CONSUMERISM, TELEVISION & CHILDREN An investigaion into the effects of television and it’s advertisements on children aged between 5 & 10 years old. Written by Holly Smith For Paper no. 222.453 Research and Development
CONSUMERISM, TELEVISION & CHILDREN ‘ How does television & it’s advertisements effect the development of skills and creativity in children aged between five and ten years old? ’
Word Count: 3500 Due: 31st May, 2010; 5pm.
ABSTRACT
As digital form begins to dominate society, television is becoming more and more significant in the lives of young children. With corporations exploiting the child’s imagination, television advertisements are being designed to subconsciously attract children, and increase their parent’s spending.
This research aims to investigate the use of television as a medium to communicate messages of consumerism to children. The enquiry will look into the effects of television as a form of entertainment for children, and as a tool for marketing and its overall impact on the child. Effects on the development of creativity and other essential skills in children aged between five and ten years old will also be addressed, with specific focus on psychological and social areas of development. Identifying what is successful in the design of a children’s commercials can help unravel the process marketers use to create their subliminal messages, and provide an answer to developing a more age-appropriate form of entertainment for children in this age bracket, without the addictive and materialistic consumerism we are all subjected to from our television.
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CONTENTS:
Abstract
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List of figures
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List of Tables
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Introduction
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Literature review
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New Research: Individual Study
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Survey
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Conclusion
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Future Research:
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Design Brief
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References
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Bibliography
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Appendices: Appendix 1
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Appendix 2
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Appendix 3
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Appendix 4
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1; Spider-Man merchandise
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(Retrieved from http://www.spideystore.com, 2010)
Figure 2; Grand-Theft Auto - Xbox game cover.
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(Retrieved from http://www.covergalaxy.com. 2010)
Figure 3; Ipod advertisement model
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(Retrieved from http://www.appcafe.co.uk, May 2010). Coca- cola: Open Happiness (Retrieved from http://leangreenmachine.net, May 2010). ‘ Up’ movie advertisement (Retrieved from http://movies.about.com/, May 2010)
Figure 4; Mtv Logo
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(Retrieved from http://www.typophile.com, May 2010). Nickelodeon Logo (Retrieved from http://www.neytri.com/, May 2010).
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1; Selection of advertisements shown in the study
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Table 2a; Questions and results from section 1 of the study
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2b; Questions and results from section 2 of the study
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Table 3; Questions and results from survey
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INTRODUCTION
Television plays an important role in today’s society as a form of easy and convenient entertainment. The television is now used by marketers to advertise almost any consumer product, and targets many different demographics. This research aims to look into the subliminal consumerism messages that target and attract children between the ages of five and ten years old. Not only is it an exploitative strategy, but it is having significant effects on many areas of a child’s growth. Creativity, psychological and social development is seen to be negatively impacted by television, it’s advertisements and their over-stimulated, branded products. Research will investigate how marketing is subconsciously being absorbed by young viewers, generating an addiction to consumerism, as well as creating conflict between peers and parents.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
The exploitative nature of marketing and advertising strategies are changing moral and social values taught to children, and negatively impacting their development of creativity. Today, the ability for parents to monitor the social and psychological growth of their children is diminishing, as advertisers and marketers undermine the authority of parents subliminally through their messages (Dale, 2005). In regards to television advertisements, Kline (1993) explains the misinterpretation that television is harmless to children, allowed marketers and advertisers to take advantage of this media, and to take control of a child’s imagination. This has been a relatively smooth and seamless transition; the convenient manner in which the television stimulates and activates a child’s imagination, has made it incredibly easy for the corporations to enter the subliminal mind of its young viewers. A study by Kline in December 1986, can provide early evidence to the significance of television advertisements on children. In Southern Ontario, letters addressed to Santa were recorded and compared. 53% Of children living within a televised region requested branded toys, while only 25% of children living in areas with limited television access made such requests. The children unexposed to advertisements tended to request more traditional toys, such as bikes, sleds and board games.
Figure 1; Spider-Man merchandise.
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Television advertising is playing a significant role in influencing children to believe and feel their wants and desires are their needs, and these products are necessary to feel fulfilled and achieve happiness. This can be seen in the use of promotional merchandising of popular characters, see figure 1. Merchandising suggests to a child that one needs the product to fit in with one’s peers, or the product is necessary to gain a full and complete experience of the character (Linn, 2004). The television advertisements create new needs in children, who unable to purchase such things themselves request the purchase from their parents. This is undoubtably the goal for most marketers targeting children, and achieved simply through the appropriate scheduled television commercials. When a parent refuses to meet the child’s consumer demands, a conflicting situation arises - a common issue faced regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds (Goldstien cited in Gunter & Furham, 1998). Designing advertisements to target specific demographics in children is extending the problem, and presenting children with issues, far more complex to earlier generations. This left parents unprepared to deal with the new presented conflict, and eventually succumb to the child’s and advertisement’s demand.
“Preserving and nurturing children’s capacity to play is essential to all aspects of their mental, social and emotional development. Play is a fundamental component of a healthy childhood, and links inextricably to creativity” (Linn 2004, 64). Learning how to take risks, experiment with new skills, think critically, to act rather than react, and to establish ourselves from our environments, is all learnt through the ability to play as a child (Linn, 2004). During play, children use objects and ideas to express a sense of control over their lives, dreams and emotions. This is all undermined by the new consumer culture, bombarding children with a new stimulation that does not actively require any use of imagination, and in some cases physical activity. This is slowly transforming the skills children have traditionally developed during childhood.
Highly stimulated consumer goods, often containing unnecessary explicit content are beginning to replace traditional toys, and also the natural process of the imagination within a child. If children don’t watch television for entertainment, they are playing video games on it, or they may be playing with toys that were advertised on television. With goods such as video games, and electronically controlled products, it is easy to see how children are losing their opportunity to exercise creativity through play. Research has indicated children are being introduced to videos and television by the 10
age of 6 months (Singer & Singer as cited in Calvert, 2008). Although many studies show television and electronic media can stimulate play amongst children, there are indications it is damaging the quality of their play. Children who are frequent viewers of television, especially during their preschooling years, are less likely to engage in social ‘make-believe’ games (Singer & Singer as cited in Calvert 2008). Valkenburg (Cited in Calvert, 2008) argues it is damaging the quality of play, suggesting the convenience of television and electronic media disrupts the child’s effort to create one’s own imagery and ideas. Being subliminally taught by these products to react to toys, rather than using toys to create their own stories, children are losing the essential skills that allow them to positively interact socially, and engage in lateral thinking. Today, it is commercials and brands that are the new means for kids to interact socially, rather than to play a traditional game of hide and seek (Foxx, 1996). This highlights Linn’s (2004) point; imagination in a child’s play is becoming unnecessary, as television and its advertisements are providing a convenient alternative; while providing a porthole to parent’s spending, and generating ever-increasing profits for corporations.
Critics are beginning to argue television advertisements are helping to create undesirable social traits amongst in children. This is seen in the form of materialistic values and non-rational, impulsive decisions (Gunter & Furham, 1998). The new communication of brands with social class is putting strain on parents to provide top quality, expensive brands and labels to fulfil the social requirements of their children. This will change as frequently as the advertising campaigns, and is seen to be a trigger for the significant rise in bullying problems in primary schools. A line has been crossed . . . Advertising and entertainment and all mediums are blurred now. I think we are reaching point of an overall degrading of values . . . And it seems like people get desensitised, and then they have to cross yet another line. (Goldstein as cited in Schor, 2004, 177)
Figure 2; Grand Theft Auto - Xbox game cover.
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The excessive use of explicit violent and sexual content in commercials is effecting the child’s perception of such social values. Acuff (1997) explains an ‘identification’ pattern, which drives consumers to purchase certain products. The Identification pattern refers to when a consumer chooses a product they identify to be like themselves, or have a desire to encompass such traits. This pattern is seen to be very common in children’s consumer behaviour, and is alarming to think the children of today may “consciously or subconsciously adopt the behaviours, values or attitudes as their own” (Linn, 2004, 109). With explicit video games such as ‘Grand-Theft Auto’ (see figure 2) becoming popular amongst young adults, children now have desires to buy the game themselves, even when the rating says they are legally unable to purchase it. With the main character able to kill a prostitute after having sexual relations with her, and then comparing this product with the ‘Identification’ pattern, it is unnerving to think that such undesirable social traits are beginning to be admired and are slowly able to transfer from the product, onto our children.
Television advertising is also playing a part in the psychological growth of today’s children. Professionals have said it is hard to pin-point the affects of advertising on the mental development of a child, but the influence is noticeable (Schor, 2004). These inappropriate behavioural traits are seen to be similar to that of the mental illness: Narcissism. Advertising is allowing individuals to create an overblown self-image that disguises unacknowledged feelings of emptiness and worthlessness, ingrained by the advertisements themselves. Consumerism is dictating that to become worthy and socially accepted, you need to acquire the most expensive, extravagant and fashionable possessions (Dale, 2005). This is developing consumerism into an addiction, fuelled and encourage by the excessive advertisements one sees in between television shows. With children becoming immersed in television, and subsequently consumerism, at such a young age, it is easy to see how consumer behaviour can expand into more complex and enduring problems in adulthood (Dale, 2005). The link between consumerism and happiness within individuals is an indirect consequence of the advertising we are subjected to daily. This aspect was found in children, seen in a study by Juliet Schor (2004) in Boston, Massachusetts (see appendix 1). The survey’s findings indicated children have subliminally become involved with consumerism on a psychologically damaging level. Many answers were in fact trying to mask the child’s true involvement with brands and advertisements, yet when referring to shopping, the concept of financial wealth, and the value of possessions, the answers indicated a strong desire . This supports the idea that the addictive materialism of our new consumer culture is creating unhealthy and often unstable young children. 12
NEW RESEARCH No1. Individual study METHODOLOGY As part of the enquiry into the effects of television advertisements, a individual study was undertaken; to measure the views of six children in regards to common advertisements they may be encountering in their television watching. The aim was to identify what children liked and disliked about advertisements, and how design aspects of commercials subliminally targeted children. It also looked at how influential advertisements have been on their current toy, food and movie preferences. The study involved a set of questions (see table 2a & 2b or appendix 2) regarding their overall feelings towards advertising, television and consumerism, while the second section looked into their reaction towards a set of selected advertisements. In table 1, you can see the advertisements used. There was a total of nine advertisements, for three different product areas; food, toys and movies. The selections were based on the style of each advertisement and its intended target audience. A range of familiar products and brands were chosen to help create an area of comfort, so the child had established feeling towards the brand/product and therefore would be confident to discuss the product. For consent documents, see appendix 4.
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Table 1; Selection of advertisements show in investigation Food :
‘Calci - yum’ dairy food
Content : • 30 seconds • Comical plot, one of a series • Main character is a young boy (no other characters) • • •
30 seconds Aimed directly at children Comical plot aged between 5 and 10 Main character, Ronald years McDonald, with kids between 5 & 10 years.
Documentry style, with special effects.
Coca-Cola
• •
3 minutes, 30 seconds Narrative plot, one of a series A range in imaginative characters, ‘monsters’. Not at all real-life. With 2 humans (at begining and end)
Colourful, high definition animation, with indepth, detailed characters.
‘Zu Zu Pets’ by Planet Fun
• • •
Ipod
• • •
Movies :
Style : Black and white, with ‘drawn’ illustrative animation. Simplicity.
McDonald’s Happy Meals
•
Toys :
Target Audience : Aimed at parents, yet appealing to children.
‘Spore Hero’ Video game Nintendo Wii
• •
‘Nany Mcphee 2’ Movie
• •
•
•
‘Up’ Movie
• • •
‘Transformers : • Revenge of the • Fallen’ Movie •
Aimed at young adults (this is the age of the two featured humans), yet appealing to children.
30 seconds Aimed directly at children Functional plot, to show how aged between 5 and 10 the toy works years. Main characters are children aged between 5 & 10 years (3 girls, 1 boy)
Documentry style, fast paced. Elevated emotions
1 minute Random plot, show the enjoyment of the product Main characters are young adults, dancing.
Colourful, yet simple animation, fast paced. Artistic style.
Aimed at young adults (as this is the age of the featured people), yet appealing to children.
1 minute Aimed at older children, Functional plot, to show what yet appeals to younger happens in the game children. Main characters are that featured in the game; imaginative ‘monsters’.
Colourful, high definition digital animation. Fast paced.
2 minutes, 30 seconds Trailer plot, showing snips of the ‘magical’ narrative., comical. Main characters are a woman, children aged between 5 & 10 years, and farm animals.
Aimed directly at children aged between 5 and 10 years.
Documentry, with special effects, colourful and fast paced.
2 minutes, 30 seconds Trailer plot, showing snips of the ‘imaginative’ narrative, comical. Main characters are an older man, and a younger boy (around 8 years)
Aimed directly at children aged between 5 and 10 years, with appeal to an older audience.
High definition animation, very colourful and interesting.
2 minutes, 30 seconds Aimed at young adults, Trailer plot, showing snips of and older, yet appealing to the ‘action’ narrative. younger children. Main characters are 2 young adults (male, and female), and ‘transformers’.
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Documentry, with sepcial effects. Contains action/violence, and dark themes.
Table 2a; Questions and results from section 1 of study
Do you like when Mum / Yes = 6 Dad buys you things?
No = 0
What? Toys =2 Clothes = 2 Food = 2
How much TV do you watch each day?
A bit = 0
A lot = 1
When do you watch TV? Morning = 3
Afternoon = 4
Evening = 0
What are your favourite TV shows?
Childrens : What now? = 2 Transformers = 1 Ben 10 = 2 icarly = 1
Adult themed : ‘Monk’ =1 The simpsons = 2 MBA basketball = 1 Ugly betty = 1
What is your favourite channel?
National : TV2 = 2 Kidzone = 1
Sky : Cartoon network =1 Nickelodeon = 3 Disney = 2 The box = 2 ESPN = 1
What is your favourite
Toy? Ipod = 2 Craft kit = 1 Play station = 2 Psp = 1 Wii = 1 Basketball = 1 Computer = 1
Food? Lollies = 2 Samwidches = 1 Indian = 1 Burger King = 1 Kellogs = 1
Do you like TV advertisements?
Yes = 2
No = 4
Do you watch TV advertisements?
Yes = 4
No = 2
‘Can fast forward’ = 2 ‘We have too’ ‘mute them’ ‘May be new products’
Do you have a favourite TV advert?
Yes = 2
No = 4
What one? TV program adverts Fresh up
Is there an advertisement you do not like?
Yes = 4
No = 2
What one? My little pony = 2 Moretien Clearisal Pimple wash
Is there an advertisement that you remember well?
Yes + responce : Positive = 2 Negative = 2
No = 2
Which one? The wiggles Smith and Smith glass Cadbury - choc people The Warehouse
Not much =5
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Movie? Transformers = I Boy = I Did you hear about the morgans? =I Flushed away = I Shrek = I Walle = I Alvin & the chipmunks = I
Table 2b; Questions and results from section 2 of study
Which ad did you like the most?
Which ad did you like the least?
Food : Coke-cola = 3 Calci Yum = 2 Mcdonalds = 1
Why? Like the brand/product = 2 Comedy = 4 characters = 3
Toys : Wii = 2 Ipod = 4
Why? Exciting colours = 3 Music = 2 Activities = 4 Characters = 1 Simply, liked it = 1
Movie : Up = 2 Transformers = 2 Nany Mcphee 2 = 2
Why? Seen it lots = 1 very colourful = 2 Characters = 4 Easy to understand = 1 Violence = 2 Comedy= 3
Food : McDonalds = 4 Calci Yum = 2
Why? (plot) Doesn’t make sense = 4 Unrealisitc = 1 Silly = 3 doesn’t featue product = 1 Boring, black and white = 1
toys ; Zhu Zhu Pets = 6
Why? For girls = 3 Too young = 3
Movie : Transformers = 4 Nany Mcphee 2 = 1 Up = 1
Why? boring = 4 too young = 1 unrealisitc = 3 violent = 2 scary = 1 Simply, Don’t like it = 1
Have you seen any of these Yes = 6 products before?
No = 0
Where/ How? At home = 1 Movies = 5 On tv = 1 The warehouse = 3 Brought it = 2
Would you like to buy/ see Yes = 4 any of these products/movies?
No = 2
Which one? Nany Mcphee 2 = 2 Calci Yum = 1 Coke = 2 Ipod = 3 Up = 1 Wii game = 1
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No 1. Individual Study RESULTS Section No. 1 Section one aimed to collate the child’s ideas and views towards television as entertainment, and its use for advertising. Using Schor’s (2004) study as a base for my investigation, the results were shown to be very similar amongst the six New Zealand children I selected.
A hundred percent of my individuals agreed that they liked to buy something when they went out with their parents, and examples included toys, clothes and food yet the majority of the children believed that they did not like television advertisements, and had a very negative response to the proposition. This result is similar and can be supported by the 87.9% of children who answered the question ‘ When I go somewhere special, I usually like to buy something’ in Schor’s study(2004, see appendix). In regards to possessions, five out of the seven listed toys were electronic, with three being based on the television. Only two of these were unbranded, traditional toys, and five could arguably be aimed at an older target audience (such as playstation, psp and ipod). This can link to the television channel preferences, in which five out of seven were on a paid-television network, and like ‘Nickelodeon’, essentially a brand in itself.
The television shows noted were surprising, as five of the noted 11 were adult theme, and aimed at a much older audience. Only three were animated programs and one was a sporting event. When asked what movie was their favourite, seven different answers were given. Three of the seven were fairly recent, and two of those were aimed at a more adult audience. Four were animated, or featured animation, and two were from the company ‘Dream Works’.
Section No.2 After viewing the previously specified advertisements, the children preferred animated and colourful commercials, with the majority choosing the Coca-cola, Ipod and ‘Up’ movie advertisements. Children seemed to dislike the adverts that were directed at their own age group, as the Mcdonalds Happy Meal, and Zu Zu pets advertisements were highlighted to be unsuccessful, responses argued that they were too young, and didn’t make sense. All six children had at some point see the products advertised before; four of them had decided that they wanted to buy one viewed items. 17
No 1. Individual Study FINDINGS The results of the investigation have shown advertising and marketing to be using television as a tool to subliminally program children to want their products. With only two of the seven listed preferences toys being unbranded, it is easy to see how specifying brands rather than the objective term for a product has become second nature to children that have grown up around television. Many children found it hard to answer as to why they preferred an advertisement to another, showing the subliminal attraction children are beginning to experience.
The study noted while children claimed ‘not much’ television was being watched each day, the kids had generally more than one program to record as their ‘favourite’ and numerous channel preferences. This shows that while children have been taught not to watch too much television, there is a good chance they watch a fair bit more than they specified in their answers. Channel preferences were mainly from paid-television sky, with Nickelodeon being the most noted. This channel is in many ways a brand in itself, and works closely with MTV, to produce the psyche that once a child is old enough, he or she will move onto MTV, often not approved by parents and of a similar aesthetic design (see next study).
In the listed television programs, five out of the 11 were aimed at an older age, and this can mirror the dislike towards the advertisements aimed at their specific age group in section 2, with reasons suggesting they were in fact ‘too young’. This can express a new shift in growth, as children feel like they want to grow up sooner, and shouldn’t be limited by their age group. This is also evident with their favourite toys. One boy of five years old, listed down three electronic gaming devices, many of which were aimed at a much older audience. Three children listed the most recent movie they had seen to be their favourite and all of these three were aimed at an older audience as well, and one included significant violence.
The majority of children listed Coca-cola, Ipod and ‘Up’ Movie to be their most liked advertisements in section 2. These three contain high-definition animation, with imaginative and fictional characters. The colour plays a huge role in enticing children as they are bright and energetic, mirroring positive emotions (see figure 3). The plots are quite extensive, and capture the viewer, while the visual design 18
mirrors the feelings and emotions successfully. Other noted favourites were Calci-yum, Wii ‘Spore Hero’, and Nany Mcphee 2 which were all recently new and un-viewed to the children, who noted the products to be ones they would like to purchase in the future. These three also had a similar style to the preferred three, and communicated different stylized animation. Children tended to suggest that the least favoured advertisements were ‘dull’, ‘boring’ and ‘babyish’. These bottom three contained little or no animation, and were based on people. This result also suggests that children feel ’limited’ when referenced as children and often see themselves to be ‘grown up’ - as one ad was suggested to be ‘too-young’ yet was targeting the specific age of the child.
Figure 3; Ipod, Coca-cola ‘Open Happiness’, and ‘Up’ movie imagery.
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NEW RESEARCH No 2. Survey METHODOLOGY To accompany the findings in the first investigation, a survey was produced, to be answered by 10 parents, from varied age groups, and gender. All were to have children aged between five and ten years. The questions were to identify their attitude towards television as a means of entertainment for their children, and how they moderate the use and content of it. It also attempts to identify a link between television advertisements and the recent purchases for their children. Whether television is used as a tool to encourage good behaviour is also investigated, as this would explain how dominant television is in the lives of these children, as objects with more importance to a child are often used to compromise good behaviour. The survey involved 11 questions, all subjective and did not imply a right or wrong answer. The simplicity of each question allows the parent to give an honest opinion, without their method of parenting being judged.
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Table 3; Questions and results from Survey Gender : Age group :
Male = 4 20-30 years = 1
Female = 6 31-40 years = 4
41-50 years = 5
No. Of Children:
1 =4
2=4
3+ = 2
How much TV does your child watch (Per day)?
1-2 hours = 5
2.5 -3 hours = 5
3.5 hours plus
What time of day does your child usually watch TV?
Morning = 4 (Before school)
Afternoon = 8 (After school)
Evening = 1
What channels & programs does your child watch?
Channels Nickelodeon = 5 TV3 = 5 TV2 = 7 Box = 1 Disney = 2 Cartoon Network = 2
Programs Spongebob = 4 Ben 10 = 3 Transformers =1 Wizards of waverly place = 1 What now? = 5 Hannah Montanna = 2 High School Musical = 1
Programs Lie to me = 1 Ugly Betty = 1 NBA = 1 The Simpsons = 2 CSI = 1
Are there channels/ Programs you do not Allow your child to watch?
Channels MTV =8 C4 = 4 Comedy central = 3 E channel = 4
Programs ‘R’ Rated = 3 Hannah Montanna = 1 ‘Suit life of Zac and Cody’ =1 South Park = 2 Girls of the playboy mansion = 1
What channels/ Programs do you Encourage your child to watch?
Channels History = 1 Sport = 4 Discovery = 3 Animal Planet = 3 TV1 = 2 Kidzone = 3 Documentry = 2 National geographic = 2
Programs PG films = 1 The Zoo = 1
Do you let your child watch more TV as reward?
Yes = 4
No = 6
Do you limit your child’s tv watching as Punishment?
Yes =9
No = 1
What was the last thing Object you brought your child Clothes = 2 as a treat? CD = 1 DVD = 2
Activity Movie = 2 Museum = 1
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Food Burger King = 1 McDonalds = 1 Confectionery = 1
No 2. Survey RESULTS The survey aimed to identify the parents role in moderating and supervising a child’s television viewing. It is an interesting subject, as many studies argue that parents have in some areas lost control over the ways in which their child develops, as the television has now become a teacher (Dale, 2005).
Half of the survey participants were older parents, and four have one child, four have two children, while two had three or more. Half of parents believe their children watch between one and two hours of television a day, while the other half believe it is more likely to be between two and three hours. Eight parents let their children watch television after school, and another four let them watch it before school.
Four out of the six channels listed were from paid- television, Nickelodeon was noted to be the favourite, alongside TV3. Five out of the 12 programs listed were aimed at an older audience, with two including ‘CSI’ and ‘Lie to me’. MTV, C4 and E Channel were all listed to be inappropriate for their children. Some examples of unapproved programs included the expected ‘South Park’ and anything ‘R’ rated, yet ‘Hannah Montanna’ and ‘Suite life of Zach and Cody’ managed to get into this category as well, despite targeting the specified age group. Parents would encourage their children to watch more educational channels such a Animal planet, Discovery, Kidzone and sport.
Many parents use television as an incentive for good parents, as nine parents limit their child’s television time as punishment, and four would reward them with extra viewing time. When asked what the last ‘treat’ they brought their child was, parents were less likely to specify brands, and provided answers such as clothes, movies and DVDs. Two parents mentioned McDonalds and Burger King.
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No 2. Survey FINDINGS The results concluded parents to have a negative view on the use of television for their children, but do not play a huge role in limiting or monitoring the content or time their child ends up spending in front of the screen. This can be seen in nine of the 10 parents interviewed would limit their child’s viewing time as a form of punishment, but would not use it to reward the child. They do however have a good understanding of what channels and programs their children watch, and have disapproved of some explicit channels, expressing some sense of moderation.
Although parents say they encourage their children to watch channels such as Discovery and Animal planet, none of these channels were mentioned in the previous question which referred to the channels their child watches regularly. This can suggest that parents are aware of what their children are watching, but are not significantly involved. Through the visual communication of the favoured channels, and comparing these with that of the disapproved channels, such as MTV (see figure 4), one can draw assumptions in comparing the two logos. The bright, energetic and colourful aesthetic from each channel is very similar, even though the target audience is very different. This can give reasoning as to why many children desire to watch this inappropriate channel.
When asked what was the most recent purchase they made for their child’s enjoyment, parents stared away from writing down brand names, and instead mentioned the product. Clothes, DVDs and movies were a popular treat, while a trip to McDonalds and Burger King was also listed. There was only one educational treat listed, which was going to the museum. This can express the new materialistic attitude children are now exhibiting. A DVD is now a treat, rather than a birthday gift, and this can support the earlier argument; marketers target children to change the parents purchasing behavior. It would be easy to suggest Mcdonalds or Burger King was a choice influenced by the children.
Figure 4; Standard logo for Nickelodeon & MTV channels.
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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, research has shown that television communicates messages of a new addictive and materialistic consumerism to children via advertisements during their viewing time. This form of entertainment has had a significantly negative impact on children between the ages of five and ten years, and has proven to have changed the traditional development of creative, psychological and social skills. Literature has provided evidence to suggest that television should be monitored and limited for children in this age range, as it subliminally undermines parents and attracts children to explicit content via visual aesthetics. New research indicates that the colours and characters of advertisements are currently what makes advertisements successful in generating interest amongst children. Findings show television to be ingrained into the household, children view 2-3 hours daily as part of their routine. Growing up in this new digital age, children are becoming programed to need possessions, rather than want them - producing unhealthy and unpleasant characteristics and traits.
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FUTURE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
I would like to investigate the impact of television and highly stimulated toys on the specifics effects of creativity amongst children and possibly young teens as an extension on this research. The advertisements essentially lead to the purchasing of such toys that are having the most significant impact on their creative development. Looking into different ages, rather than a generalised age group may also provide more evidence as to how advertisements and products are targeting each stage of growth in children, and give a better understanding of the logic and design behind the process. Looking into alternative forms of entertainment to replace television would help move my research forward, and could provide mediums to base my proposed design upon. This would also strengthen the argument, as it may isolate television as the main perpetrator for the negative changes we see in children today. Research into tangible form may assist with this, as most of the findings have indicated the negative effects of the digital and electronic entertainment.
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Future Research & Development HYPOTHESIS Identifying alternative forms of entertainment for children at a young age, to replace the heavy use of television. Tangible form may be an area that can have more positive influence on a child’s development, and be mildly educational, rather than the existing digital media.
The use of design to target specific demographics in children can be analyzed. Research into separate ages, ethnic background and family structure, can provide information into the complexity of the advertising and how it uses visual communication design to reach more refined demographics.
Investigation of the specific effects of television content can be developed further. Looking into the use of visual design to reach this level of subconscious in children may explain in more depth the physical, psychological and social effects of television and its advertisements.
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Future Research & Development DESIGN BRIEF The central proposition will be to investigate how visual communication design is used to subconsciously target children in advertising in television. With further research into the indirect physical, psychological and social effects of commercials and digital media, a design will be aimed at using these techniques to create positive impact on a child, rather than the current problematic approach.
TARGET AUDIENCE Development towards a chosen specific age (between the ages of five and ten years old) and gender will be required, to ensure the success of the intended design. Currently. I have interest in targeting girls and boys, that are10 years old.
AIM Possible media will undoubtably be tangible, to counteract the negativity of digital media as stated in my research. The content of which will aim to be educational, as well as providing a form of entertainment that will replace television and encourage the healthy development of creativity, social, and possibly physical growth. The design will use an aesthetic developed from research to attract the child, while the content will be attractive to the parents. This could be in the form of a product, publication or organisation.
PROCESS Using the design process, research will commence initially to define the specified audience and content, as well as overall purpose and possible, successful design aesthetic. Once the research provides a supported idea, concepting and development will follow, with regular critique and presentations.
TIMELINE Week 1: Research proposition & develop idea
Week 7: Development of final concept
Week 2: Research into idea
Week 8 : Development
Week 3: Research (content, media)
Week 9: Refinement & Present for critique
Week 4: Decide on final idea
Week 10: Refine & test print
Week 5: Concepts
Week 11: Print & Construct
Week 6: Development of conecpts
Week 12 : Present final
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REFERENCES
Acuff, D.S. (1997). What kid’s buy and why. New York: The Free Press.
Buijzen, M. & Valkenburg P.M. (2003). The Unintended Effects of Television Advertising: A Parent-Child Survey. Communication Research, 30, 483 - 503.
Dale, S. (2005). Candy from Strangers: Kids & Consumer Culture. Vancouver: New Star Books Ltd.
Fox, R.F. (1996). Harvesting minds: How TV commercials are controlling kids. USA: Praeger Publishers.
Gunter , B. & Furham, A. (1998). Children as consumers. New York: Routledge.
Kline, S. (1993). Out of the garden: Toys & children’s culture in the age of TV marketing. London: Verso.
Linn, S. (2004). Consuming Kids. New York: The New Press.
Schor, J.B. (2004). Born to buy. New York: Soribner.
S.L. Calvert & B.J. Wilson(Eds.). (2008), The handbook of children, media and development. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abratt, R. & Sacks, D. (1988). The Marketing Challenge: Towards being profitable and socially responsible. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 7, No. 7, pp. 497-507.
Acuff, D.S. (1997). What kid’s buy and why. New York: The Free Press.
Acuff, D.S. , Bonner, D., Gilmartin, J. & Siegel, D. (2009). Market Smart : The best in age and lifestylespecific design. New York: Harper Collin Publishers.
Belk, R.W. (1988). Possessions and the extended self. The journal of consumer research, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp 139-168.
Bowe, R., Ball, S. & Gewirtz, S. (1994). ‘Parental Choice’, Consumption and Social Theory: The operation of micro-markets in education. British journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 38-52.
Buijzen, M. & Valkenburg P.M. (2003). The Unintended Effects of Television Advertising: A Parent-Child Survey. Communication Research, No. 30, pp. 483 - 503.
Bulmer, S. (2001). Children’s perceptions of Advertising. Auckland: Dept. of Commerce, Massey University at Albany.
Cleone, H. & Chesson, R. (1998). Children as Consumers. BMJ : British Medical Journal, Vol. 316, No. 7144, pp. 1600-1603. 29
Dale, S. (2005). Candy from Strangers: Kids & Consumer Culture. Vancouver: New Star Books Ltd.
De Bruin, A. (2000). Children, the medium and the message : parental perceptions of children directed advertising issues and regulation. Auckland: Dept. of Commerce, Massey University at Albany.
Elliot, C. (2008). Marketing Fun Foods: A profile and analysis of supermarket food messages targeted at children. Canadian Public Policy, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 259-273.
Fox, R.F. (1996). Harvesting minds: How TV commercials are controlling kids. USA: Praeger Publishers.
Gunter , B. & Furham, A. (1998). Children as consumers. New York: Routledge.
Kline, S. (1993). Out of the garden: Toys & children’s culture in the age of TV marketing. London: Verso.
Linn, S. (2004). Consuming Kids. New York: The New Press.
Richards, J.I., Wartella, E.A, Morton, C. & Thomspon, L. (1998). The Growing Commercialization of Schools: Issues and Practices. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 557, pp. 148-163.
Schor, J.B. (2004). Born to buy. New York: Soribner.
S.L. Calvert & B.J. Wilson (Eds.),.(2008). The handbook of children, media and development. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Tufte, B. , Rasmussen, J. & Christensen, L.B. (Eds.). (2005). Frontrunners or Copycats? Copenhagen Business School Press: Copenhagen.
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APPENDIX 1 Study question and results From Juliette Schor’s study of 300 children from Boston, Massachusetts. (Schor, J.B. (2004). Born to buy. New York: Soribner. pp149) Questions:
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I feel like other kids have more stuff than I do.
4.1
28.6
44.6
22.8
I wish my family could afford to buy me more of what I want.
13.4
20.0
33.8
32.8
I have pretty much everything I need in terms of possessions.
28.6
49.5
17.5
4.4
I wish my parents gave me more money to spend.
21.3
26.0
40.9
11.8
When I decide who to be friends with, I don’t care what toys or stuff the person has.
63.7
29.0
5.0
2.0
I usually have something in mind that I want to buy or get.
43.1
45.1
9.8
2.0
I want to make a lot of money when I grow up.
63.3
29.3
5.4
2.0
I care a lot about my games, toys and possessions.
40.1
44.8
12.8
2.4
When I go somewhere special, I usually like to buy something.
36.5
51.4
10.0
2.0
I don’t care too much about what I wear.
9.1
35.2
29.5
26.2
Brand names matter to me.
13.0
27.3
33.1
26.6
I like clothes with popular labels.
20.0
32.2
32.2
15.6
Being cool is important to me.
12.9
28.9
39.5
18.7
It doesn’t matter to me what kind of car my family has.
29.6
41.2
18.2
11.0
I like shopping and going to stores.
39.9
36.5
14.9
8.8
I wish my parents earned more money.
13.4
21.9
32.9
31.8
I like collecting things.
28.7
43.2
22.3
5.7
I like watching commercials.
8.4
16.2
28.3
47.1
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APPENDIX 2 Study questions Quesitons used in my new research individual study. Set 1 (before viewing)
• When you go out with Mum or Dad, do you like to buy things? & What things do you like to buy?
• How much television do you watch each day? & When do you watch television? (Suggest before/after school, dinner, bedtime)
• What are your favourite shows? & What’s your favourite channel? (Suggest TV 1,2 or 3, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, etc)
• What are your favourite toys? Or What is your favourite food? Or What is your favourite movie?
• Do you like television commercials? & Do you watch them when you watch television?
• Do you have a favourite advertisement? 32
& Do you have one you don’t like? & Is there one you remember quite well?
Set 2 (after each category viewing)
• Which commercial did you like the most? & Why? Colours : Characters : Noises/music/song : Activities :
• Which commercial did you dislike the most? &Why? Colours : Characters : Noises/music/song : Activities :
• Have you had/seen any of these products before? & Where? (Suggest on TV, in the shopping mall, at school)
• Would you like to buy/have/see any of these products? & Why?
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APPENDIX 3 Survey questions Quesitons used in my new research survey. • Gender :
Female | Male
• Age group : 20-30 years | 31-40 years | 41-50 years
• Number of children
• Roughly how much television does your child watch each day? (Does not include DVDs)
• What time of day does your child (usually) watch television?
• What channels do they prefer to watch, and can you recall any preferred television shows?
• Are there any television channels &/or programs that you do not allow your child to view?
•Are there any channels &/or programs you would encourage your child to view?
• Do you let your child watch more television as a reward for good beahaviour? Yes | No
• Do you limit your child’s television time if they have misbehaved? Yes | No
• What was the last product (e.g. Toy, food, movie) that you treated your child with? 34
APPENDIX 4 Parental Consent forms for individual study Dear Parents/Caregiver, As part of my final year studying towards my design degree, I have to undertake research into a specific area of graphic design. I have chosen to investigate the effects of consumerism and in particular, television advertisements on children between 5 and 10 years old. Allowing your child to be part of this small and focused study will allow me to gather qualitative information that can help me to create a more successful design for my final project. As past of this investigation, your child will be shown some advertisements that are aimed at their age group. These advertisements are in no way offensive, explicit, but you will have the opportunity yourself to view them before-hand. The questions are completely subjective and in no way personally intrusive. I also request that you be present during this focus session, and it will take roughly 30 minutes to complete. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any questions, and thank you for participating in my study.
Kindest regards,
Holly J Smith & Bonnie Kea (Lecturer) Ph. 021 204 1425 or 09 414 0800 Email. hello@hollyjsmith.com
I give consent for my child to participate in the study conducted by Holly J Smith, Regarding the effects of television advertisements on children. Your name:________________________________________________________________ Your child’s name:___________________________________________________________ Your Signature:_____________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________________________________________________________ 35
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