TECHNIQUES USED TO ADVERTISE TO KIDS

Ideal Kids• The kids in commercials are often a little older and a little

more perfect than the target audience of the ad—they are in other words, the role models for what the advertiser wants children in the target audience to think they want to be like.

• Example—A commercial that is targeting 8 year olds for instance will use 11-12 year olds

Ideal Kids—What to Write in Notes• Kids are often a little older and a little more perfect than

the target audience of the ad

• Example—Uses 11-12 year olds for a toy for an 8 year old

Heart Strings• Commercials often create an emotional ambience that

draws you into the advertisement and makes you feel good. We are more attracted to things that make use feel good

• Example—The “I am going to Disney” Commercials

Heart Strings—What to write• Ad uses emotions to attracted us to the product. • Example—The “I am going to Disney” Commercials

Amazing Toys• Many top commercials show their toys in life-like fashion,

doing incredible things. Airplanes that do loop the loops and cars doing wheelies, dolls cry.

• Most toys don’t do these things in real life

Amazing Toys—What to write• Show toys, doing incredible things. • Most toys don’t do these things in real life

Life Like Settings• Barbie struts her stuff on the beach with waves crashing

in the background, space aliens fly through outer space. • These things do not come with the toys

Life Like Settings—What to write• Toys are shown in real settings doing things. • Example: Barbie’s Dune Buggy does not come with a

sand beach but the commercial might show one

Sounds good• Music and other sound effects add to the excitement of

commercials. Sounds can make toys seem more life like or less life like, as in a music video. It sets the mood

• Example—Fun dance music playing in the background of the commercial for a new doll

Sounds good—What to write• Music and other sound effects add to the excitement of

commercials and set the mood• Example—Fun dance music playing in the background of

the commercial for a new doll

Cute Celebrities• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sell pizza, Joe Cool sells

cigarettes. These are ways to get kids to identify with the product.

• Example—Kraft Mac and Cheese and Spongebob

Cute Celebrities—What to Write • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sell pizza, Joe Cool sells

cigarettes. These are ways to get kids to identify with the product.

• Example—Kraft Mac and Cheese and SpongeBob

Selective Editing• Selective editing is used in all commercials but especially

in commercials for athletic toys like Frisbees and footballs. The commercial will show amazing catches and brilliant throws but most kids won’t get the same results.

• Example—Nerf football or dart gun

Selective Editing—What to Write• The commercial will show amazing catches and brilliant

throws but most kids won’t get the same results.• Example—Nerf football or dart gun

Family Fun• “This is something the whole family can do together!”

Many of these commercials show parents and kids playing with these toys together

• Example—Very common for Board Games

Family Fun—What to write• Many of these commercials show parents and kids

playing with these toys together• Example—Very common for Board Games

Excitement!• Watch the expressions on the kids’ faces. They are

happy and never bored.

Excitement!—What to Write• Watch the expressions on the kids’ faces. They are

happy and never bored. • Example—You never see kids fighting and yelling or

crying over a toy not working

Star Power• Sports Heroes, movie stars, teenage heartthrobs tell kids

what to eat and wear. Stars get paid to do this but it looks like they LOVE the product

Star Power—What to Write• Sports Heroes, movie stars, teenage heartthrobs tell kids

what to eat and wear. Stars get paid to do this but it looks like they LOVE the product

Examples of Commercials• Ideal Kids• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD-wp0O7G4o (Play-Doh Burger Factory)• Heart Springs• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVKOSaBGPQE (Disney World—Making Memories)• Amazing Toys• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsZ6FrxgTs8 (Hot Wheels HeMan)• Life-Like Setting• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9dvknOCdCY (GI Joe Shark)• Selective Editing• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0l5uxE4oMI&playnext=1&list=PL42D5AA3F36992

BC8 (Target Nerf Commercial)

• Star Power• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eqUClCSdGw (Proactive Jessica Simpson)• Sounds good• Cute Celebrities• Family Fun• Excitement

Assignment• Find 2 kids commercials from YouTube• View them• Tell what technique is used (there may be more than one)• Email your link and explanation to Mrs. Ferris