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.