Children can begin to distinguish brands during their preschool years. Six-month-old babies can visualize corporate logos and mascots, according to the Center for a New American Dream. Brand loyalty begins as early as age 2. The average 3-year-old recognizes 100 different brand logos.
Toddlers cannot distinguish a commercial from a television show. The same is true for stories and puzzles versus an advertisement.
It isnt until age 8 that kids begin to realize advertising can be untruthful or misleading.
As children take in multitudes of commercials, they learn to place worth in material possessions. As they grow, this materialism can contribute to discontentment, unhappy relationships and drug or alcohol abuse.
Children ages 5 to 8 account for 41 percent of licensed character and entertainment merchandise sales in the United States and Canada.
In 1990, $100 million was spent on advertising to children in America. By 2000, that figure had increased to $2 billion.
Kids have money to burn. In 1997, kids under 12 spent over $24 billion.
In 2001, children ages 12 to 19 spent an average of $104 per week.
Tweens spent $2.4 billion during the 2000 holiday season.
In 2000, kids 12 and under spent close to $30 billion of their own money.
In 2000, children 12 and under directly or indirectly influenced household spending of over $600 billion.
