Day 054 - 24 Nov 94 - Page 20
1 virtues that McDonald's extols in its advertising to
2 children and, particularly, its emphasis on collectables
3 which are not the food product, do fall within the area
4 that Brian Young says could be regarded as a "more
5 insidious form of advertising". As I think I mentioned
6 earlier, the advertising to adults tended more to focus on
7 such points as price, taste and including availability;
8 whereas the advertising to children does not to the same
9 extent.
10
11 He also makes the point -- sorry, just before that -- if
12 I can refer back to when I talked about the use of other
13 children in advertisements, he mentions there that -----
14
15 MR. MORRIS: Can you point out where it is on the page?
16 A. Yes, page 18 at the bottom of the first column: "There
17 is an a priori argument that, if the child in the ad is
18 cast in a central role, then children as viewers will
19 identify with the commercial". A lot of these McDonald's
20 advertisements, not only use children generally, but
21 specifically use children playing with the collectables.
22
23 MS. STEEL: So, they are a central part?
24 A. I would say that they are; they are very much seen as
25 -- they are playing with the collectable, they are
26 enjoying playing with the collectable. Not only is that
27 going to increase the desire for the collectable amongst
28 other children, but the fact that it is another child, it
29 comes back to peer group pressure.
30
31 Q. They want to identify?
32 A. Yes, and, as Dr. Young points out, "... children as
33 viewers will identify with the commercial". Obviously,
34 from an advertiser's point of view, that is very important.
35
36 MR. MORRIS: That would not just apply to the collectables,
37 though, would it, if a child was central in an ad in any
38 event?
39 A. Yes, yes. It is said that children find slightly older
40 children most appealing in an attraction to advertisement.
41 Children want to be that little bit older, they want to be
42 doing what slightly older children are allowed and capable
43 of doing. Also, it is said that boys are more appealing
44 than girls; boys will identify with boys and girls will
45 identify with boys, but boys are less likely to identify
46 with girls.
47
48 MS. STEEL: Is there anything else you wanted to say about the
49 use of collectables?
50 A. Yes, mothers have raised their own concerns about
51 collectables. If I can refer you to another reference, A4
52 page 56?
53
54 Q. The title of this, it is published by the Leatherhead
55 Food ----
56 A. Research Association.
57
58 Q. "Consumer focus. Children's Eating Habits. An In-depth
59 Study of the Attitudes and Behaviour of Children Aged 6 to
60 11, July 1991".
