Advertising aimed at children: IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay

Children are exposed to thousands of advertisements, on television, online and even at school. Many people believe such advertising should be banned. I largely agree, at least for products that are harmful, because children cannot judge persuasion in the way adults can.

Young children usually believe what they see and do not understand that the aim of an advertisement is to sell something. Companies take advantage of this by using cartoon characters and bright colours to promote sweets, fast food and expensive toys. As a result, children pressure their parents to buy these products, which can damage family budgets and encourage unhealthy eating. Constant advertising may also teach children that happiness depends on owning things.

Nevertheless, a complete ban may be difficult to apply and could have side effects. Many children's television channels and websites are paid for by advertising, so they might disappear without it. Parents should also share responsibility by choosing what their children watch and by talking to them about advertisements.

A sensible compromise would be to forbid advertising of unhealthy food and to set strict rules about how products are presented to children.

Several countries already show that stricter rules are possible. Some have forbidden advertisements for sugary products during children's programmes, and others have limited the use of cartoon characters to promote unhealthy food. Reports suggest that such rules reduce children's requests for these products, which shows that regulation can have a real effect.

In conclusion, children need protection from manipulative marketing, so I agree with banning harmful advertising and strictly controlling the rest.