SVKM’S NMIMS SOL, NAVI MUMBAI

SVKM’S NMIMS SCHOOL OF LAW, NAVI MUMBAI,

MAHARASHTRA

TITLE: CONVENTIONAL AND ASCENDING ETHICAL

ISSUES OF MARKETING TO CHILDREN IN THE PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE.

Under the directions of Prof. Aditya Nagaraja

Name: Ryssa Lemos

Roll no: A158

Email id: [email protected]

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DECLARATION
I, Ryssa Lemos declare sincerely the content of this research paper titled “CONVENTIONAL
AND ASCENDING ETHICAL ISSUES OF MARKETING TO CHILDREN IN THE PRESENT,
PAST AND FUTURE.” to be a representation of my work and analysis. I furthermore assure
you that this work has not previously been published for academic or publishing purposes. The
material used has been given due credits wherever necessary.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Marketing Professor, Aditya Nagaraja for his
continued support and encouragement and also to the director and the faculty in charge Miss
Manisha Band of our School of Law who has constantly pushed us to do better without which
the completion of this research paper wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to extend
my gratitude towards my classmates for their cooperation.

Finally, my deepest gratitude to my caring and loving parents whose support worked like a
miracle in rough times. My heartfelt thanks.

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Sr. TABLE OF CONTENTS Pg

No No

1. ABSTRACT 5

2. INTRODUCTION 6

3. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 8

4. OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH 10

5. RESEARCH QUESTION 10

6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 10

7. RESEARCH ANALYSIS 11

8. CONCLUSION 19

9. REFERENCES 20

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ABSTRACT
Advertising has become an integral part of our daily life in the modern society; it has been
entrenched so powerfully that it has become impossible to spend a day without being swamped
with advertisements. And therefore it should come as no surprise that children are constantly
subjected to a barrage of advertising communication. Is marketing to children snatching their
childhood from them? The possible effects of marketing to children on their mental and
physical health have made this an intensely contentious issue for discussion. Our proposed
approach is grounded on two key considerations: first, that children are a particularly receptive
demographic to target with advertising and marketing efforts; and second, that they also
represent a demographic with increasing purchasing power. The ultimate goal of advertising is
to make you feel like a failure if you do not buy their goods. It has a profound effect on children.
This research aims to examine both the conventional and ascending ethical issues related to
marketing aimed at children in the past, present, and future. Specifically, this research will
discuss the historical evolution of marketing to children and how it has changed over time.
Additionally, this article will analyse the ethical implications of marketing to children,
including issues related to child development, consumerism and materialism, privacy concerns,
and digital marketing tactics. Furthermore, this article will explore potential solutions and
strategies for marketers to implement ethical marketing practices when targeting children, such
as implementing age-appropriate advertising, limiting the use of persuasive tactics, and
increasing transparency in advertising.

Keywords: Child Consumer, marketing ethics, ethical marketing, unethical marketing,

children.

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INTRODUCTION
Advertising aimed towards children constitutes one of the most divisive issues in the
advertising world. The varying degrees to which different governments regulate this practise
reflect the variety of perspectives on the matter. When kids are used as a placeholder for the
population at large, the already heated debates concerning the role and influence of commercial
communication on individuals and on societal structure as a whole further reheat.

Whether advertising is seen as “a type of condensed tale with the capability to transform into
a big story” or as “an equipment of consumer society that gives knowledge about the products,”
the issue over advertising to children hinges on its ability to influence young minds.

The Child Consumerist:

The term “vulnerable audiences” refers to any demographic of customers who are thought to
be more susceptible to persuasion by marketing and advertising. Yet kids are especially
vulnerable to advertising because of their immaturity on a mental level. Children have become
an important target for the marketing and advertising industry as a result of changes in
parenting philosophy in recent decades. These changes give children greater autonomy and a
greater say in family discussions about purchases and finances, which in turn drives the
expansion of the market for products aimed at children and the definition of the consumer-child
category.

The increasing purchasing power of children, whether through gifts, allowances, or other
sources, makes them a critical part of the consumer base. The phrase “kid-fluence” describes
the increasing influence children have on their parents’ purchase behaviour. This shift is the
outcome of a new approach to parenting that offers kids greater say and responsibility at home.

The fact that parents’ time with their kids is becoming shorter as a percentage of their total time
spent has gone to work has also led to an increase in the demand for items aimed at kids. While
“marketers’ confidence in the power of regret, and their capacity to capitalize on it, remains
strong,” the guilt that parents feel for not devoting enough time to their children may not be the
driving force behind the purchase.

Another reason for the advertising industry’s focus on kids is the need to instil brand loyalty in
the minds of young consumers as early as possible. Thus, children and teenagers have become

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the focus of consumerism. Advertisers will spend time, energy, and money on them. Their
preferences set industry standards. Their feedback is used to inform marketing strategy. While
this change is having far-reaching effects on the lives of our children and our society, few adults
seem to grasp the full scope of its significance.

The three major precepts on which the proponents of marketing to kids rest their case are (1)
the regard for freedom of speech, which includes marketing; (2) the insightful role of
advertising as a source of knowledge about products; and (3) the economic role of marketing
as a strength vital to the growth of the consumer economy.

On the other side, opponents of this approach argue that advertising encourages youngsters to
engage in risky behaviours, particularly when it comes to their diets. A superficial materialistic
outlook on life, as well as gender and societal stereotypes, are all reinforced by advertising.
Also, the advertising materials incite arguments between kids and their parents over the
products the family buys.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
What academics mean by “marketing ethics” is that we adhere to a set of predetermined ideals
and principles whenever we engage in marketing activities. The present business model is
being criticised so harshly because society wants marketers to embrace its own values, ideas,
and beliefs. The corporate world is moving towards a more ethical understanding and
acceptance of consumer rights. The marketing of products to children is a prime example of an
issue that is important to the consumerism movement. Advertisers focus on kids because they
have a lot of disposable income (both now and in the future), both because of their own
spending habits and because of their ability to influence the spending habits of their parents.
Piaget's theory of cognitive development provides significant evidence that youngsters do not
have the maturity level necessary to completely grasp marketing communications. Another
source of concern is the potentially harmful messages conveyed by advertising aimed at
youngsters. Thirdly, there's worry that kids nowadays are becoming exposed to too much
advertising, which might teach them to place too much emphasis on material possessions (Puiu,
C. ,2008)1. For businesses, children are a crucial target audience. Marketers are irresponsibly
and persistently focusing their efforts on youngsters because of their unquenchable need for
profit. Nonetheless, there are rising worries and broad critiques about marketing to kids. In
light of the extremes to which the arguments for and against marketing to children have been
argued, it is crucial that we evaluate their moral merits. In his seminal work, Theory of justice,
John Rawls gives us a framework for objectively determining whether or not a certain conduct
is justifiable. This research aims to use the ethical framework of Rawls to investigate the
practise of marketing to children. From Rawls's “initial stance” behind the “veil of ignorance,”
numerous objections of marketing to children remain, making it very difficult to offer blanket
support for the acts of marketers targeting children. Marketing practises that include the use of
threats, coercion, or deceit go counter to Rawlsian notions of fairness. In addition, the
behaviours of marketers go counter to the ideas of fairness that flow from the Rawlsian theory.
Using children as a target demographic for advertising is not a Rawlsian concept Jill Austin,
(M., & Lynn Reed, M. ,1999)2.

1
Puiu, C. (2008). Marketing to children–an ethical issue in marketing. Annals of the University of Craiova,
Economic Sciences Series, 4(36).
2
Jill Austin, M., & Lynn Reed, M. (1999). Targeting children online: Internet advertising ethics issues. Journal
of Consumer Marketing, 16(6), 590-602.

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For a long time, the primary goals of marketing to kids were to increase sales and spread brand
recognition. Cartoon figures and vivid colours were commonplace in children’s
advertisements. Yet, when parents became more aware of the long-term effects of advertising
to children, ethical questions arose. Others have suggested that advertising to children is
exploitative and manipulative, and that it might influence them to engage in risky conduct
(Bhattacharyya, R., & Kohli, S. , 2007)3. Traditional and emerging ethical concerns make
marketing to children a sensitive topic. Promotion of harmful items like sugary snacks and
drinks, as well as the use of age-inappropriate advertising, are examples of more traditional
ethical concerns in marketing to children. The use of data and technology to advertise to
children, the mingling of advertising and entertainment material, and the effect of social media
influencers on the purchase decisions of children are all examples of rising ethical concerns in
this area (Todd, S., 2010)4. In today's information age, it's more important than ever to
remember that shopping is a social activity as much as anything else. What one person buys,
wears, drives, or eats influences the wants and actions of others around them; "consumption"
is, in reality, an inherently social activity. (Schor, 2006)5 The case against regulatory
involvement is weakened when consuming is seen as a fundamentally social activity, and the
situation is rethought in light of this new understanding. This paradigm calls for a range of
responses, from business self-regulation to governmental regulation to public education on the
impacts of the consumer society. Parents are the single most influential influence in a child's
ability to recognize the persuasive nature of advertising. Banning advertising of any kind
protects children from or at least puts off their ability to make informed choices. There is just
no way it can replace the influence of parents. Leaving parents solely responsible for their
children's preparation for the workforce is not an option and would be counterproductive. Yet,
putting all the onus on parents is problematic for two reasons: on the one hand, parents may
lack the expertise to comprehend the complex nature and repercussions of advertising on the
person, and on the other, the advertising business becomes less accountable. Advertising to
children is a difficult topic, and preparing them for life in a consumer culture is an essential
aspect of their development as consumers. Yet this can't happen without cooperation from the
many parties involved, including parents, schools, and the advertising sector.

3
Bhattacharyya, R., & Kohli, S. (2007). Target marketing to children–The ethical aspect.
4
Todd, S. (2010). The ethics of marketing to children. Understanding Children as Consumers, 221-238.
5
Schor, J. B. (2006). When childhood gets commercialized, can children be protected?

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The research has been thematically divided into the following objectives:

1. To dwell into the historical evolution of marketing to children and how it has changed
over time.

2. To analyse the ethical implications of marketing to children, including issues related

to child development, consumerism and materialism, privacy concerns, and digital
marketing tactics.
3. To explore potential solutions and strategies for marketers to implement ethical
marketing practices when targeting children, such as implementing age-appropriate
advertising, limiting the use of persuasive tactics, and increasing transparency in
advertising.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is child-marketing?
What are the ethical implications of marketing to children?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study uses a literature review methodology to collect data from secondary sources such
as scholarly journals, books, papers, and the internet. This framework will enable a thorough
examination of the established and emerging ethical concerns associated with marketing to
children by reviewing the relevant research and literature. Keywords like “marketing to kids,”
“ethical concerns,” “regulatory requirements,” and “suggestions” will be used in a systematic
search of the data sources to compile the necessary information. The data will be analysed
using a thematic analysis strategy, in which the information is grouped into categories that
correspond to the aims of the study. It is the purpose of this paper to review and discuss these
themes in order to (1) identify the traditional and emerging ethical issues of marketing to
children; (2) assess the influence of marketing on children’s cognitive, emotional, and
behavioural development; (3) assess the efficacy of regulatory measures; and (4) make
recommendations for ethical marketing practises. The exclusion criteria and the likelihood of
bias mean that this research may have missed some significant sources.

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RESEARCH ANALYSIS
1. To dwell into the historical evolution of marketing to children and how it has
changed over time.

Many people consider it to be true that there are clear biological markers that define ‘childhood’
and ‘adulthood’ as different phases of life. Nonetheless, the conception of ‘childhood’ varies
greatly throughout time and geography. Earlier efforts to market to children relied on the
advertiser’s gut feeling about what would resonate with the kid or the parents, who were seen
as the “gatekeepers” to the child. In the latter decades of the twentieth century, however,
marketers started to collaborate with scientists studying childhood development in order to
cater to the young consumer market. Physical, mental, social, and cultural standards all play a
role in a child’s growth and development, albeit the ways in which they are referred have
changed greatly through time. There has always been a tinge of economic interest in the field
of child development research.

Until the 1950s, marketing to youngsters was a radical concept. There were commercials for
children’s clothing and toys in catalogues’ and magazines , and some of the packaging for kids’
items was livelier than that for adults, but that was about it. Then, the television phenomenon
took off. When television first entered the mainstream, it was discovered that these portable
video marvels could be utilised as a source of entertainment for kids. There was a sudden surge
in the popularity of shows whose only purpose was to amuse kids.

Since plastic was so recently introduced, toy manufacturers could mass-produce low-quality
toys at low prices. They jumped on the bandwagon of the new medium, and a jingle for
everything was soon being produced, generally by middle aged women participating in
competitions. Eventually, a wave for commercial toys had just begun.

And then there were commercials for food. They did not come on the screen to encourage
youngsters to eat their vegetables; they came to inform them that, “fluffy marshmallows with
a tonne of peanut butter is all you need to make your life better.” Thus, the fast food craze was
born. Fast food giant McDonald’s did not waste any time capitalising on this opening, and soon
its commercials included a clown and other cartoon characters clearly aimed at kids. Cartoon
characters representing the cereal brands marched around the screen as well. ‘Tony the Tiger,’
‘Count Chocula,’ ‘Toucan Sam’, the ‘Trix bunny’, ‘The lucky charms Leprechaun’, and the

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‘Keebler Elves’ were just a few of the well-known characters that graced the packaging of these
sweet treats.

For decades, advertising aimed at children continued in this manner, but beginning in the
1990s, a more sinister trend emerged. Adult products were marketed to children and teenagers,
and the age range for this kind of advertising became narrowed. Sometime thereafter, in an
effort to secure “lifelong consumers,” they shifted their focus to the desired 0–3 demographic.
Scientists discovered that infants as early as six months old could recognise and recall hundreds
of different brand logos and images.

That is why they brought in child psychologists: to tear open their tender minds and pour in the
message. It was explained to them by psychologists that kids under the age of five couldn't tell
the difference between the realism of the show and the fiction of the advertisements that played
in between. A clear understanding of this notion did not appear until about the age of eight for
most children. Advertising aimed for infants began airing on network TV throughout the day
before you recognized it. In this harsh and calculated world, many of us use the TV as a
babysitter, and it is frightening to think of the kind of propaganda that kids are constantly
exposed to on a loop.

With the advent of digital marketing and the number of media we are exposed to today, the
children have become much more of a “vulnerable audience” owing to their digital identities.
The vast amounts of data used by businesses to get to know their consumers and to build
profiles on them makes digital marketing targeting more detailed and efficient than
conventional targeting. With so much information at their disposal, businesses may now
provide advertising to potential customers that are more likely to pique their interest by using
a technique called behavioural targeting. Behavioural targeting is a kind of online advertising
that tracks a user's online habits in order to provide them advertisements that are more relevant
to their interests. Marketers are privy to important facets of their customers' digital identities
thanks to cookies, IP address, and Web bugs. This includes what consumers like and do not
like, how much they are ready to spend in their shopping carts, the search phrases they employ,
and the webpages they choose.

As opposed to the days of conventional media, modern targeting is more nuanced. ''In addition
to the aforementioned factors, the effectiveness of targeting may also be improved by
employing technologies like ‘Google AdWords’ and ‘Facebook Ads.’

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In light of this, it should come as no surprise that children are constantly subjected to a barrage
of persuasive messages. Marketing such as these are increasingly frequent in entertainment
media including video games, television, and movies. Rather than focusing on the act of aiming
itself, it is more important to consider what is being aimed and at whom. Furthermore, children
mostly interact with advertising material through instinctive emotional responses rather than
rational thought since their advertising literacy is weaker than that of adults and their
motivations and aptitude to deal with commercials are lower. The criticism directed at the
children targeted is heightened by the precarious position these youngsters are put in. As
children's social and psychological skills are still developing, and because they lack inhibitory
control, they are particularly vulnerable to marketing campaigns. Constant research
demonstrates that children's preferences for unhealthy foods and drinks are impacted by
advertising for such products in the context of choice experiments conducted soon after
exposure.

Kids are especially susceptible to the persuasive power of advertising, and are often influenced
to adopt the desired behaviour despite the negative effects it may have on their mental or
physical well-being. Several systematic studies, including one published in 2016 by Folkvord,
F. et al.6, found that children's eating habits were influenced by food advertising. Most food
advertising promotes tasty but unhealthy options, which has led to accusations that it is a major
cause of the present obesity epidemic.

As a result, we can all agree that kids are responding favourably to advertisements, and as a
result, they're starting to behave in the ways that marketers hope they would.

2.To analyse the ethical implications of marketing to children, including

issues related to child development, consumerism and materialism, privacy
concerns, and digital marketing tactics.

Ethically, there is an issue with the exploitation and promotion of marketing methods whose
goal is to create a wall between the worlds of children and adults. That “children dominate” is
the foundation on which the universe of children was built thanks to advertising, and the

6
Folkvord, F., Anschütz, D. J., Boyland, E., Kelly, B., & Buijzen, M. (2016). Food advertising and eating
behaviour in children. Current opinion in behavioural sciences, 9, 26-31.
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fundamental argument in favour of this is that it fosters independence and autonomy in the
child by giving him more control over his environment. Yet, these claims might be countered
on the grounds that material possessions cannot be the foundation for a positive self-image and
that, all too frequently, youngsters are left dissatisfied by the objects they have purchased and
begin to doubt their own judgement as a result.

In addition, and this is one of the most compelling reasons against these types of advertising
methods directed towards children, commercials disrupt a critical connection for the
development of children by increasing the separation of children and adults, whether parents
or instructors. Advertising build the picture of a world in which the materialist worldview is
important, representing a source of pleasure, safety, and comfort, while the relationship with
adults is shown as meaningless and even unpleasant.

Present day kids are constantly spending time in front of devices, and where there are devices,
there are advertisements. In addition, the Internet is an excellent medium for advertisers that
want to reach youngsters, since it facilitates instantaneous two-way communication.
Businesses mostly concentrate on children since they represent the demographic of the future.
The future will be what we provide our children as a vision, Carl Segan remarked.
Unfortunately, modern marketers see youngsters not as creators of future, but as potential
consumers.

Young people, especially those with a strong technical background, are heavy internet users.
Children’s increasing online activity can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the
entertainment they derive from interacting with their favourite animated characters, playing
reward games, engaging in interactive experiences, and, on occasion, gaining knowledge
through the use of educational websites for purposes including homework and casual browsing.
Yet, despite the advantages of the internet on children, certain websites and mobile apps used
by children alone may contribute to some ethical difficulties.

According to marketing research, children have the ability to influence their parents’
purchasing decisions, and as such, are considered both current and potential consumers.
Although it is typical for advertisers to focus on kids when marketing treats and toys, some
increasingly prefer targeting adult products when promoting things like apparel, sports gear,
and vehicles . This raises concerns among lawmakers, parents, and other interested parties
about the potential ethical consequences of such acts, particularly given the poorly enforced
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regulation of digital marketing techniques and the internet environment in general compared
to those of conventional media. Advertisements for things like gambling, pornography, and
alcoholic beverages pose an issue when they are directed at youngsters. The widespread
presence of advertisements for unhealthy foods in the media has a direct impact on children's
cognitive development and, by extension, their physical health (soda, candy, fast food). We
believe that one reason children are easy targets online is because they often use the internet
unsupervised by an adult. Parents often have no idea what kinds of information their children
are being exposed to online, nor do they know the extent to which their children are being
targeted. One theory for this phenomenon is that parents want their children to have access to
the internet so that they can relax after a hard day at work. It is important to remember that
internet use is deeply embedded in the lives of today’s youth.

Advertising entering the world of learning:

The major argument used by proponents of marketing in schools is that it constitutes a public-
private collaboration that is beneficial to schools and provides resources that schools could not
otherwise afford. But, some claim that marketing in schools is a perilous phenomenon that
undermines classroom instruction. First of all they condone the presence of a commercial
influence in a public realm designed for instruction, which provides marketing the possibility
of a “obedient audience”. And since it takes up time that might otherwise be used for teaching
and learning, the dissemination of commercial messages has a deleterious effect on educational
pursuits.

Furthermore, because it promotes overconsumption, an unhealthy lifestyle, and the

significance of physical attractiveness, marketing communications are likely to conflict with
those presented by school curriculum.

When schools are engaged in the targeting of children, there is another ethical dilemma that
arises. Once upon a time, school was a paradise for students where they could learn without
being influenced by the constant barrage of commercials and product placements. Businesses
have finally realised the potential of the classroom as a marketing platform. A youthful
audience may be attracted to a setting like a school. Advertisers see a number of opportunities
to use this medium, including the sponsorship of academic content, the underwriting of
extracurricular activities, and the placement of brand-specific ads in school buildings and on
school transportation vehicles. One hundred and sixty tablets were given out to children in
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remote elementary schools in Morocco thanks to a cooperation between Samsung and the
country’s Department of National Education in 2019. Late in the course of the COVID-19
outbreak, groups such AL Houda & Houd in Casablanca provided over a thousand of the most
up-to-date Nokia cell phones to students to facilitate distant learning. Companies might reap
more benefits from such initiatives since they provide them a chance to imprint their brand on
the minds of youngsters at a formative age. By incorporating goods and brand names into
immersive, user-friendly experiences, businesses may begin to create customer loyalty among
young consumers.

The Pester Phenomenon

It is no secret that the prevalence and growth of children's significance in family purchase
choices is what's driving corporations to focus on them. Significantly, nowadays kids may
sway the opinions of not only their parents but also their older brothers, sisters, and other
relatives when it comes to making purchases. The term “Pester Power” describes this talent.
As a result of the pester power effect, marketers are increasingly resorting to negative aspects
of their campaigns in order to win over parents of young children. Furthermore, children being
vocal about what they want to purchase or not can be attributed to three factors: first, parents
nowadays are having children fewer in number, which increases the spending for every child;
second, parents nowadays are having children when they are beyond the hardship phase of their
career, which means they are financially secure; and third, working parents often buy gifts for
their children in order to make up for their lack of time to encompass their kids. A generation
ago, kids spent a lot of time watching television TV; now, kids spend even more time in front
of screens, and more screens equals more commercials. By including features like interaction,
engagement, viral messaging, location-based targeting, and so on, modern digital media is
radically different from its analogue predecessors. Videogames, billboards, online movies,
apps, reviews, comments, social media, and advergames (games designed by a corporation for
the express goal of promoting one or more of its businesses) are all examples of modern forms
of digital marketing and advertising. Free applications are more popular among children since
they are easier to download and play. Nevertheless, the supposed lack of cost associated with
these applications is merely skin deep; there are real risks to your personal information. These
apps and games provide their services for free in exchange for users’ attention to
advertisements and information that may be used to create a profile of individuals.
Advertisements like “Revive for free,” “Get more points,” and “pass the hard level” appear as
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kids play the game. The major problem is that kids do not have the mental maturity to resist
the persuasive power of embedded advertisements since they can't think critically or control
their impulses the way adults can. And then there's the effect of games like PUBG and others
like it, which are marketed to youngsters yet have a negative influence on them since they teach
players to use weapons like knives and guns and depict unpleasant situations like bullying,
cruelty, and murder. Unlike conventional media, digital media can be interactive, allowing
children to actively participate and engage with the brand; it can also be captivating, meaning
that children and teenagers are in an atmosphere that is fully branded; and, most notably, these
online advertising messages can be based on data collected about the child or the teenager,
about their interests, behaviours, and so on.

One of the ethical concerns with digital marketing is the potential for misleading advertising,
especially to children. As an added downside, some businesses may exaggerate the advantages
of their goods in advertising by using deceptive or false claims. Sometimes, corporations even
utilise the facts to deceive with misleading assertions. The same holds true for digital
advertising, with the exception of e-commerce, where buyers base their product choices on
their mental models of the world. One sort of deception common in both conventional and
online advertising is the exaggeration of a product’s features and advantages. Dishonest tactics
include but are not limited to the following: overpromising, underdelivering, using variable
prices, sending unsolicited bulk emails, etc. Likewise, as long as the Internet is developed,
ethical problems will appear in a variety of forms.

3.To explore potential solutions and strategies for marketers to implement

ethical marketing practices when targeting children, such as implementing
age-appropriate advertising, limiting the use of persuasive tactics, and
increasing transparency in advertising.

Due to widespread concern about the potential detrimental impacts of advertising and
marketing on youngsters, reaching this audience may be challenging. Yet, children represent
a sizable market segment and, for certain businesses, a crucial advertising focus. Instead of
abandoning marketing altogether if your product is popular with youngsters, you should look
for legitimate methods to reach out to them and make money off of them.

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Fast food and entertainment are the first industries that come to mind when we consider
marketing to children, but they are far from the only ones interested in expanding their reach
in this demographic. In addition, there are circumstances when it would be unethical for
businesses to promote to minors. But there are guidelines to follow if you want your
marketing to be done in an ethical manner.

Here are a few tried-and-true methods for reaching young consumers:

Keep Parents in the loop which will ensure and limit persuasive tactics: Ensure that parental
controls and activity monitoring are prominent and simple to access. Sincerity is of
paramount importance. Animal Jam recently revamped its homepage to place a greater
emphasis on its security measures, acknowledging that parents ultimately have the most sway
over their children's online activity.

Motivate young people to become brand ambassadors: Engage the youth to support your
product. People with children in their households are a very devoted clientele. Solicit their
participation in the creation of user-generated content. Young people nowadays are eager to
share their thoughts and opinions via a variety of mediums, including kid-hosted blogs, art,
and essays.

Make something new and exciting that is appropriate to their age: Similarly, young people
are eager to contribute. Take use of YouTube and post appropriate content that appeal their
young curious minds. Make something that others can download. If you want to appeal to the
growing demographic of STEM-interested parents, you should develop ways to integrate
STEM( Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)-related content into your platform. This
might take the shape of downloadable books or films that can be seen inside games. This will
not only benefit your business but also mould and enlighten our future generation to achieve
greater heights.

Children of today are savvy, and companies that target them must be willing to assist their
young consumers decode and make sense of the material they consume.

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CONCLUSION
When viewed from the initial point, the accusations that marketer’s prey on children’s
innocence, recklessly draw them into consumerist culture, promote materialistic ideals, cause
disharmony in parent-child relationships, advertise unsafe and unsuitable products,
indoctrinate childhood, and depict abuse excessively seem to hold water. Moreover, the
immorality is in how marketers utilise threats, intimidation, and deception to get kids to say
what they want them to say for the sake of the market.

Being the public’s first point of contact with a company, marketing is the subject of intense
scrutiny by academics who are looking to guarantee that their clients are not exploited or
injured in any way by the industry’s practises. As a result, consumers are more wary than ever
about giving their personal information out to companies in the age of digital marketing. As a
result, our article and the majority of others that have looked at marketing ethics have
concentrated on unethical activities in the areas of digital marketing. Despite this, there is a
rising need for ethical digital marketing strategies, and we can be sure that anything we believe
we know about unethical tactics now will fall short compared to what we encounter tomorrow.
We recommend that more research be conducted on the topic of customer ethics in the digital
age, specifically looking at how customers with marketing backgrounds may be more receptive
to marketing claims or less sceptical of marketing in general, and whether or not this may help
them spot unethical behaviour on the part of businesses. Thus, we ask, does advertising that
specifically targets children work better? Furthermore, how can businesses maintain their focus
on children while doing so in an ethical manner? Furthermore, why do many stakeholders in
the advertising sector have vested interest in monitoring users’ activities in order to better target
their messages?

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 SVKM’S NMIMS SOL, NAVI MUMBAI

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