Comparing children's and adults' cognitive advertising competences in the Netherlands

This study examines the age at which children reach adult levels of cognitive advertising competences. In a computer-assisted survey of 294 children (8-12 years) and 198 adults (18-30 years), we investigate at what age children reach adult levels of (1) advertising recognition, and (2) understanding of advertising's selling and persuasive intent. Our findings show that around the age of 9-10, most children have reached an adult level of advertising recognition. However, at age 12, children have still not acquired an adult-like understanding of advertising's selling and persuasive intent. Finally, children's understanding of the selling intent of advertising develops before their understanding of its persuasive intent.