Advertisers Use Online Games to Reach Children

The internet is flooded with online games, most of which can be played for free.  Of course, nothing is really “free” on the internet.  Some of the free online games use advertising to make profits.  Other games actually are advertisements.  We are talking about the surge of online games from major brands such as General Mills, Kellogg, and Post.

In 1990, the US congress passed a law which limited the amount of advertising permitted on children’s TV shows.  Their goal was to protect children from advertising, particularly because children are susceptible to advertising.  It isn’t until they are 11 or 12 that children can fully understand the differences between TV programming and advertisements.  Even though many of the big brands have made pledges to reduce the amount of ads targeted to children, they are still doing it – and getting much more creative about their efforts.

Online games represent a fantastic marketing opportunity for brands.  Children love to play games online and have increasing access to the internet.  Most of their internet use is unmonitored so they are vulnerable to any advertising attempts. The online games designed by major brands seem innocent enough, such as the game where you can make your own comic strip with the Honey Nut Cheerios bee.  Children have fun playing the online games without even realizing that they are being advertised to.  The free fun kids games create brand recognition so the kids are more likely to use those products.   Just about all the big brands have some sort of game on their websites – particularly those selling breakfast cereals and junk foods.

Unlike TV or billboard ads, online games are interactive and require a time commitment from the players.  This gives the advertisers much more control over the audience and allows them to convey their message much more effectively.  Aside from the fun free games for kids, advertisers also use other online methods of getting kids (and adults) to interact with their products.  They often promise prizes for taking an online quiz , answering a survey, or making a suggestion.  Most young people don’t realize that these are all advertising methods because it involves an activity – often which is fun or has another award attached to it.

There is no doubt that advertising can be incredibly dangerous.  When kids succumb to the messages of the online games they play, they soon start demanding the products.  Children have the main purchasing power in households and their wants are usually for unhealthy products.  Over the past 6 years, 17 major companies have made pledges to reduce the level of advertising for unhealthy products targeted at children.  They instead pledge to market their healthier choices.  The problem with these pledges though is that the term “healthier” is relative.  According to a report from the New York Times, researchers found that the online games from major brands nearly always market the unhealthy options, such as sugar-loaded cereals.

What are parents supposed to do to protect their children from advertising in the form of online games?  The first step is to be aware of what online games the kids are playing.  Parents should also always decipher how the game is making a profit – such as from ads on the site or by collecting personal information.  For older children, parents can work to educate them about marketing methods so the children are less likely to fall victim to the marketing attempts while playing online games.