25.11.2024 Marketing and PR
Influencer Advertising. Teenagers Do Not Always Recognize It
KFi
The rise in the popularity of influencer-promoted content among young people raises issues with their ability to identify the commercial nature of this content. Subtler forms of promotion are often completely unrecognizable to younger teens.
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
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