Advertisment targets all kinds of potential customers and children aren’t excluded from this trend, in fact, a remarkable amounts of ads are crafted especially for this demography. Some perceive the downsides of this phenomenon as worthy of requesting that ads be banned. I fully agree with this, because of the negative and manipulative effects of ads on children’s brains and the financial commitments that advertisemetns force parents to take.
Being a subject to advertising creates needy children and adds to the financial strains of caregivers. Most of the goods targeted towards children are luxury items and not necessities, as companies are aware that the latter are being provided by the parents already. However, these campaigns create a false need for their advertised goods and exploit the volatile desires of children to pressure families into making the purchases. For instance, the extravagant tech devices dedicated to children are nothing more than trendy items, and aren’t ones that fill any needs within a child’s life.
Moreover, Ads are prevalent in all living spaces, and they’re created in such a manner to captivate one’s attention. As children are more vulnerable and easily impacted, this makes them an easy target for any marketing campaign. While adults might not be as easily swayed, children are lured by the flashy colours and attractive displays of ads, and the over-exposure to this kind of content will make children develop an addiction to these sights. A study showed that the display of bright colours in ads is associated to surge in dopamine levels in the brains of children, this chemical gives a false sense of happiness in response to the content consumed by children. Youngsters will associate this feeling to whatever is being advertised and turn from just viewers into seekers of the goods or services offered.
Additionally, marketing directed at juveniles creates a generation bound to consumerism culture, that grow up to fill the pockets of major corporates and embrace a lifestyle drived by pure capitalistic habits.
In conclusion, I agree strongly with the suggestion of banning ads dedicated for youngsters, that is because children do not constitute the right audience for such capitalistic trials due to their vulnerable psyches and limited knowledge, and also to prevent parents from the bearing unnecessary expenses. I believe we should aim to protect children from turning into avid consumers of overly advertised goods at such a young age.