Can Kids' Advertising Cause Low Self Esteem?

However loudly advertising managers talk about ‘creativity’ and ‘education’, there’s only one reason brands advertise to kids – to persuade children (or more likely their parents) to buy their branded products.

While the industry regards the marketing methods it uses to part children and their pocket money as harmless, many disagree. Some psychologists have pointed out that the ads children are exposed to every day may have a detrimental effect on their psychological wellbeing, including their self-esteem.

But Everyone Else Has One!

With the aim of protecting children in mind, the UK has some of the toughest advertising regulations in the world. Rules drawn up by the Advertising Standards Association start off by stating that advertisers are not allowed to take advantage of a child’s inexperience when it comes to the media. Some of the specific directives govern potential self-esteem issues. For example, advertisers are not allowed to infer that going without an advertised product makes a child inferior to his/her peers.

However, useful though this ruling is, advertisers know that other children often do the work for them. They understand that by simply making a toy look attractive, they can create peer group pressure which can make a child feel inadequate.

You Can’t Buy Happiness

Marketers also know that any form of advertising implies that the consumer will be happier if they own the advertised product. Whether they see toy ads designed for children, or billboards marketing perfume to their parents, from a very young age children learn to associate wellbeing with what products their family owns. This can create stress, especially in low income families who can’t afford the latest products.

How To Help

With school to negotiate (and their teenage years on the horizon) children need all the help they can get to keep on top of self-esteem issues. Here’s how to help stop advertisers hurting your child’s confidence:

Learn to say no. Advertisers know that the ‘nag factor’ is a powerful way to sell products, but parents still have the option to say ‘no’. Though you might risk tears from your child in the short term, they’ll learn not to associate their wellbeing with the products they own.
Compare advertising images with real life experiences. Was that new chocolate bar you brought for your child last week really as exciting as portrayed on the ads? Talk about why not.
Let them know how advertising works. Very young children don’t understand what advertising is in the first place. Let them know that some adverts try and make them feel bad in order to sell products.
Turn the TV off. Limit the amount of advertising your kid sees on TV by turning off the telly when their favourite shows are finished. Make sure you monitor the amount of time kids are playing on the Internet too. Are they really doing their homework? It’s time to check…

Finally, before you tell your kids off for hankering after the latest big brand toy, take a quick look at your own behaviour. If you’re relying on consumer goods to make you happy it’s natural your children will follow suit.