Despite a strong debate on the ethics and effects of television advertising, little is known about how these phenomena operate among children as consumers. This research investigated the use of persuasive strategies in advertising to children, based on the psychosocial literature of social influence. An analysis of 182 television advertisements during commercial breaks aired two weeks before Children's Day revealed defining the decision criterion, simmulating social consensus, storytelling, and social modelling as the most frequent tactics used by advertisers. Implications for creating inputs to education in children's consumption in Brazil and the promotion of responsible consumption are discussed.
advertising to children; persuasion tactics; responsible consumption
