ABSTRACT
Increased merchandising to young consumers has placed consumerism center stage in the lives of children and teenagers. This phenomenon has been accompanied by growing concerns about the ability of youngsters to make mature judgements about commercial messages. The psychological immaturity of children may render them more susceptible to the temptations of promotional messages and campaigns. While this fact is not inherently or necessarily a bad thing, it may mean that youngsters may be particularly vulnerable to misleading commercial messages that make claims about products or brands that do not represent the truth. Before accusing advertisers and marketers of unscrupulous behavior and of deliberate attempts to lead child consumers astray, it is important to study the evidence about the ways children engage with advertising and the significance it may have in relation to their brand preferences, purchase behavior and consumer socialization.
