By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : They have, in advertising gurus’ words, “the pestering power” – the ability to escalate the sales of a particular product. No wonder more and more advertisements, be it of mobile phones, electronics or apparel, now have kids playing the lead role.
On a look at the scores of billboards on the roads or advertisements on TV – Airtel, Samsung and Amul to name a few – one finds that the advertising world seems to have almost been taken over by children.
According to the experts in the field of advertising, children do much more than simply adding the ‘coochie-coo’ factor. Unlike yesteryears when kids were seen in a handful of ads, mostly endorsing a chocolate brand, ice cream, Maggi noodles and the like, today you have the tiny tots endorsing electronic gadgets, washing powder, house paints and other products mainly used by adults.
According to Ramesh Shri Vats, executive vice president of Rediffusion advertising agency, young children have a greater say in the household these days. In other words, they have greater influence on their parents in deciding which item should be bought.
“Children as young as eight and nine have started becoming increasingly aware of various products and are very well informed. They have the pestering power by which they can influence the household decisions when it comes to buying something.
“That’s why you see more and more children in electronic products’ ads, be it of TV sets, computers or fridge,” Vats told IANS.
In the new Samsung ad, for instance, a bunch of kids led by a tiny girl decide that the best time to approach Preity Zinta is when she is in a good mood. In other words, after switching on the AC, drinking chilled water, making popcorn in the microwave and switching on some music – in her Samsung enabled apartment.
“Now she is happy,” says the girl as she leads her gang to collect some hefty donation, indicating that Samsung products can take the load off your shoulders, rejuvenate and make you happy enough to do anything.
Sumit Seth, creative consultant with Sahara, said children are part of the most easily influenced category. Thus, advertisements featuring children first convince the child sitting in front of the TV screen, who in turn convinces her parents to buy a particular product.
“Take the example of a soap brand or a toothpaste. Earlier it was the woman who used to decide which product to choose. But now it’s the kid who decides which brand to go for and parents gladly oblige,” Seth said.
With higher disposable incomes and greater splurging power, young parents don’t mind submitting to their children’s demands.
“Akhila is only 13 but when it comes to buying make up, she has far more knowledge than me. Which facemask is good for which skin type, which lipstick colour would suit me the best…she knows it all. That’s why she accompanies me on all my shopping sprees and I listen to her while making my purchases,” said Delhi based homemaker Rajashree Singha.
Shruti Pal, a public relations executive and mother of an 11-year-old son, said she trusts her son completely when it comes to electronic gadgets.
“Ayushman is a gizmo freak. He is abreast of the latest technology and has a sound knowledge about gadgets. It’s amazing how well informed kids these days are. Therefore, when he tells me that I should go for a particular mobile handset, I trust him completely,” Pal said.
Sumit Kishore, group account director of Euro RSCG, said another important reason why children have begun dominating advertisements is because of their innocence.
“When you are flipping channels, the chances that you will stop on one is more when you see a cute little child saying something or a baby gurgling than at the sight of an older person enacting the same.
“One tends to listen to a child babble something because it seems innocent and true. Featuring a child in an ad, thus, plays up the emotional factor in the audience and wins over them.”
Although advertising gurus say young adults and the older lot are still very much in their focus, children, who are now maturing faster and are heavily influenced by the media, are their latest target.
“Also, the fact that more and more kids’ products are now entering the market has led to children being used in the ads. The age group of the kid in the ad, however, changes with the type of the product.
“If it’s a chocolate ad, he could be seven or below. If it’s an electronic item he could be between 10 and 12. Basically between eight and 12, a child can convince you to buy anything!” Seth said.