Advertisements targeting children

The advertising sees children as future consumers so it makes all efforts to socialize them as good consumers and develop brand loyalty in them, if possible. As soon as children reach kindergarten age, they are overwhelmed by adverts, not only in commercials blocks but in TV series and cartoons, on billboards and chocolate wrappings. Although the 1996.I. Act (Advertisement Act) and Advertisement Ethics Code prohibits taking advantage of the inexperience and defencelessness of children, violation of the law are every day phenomena. HuMuSz tries to protect the childhood of children in multiple battle-fronts. We took steps in many instances against advertisement campaigns launched in educational institutions. When it turned out that large companies, taking advantage of the dire financial situation of schools, donated their products to educational institutions only in order to gain advertisement opportunity and to influence children on a regular basis, we called the attention of the Minister of Education to his responsibility in a petition. In many cases, companies mask these donations as campaigns for a healthier lifestyle (they donate fruit juices, vitamin products etc.…).

However, we must realise that for parents, teachers, psychologists and consumer protectionists it is impossible to cut off children from advertisements. It would be unrealistic to turn off TV-sets and radios whenever they air commercials, or close the children’s eyes every time there is a billboard along the road. Instead, they must be taught to assess the adverts critically and to see that consumption is not the only source of joy in life.

HuMuSz has held several presentations to children and teachers about tricks, mechanisms and lies of advertisements. Although we don’t have too much chance, we would like to achieve the prohibition of airing commercials for children under 12 since they can’t realise the tricks of adverts and they can’t really understand the real aim of commercials.