Introduction

The advertisements all around the globe are an attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards. Many questions arise about these advertisements, such as “Is advertising deceptive? Does it create or perpetuate stereotypes? Does it create conformity? Does it create insecurity in order to sell goods? Does it cause people to buy things that they really don’t need?

The first prime motive of advertising is to attract attention. With children, the messages need to be conveyed in a different manner. Goods are particularly packaged in order to appeal to the younger generation. Children today, are more specific about their needs and wants. Children are therefore reckoned to be a major ‘buying force’ by advertisers. Advertisers use specific methods to target teen consumers, but these methods are not always successful or ethical. Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales, which increases the efficiency of the nation’s economy. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. Advertising alone, however, does not get customers.

However, advertising can also have a negative influence over young minds if parents are not really careful and do not teach their children about the importance of money. In many cases, children tend to misinterpret the messages conveyed through the advertisement. They end up having wrong notions about many issues. Advertising influences the minds of children, which creates a need to own that particular product being advertised. Glossy images on the magazines or billboards or flashy advertisements on television only create the urge for impulsive buying. Parents who cannot deal with the rising demands or temper tantrums only tend to give in to the demands of their children. Children then get used to a certain kind of lifestyle, which is shown on the television or through various media. This only creates a very wrong impression on their young minds making them lose the ability to live a life without relying on materialistic joys. The power of advertising thus, cannot be ignored.

Advertisements encourage the children to persuade their parents to purchase the products shown in the commercials, whether useful or not. The little ones tend to get adamant, if they are not bought the product. Children often tend to misinterpret the messages conveyed in commercials. They overlook the positive side and concentrate more on the negatives. Many advertisements in the present times include dangerous stunts, which can be performed only by experts. Even though the commercials broadcast the statutory warnings with the ad, the kids often try to imitate the stunts at home, with fatal results. The flashy advertisements broadcast in television generate impulse shopping in children. Children, after watching the glitter of commercials, often lose the ability to live a life without materialistic joy. The kids usually get more attracted towards the costly branded products, such as jeans and accessories. They disregard the inexpensive, but useful, ones that are not shown in the commercials. Advertisements have an indirect effect on the behavior of children. They might develop temper tantrums, when deprived of the latest toys and clothes that are shown in the commercials. The personal preferences in clothing, toys, food and luxurious of children are altered by the advertisements, to a great extent. Junk foods, such as pizzas, burgers and soft drinks, are heavily promoted during children’s TV viewing time. This develops a craving for fatty, sugary and fast foods in kids, thereby affecting their health adversely.

Rationale of the study

The objective and the purpose of this study is to collect information about the impact of advertising on adolescents and to study their behavior and buying habits after they have been exposed to advertisements in the form of TV ads, print ads, and billboards etc.

To further know about psychological and sociological impact on advertising on children the consumption patterns will also be studied of the adolescents. Moreover, other factors such as peer pressure, social factors.

Limitations of the study

There will be time and geographical limitations to this study. The study can only be conducted for a very limited period of time and only children and parents from selected schools of Lahore will be selected as the sample.

Research Questions

How does the advertisement affect the children?

How do the ads depict the social class of the consumer behavior?

How do the ads affect the buying habits of the Adolescents?

What is the social pressure on children regarding the notion that ads depict?

What is the consumption pattern of adolescents because of the ads they are exposed to?

Are the adolescents’ brands conscious because of the ads?

What is the role of peer groups on adolescents because of the ads?

Hypothesis

Since adolescents are in a phase where they are moving from childhood period to the pre-teens they are gullible and more prone to be victims of persuasive content in the advertisement which affects the buying habits and how they interact with their peers.

The children become more self-conscious and brand conscious because of the social and peer pressure on them. The role of parents regarding this matter is also important because it also affects the adolescent psychologically.

Population

Adolescents of Lahore

Age: 10-16

Methodology

The methodology which is being adopted is Interviews and Survey.

The interview method of research, typically, involves a face-to-face meeting in which a researcher (interviewer) asks an individual a series of questions.

The responses of the children will be collected through interviews as it will be hard to get a questionnaire filled by them. The interview method will ensure that the adolescents do not miss out on any questions. Interviews will also help them understand the questions better as the interviewee will be able to explain the questions further if needed.

Survey means “to look or see over or beyond”. Survey research involves acquiring information about one or more groups of people – perhaps about their characteristics, opinions, attitudes, or previous experiences – by asking them questions and tabulating their answers. The ultimate goal is to learn about a large population by surveying a sample of that population

The type of survey used for this study is descriptive survey. This survey will be conducted with a sample of 50-75 mothers and it will have questions regarding the attitude of their children and their buying habits.

The survey will be conducted in order to authenticate the responses given by the children during interview.

Operation Definition

Psychological – Of, relating to, or arising from the mind or emotions or Influencing or intended to influence the mind or emotions. How the ads effect the minds of adolescents through persuasion or repetition.

Sociological – of or having to do with human society, its organization, needs, development, etc. How the content in ads can make a person brand conscious and/or force them to be or move with the elites.

Adolescents – developing from childhood to maturity; growing up (10-16 in this study)

Social Class – Status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified on the basis of esteem and prestige acquired mainly through economic success and accumulation of wealth. Four common social classes (in their descending order) are: (1) Upper class, (2) Middle class, (3) Working class, and the (4) Lower class.

Persuasive – having the power or ability to persuade; tending to persuade

Buying Habits – Purchase decision making pattern that is a complex amalgam of needs and desires, and is influenced by factors such as the consumer’s (1) societal role (parent, spouse, worker, etc.), (2) social and cultural environment and norms, and (3) aspirations and inhibitions.

Peers group – is a social group consisting of people who are equal in such respects as age, education or social class. Peer groups are an informal primary group of people who share a similar or equal status and who are usually of roughly the same age, tended to travel around and interact within the social aggregate.

Interview

1) Would you go for a particular brand of crisps/drink if you never have seen the advertisement?

2) What do you think you would do if there was no TV for a month at your place?

3) What type of programmes you used to watch when you were five years younger? Why did you change what you used to watch?

4) What do you think is the purpose of advertising?

5) When you see an advertisement what is the first thought that comes to your mind?

6) What is the purpose of advertising on TV (for example, in the commercial with the boy in it)?

7) Why do they show advertising on TV?

8) How many hours a day you watch TV for?

9) Do your parents allow you to see any TV program you want to watch?

10) Do you have a separate T.V in your room?

11) Which advertisement is your favorite? Why?

12) Do you ask your parents to buy the products you see in the ads?

13) Name a few things which you bought after watching the advertisement?

14) Do you think advertisements are good?

Survey

How many children do you have?

How often is your child exposed to TV or print ads?

What is your opinion on advertising that is aimed at children?

Do you think advertising plays any role in buying habits of children?

Are you an impulsive buyer?

Do you take your child with you when you go grocery shopping?

Does your child insist on buying a product of a specific brand?

Does your child ask your assistance when buying a product?

Is your child stubborn when it comes to buying things for his/her use?

Where does your child usually watch TV (in his/her room or with family)?

Do you keep a check on your child when he/she watches TV?

Is your child brand conscious?

What does your child usually spend his/her monthly allowance on?