There is an increasing amount of advertising directed at children which encourages them to buy goods such as toys and snacks. Many parents are worried that these advertisements put too much pressure on children, while some advertisers claim that they provide useful information to children. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Advertisements are ubiquitous nowadays and especially advertising targeting children who are considered vulnerable target by companies. As a result, many parents are worried about this phenomenon. However, some advertisers claim that they provide beneficial information to children. In the following paragraphs I intend to discuss both sides of the argument.

Admittedly, in sensitive areas such as the toy industry, some censorship should be there to limit children’s access to excess advertisement. Because children under a certain age lack abilities to make wise judgment as to what they really want. They are attracted by colourful pictures on advertisement and swayed by misleading information. So they pester their parents to buy those things and this can upset the budget of many families. Even the advertisements of fast foods are bad for children. Children cannot understand that the slim-trim models advertising Mac Donalds burgers hardly ever eat such foods themselves. They are attracted to fast foods and these are very detrimental for their health.

On the other hand, advertisements also provide beneficial information also. For example, the advert of Colgate toothpaste which tells that we should brush our teeth twice daily is good for children. Then there are ads about health drinks such as Complan and Bournvita which are good for children. Furthermore, advertisement also conveys positive attitudes towards life. For instance, the advertising slogan of Nike—“impossible is nothing” is very motivating.

In fact, it is advertisement that presents television audiences and newspaper readers with first-hand information and boosts the economy of a country. It also informs people of the availability of new commodities and their working. Without advertisement, we would not have known that we have so many choices.

To put it in a nutshell I pen down saying that, it is imperative that regulations be imposed on advertisers which make false claims. However, advertisement is indispensable in this highly competitive market and produces much more positive effects than negative ones to the society as a whole.