Child Targeted TV Advertising and its influence on the Child- Parent Purchase Relationship: An Exploration of Pester-power

Since the 1970s an argument has raged over the influence child targeted advertising has on its young audiences (Lawlor & Prothero 2003). An area of particular interest is the effect of child targeted advertising on the parent-child purchase relationship, commonly referred to as ‘pester-power’. In recent years, harnessing its power has become a Holy Grail for those who believe it to be the key to parent’s purse strings (Harding 2004). Industry spending on advertising to children has significantly increased in the past decade, from $100 million in 1990 to more than $2 billion in 2000 (www.media-awareness.ca). This paper outlines preliminary data exploring TV advertising and its effects on the parent child purchase relationship.