Parents’ Beliefs About, and Attitudes Towards, Marketing to Children

This chapter takes as a starting point the perspective of parents and their concerns about marketing to children. Using extant literature and contemporary cross-cultural data, parental attitudes towards marketing to children are examined. We focus on food as a central theme, as this is one of the most debated issues in marketing to children and one on which parents tend to have a definite opinion. The chapter is divided into four parts. First, we review parents’ beliefs about advertising to children across several countries and discuss differences in focus and concern according to country. Second, we examine how children are marketed to: the different media that are used; the extent to which parents are aware of these, especially newer forms; and the effects of marketing on purchase requests and behaviour. Third, we consider notions of responsibility and regulation, looking at parental knowledge and requirements. Fourth, we discuss the implications of the shift in marketing communications from traditional channels to newer and integrated forms of promotion. Throughout the chapter, we will draw upon existing studies and our own research findings.