Communication and Persuasion Foundations Between Children and Advertising Images: A Psycholinguistic Semiotic Study

Abstract

This study examines children’s comprehension of the persuasive intent of advertising images and their perception of the visual cues of these images during their early childhood. It observes stimuli and factors which influence their interpretation of advertisements to identify guidelines for advertisements design while considering that children at this stage have not yet acquired reading skills of written discourse. The study investigates whether children can properly process and grasp the intended message of an advertisement through imagery, on what elements they rely in their comprehension, and what features of the advertisement image attract their attention the most. Thus, the research is organized into a theoretical section and an applied section employing a mixed approach descriptive-analytical and qualitative methodology. The findings indicate that 60% of young children can fully or partially comprehend the intent of advertising images, being mainly impacted in their comprehension by the characters and their bodily movements, while toys and cartoon figures constitute the most influential visual stimulus. Ultimately, the study recommends incorporating educational material into school curricula to teach children how to understand, interpret and critically engage with advertisements. It also emphasizes avoiding the exploitation of children’s exposure to advertising images for commercial profit-driven purposes devoid of meaningful content or beneficial awareness. Moreover, it recommends embedding noble goals within visual advertising content by conveying educational messages that reinforce Islamic values and virtuous ethical principles.