Common Advertising Strategies for Kids

Mrs. Friday’s Fourth Grade Classroom

Ideal Kids StrategyCommercials and magazines show kids who

seem a little more perfect than anyone else. They are really attractive, smart, and/or athletic. Advertisers want you to think you can be just like these kids if you buy the product.

Tony the Tiger Commercial

Heart StringsAdvertisers know we want to buy

products that make us feel good so their commercials have scenes where everyone is happy, getting along, and having fun together.

Fruit of the Loom Commercial

Amazing ToysMany toy commercials show their toys in

life-like fashion, doing incredible things. Airplanes do loop-the-loops and cars do wheelies, dolls cry, and missiles hit enemies dead in the chest. Toys do amazing things they never really do once you buy them!

Slinky Commercial

Life Like SettingsAdvertisers use backgrounds to sell

toys by adding things like beaches, outer space, and rugged or beautiful outdoor scenes. It looks great but you can’t buy it with the toy!

GI Joe Commercial

Sounds GoodAdvertisers use music or sounds to set the

mood they like. Toys will talk when they really don’t. Products will have catchy songs to make you remember them.

Oscar Mayer Commercial

Cute Celebrities/CharactersAdvertisers use celebrities like Brittany

Spears to sell pizza or the Pillsbury Doughboy to sell pastries. They want you to be able to identify with the product and remember it.

Cottonelle Commercial

Selective EditingThis strategy is used in every commercial but

even more so in ads for athletic toys like Frisbees or footballs. The ad shows perfect throws and brilliant passes that lead you to believe you will able to perform like that if you have the toy.

Nerf Football Commercial

Family FunMany commercials show parents

having fun with the children’s toys as if buying it will bring more family togetherness and happiness..

Game of Life Commercial

ExcitementIn these ads children are so excited. They

are all smiles and never bored. They make you think you must have the product because it is so

great and you will have so much fun with it.

McDonalds Rap Commercial

Star PowerSports heroes and television/movie stars

tell you what you should buy to play with, eat, and wear. You have to realize these people are paid to do the commercial. In many cases, the star has never even used the product.

David Beckham Pepsi Commercial

BandwagonThis strategy is supposed to make you

want the product because everyone else has it and you don’t want to be left out. Advertisers want you to “jump on the bandwagon” or “join the crowd”.

MJ Pepsi Generation Commercial