The Handbook of International Advertising Research

21

International Research on Advertising and Children

Kara Chan

Introduction

This chapter discusses the importance of studying advertising to children from an international perspective and looks at the major trends of such research. It examines the research on advertising and children in China as a case study to illustrate what types of studies have been conducted, the major findings, and the theoretical contributions to the research literature. China was selected for two reasons. First, it has 241 million children under the age of 15, the world’s largest population of children (Population Reference Bureau, 2011). The one-child-per-family policy has empowered Chinese children with tremendous influence on family purchase decisions. Second, China’s growing consumer economy makes it a very important new market for international advertisers who aim at children and youth. Concerns about advertising to children, such as the growth of materialism in a traditionally socially oriented society, and the role of regulation in a new and expanding market will be examined. Along with the research on advertising to children in China, recent trends in international research on advertising and children in general are identified. This chapter equips you with the knowledge to carry out similar studies in other countries, which will expand the horizon of our knowledge on children and international advertising.

Importance of Research on Advertising and Children: An International Perspective

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