illustration: Bing AIData published in Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, collected by Spanish researchers: Erika Fernández-Gómez, Paula Neira Placer, and Beatriz Feijoo Fernández, show that the average age of children`s first contact with a mobile phone in Spain is about 11 years.
Children`s ability to identify advertising content
The study involved 35 children aged 10-14. The results reveal that while most of them can identify advertisements marked with the hashtag #ad, they still struggle to recognize subtler forms of promotion. The influence of social media figures makes children see them more as friends than as brand collaborators.
Children aged 10–14 were able to recognize, on average, 3.25 promotional elements out of five presented in the study. Detailed findings highlight variations depending on age and advertising awareness levels.
| Age group | Average number of recognized ads (out of 5) |
|---|---|
| 10-11 years | 2.1 |
| 12-14 years | 3.9 |
When ads were labeled #ad, recognition rates increased, especially in older age groups.
Reactions to influencer advertising content
According to Erika Fernández-Gómez, Paula Neira Placer, and Beatriz Feijoo Fernández, despite recognizing the commercial nature of many posts, children usually take a neutral or positive stance towards ads, particularly when promoted by their favorite influencers. Only about 40% of respondents felt that ads shared by influencers were unethical or misleading, indicating a relatively low level of criticism toward such content.
The study emphasizes the need for media education on advertising recognition in schools and homes. The findings suggest that younger audiences may need more support to understand the intentions and techniques used by marketers on social platforms.
***
The study was conducted by Erika Fernández-Gómez (Universidad Internacional de la Rioja UNIR, Logroño), Paula Neira Placer (Xunta de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela), and Beatriz Feijoo Fernández (Universidad Villanueva, Madrid).
The results were published in November 2024 in Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Communications under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. They can be accessed at
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04003-3
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Marketing and PR
Online shopping in Poland. Report by the Chamber of Digital Economy
Patrycja Sołtysik, Izba Gospodarki Elektronicznej
For the fourth consecutive year, 100% of internet users declare making a digital purchase at least once, and 93% have shopped online in the last six months. 97% of purchases in Poland involve an internet-connected device at some stage - most commonly a smartphone.
Coffee for moms. This is how they recharge parents' batteries at the Wrocław children's hospital
Reporterzy support
24 hours, 7 days a week, for 3 months. Non-stop. That is the average time a mother spends in an oncology hospital, caring for her child during treatment. A new project has launched at the Przylądek Nadziei (Cape of Hope) children's oncology clinic in Wrocław. In a simple way, it helps parents reduce stress, calm their emotions, and boosts their energy for caregiving. And that directly translates into the effectiveness of the children's treatment.
What affects our purchasing decisions? The KONSUMER 2026 study
Michał Mystkowski, Berry Kolektyw Kreatywny
Grandma watches TikTok before sleep. A father in his fifties types into Google "will AI take my job?" A thirty-year-old woman postpones having a child but buys a weekend trip "to take a breath for a moment". A twelve-year-old asks ChatGPT about a dream job and tries to convince parents to buy another game skin.
See articles on a similar topic:
Email Marketing Done Right. How to Avoid Ending Up in SPAM
BARD
One in three Poles receives between 10 and 20 promotional emails daily, and more than half receive at least 10, according to a study by Redlink. For an email to stand out among the competition and be read by the recipient, three key factors are essential, capturing the most attention from recipients.
What to do when your child lies? Advice from a pedagogue
patronat Reporterzy.info
Does your little one invent outrageous stories, and you’re unsure how to react? Does your child tell friends that you’ve traveled the world and that your dog speaks with a human voice? A pedagogue explains how to handle such situations and avoid them in the future. The weekly Reporterzy.info is the media patron of the series.
Do Ads on TV Annoy You? Think Again, It’s Quite the Opposite!
Bartłomiej Dwornik
Advertisements don’t irritate viewers; instead, they increase the appeal of television programs, according to research published in the Polish edition of Harvard Business Review. Viewers are actually willing to pay more for shows they watched with ad breaks.
Foreign online stores face distrust in Poland. See TrustMate Report
KFi
Poland’s e-commerce market is booming, yet foreign online stores still struggle to earn consumer trust. Why do Polish shoppers prefer local sellers? A new report uncovers the roots of this distrust and reveals what international brands must do to bridge the gap.




























