrict fast-food advertising on children. Subsequently, this research sought to identify the effect of this advertising on children. The research implemented a quantitative research design. Specifically, the researchers examined statistical data on household expenditures on fast food in a Quebec town from 1982 to 1992. This statistical data was compared to data from a town where fast-food advertising had been banned. The difference between these figures was then used to determine the impact of the advertising. More specifically a triple difference methodology was used to examine these statistical findings. The researchers indicate that a ban on fast food advertising resulted in a reduced amount of fast-food consumption by as much as $88 million United States dollars per year. I found this study easy to understand, including the way the research was conducted. I appreciated this research as it brings to one’s attention the way that advertisers can manipulate children into purchasing things that they otherwise might not. Additionally, it demonstrates how the government can intervene to promote more socially responsible behavior.   

            Fullerton (2005) considered brand loyalty among children and adults on retail brands. Within this context of an investigation, the researchers implemented a quantitative analysis to consider these purchasing habits and tendencies. The research begins by providing a broad-ranging overview of relationship marketing. In this way, they indicate that relationship marketing is a form of marketing when companies attempt to establish relationships and emotional connections with consumers as a way to improve their purchasing of products. The researchers in this study used latent variable correlations and average variance extracted to make conclusions about consumers brand loyalty. Within this spectrum of investigation affective commitment, continuance commitment, and repurchase intentions were predominant factors. The study demonstrated strong correlations between brand commitment and repurchase intentions among adults. Among children, the research demonstrated that there were significant connections between brand loyalty and adult repurchasing intentions. These results indicated that brand loyalty among children was relevant in improving purchasing tendencies. Outside of the statistics used in the research, I understood the article. I appreciated this article because it gave me insight into the process of how advertisers can use research into establishing their own advertising campaigns. Specifically, this article allows advertisers to recognize that children’s brand relationships are important even though they are not the primary purchaser of the product. Subsequently, advertisers are able to work to implement relationship marketing tactics for children.       

            Easley (2002) examined how virtual communities have increasingly been implemented by advertisers to improve purchasing among children. The research identifies a virtual community as a group of people on the Internet who share a common interest. Virtual communities exist in a variety of contexts. In this way, they include Facebook groups, message boards, and listservs. The most important aspect of these virtual communities is that within the communities users share their interests with other users. This is highly important for advertisers as when users talk to other users about their product they are directly supporting this product. In this way, the individuals hearing about this product are much more likely to purchase the product if it has been recommended by another user in the community. The research then argues that advertisers should increasingly develop ways to encourage discussion of their products in virtual communities. To a large extent, the research falls short of recommending effective ways to go about establishing products in virtual communities. Instead, it seems to function more to draw advertiser’s attention to the emergence of virtual communities. While I appreciated the research, I believe that there is a sort of sinister intention behind it. In this way, virtual communities are designed to spread legitimate knowledge and opinions about interests and products. As advertisers are attempting to influence people in this way, it seems like they are trying to be manipulative. Ultimately, however, I recognize that in large part advertising is a manipulative enterprise.