Propaganda Techniques Used In Advertising

Today, children are bombarded everyday with a significant number of ads that can affect their reasoning for the future adults they will become. The desirable products shown by colorful ads are enough to convince a kid to want a toy or game. These ads are clearly overwhelming children with a variety of goods they will want them all and lose a sense of critic for them in order to prefer just one instead of a dozen he sees daily. Unfortunately, almost every 15 mins there is an advertisement suggesting that kids should have those products by making them “needs” instead of “wants.” Propaganda techniques specifically used for children are blinding their critical thinking by showing that it is more important if it looks cool rather than if it is useful.
One commonly-used propaganda

technique used in children’s ads is the use of glittering generalities. The use of attractive phrases can easily convince children that they should buy that product, and they omit the details that truly make a difference such as the real quality it has rather than the one they promote. For instance, “Moon sand” ad explicitly tells “It’s out of this world” , but this phrase can clearly be understood in two ways. A kid’s first thought is that it most likes comes from the moon, but he will most likely never think of it in the figurative way meaning that it is a great product but not exactly elite as if it came right from the moon just for them. The vocabulary used can easily misguide children to be convinced and that way affect the way they respond to ads in the future as well. Moreover, they could also use terms such as “super smash your enemies” for some Marvels’ product that will make them feel “super” just like it.
Another propaganda technique is plain folks , in which the person promoting the product is also a kid just like the audience. The kid under the effect of this technique will feel more confident about liking the product, in his blind critic for the advertisement though. Unfortunately, the child will also be convinced by the fact of seeing how the product is used by the same kid, so he desires to be like that kid for what he sees on TV. The effectiveness of this technique disables any possibility of thinking, does that kid truly likes it or is it just for the ad? Of course, the second one most likely won’t cross his mind, because he observes what he likes at first sight. For example, a seven-year-old kid saying “it looks squishy but we like it.” The image and message both say that you better try it, because why not.
Last but not least, Bandwagon is also a commonly used in tv commercials.

They persuade by making the product seem used by everyone. It introduces the kid into following a particular fashion, and makes him feel odd if he doesn't. For example, the nerf guns ad which uses almost teenagers that make the game look cool and they are have it and motivate the children to have it otherwise you will lose the opportunity to play with the others that do have them. Moreover, the same ad finishes with “It is Nerf or nothing” suggesting that everybody uses it because it is good, otherwise you won't be cool like the rest that do.
In conclusion, the power of advertising today what's become very effective through TV, and unfortunately children are mainly victims of these previous techniques. As Ellen Goodman explains in “Family Counterculture”, the parents have to fight the cultural imposition that affect the integrity of children. They slowly raise consumerist children that won't have the same perks of those who weren't raised with today’s ads. For these reasons, it is important to notice this ads that slow the kids’ critical thinking should be fought, even though it is the challenge of 21st century

parents.