Beautiful People, Cute Characters
Beautiful People
Take a hard look at the people you see in the ads. Some of them are celebrities. Most are usually quite attractive and seem to be perfect in every way. That is no accident.
Since the message of the ad is usually that we are “not okay” the way we are, we have to want to be more like the people we see in the ads. If we were satisfied with the way we were, content with what we currently had and didn’t desire to be more like the people we see, why would we want to buy the product?
Cute Characters
Cartoon people or cuddly cute animals that children also see in their programs add special interest to the ad and the child may have a difficult time distinguishing the ad from the program they are watching.
Take a hard look at the people you see in the ads. Some of them are celebrities. Most are usually quite attractive and seem to be perfect in every way. That is no accident.
Since the message of the ad is usually that we are “not okay” the way we are, we have to want to be more like the people we see in the ads. If we were satisfied with the way we were, content with what we currently had and didn’t desire to be more like the people we see, why would we want to buy the product?
Cute Characters
Cartoon people or cuddly cute animals that children also see in their programs add special interest to the ad and the child may have a difficult time distinguishing the ad from the program they are watching.
Heart Strings
Playing with Emotions
Ads often try to draw the child in by playing to the emotions. It is not the advertiser’s job to teach your child to think critically about what she is seeing. Rather it is much more important to stir up emotions associated with the product.
Example:
The advertiser might show the father and his son having a good time at the fast food restaurant while eating burgers together, or the family happily gathering around the table in great anticipation awaiting mom’s arrival home with that bucket of chicken and the resulting excitement when she finally arrives.
Ads often try to draw the child in by playing to the emotions. It is not the advertiser’s job to teach your child to think critically about what she is seeing. Rather it is much more important to stir up emotions associated with the product.
Example:
The advertiser might show the father and his son having a good time at the fast food restaurant while eating burgers together, or the family happily gathering around the table in great anticipation awaiting mom’s arrival home with that bucket of chicken and the resulting excitement when she finally arrives.
Appealing Toys
Toys and Food
Did you know that one out of every three toys given to a child in the US each year is from a fast food restaurant? (Chew on This, 2006).
Toys are also in product packages designed to appeal to children.
How often have you heard your child begging to have you buy a certain type of cereal just so they can get the great toy inside?
Did you know that one out of every three toys given to a child in the US each year is from a fast food restaurant? (Chew on This, 2006).
Toys are also in product packages designed to appeal to children.
How often have you heard your child begging to have you buy a certain type of cereal just so they can get the great toy inside?
Lively Music & Bright Colors
Catchy Music and Sound Effects
Music and sound effects make the product look all the more appealing. One of the ways that children can often identify certain ads is by their catchy music designed to appeal just to a child.
Bright Colors
Have you ever noticed how children’s ads include bright colors? Once again, here is another strategy to attract your child’s attention.
Music and sound effects make the product look all the more appealing. One of the ways that children can often identify certain ads is by their catchy music designed to appeal just to a child.
Bright Colors
Have you ever noticed how children’s ads include bright colors? Once again, here is another strategy to attract your child’s attention.
Special Effects, Animation & Editing
We live in an exciting technological age; the ads of today often showcase some of this technology that our children have come to take for granted.
Ads for food products can include animations and special effects that truly spark the imagination with their creativity. It’s little wonder that small children can have difficulty recognizing where the program ends and the ad begins.
Reality vs. Fantasy
We need to get our children questioning the reality of what they’re seeing in ads. This is a very important first step in becoming a critical consumer.
Revolutionary digital editing techniques are changing the way that commercials look all the time.
Quick cuts and fast motion provide continual stimulation to the eyes and jolts to the senses, making it much harder for children to look away from the screen.
There are ads that just naturally get children buzzing to their friends and that, of course, is exactly the desired effect!
Example
Consider a drink ad that created a lot of buzz featuring Lebron James. There is little doubt that James is an amazing athlete, but to be able to sink 80 foot shots from across the basketball court as effortlessly as James does in the Powerade commercial has been the subject of some controversy.
Whatever the result, it’s all about being noticed and this commercial got lots of attention for Powerade.
For more details, see:
Powerade Ad
Ads for food products can include animations and special effects that truly spark the imagination with their creativity. It’s little wonder that small children can have difficulty recognizing where the program ends and the ad begins.
Reality vs. Fantasy
We need to get our children questioning the reality of what they’re seeing in ads. This is a very important first step in becoming a critical consumer.
Revolutionary digital editing techniques are changing the way that commercials look all the time.
Quick cuts and fast motion provide continual stimulation to the eyes and jolts to the senses, making it much harder for children to look away from the screen.
There are ads that just naturally get children buzzing to their friends and that, of course, is exactly the desired effect!
Example
Consider a drink ad that created a lot of buzz featuring Lebron James. There is little doubt that James is an amazing athlete, but to be able to sink 80 foot shots from across the basketball court as effortlessly as James does in the Powerade commercial has been the subject of some controversy.
Whatever the result, it’s all about being noticed and this commercial got lots of attention for Powerade.
For more details, see:
Powerade Ad
