Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting

Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India

To Study the Impact of Television

Advertising on Children Buying Behavior
with Special Reference to Confectionery
Products
Prof. Monali Neve1 and Dr. Arundhati Ninawe2
1
(Head of Management Department, Shri Gulabrao Deokar College of Engineering, Jalgaon)
2
( Pricipal, Lokmanya Tilak Mahavidyalaya, Wani, Dist. Yawatmal)
Abstract: Television is one of the strongest media in a society and due to its reach and popularity has the power to
influence culture of a particular country. As far as global business is concerned advertising is one of the crucial
part in marketing management. It is in fact, the most powerful and persuasive medium to sell goods and services to
corpus in the present society. Advertisements helps to create attitudes and beliefs about any product or services.
Today we cannot imagine magazines, newspapers, television and radio without any advertisement.

A huge amount is spend in advertisements every year by the Indian confectionery players for their
products and due to this non-branded and local products has seen decline in their sales. These advertisements have
direct impact on children and children are extremely sharp today. They are made aware of such products in a way
that they also know various brands available in market for chocolates, chips, biscuits and others.

The major objectives of the research are to find out the differences in preference for different TV programs
and medium of study, buying behavior differences with respect to medium, TV viewing hours and impact on children
buying behavior. Research design used was descriptive. Sample size taken for study was 150 children from which 75
were from Marathi medium and 75 were from English medium. Area choose for the research was Jalgaon city.
Stratified and convenience sampling method was used.
It has been noted that children like to watch cartoon movies or cartoon serials on television. Children also
like to watch movies on television. After watching advertisement of any product especially confectionery products
children demand to buy products irrespective of their medium of study. Advertisements of chocolates and biscuits
are most likable by children. Marathi medium students more like to watch movies and TV serials while English
medium student like to see more cartoon channels and Discovery channels on television. There is no significant
different in case of impact of advertisement on buying of English and Marathi medium students. Both medium
students are moderately influenced by television advertisement as far as buying behavior is concerned. But there is
somewhat difference in the way of convincing parents to buy any product. In general it has been observed while
doing survey that the living styles of Marathi medium students and English medium students is somewhat different.
Keywords: Television, Advertisement, Behaviour

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Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
I. INTRODUCTION

Television is one of the strongest media in a society and due to its reach and popularity has the power to influence
culture of a particular country. However, it may be noted that among a surplus of benefits of television offers,
there are some negative aspects as well. Primarily it influences children and their behavior in the society.

As far as global business is concerned advertising is one of the crucial part in marketing management. It is
in fact, the most powerful and persuasive medium to sell goods and services to corpus in the present society.
Advertisements helps to create attitudes and beliefs about any product or services. Today we cannot imagine
magazines, newspapers, television and radio without any advertisement. It has become an integral part of our daily
life and society. The aim of an advertisement is to increase sales of products and services by creating its own images
in the minds of people. A common man judges the product to be purchased by its advertisements and messages
shown through it as well as on the basis of understanding the society and the culture it inculcated into them.
The Indian market is on continuous trail of expansion and the economy is blossoming. Indian advertising
has every reason to celebrate, as the market is gaining grounds for advertising and businesses are looking up to
advertising as a lucrative business opportunities. Growth in business has led to a consecutive boom in the

advertising industry as well.

Figure 1: Advertising share by segment in India (in %)

Source: https://www.medianama.com/2017/02/223-advertising-india-2017-18-charts
The distribution of advertisement in various media is clearly mentioned in figure 1. It clearly proves that
television is most powerful media for advertising which shows growth from 37.2% in 2005 to 44.7 % in 2017 and
digital media is also gaining importance as it figure indicates its growth year by year that is from 1.2% in 2005 to
15.5% in 2017.
Today’s children are exceptional in many ways from previous generations, but feasibly the most influencing media
on our young children today is television and advertisements shown on it. The degree of impact of advertising on
adults may be problematic but the outcome for children is overwhelming. Earlier advertisers used to appeal to the
parents for children’s related products but now they appeal directly to children -- who do not have the emotional or
cognitive tools to evaluate what's being sold to them. Television is no more just a source of entertainment for
children. They showcase the must haves for a kid making them a consumer even before they have reached the age of
understanding their needs.
Before few years back children of 5 years age would not be able to distinguish advertising form other daily
soaps or programs. By the age of 7 to 8 years children have learned to identify the influencing intent and get aware
about persuasion shown in advertisement. They have learned to distinguish advertisement from information. Till the
age of 12 years children surely developed their behavior as consumer as they have fully developed to articulate a
critical understanding of it. Hence, 12 years is commonly used as the cut-off point for children developing their
behavior as consumers. We can say that at this age children are psychosocial development is profound.

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Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
Confectionery products has built its own importance in public minds from the beginning as it plays a vital
role in any festivals and special occasions in our India. Thus in India we can say that confectionery industries has
got huge potential to develop and expand itself. Indian companies who are leading market are Cadbury India Ltd.,
Lotte India Co. Ltd., Candico India Ltd., Nestle India Ltd., Lotus Chocolate company Ltd., Campco Ltd.
A huge amount is spend in advertisements every year by the Indian confectionery players for their products and
due to this non-branded and local products has seen decline in their sales. These advertisements have direct impact
on children and children are extremely sharp today. They are made aware of such products in a way that they also
know various brands available in market for chocolates, chips, biscuits and others. Children are so conscious that
they choose products according to their taste preferences and interests.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review goes beyond being a descriptive annotated bibliography and is not only considered as
information. All works related to selected area must be properly read and evaluated to analyze the relationships
between the literature and researcher’s field of work.
There are several studies done by researchers on effects of advertisements on children in different
perspectives like on children eating habits, on study, on TV watching habits, purchasing preferences, health.

Sharon Beder (1998) conducted study on “Marketing to children”, in that he observed children of age group
7-12 years and compare income level and spending on children This data he compared considering US, UK,
Germany, France, Japan, China. He found that in many nations the competition for children’s as consumer is not as
aggressive as in US. Researcher also studied the age wise development of children as consumer. And he observed
that children are unable to understand advertising content and its intention of persuasion rather they are unable to
differentiate advertisements from programs. By the age of eight or nine years they have developed cognitive ability
which makes them able to differentiate advertise from program and also its intent and attributes used in advertise has
an influence to a great extent on children. But again according to Richard Mizerski, an Australian Professor of
marketing, children cognitive skills begins to form and they become sensitive to external influences. Whatever they
see they feel it is true. Older children forming their own identities are highly vulnerable to follow group standards.
They want to be in peer groups advertising controls them through insecurities and influences them to view and
obtain appropriate models for the adult world. Commercials encourage them to seek happiness and esteem feeling
through consumption of product. So the researcher suggested in his study that advertisements directed to children
should be restricted to some extent and children should be exposed to advertisements after the age of eight or nine
years.
Crawford, I., & Paliwoda, S. J. (2003), “The effects of food promotion on children”, it was a study based
on existing literature led by Gerard Hastings at the Centre for Social marketing at Strathclyde University for the
Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Food Advertising Unit (FAU). In this study a statistical significant relationship
is found between a child’s exposure to television and number of snacks a child would eat and demand. It is based on
Bolton study of structural equation model and it states that “children’s food commercial exposure had a significant
effect on snacking frequency, although small (explaining only 2% of the variance). It did not have a significant
direct effect on children’s calorific intake but did significantly decrease children’s nutrient efficiency, although
again explaining only 2% of the variance.” 1
Bolton also suggested that not only television exposure but parental snacks eating frequency also affects
children eating in significant manner. Goldberg had investigated and experimented different aspect of television and
children interaction as well as the impact on television advertisements on children. He had found that television had
more impact on children food consumption behavior but statistically he was unable to prove. Goldberg found
significant effects, but the magnitude of the effect is not reported.
A question was posed by French that “If food promotion is shown to have an effect on children’s food
knowledge, preferences and behavior, what is the extent of this influence relative to price?” Hastings study
concluded that: “Food promotion is having an effect, particularly on children’s preferences, purchase behavior and

1
Crawford, I., & Paliwoda, S. J. (2003). An analysis of the Hastings review: "The effects of food
promotion on children". London, UK, pg. no. 143.

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 Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
consumption.” And that “This effect is independent of other factors and operates at both a brand and category
level.”2
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research design: For this study Exploratory and Descriptive research design is used.
Sampling technique: Stratified Random Sampling and convenience sampling is used.
Sampling method: Stratified sampling and convenience sampling.
Sampling population: In Jalgaon city there are total 25 English medium schools and 20 Marathi medium
schools.
Sample Size: 150 children from which 75 were taken from English Medium School and 75 were taken from
Marathi Medium School of Jalgaon city. Children of age group 7-12 years.
Area covered: Jalgaon city schools.
Statistical Tool: For this study Chi-Square test and ANOVA.
Primary Data collection: Structured Questionnaire for children. Questions designed were in pictorial form to
get the better understanding of questions for children.
Secondary Data Collection: Through Internet, journals, newspapers, magazines related to specific industry,
books in the specific field of advertising and various internet sites

IV. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

1. To find out the differences in preference for different TV programs and medium of study.
2. To find out the differences in responses of children towards TV advertisement and buying behavior with respect to
medium of study.
3. To find out the responses of male and female towards the TV advertisement on children buying behavior.
4. To find out the responses of TV viewing hours towards the TV advertisement on children buying behavior.

V. HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

1. Medium of Study and Preference for different Programs.
H0: Marathi and English medium students are not significantly different in their preference for different
television programs.
H1: Marathi and English medium students are significantly different in their preference for different television
programs.
2. TV viewing hours and children buying behavior.
H0: TV viewing hours has significantly has impact on children buying behavior.
H1: TV viewing hours has significantly no impact on children buying behavior.
3. Impact of advertisement in buying on basis of medium.
H0: There is no significant difference between Marathi and English medium students regarding impact of
advertisement on buying behavior.
H1: There is significant difference between Marathi and English medium students regarding impact of
advertisement on buying behavior.

VI. DATA ANALYSIS:

Table: 1- Cross tabulation of TV watching habit of children and Medium of study
Duration of Frequency Medium of the Study Total
TV watching

Marathi English

2
Crawford, I., & Paliwoda, S. J. (2003). An analysis of the Hastings review: "The effects of food
promotion on children". London, UK, pg. no. 17.

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Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
1-2 hours Count 58.0 61.0 119
Expected 58.4 60.6 119
count
3-4 hours Count 17.0 14.0 31.0
Expected 16.6 13.4 31.0
count
Total Count 75.0 75.0 150.0
Expected 75.0 75.0 150.0
count
Pearson Chi-Square Value (.874)

Table:2- Medium of Study wise Children Preference for different Programs

Program Medium N. Mean Std.
Dev.
Cartoons Marathi 75 3.47 .680

English 75 3.06 .857

Total 150 3.22 .816
Movies Marathi 75 1.88 .971
English 75 2.07 .863
Total 150 2.00 .906
Discovery & Marathi 75 2.39 .862
inventions channels

English 75 2.72 .869

Total 150 2.59 .878
TV serials Marathi 75 2.45 .765
English 75 2.48 .910
Total 150 2.47 .855
Reality Shows Marathi 75 2.61 .702

English 75 2.60 1.021

Total 150 2.61 .911

Table:3- Impact of advertisement on buying among Marathi and English

Medium students (Mean and Standard Deviation)
Medium N Mean Std. Dev.
Marathi 75 3.45 .679
English 75 3.23 .912
Total 150 3.32 .836

Table:4- Impact of advertisement on buying among Marathi and English Medium students (ANOVA)

Statistics Sum of Df Mean F Sig.

squares square
Between 1.404 1 1.404 2.026 .157
Groups
Within 88.666 148 .693
Groups
Total 90.069 149

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Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
V. FINDINGS

1. From survey, it has been found that more number of children (64%) watch television for 1-2 hours a day.
There are very less number of children (2%) who watch television for less than 1 hour a day. Around 33
children watch television for more than 3 hours. There are less than 1 per cent children who watch
television for more than 4 hours.
2. It has been noted that children like to watch cartoon movies or cartoon serials on television. Children also
like to watch movies on television.
3. It has been observed that after watching advertisement of any product especially confectionery products
children demand to buy products irrespective of their medium of study.
4. Advertisements of chocolates and biscuits are most likable by children.
5. The accessing variables like free tattoos, gift toys, coupon cards with products has tremendous impact on
buying behavior of children.
6. TV watching habit of children and Gender are independent of each other. It means that TV watching habit
does not dependent on gender. TV watching habit and medium of study are also independent of each other.
7. Marathi medium students more like to watch movies and TV serials while English medium student like to
see more cartoon channels and Discovery channels on television.
8. There is no significant different in case of impact of advertisement on buying of English and Marathi
medium students. Both medium students are moderately influenced by television advertisement as far as
buying behavior is concerned. But there is somewhat difference in the way of convincing parents to buy
any product.
9. The demographic factors like income group of parents, profession differs children from medium of study.
10. In general it has been observed while doing survey that the living styles of Marathi medium students and
English medium students is somewhat different.

VI. CONCLUSION
Today, particularly young children play an important role as consumers. Especially confectionary products
are concerned they do not care price of which they want to buy. Also they do not care whether these products are
healthy for them or not. While they are shopping, the first thing comes in their mind is to purchase the advertised
products. In this situation, the advertising has a stronger effect on younger children.
As far as confectionary products are concerned, children are influenced more by television advertisements
than by the other medium of advertising. Even though there are lots of tools to show the goods or services, television
was chosen as the best way that can enhance the company's profits greatly by most of researchers. Also this research
validated that among many communication tools, television advertisements have more impact on children than the
other medium of advertising. Children's ages are important to understand the television advertisements.
Children's comprehension of television commercials increases with age. English medium students are
somewhat different than Marathi medium students in their behaviour and preference.
As far as advertisements of confectionary products are concerned, advertisements should be shown with
their pros and cons. To some extent children have limited understanding so advertisers should not directly persuade
children to buy the product which is shown in the advertisement.
It is the responsibility of parents to supervise what their children are watching on television and if they are
highly influenced by the advertisements especially of confectionary products then parents should try to explain them
what are the pros and cons of that product by using it.
Marketer should target the children very cautiously because they are very innocent and they easily copy
others. So they should run promotion campaign carefully. Children like creativity and innovation, so the message of
the advertisement should be innovative and creative. It is not easy to segment the market in case of children because
more or less they are similar in their behaviour across the gender, medium of study and such other demographic
aspects. So marketers should carefully design its marketing strategies in case of children oriented products.

VII. REFERENCES
1. Bhatia (2000). Advertising in Rural India: Language, Marketing Communication, and Consumerism.
2. Datta Srinivasa (April, 2008) “Advertisements Do They Match Consumer Preferences?” Marketing
Mastermind, pp.59-62.
3. Divyang Tiwari, H.N Shukla, “Effect of advertising on children with reference to confectionery products”,
International journal of Management and Social sciences research, Volume4,No. 5, May 2015.

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Volume 9, Special Issue, March 2019, 6th National Conference On Technology & Innovation: Disrupting
Businesses, Transforming Market; G.H. Raisoni Institute Of Business Management, Jalgaon, India
4. Dr. Raju M. Rathod and Bhavna Parmar, “Impact of Television advertisements on children: Empirical
Study with reference to chocolate brands”, Pacific Business Review Journal, Volume-5, Issue-5 (Nov-
2012).
5. Galdolage B. S. and Wijesundara C. B., “Impact of TV advertising on children’s behavior”, conference
paper retrieved from www.researchgate.net/publication/280098783, December 2007.
6. Indian Media & Entertainment Industry, Retrieved 27 September 2018, from http://
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8. Ninawe A.S, Consumer Behavior, Om Sai Publication, Nagpur, 2001.
9. Sandra L. Calvert, “Children as consumers: Advertising and marketing”, article retrieved from
www.futureofchild.org, vol.18, spring 2008.
10. Sonia Livingstone and Ellen Helsper (2004), Advertising Foods to Children Understanding Promotion In
The Context Of Children's Daily Lives, Department of Media and Communications, London School of
Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, retrieved on 21st November 2012, from
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/21757/2/Advertising

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