Teens
1. Remind your teen that ads are designed to make you want something.
Encourage your teenager to think independently. The ads are trying to grab his or her attention and make them respond in a certain way - by purchasing or requesting a product.
2. Ask your teen to think about why they think a product is cool or desirable.
Most of us think that we are immune to advertising, but it's worth having the conversation about why we want certain things. What has your teen seen, heard or experienced that makes them think the way they do?
3. Ask them to reflect on which emotions particular ads are appealing to.
Is the ad selling an emotion, such as happiness, or a lifestyle like having fun with lots of friends? Why is it so appealing? How does that relate to the product?
4. Encourage your teen to spot product placement.
At this stage your teen may be making regular trips to the cinema or gaming regularly with friends. It's not unusual to see product placements in movies or to see video character using or wearing branded items. Try to build your teenagers awareness of these attempts by companies to associate their products with what's currently cool or trendy.
5. Be web aware.
As your child becomes a teenager, he or she may move away from TV viewing and spend more time on the internet or gaming. Make sure they have the same awareness of online advertising, as they have of TV advertising. Ask them to check the source of information when they are doing searches online and to be aware of banner ads across the top of their web pages or sponsored links to the side of their pages.