Nigerian Children Specimens as Resonance of Print Media Advertising: What for?

Abstract

Children are not only precious in society; they are the future of any nation. These are assertions that sensitize this study as an examination of the ways that advertising professionals utilize children to achieve persuasive goals. Eight advertisements oriented in the features of children were considered for analysis. The Barthesian idea of semiotic analysis alongside with Halliday‘s clause as representation assisted in processing the advertising contents functioning in the domains of images and texts. The Halliday‘s experiential concept helped in breaking the wording systems into interpretative organs that allow tables and graph to take a course. The study reveals that educational materials, memes, and a reference to the future of children, expatiated through texts, are devices of convincing parents and guardians to consumption. Also observed are the terminologies of commitment, foresight, partnership, etc. as behavioral values to augment product patronization. The study suggests that materials that can add positive values to the lives of children must be given utmost priority in advertising communications.

Keywords

• Clause as representation; connotation; denotation; Children advertisement; Persuasion