The Influence of Children on Their Parents Brand Preferences

and Buying Decisions

Name

Master of Business Administration

May, 2025
 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT

I hereby declare and confirm on my honor that this paper titled “The Influence of
Children on Their Parents Brand Preferences and Buying Decisions” that I submit as a
master’s project is the result of my scholarly work created by scientific ethics and
traditions, that all materials from the work of others are acknowledged, cited wherever
they are used in my work and indicated in the reference list.

Date 30th May2025

name
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 Abstract

The rising power of children over their parents' brand choices, combined with buying
decisions, has gained substantial importance in modern consumer markets. Children now
actively participate in household customer decisions after becoming digital media users
and receiving marketing content exposure.

The research uses academic literature published between 2021 and 2025, along with book
and peer-reviewed article insights. The research evaluates Turkish business sector
practices through real-world corporate examples to understand theoretical principles'
implementations in actual market operations. Children demonstrate purchasing power for
various product classes, from food items to clothing products and electronics devices to
entertainment products. The influence of children on purchasing decisions benefits from
peer pressure and advertising exposure and emotional appeals, and parent-child
relationships that follow democratic guidelines.

Turkish companies modify their marketing approaches through digital media and child-
focused campaigns, and colorful packaging to target both child consumers and their
parents. The successful tactics employed by marketers produce ethical dilemmas about
the business exploitation of kids alongside the requirement for proper marketing
standards.

The research enhances knowledge about how children interact with parents when buying
products while providing brand managers and policymakers with ethical guidelines to
market effectively to this complex consumer group.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPROVAL PAGE...............................................................................................................i

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT..........................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...............................................................................................iii

Abstract...............................................................................................................................iv

Chapter 1............................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................1

1.1 Purpose of the Study......................................................................................................1

1.2 Importance of the Study.................................................................................................2

Chapter 2............................................................................................................................5

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK...................................................................................5

2.1 Understanding the Child as a Consumer.......................................................................5

2.2 Dimensions of Children’s Influence in Family Buying Behavior.................................6

2.3 Parental Responses and Mediation Styles.....................................................................6

2.4 Pester Power and Marketing Impact..............................................................................7

2.5 Influence in Digital and Online Shopping Environments..............................................8

2.6 Children’s Influence in Emerging Markets....................................................................9

2.7 Generational Shifts: The Rise of Gen Alpha...............................................................10

2.8 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Child Influence..........................................................11

2.9 Implications for Brand Management and Marketing Strategy....................................12

2.10 Psychological Theories Explaining Child Influence.................................................13

2.11 Evolution of Consumer Socialization Among Children............................................14

2.12 Long-Term Impact on Brand Loyalty and Future Consumer Behavior.....................15

2.13 Gaps in Literature and Theoretical Contribution.......................................................16

Chapter 3..........................................................................................................................18
APPLICATION................................................................................................................18

3.1 Understanding the Turkish Market..............................................................................18

3.1.1 Case Study: Pınar (Food & Dairy Products).........................................................18

3.1.2 Case Study: LC Waikiki (Fashion Retail).............................................................19

3.1.3 Case Study: Turkcell (Technology & Telecom)....................................................19

3.1.4 Case Study: D&R (Books, Toys, and Multimedia Retail)....................................20

3.1.5 Case Study: Arçelik – Beko Smart Kids Campaign.............................................20

3.1.6 Case Study: Pegasus Airlines – Travel with Kids.................................................21

3.1.7 Case Study: Ülker – Confectionery and Snacks...................................................21

3.2 Summary of the Application Chapter..........................................................................22

Chapter 4..........................................................................................................................23

DISCUSSION...................................................................................................................23

4.1 The Evolving Role of Children as Decision Influencers.............................................23

4.2 Decision-Making Stages and Children’s Influence.....................................................24

4.3 Types of Products and Children’s Influence................................................................24

4.4 Cultural Context: Turkey’s Family and Consumer Culture.........................................25

4.5 Digital Influence and the Rise of Tech-Savvy Children..............................................26

4.6 Parental Mediation and Decision Balance...................................................................27

4.7 Ethical Implications of Targeting Child Consumers....................................................27

4.8 Marketing Strategy Effectiveness and Real-World Challenges...................................28

4.9 Intersection of Theory and Practice.............................................................................29

Chapter 5..........................................................................................................................30

CONCLUSION................................................................................................................30

References.........................................................................................................................32
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of the Study

The family has been viewed as the most basic unit of consumption within the
society and purchase decision is typically made collectively or influenced by other
members. In the past, adults — especially parents — have been considered the hand that
makes the household purchase decisions. Nevertheless, in recent years research in
consumer behavior and marketing has demonstrated a notable change in the role played
by children in family consumption. They are instead more and more dictating which
brands their parents like and ultimately buying. The rapid progress of technology, media
exposure, with the change in the parenting style of developed and developing nations is
resulting in this phenomenon becoming stronger.

The main aim of this study is to examine and investigate the role of children on
their parents’ brand preferences and purchase decisions. Earlier marketing models
ignored the child voice in family purchases but contemporary studies have shown the role
children are playing in this process. This influence does not only apply to categories
designed exclusively for children (e.g. toys or cereals), but goes as far as different
segments of clothing, electronics, food and dining options, household items and
automobile preferences. Children today act as influencers, co-decision-makers, and in
some cases, initiators of family purchases.

The goal of this study is to determine how much children influence, what the
mechanisms through which children exert influence are, and how they fluctuate
according to children’s age, gender, social class, family structure, and cultural context. It
will also scrutinize the part played by media and advertisement, peer influence and digital
exposure to fortify a child’s capacity to influence the family decisions. Particularly, the
research will focus on how this dynamic occurs in Turkish households, adding cultural
relevance and insight for companies in Turkey.
 To ground this exploration in solid academic foundation, the study will review
and synthesize at least fifteen peer reviewed research paper that were published from
2021 to 2025 and five academic books on consumer behavior, family love making and
brand preferences. The purpose is to develop a theoretical foundation of the drivers of
child influence and how marketing strategies have adjusted to respond to this change.

The theoretical basis followed by the study will examine examples of Turkish
companies and how they utilize or respond to children’s influence in their marketing and
product development strategies. New surveys or interviews won’t be necessary for this
part of the project; instead, this part will use publicly available information,
advertisements, and marketing campaigns to give practical insights.

Finally, in the final part of the study, a critical discussion will be given to compare
theoretical expectations to actual business practices. In addition, the study will provide
managerial recommendations to enhance how companies may responsibly and effectively
reach out to children as a consumer segment without relying on manipulative tactics.

It is expected that the findings of this study will provide a comprehensive

knowledge of the child-parent dynamics in the process of consumer decision making in
the field of marketing. It will also be a useful resource for marketers, brand managers,
advertising professionals, and anyone else carrying out campaigns that need to appeal to
the whole family unit.

1.2 Importance of the Study

The traditional model of consumer behavior has been changed by the growing
influence of children on their parents purchasing decisions. This transformation is highly
important for businesses and marketing professionals who want to know and adapt to the
evolving household decision making processes. Children today are consumers in the
consumer marketplace. They are aware of the brand, are media literate and are becoming
more vocal about what they prefer. The reality itself offers opportunities as well as
challenges for marketers.

The importance of this topic is that there are long term implications with
childhood brand exposure. If they do manage to engage children early on, they may reap
the rewards of this loyalty for a lifetime. A great example is that if a child grows up and
connects positive emotions to a certain brand of cereal, clothing or some sort of a gadget,
the child is more likely to pick that same brand as an adult. As we are living in a hyper-
competitive markets, today it is vital to have this life-cycle approach to branding because
it is all about customer acquisition and retention.

They also act as ‘gatekeepers’ and ‘influencers’ within their families. Parents, in
many cases, consult their children or are persuaded by their enthusiasm or resistance
when making a purchase decision. It is especially true in the categories of food, fashion,
entertainment, travel destinations, and technology. Despite the fact that the control of
finances is with the parents, the persuasiveness is with the child. Consequently, those
marketers who neglect children as target audience could readily miss out on a big market.

This context cannot and should not be underestimated in the role of digital media.
Since they spend more and more time in front of the screen and resources such as
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, mobile games provide them with a lot of advertisements
and branded content from a very early age. It not only forms their preferences, but also
forms them to be more confident in expressing those preferences to their parents. In
addition, children today are much more informed than ever before. Some are looking to
product information online, comparing such information, and speaking about preferences
they have showing a favorite influencers product. By definition, they are a powerful and
informed segment of the market.

From a managerial perspective, the study is useful in designating more effective

marketing strategies. Knowing how children shape the content, products and advertising
is important for companies creating content for both children and adults, creating
products for both user groups, and designing advertising campaigns that reflect the
combined nature of family decision making. An example would be that companies can
use emotional appeal, package in colorful and kid friendly mascots, for children, and
value, safety and quality for parents.

However, the findings are also useful for companies that are trying to boost their
market share in family-oriented product segments. For instance, companies that
strategically consider child influence in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG),
electronics, food & beverage, and retail sector perform better in terms of brand
engagement and loyalty. A good product that is child focused not only makes product
appeal but also helps in boosting word of mouth marketing among peer groups and
extended families.

In addition, the topic has cultural significance. In a country like Turkey where the
child is very much respected and highly cherished by the family, the child’s voice is very
often considered to be a key factor in the decision making process. In urban settings,
where items such as total communication, children’s freedom of choice and an emotional
connection have become elements of modern parenting, Turkish parents frequently try to
fulfill what their children desire. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how children
influence their parents’ purchasing behavior in the Turkish context for local and
international companies operating in the region.

The issue also offers important ethical concerns. The line between marketing to
children and manipulating them is a fine one. Excessive or deceptive advertising directed
to children may cause materialism, unhealthy habits or conflicts in families. The ethical
responsibilities of marketers mentioned in this study will also be discussed, and how
marketers can maintain transparency, promote healthy consumption, and establish
positive brand relationship without taking advantage of children’s impressionability.

Finally, this study’s academic contribution is also considerable. The number of

studies on consumer behavior and family decision making is increasing, but very little
research has been done on how children shape consumer behavior in the digital age and
in culturally specific contexts such as Turkey. The study will help to fill this gap, and
provide new knowledge to academic discussions, and lay the groundwork for further
research in generational marketing, intergenerational influence, and ethical marketing.
 Chapter 2

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Understanding the Child as a Consumer

In the last few decades, children have hardly been passive members of families
anymore but rather active consumers that have a great impact on household purchasing
decisions. Broad societal and technological transformations have resulted in an increased
exposure of children to the messages and product information of marketers and others at
earlier ages, thus fueling this shift (Gunardi et al., 2023). Children are considered as
direct and indirect consumers by the notion that they are both direct and indirect
influencers in their family units. From a psychological and sociological perspective, this
very exposure plays a role in the maturation of brand recognition, preference formation,
consumption patterns that will follow into adulthood.

There have been many academic discussions regarding how children learn
consumer behavior. A process of ‘consumer socialization’ occurs in children as they
develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes for functioning in the marketplace. So, the
family should be viewed as the primary agent of this socialization and parents as role
models and the decision makers. Yet the direction of influence has become more
complicated and two way. Parents influence children’s consumer behavior, but children
also have a reverse influence on their parents through direct request, pester power and
emotional appeal.

The growing responsibility of children in the decision making process of

consumer has raised concern about the kind of influence exerted on them. But some
studies claim that such influence is subtle and suggestive, while others suggest that
children, and especially children in urban and economically stable households, can exert
assertive and persuasive power to influence purchase decisions. This evolution has
necessitated marketers and brand strategists to rethink how to advertise to parents and to
adorably young children, to engage with their independence and sway over brand
selection.
2.2 Dimensions of Children’s Influence in Family Buying Behavior

The influence of children on products ranges from dimension to dimension

according to the category of product, family structure, socio-economic condition, and
culture. Generally, the influence is stronger in low involvement or routine purchases such
as food, toys, clothing, and entertainment products (Khan et al., 2021). In such categories,
children are likely to make direct requests and are likely to influence the final purchase
decision. For example, food items that are promoted on television and social media
become the center point of children’s likes which are then communicated to parents.

However, products that are high in involvement, such as electronics, vehicles or

household appliances, are driven much more by the parental decision. Yet, even in these
fields, children — including teenagers — tend to give advice or express preferences in
accordance with what they have learned from peers or from digital platforms. Although
they may not be the final decision makers, their input is valued, and more and more taken
into account in the final evaluation.

In addition, the level and style of influence are also influenced by age. Direct and
repetitive requests are typical of younger children whereas older children and adolescents
will offer rational arguments, comparisons of the product, or social validations. Such a
transition in influence from emotional into cognitive implies their learning to make sense
of market dynamics and product utility. Children also gain more independence in
consumption in many families, especially in families with two working parents, and also
acquire a more autonomous role as informed decision makers through allowances or
budget autonomy.

2.3 Parental Responses and Mediation Styles

Different mediation styles of parents toward children’s influence are associated

with the extent to which children’s preferences are reflected in family consumption
decisions. Broadly, these mediation styles are of authoritarian, permissive, and
authoritative (Padmavathy & Muthulakshmi, 2021). Authoritarian parents are inclined to
suppress children’s influence and to make purchases all on their own. However,
permissive parents tend to let children have a huge influence over brand choices or even
purchasing authority. The authoritative style, in which rules are incorporated with open
communication, helps children to voice their preferences and for decisions to be made
jointly.

Also, the nature of parent-child communication determines the effectiveness of

children’s influence. Usually, open communication patterns foster a more cooperative
atmosphere in which children’s views are respected and their suggestions are
incorporated. On the other hand, restrictive communication limits the possibility of
children acting, while it can occasionally manifest itself under the cover of covert kinds
of persuasion or rebellion.

It is also found that gender dynamics between parent and child matter. For
example, mother-daughter pairs talk more about purchases, especially about clothing and
beauty products, while father-son dynamics may seem more apparent in purchases of
technology or sports products (Burns et al., 2022). In addition, parental response has also
been found to be affected by the number of children and birth order. Firstborns are
usually more persuasive because of their maturity and stronger emotional bonds with
parents, while younger siblings may profit from relaxed parenting.

2.4 Pester Power and Marketing Impact

Pester power or the 'nag factor' as it is commonly called, is a well-known term

that refers to children’s constant requests, which ultimately lead parents to buy. Marketers
that want to reach children through children’s direct communication with parents have
made it a focus on pester power. Brands that target children often develop catchy jingles,
mascots, and online games to make advertisements memorable and to build an emotional
attachment with the child, which when used by the child to start a conversation with the
parents, is very often found to be effective.

Television and social media is no doubt a major contributor to intensification of

pester power. Repeated and persuasive advertising can stimulate product desires in
children that then cause them to nag for the advertised product. Among the top industries
to have utilized pester power to boost sales include food and beverage products, fast food
chains and toy companies. However, some parents don’t comply with these requests, but
others give in because of convenience, time constraints or emotional pressure.

This has sparked ethical questions about who is morally responsible for the
marketer and media channels. There are many public health experts who are concerned
about the effect that pester power driven consumption has on the health of children,
particularly in regards to sugary drinks, snacks and sedentary lifestyles (Flax et al., 2021).
Various countries have had regulatory bodies manage the policy that how to control child
targeted advertising and responsible marketing. However, the children market segment
remains a real and profitable market to target, and the marketing environment continues
to change.

2.5 Influence in Digital and Online Shopping Environments

As the consumer behavior became digitized, children’s influence expanded

beyond the traditional in store purchases to the online shopping environment. Now,
children increasingly interact with brands through e-commerce platforms, mobile app, as
well as social media influencers. Influencer culture, in particular, has led to the way
children believe about products. Influencers are often trusted more by young viewers than
usual ads and they often promote some brands to their parents (Harikishni & Attree,
2022).

These days, e-commerce has become a part of the daily life of many families, as
children help their parents to go through e-commerce platforms, compare prices, check
reviews, and even make the orders. The lines between who influences and who makes
decisions have been blurred by this co-shopping behavior. Teenagers are particularly
digitally literate and therefore can explore options, look for trends, and bring new brands
to the family’s consumption habits.

In addition, mobile applications and in application purchases in games and

educational platforms have introduced children to micro transactions and online
payments, which can indirectly affect the household expenditure (Grosso et al., 2024).
Parents usually authorize these transactions by means of password or spending limit
protection, but children are also involved in initiating and rationalizing such purchases.
2.6 Children’s Influence in Emerging Markets

The cultural uniqueness and increasing economic importance of children’s

influence on family purchase decisions in emerging markets including Pakistan, India,
Nigeria and Brazil. In these societies, historically, these societies were characterized by
collectivist values where the control of family decisions were mostly dominated by elders
or heads of households. Nevertheless, traditional dynamics have shifted in the face of
urbanization, exposure to global media, increased access to education and the rise of a
middle class.

Children in these markets have been on the verge of being assertive especially in
urban settings that have much more nuclear families and adjusted parenting styles to
global trends. In such households, children have more freedom to select what to consume
in categories like clothing, food, gadgets, and personal care products as both parents are
often employed (Senevirathna et al., 2022). Children in emerging markets are also
influenced by the international media and social platforms to promote aspirational
lifestyle that encourages parents to opt for premium brands and globally popular items.

An important trend among emerging markets is a preference for imported or

foreign brands because they are seen as more reliable or trendy. With children playing
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and global gaming platforms, they’re getting familiar with
international brands and putting pressure on parents to buy it too. They serve as
intermediaries between global culture and local consumption in this sense. Moreover, in
urban centers education institutions provide children with digital devices and online
platforms early and are thus important digital consumers and digital influence agents.

Changing with the marketing landscape in these countries have been brands
creating bilingual campaigns with incorporating local cultural cues and using child
influencers on regional platform to target both children and parents (Toros, 2020). On the
other side of the coin, the digital divide is still in place sporadically in rural areas, but
mobile penetration is fast closing this gap bringing children’s reach to nooks and corners
of the country. Still, in semi urban and rural settings traditional authority figures continue
to make major buying decisions but even there are signs of gradual shift with the younger
generation.
2.7 Generational Shifts: The Rise of Gen Alpha

Generation Alpha is the term used for children born after 2010, the generation
who grew up in a digital world, smart devices and artificial intelligence. The differences
with this generation are: its level of digital fluency, independence and how the consumer
behavior currently is. Gen Alpha is the first generation born in the 21st century entirely,
and as such, they are as comfortable with technology as they are tech savvy (Gupta et al.,
2021).

It also is important for their influence on household buying decisions. Children

from generation y are not only exposed to the advertisements but are also content
creators, they are app users and early adopters of the trends (Collins et al., 2021). When
they communicate to parents about brands, they will sometimes share memes, TikTok
video, YouTube reviews, social media posts, etc. They are persuasive influencers as they
have a blend of entertainment, education, and peer to peer sharing that makes their brand
knowledge.

Gen Alpha children are psychologically developed with high confidence and
opinion expression due to the use of interactive learning tools and digital platforms that
validate their input. It is seen in their capacity to argue and explain brand choices to
parents. Moreover, today many parents, including the millennials, are more democratic in
parenting in the sense that they regard children's inputs in family matters including
purchasing. The mutual respect of the children acts as an empowering brand influencer.

From a business perspective, to gain long term brand loyalty it’s important to
know about Gen Alpha. Since the preferences of this generation are determined early on
and continually reinforced by their frequent digital exposure, companies are creating
child focused campaigns, gamified apps, augmented reality experiences, and personal
shopping suggestions based on this generation’s different expectations. Although the
challenge will be to find the balance between ethical marketing and good branding,
young minds’ psychological vulnerability poses a problem.
2.8 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Child Influence

While the impact of children on family purchasing is widespread in the world, it

is expressed differently in different cultures as a result of variations in parenting norms,
value systems, economic status and media penetration. In countries such as the United
States, Canada and most of Europe, individualism has become a strong cultural trait
(Hoover & Bostic, 2021). In such societies, children are nurtured from an early age to
express their opinions, make their choices and participate in decision making, including
those concerning consumption.

In contrast, in collectivist cultures such as South Asia, East Asia and the Middle
East family hierarchy influences purchase behavior. Children can influence decisions but
in these cases do so slightly or indirectly, depending upon the parents’ confidence that
their children will act responsibly and in an emotional way. In personal product
categories, such as school supplies, clothing, or snacks, the influence is more visible,
whereas decisions as collective as vehicle purchase, real estate, or long term investments
are still mainly adult ruled.

Yet, the cultural boundaries have, to some extent, blurred due to the globalization
and digital transformation. For example, when Asian children are exposed to western
mass media content, they adopt individualistic values indicated by the expression of
preferences and negotiation with parents. In similar ways, the influence patterns among
immigrant families living in multicultural societies follow a hybrid pattern, where
children might attend to the cultural values of the host country faster than parents and
even lead to a reverse acculturation effect. Children in such families often serve as
interpreters or decision support agents in technology purchases or digital services.

In addition, religious norms and gender roles affect the amount of participation of
children. Girls in conservative societies may be less encouraged to express opinions
about family decisions and boys are expected to show leadership. This gendered
expectation affects not only how children exercise their influence, but in how parents and
siblings receive it as well. However, as education and global media access to information
grows, these rigid patterns transform into more inclusive design of family dialogues.
2.9 Implications for Brand Management and Marketing Strategy

Marketers and brands have been forced to recalibrate their strategies across
product development, communication and customer engagement as a result of the
knowledge that children are influential consumers (Kapoor et al., 2024). The
conventional target market for marketing models has been parents, especially mothers, as
the gatekeepers of consumption. Most brands today are using a dual target approach
where they focus on crafting messages that are appealing both in terms of excitation of
the children and in terms of the trust of the parents.

Nowadays, product packaging, design, and advertisement are often made with
children’s preference in mind. Common moves for attention are colors, cartoon characters
and licensed content from movies, TV, etc., and celebrity branding. Within the digital
realm, such as YouTube pre-rolls, collaborations with child influencers, gaming
sponsorships, and augmented reality filters are engaged brands experiences that
marketers use to sell the products or services to young users. These are key tactics of
interactive storytelling, gamified rewards, as well as shareable content.

Nevertheless, marketing to children is not without moral issues. There have been
hot debate on issues of privacy, informed consent and susceptibility to persuasive
messages. In countries such as the UK, Canada and Australia, regulatory bodies have put
regulations on the advertising of unhealthy food products and/or in app purchases for
children. According to this, ethical standards must be adhered to by marketers in
protecting the cognitive development of children while taking in consideration of their
influence.

Companies are beginning to spend more money on long term loyalty programs
that start with early exposure and although it’s not new, it’s becoming more common. For
example, toy brands such as LEGO, tech companies like Apple or fashion brands like
Nike have ecosystem built around the child, increasing throughout the child’s life from
toddler, adolescent, to adult. Essentially, this lifecycle marketing rides on a good brand
name, either with children or their parents, via cause marketing, environmental
responsibility or educational inks.
Family oriented branding also emerged as a new phenomenon, where the brand is
perceived as a facilitator of the family moments (shared meals, weekend entertainment,
educational tools). This positioning thus enables marketers to use children’s influence
without being exploitative, by not directly targeting children.

2.10 Psychological Theories Explaining Child Influence

Many psychological and sociological theories provide excellent insight into how
and why children affect family purchasing decisions. The most cited ones include
Consumer Socialization Theory that states that kids learn consumption behavior both
through observing others, through being taught directly by adults and also through getting
them to try out the product from their own personal experiences (Nain, 2021). The role of
parents, siblings, peers, media, schools in shaping children’s consumer roles, values, and
preferences is very important. This theory not only explains how children become
knowledgeable consumers but also when this begins to occur early.

Another big model is Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory that divides a

cognitive maturity of children into specific stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete
operational and formal operational. Children become better information processors,
develop a better understanding of money and how to negotiate, compare and justify
purchasing choices. For instance, children in early preoperational stage (2–7) are easily
influenced by visual stimuli and emotional appeal, while children in early concreational
operation stage (7–11) start to understand abstract concepts such as value for money and
brand.

According to Bandura, Social Learning Theory, children learn to behave in a way

—such as purchasing habits—involving social learning. A child is likely to imitate the
behavior of their mother or favorite YouTuber if they see it being praised, and they are
likely to wish for the same product. In the digital age, children are often exposed to
product reviews, unboxing videos, and lifestyle vlogs that show branded consumption,
which have intensively increased this modeling effect.

Family Decision-Making Models also offer explanatory value. The family is

treated by these models as a decision making unit consisting of the different roles such as
influencer, decider, buyer and user. Influencers, users, buyers, deciders — these are the
words that best describe children and parents. In some categories like toys, tech gadgets
or fast food, however, the child’s role can go as far as being the actual decision maker
with parents acting as facilitators.

2.11 Evolution of Consumer Socialization Among Children

The dissemination of consumer socialization has gone through immense

metamorphosis over years, owing to the changing societal norms, technological
evolution, and the changing economic conditions. Typically, children’s behavior as a
consumer was heavily defined by parents, peers and, occasionally, television. But the
digital revolution and the growth of the internet has completely changed the way children
interact with the marketplace.

Today’s children are not mere recipients of consumer messages, but interactive
participants. Product information, reviews, tutorials, and even creating their own content
are what they are looking for. Unlike the generations before them, they experience the
real time consumer experiences from all around the globe and accordingly shape their
expectations and preferences. Unlike traditional cues, consumer socialization with
blending traditional cues with digitally mediated experience is increasingly occurring in
virtual environments as well as physical environments.

In addition to this, schools and educational platforms are more involved in this
socialization. Basic financial literacy, environmental consciousness, and consumer ethics
are also included in many curriculums, and these contribute further to develop children’s
attitudes toward consumption. This educational grounding often causes children to
question parental decisions when children believe brands are unethical, unhealthy, or
environmentally harmful.

The evolution also manifests itself in the fact that peer influence has also
expanded to online peer communities. Children take part in multiplayer gaming, chat
forums and fandom groups where brand choices are shared and validated. Consumer
identity formation and brand affiliation are accelerated to the level of social microcosm
where young consumer is not dependent on the parental approval.
2.12 Long-Term Impact on Brand Loyalty and Future Consumer Behavior

Taking into account the early influence children exert on family buying decisions,
it would not be an overstatement to say it is a no transient phenomenon, and its
consequences are far from short-lived: they shape brand loyalty and long-term consumer
behavior. Successful brands that build early loyalty among children are typically the
benefit from sustained loyalty into adolescence and adulthood. The reason being that the
early brand associations tend to be las sentimental, they made early bond on an emotional
bond that carries over time.

It seems that children who have been frequently involved in the decision making
process are more likely to build up his strong consumer identity, brand consciousness and
purchase planning behavior. In later life, higher brand involvement and loyalty result
from these attributes. For instance, a child that grows up with Apple products because
that is what his family prefers is more likely to stay with the ecosystem as a teenager and
adult as he already feels comfortable, familiar, and brand prestigious.

This continuity is explained by the concept of brand socialization (process

through which meaning of a brand becomes sunk in the consumers’ minds during the
duration of brand usage over time). When then exposed to consistent messaging,
emotionally rich advertising, and positive user experience children form affective
associations with brands and later use them in future buying decisions. And brands such
as Spotify, LEGO and Nike have done this by personalizing products or experiences.

This long-term impact from a strategic perspective is very positive for the
investments companies make in kid focused marketing, loyalty programs or gamified
ecosystems. It also helps justify the development of cross generational branding strategies
whereby parents and children have the same brand values and leverage each other’s
loyalty based on shared experience.

However, besides it is not all long term effects good. If children are exposed to
too much or some broadcast media’s style of advertising, they may develop materialistic
values, impulsive shopping and buying behavior, or addiction to certain brands. Thus,
ethical branding and regulation are key to achieving the balance between commercial
success and consumer good fortune.

2.13 Gaps in Literature and Theoretical Contribution

Though much attention has been given to the subject, there remain gaps in the
academic literature regarding children’s influence on family purchasing decisions.
Second, the bulk of current research focuses on the Western contexts, while there is
minimal research on the ways in which this phenomenon is presented in non-Western,
specifically South Asian, African, or Middle Eastern cultures. It is well known that fast
modernization of these societies and specific family formations require more
ethnographic and mixed method studies to let us understand these issues in the culturally
appropriate manner.

Secondly, it goes without saying that there are a plethora of cross-sectional studies
but there is little longitudinal research about the development of child influence over
time. To understand the development of such variables with age and how they affect
decision-making authority across developmental stages, such studies would be critical.

In addition, it also has a more limited study of reverse socialization, where

children do not only teach their parents, but also educate their parents, especially in the
area of technology, entertainment, and digital finance. Particularly if children act as
cultural brokers or carry out technology work in immigrant families or digitally
disconnected households, this is relevant.

Another unexplored area is the impact of socio economic status on the degree of
influence. The sense that children from affluent, digitally endowed and financially free
families may have a different influence dynamic than kids from lower income, resource
constrained households is plausible.

Additionally, there is an increasing demand to combine neuroscience and

cognitive psychology into the investigation of children’s exposure to brand messaging on
their developing brains. This might allow better understanding of such neurological
underpinnings, and better advertising frameworks and questioning policy-making.
The intent of this study is to offer a culturally nuanced, developmentally informed
framework to understand the role that children play when it comes to influencing family
purchasing decisions of contemporary consumer societies. It brings together most of what
has been recently written in different geographies and contexts in developmental
psychology, digital media studies, from a diverse set of authors who draw research from
varied contexts and focus on different aspects of the digital divide.
 Chapter 3

APPLICATION

3.1 Understanding the Turkish Market

Like many other developing economies, family dynamics in Turkey are very
rooted in tradition, but it is clear that the role of children in households, and in particular
the consumption role of children, is changing. The younger Turkish children are being
seen more as consumers and less as consumers and more as active decision makers for
what a family purchases, whether it's food, fashion, electronics or vacation packages.

The Turkish children are now more informed, brand aware and persuasive as they
are urbanized and have better access to technology and media worldwide. To this, many
of the companies currently carrying out operations in Turkey have been adapting their
marketing and product strategies to meet their needs directly to the children and yet at the
same time respecting the family centered culture of the country.

3.1.1 Case Study: Pınar (Food & Dairy Products)

Leading Turkish food and dairy brand Pınar has developed marketing strategies
that cater to children’s preferences and power. Like most other yogurt products, their
flavored milk products, cheese sticks and yogurt drinks are sold in brightly color cartoon
themed cartons, accompanied with price offers for collectible toys or codes that lead to
digital games.

Visually, the brand is not solely aimed at children, but also hits on emotions such
as fun, adventure and reward. In television commercials, children are making decisions at
home (asking for specific Pınar products and parents expressing their approval of
particular Pınar choices). This story takes us back to the fact that we should listen to
children’s voices in everyday shopping.

Schools were an important channel that Pinar has used through educational and
sampling campaigns to build trust with parents and familiarity and loyalty of students
with the brand. This dual targeting approach of educating parents while entertaining
children make Pınar a unique example of how brands in Turkey are using child influence
purchasing.

3.1.2 Case Study: LC Waikiki (Fashion Retail)

One of Turkey’s biggest clothing retailers, LC Waikiki serves the children and
willingly acknowledges how much the children play a role in family purchases. The in
store sections for kids clothing are organized in the kid friendly way, the bright colors,
cartoon mascots, playful trial zones and the website interface for kids clothing is also as
interactive and vibrant.

Promotions like ‘Back to School’, ‘Little Trendsetters’ or ‘Mini Style Icons’ are
very direct to the children's identity and expression and to make shopping something they
are looking forward to. Furthermore, LC Waikiki has also invested into influencer
marketing through Turkish family vloggers and child YouTubers who do try on hauls of
outfits in a fun way to increase both the visibility and desirability of the brand.

LC Waikiki positions kids as ‘mini fashion experts,’ using their preferences to add
influence to parental buying particularly when kids need something like during Eid,
school holidays, and birthdays.

3.1.3 Case Study: Turkcell (Technology & Telecom)

In the telecommunications sector, but even more in the digital services, Turkcell
companies have realized the importance of children in household choices. Turkcell has a
child safe internet packages and education bundles that parents purchase most the time
because of their children academic needs or entertainment preferences.

“Zeka Küpü”; the educational games, e-books and curated video content that
Turkcell has specially created for children. In the marketing for these services, the
scenarios often present a child who expresses interest in learning of a digital experience
leading parents to consider that particular package.

The underlying logic is clear: Turkcell knows that once a child’s interested in a
tech product or service, the chance of the family subscribing goes through the roof. As
such, their campaigns do not only focus on getting adults but also to build trust and
engagement with young users.

3.1.4 Case Study: D&R (Books, Toys, and Multimedia Retail)

D&R is the largest book, toys, music, multimedia retailer in Turkey, catering to
the vast needs of children for education as well as entertainment. Typically, the layout of
D&R stores will have a large, lively children’s section stocked with colorful books, plush
toys, puzzles, games and learning kits, all in a location that is at children’s eye level, and
which will entice them to look and spark curiosity.

Often, D&R’s marketing campaigns for the company often feature themes for
seasons, such as “Summer Reading for Kids,” “Brain Teaser Games for Smart Children,”
or “Little Explorers’ Learning Kits.” These campaigns also target children’s curiosity and
creativity directly. The final purchasing decision may be made by the parents, but it is
usually the child, having shown interest in the item either in store or through social media
and TV ads.

In many cases, D&R runs cross promotions with popular children’s book
publishers, animated movie franchises or game brands. Co-branded promotions are aimed
at influencing in store purchases and increasing footfall by targeting children's existing
interests and fandoms. In middle-income and upper-income urban Turkey, choosing
children’s own storybooks, activity kits, or music accessories is often a decision made by
children themselves.

3.1.5 Case Study: Arçelik – Beko Smart Kids Campaign

The Beko Smart Kids campaign is also a child-influenced marketing space for
Arçelik, Turkey’s home appliances and electronics brand. Arçelik has grown in its
strategy from a traditional parent oriented brand to smart, interactive and power efficient
home products that indirectly feature children’s tech savvy behavior.

Beko Smart Kids is an initiative of smart appliances such as a fridge with a digital
panel displaying kids’ drawings or a washing machine with a child lock, that would be
advertised as family friendly and child conscious. These messages to parents are in
scenes with children, in large household purchases, indicating that kids matter even there.
 Further, Beko’s Smart Kids program includes promoting Arçelik’s social
responsibility campaigns around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
education. Besides being a sponsor of school science fairs and offering DIY kits, which
not only improves their brand image in terms of children but also builds trust with parents
who want their children to learn technology, they offer educational videos. This strategic
positioning allows the brand to be considered as supportive of child development—
constituting a double sided influence on buying decision.

3.1.6 Case Study: Pegasus Airlines – Travel with Kids

A Turkish low-cost airline Pegasus Airlines has adapted its service and marketing
to the family travel; it realizes that children play an important role in determining what is
a good place to spend vacation time. Families with children have their family packages,
kids’ meal options, activity books handed out during flights and priority boarding, among
others, to make air travel appealing and manageable.

Pegasus usually demonstrates children as optimistic decision makers who enjoy

and get excited about the destination they’d pick. In ads, children can be seen saying
“Let’s go to Antalya” or “I want to see snow in Erzurum” and indirectly making them
influencers of family travel plans.

Pegasus also conducts social media campaigns to urge parents to upload photos or
share travel stories about their children visiting various destinations. This user generated
content helps to normalize the idea that children can and do participate in travel decisions
and it makes it more likely that more families will consider the airline based on their kids’
preferences.

3.1.7 Case Study: Ülker – Confectionery and Snacks

In Turkey, children have been the focus of snack and confectionery company
Ülker for years. Their biscuit, chocolate and candy product lines are not just aimed at a
young taste bud but to if we can start building brand affinity from an early age.

It has cartoon characters, vibrant colors, and collectors themes. Some of the
product lines are attached to games or puzzles on the back of wrappers, which stimulates
repeat purchases and brand loyalty. Another part of the brand’s promotion are ads that
show children going to supermarkets and choosing their favorite Ülker snack, while their
parents are happy to let them choose—stressing children’s authority in snack buying
decisions.

For example, Ülker often works with children’s TV channels and digital platforms
for advertising during the most children’s viewing hours. This is often extended to their
seasonal campaigns (such as during Ramadan or school holidays) in which they give
away toys, coloring books, etc. and codes for mobile games in order to keep the brand
and child interaction beyond the store.

3.2 Summary of the Application Chapter

Many Turkish companies have been willing to reshape their strategies in various
sectors, such as dairy products, fashion, technology, and travel, to squeeze the influence
of children in family purchasing decisions. These businesses have come to understand
that children are no longer inactive members of their households, but rather informed,
expressive, and very powerful consumers who can influence parental choice either
directly or indirectly.

Instead of focusing only on parents, companies such as Pınar, LC Waikiki,

Turkcell, D&R, Arçelik, Pegasus Airlines and Ülker have placed children at the heart of
their branding, product development and advertising activities. These brands are doing it
with colorful packaging, exciting storytelling, even though giving a sense of ownership
and fun to the children as co-decision makers in the family buying process.
 Chapter 4

DISCUSSION

Recent research in consumer behavior studies has long been interested in how
children affect family decisions regarding purchasing. In terms of decision making in the
family unit, it had traditionally been assumed that the family unit runs under a more
authoritarian one, with the parents, usually the father, making the most of the major
financial decisions. Nevertheless, due to the changing social norms, the rise in literacy
among the children, the media exposure and the growing availability of digital platforms,
the role of the children in the decision making process, has undergone an immense
change. In this chapter, theory and practice (or lack thereof) are critically assessed using
the evidence of the literature review and application chapters.

4.1 The Evolving Role of Children as Decision Influencers

Over the past few years research has consistently shown that children have
become increasingly involved as active participants in consumer decisions. Children are
not only the direct by their preferences and demands on purchasing choices but also the
indirect through parenting perceptions of value, quality and suitability. Whereas in
nuclear families children are more exposed to technology and social environment which
prompts them towards being independent, the shift from the passive recipients of goods
to proactive contributors in family consumption decision making is predominant.

As companies design, market and position products, this transition is evident in

Turkish society characterized by the amalgam of traditional family structures and the
modern consumer culture. In the case of LC Waikiki and Ülker, the advertising strategies
target both the children and the parents through a dual target approach, which reinforces
the validation of the parent. This practice confirms the theoretical claim that children’s
influence is not singular, but includes emotional appeal, product knowledge and
negotiation tactics.

Yet, theoretical models often presuppose a linear or overly ‘structured’ manner of

decision making (problem recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase, post
purchase behavior) while the reality of the children’s influence does not necessarily track
such a neat path. Children can however cause impulse purchases, lead to emotional
buying or derail planned decisions. This nonlinear dynamic is seldom part of theoretical
discussions, yet very important in understanding the modern consumer behavior.

4.2 Decision-Making Stages and Children’s Influence

Through the literature, I identify specific stages of the family decision process for
the children to exert the most effect: initiation (expressing desire or need), information
search (sharing product knowledge, usually learned from peers or ads), and final decision
(persuading parents or jointly). In addition, empirical studies also indicate that the
specific degree to which TV viewing influences shopping behavior is dependent on such
factors as product type (low vs. high involvement), the age and gender of the child,
parental style (authoritative vs. permissive) and sociocultural background.

In practice, Turkish companies like Pinar and Arcelik strategically intervene in

these stages by means of promotional tools and advertising content. For example, Pınar
uses cartoons and mascots to change the behavior of the consumers as their dairy
products are more attractive to children. At the same time, Arçelik’s smart appliance
features have a slightly more subtle appeal to children that are already in the midst of tech
culture, and the children become part of the evaluation stage.

Although there are many parallels, theory and practice of measuring and
recognizing the actual influence of children do not always coincide. Many studies are
based on parent reported data that may underestimate the child’s impact. On the other,
hand, marketing campaigns base this influence on assumption or even on exaggeration
without grounding in measured behavior. In order to bridge this gap more observational
and ethnographic research is necessary to capture decision making in natural settings than
just asking people in survey or interview.

4.3 Types of Products and Children’s Influence

In addition, the product category is also related to the level of children’s

influence. The child-centric products are toys, snacks, clothes, while the adult-centric but
family relevant products are household appliances, family vacations, groceries. In the
former, children have a greater influence and in the latter, an increasingly significant
influence, particularly if the products in question modify the children’s way of life,
comfort or entertainment.

This distinction has disappeared in the Turkish market. For example, children are
perceived to be influencing the choice of snacks or entertainment goods, as well as the
choice of vacation destinations and even telecom subscriptions (due to the necessity of
online learning and video games) and home design (with respect to the choice of furniture
or home gadgets). This is well illustrated in the Beko Smart Kids campaign by Arçelik,
which subtly introduces children as a factor in the home appliances purchasing domain, a
traditionally adult domain, thereby allowing children to have a say in the purchase.

Even with the beginning of the consideration of this shift, theoretical models are
just starting to acknowledge it, especially in post 2020 studies that look into the digital
child consumer. But they fail to take into account the emotional and symbolic capital
brought to the file by children. Classical decision making models do not consider the role
of emotional reasoning in the parents’ decision: a child’s emotional bond to a brand
mascot or a movie franchise can actually play a huge role for or against a product, not
because of functionality, but due to emotional thinking.

4.4 Cultural Context: Turkey’s Family and Consumer Culture

However, the most important observation in theory and application alike is the
influence of culture on children’s influence. Despite being increasingly modern in
consumption habits, Turkish families still hold strong traditional values of the authority
and respect. This setting is unique in that it sets up a hybrid model of decision making
where parents are the final decision makers, but child’s opinions are greatly valued,
particularly in urban, educated, middle class homes.

The strategies of companies such as Pegasus Airlines or D&R are designed

accordingly. However, their advertisements do not depict children demanding products,
but rather suggesting or recommending products. This respect of cultural context
recognizes children’s growing agency while also featuring a subtle difference. While this
nuance is not fully handled in theoretical literature emanating from the West, that
literature sometimes rests heavily on suggesting that children are highly autonomous
consumers.

In this way, the application of Western models of consumer influence for the
Turkish context is to be undertaken with caution. Such cultural and social specificities of
Turkey, as the familial closeness, respect-based parenting and the high value that is given
to children’s education and wellbeing, require theories to be adapted to include them. It is
this contextualization for marketers, researchers, and practitioners that wish to develop
locally relevant consumer strategies.

4.5 Digital Influence and the Rise of Tech-Savvy Children

Another issue for discussion is how digital platforms and technology affect
children’s consumer behavior. In the literature, there is agreement that children have
become more knowledgeable of products, aware of trends, and are more familiar with
brands because of digital media, including YouTube, gaming platforms, social media, and
educational apps. Albeit young, they today are not just passive recipients of
advertisements, but have become digital navigators, who are able to conduct research,
comparison and recommendations regarding the products in question themselves.

After COVID19, the screen time trend is especially present in Turkey where
digital learning was integrated. Today, children are more and more exposed to digital
content. Turkcell and Arçelik have picked up on this, embedding their products in digital
narratives, or even providing digital experience oriented towards their services. For
instance, Turkcell’s family packages include safe internet and learning friendly features
that are clearly devised for the children and the parents.

Despite this digital empowerment being praised by theoretical framework, it often

fails to consider the problem of digital overload and the ethical issue of child advertising.
Turkish brands have to walk a tightrope in marketing in order to avoid exploiting
children’s attention spans and emotional vulnerability in practice. Commercial goals have
to be embraced as well as ethical considerations like promoting healthy snacks or
promoting educational content.
4.6 Parental Mediation and Decision Balance
Parental mediation (the process of parents intervening to control, facilitate, or
direct children's participation in product choice) is a central concept that comes out of
both literature and field evidence. The broad types of parental mediation that have been
identified in the literature are: restrictive mediation (limiting exposure or access to
content), active mediation (teaching, explaining and discussing content), and co use
(sharing the consumption experience with parents). All three of the modes coexist in
Turkish families but their use differs based on socioeconomic status, family structure, and
educational background.

The theoretical frameworks acknowledge the influence of mediation on the extent

and type of children’s influence. But they tend to see parents as a monolithic bloc without
differentiating those among them by culture or income group. For example, parents are
more active mediators in upper middle class urban Turkish families, taking time to
explain product value and negotiating with their children. In contrast, in more
conservative or rural families, restrictive mediation prevails, parents make decisions
without consultation.

The distinction has a very important role in the process of purchase decisions.
Children who are raised under active mediation are more confident, better informed and
are more capable of presenting logical arguments for or against purchases. It taps into the
rise of ‘kidfluencers’ and savvy young buyers who are equipped with savvy when it
comes to expressing their preferences. The trend has adapted in a way that Turkish
companies have responded to it by offering information rich, parent friendly content that
promotes co viewing and co decision making. This would seem to be a focus on family
marketing strategies that consider several decision makers within a household.

4.7 Ethical Implications of Targeting Child Consumers

Ethical concerns about marketing to minors have intensified as companies

increasingly realize that children have a lot of power. There is much literature on the
responsibility in advertising, and several scholars have recommended tighter control on
advertising content that addresses children. There are quite some issues that are
controversial, like promote unhealthy eating, being materialistic or use manipulative
emotional appeal.

In the Turkish context, these concerns are heightened by the speed of

digitalization of childhood and tolerance to advertising regulation. Although laws exist
regarding online content, influencer marketing and mobile game advertisements, there are
typological and monitoring gaps. Persuasive tactics may be used on platforms like
YouTube or TikTok that bypass parental supervision, and expose children to them.

In academic literature, though, ethical marketing is defined as agreeing to

transparency, age appropriate content, and not playing on psychology. Some Turkish
brands have started implementing ethical frameworks voluntarily, for example, Nestlé
Turkey’s campaigns towards children about nutrition education. Some others, however,
stay on the thin line between being appealing to children and exploiting their
impressionability.

An ethical marketing is often idealistic and hard to apply in competitive markets.

However, it is a very important guideline that companies should aspire to. To prevent
children’s roles as influencers being exploited but nurtured in healthy and educational
ways, it is imperative to have a collaborative approach between marketers, educators,
policymakers, and parents.

4.8 Marketing Strategy Effectiveness and Real-World Challenges

Child focused marketing strategies are known to be effective as a brand recall,

popularity of the product, and long term brand loyalty. It is also stated in the literature,
that early brand exposure is an essential windows for brand positioning, as it influences
lifelong consumer habits. The brand narratives of Turkish companies especially in the
food and fashion industry are based on fun, family, and familiarity.

However, practical challenges abound. Children’s preferences are extremely fickle

and often impulsive; influenced by peer pressure or what is trendy. Brands must be able
to change what is “cool” today to be irrelevant tomorrow. Economic fluctuations, like
inflation or devaluation of currency (which is normal in example, in emerging markets
like Turkey), decrease parental spending and divert the parents’ attention towards
necessity products or to resources oriented towards the children’s needs.

Another issue is that marketing must be appealing to both children and parents at
once. Parents may dismiss an over child-centric ad as manipulative or frivolous, or a
parent-centric message may not attract a child’s attention. Ideally, the best campaigns
spin stories that seem to be variations on family values and shared experiences and result
in a feeling of shared satisfaction. A theoretical basis for mutual support of this balanced
approach is provided by theoretical frameworks that promote family marketing as a
whole rather than pursuing separate people.

4.9 Intersection of Theory and Practice

Overall, theoretical insights and practical implementation are very similar in the
Turkish market. Today’s children are not only making their way to the shopping trolley—
today’s children are co-navigators of the family consumption journey. This literature
helped to further map out the 'how' and 'why' of this influence in structured ways, that is
to say, in explaining decision making processes, levels of influence and behavior.
However, practice shows the subtle, erratic, and sociality embedded nature of these
interactions.

For instance, theory could suggest that older children have greater influence
because they are more cognitively mature, but in reality, even younger children have a lot
of power in categories like digital content, toys, and snacks, as the case is in Turkey.
Finally, the recalls of theoretical models regarding the expanding autonomy of child
consumers coincide with the Turkish cultural norms in finding the equilibrium between
empowerment and guidance, a blend of tradition and modernity.

This observation indicates that models of consumer behavior in the future need to
embrace hybrid approaches such as fluid roles, cultural sensitiveness and shared
consumption. In the world of family dynamics in the modern society, rigid categories
such as "influencer" and "decision maker" may stop working.
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSION

With children now at the front and center of the family purchasing decisions, the
landscape of consumer behavior is changing how marketers develop and position
products, advertise, etc. The objective of this study was to examine the extent and
magnitude of the role that children play in family buying decisions using theoretical
insight and practical examples, including in the context of companies operating in
Turkey.

The findings indicate that children’s influence is no longer restricted to product

categories like toys or snacks. Instead, their opinions are getting taken into account across
a wider diversity of purchasing domains: clothing, electronics, food, travel plans, e.t.c.
The review of literature suggests that all these factors together are responsible for this
shift. Just like all families around the world, Turkish families are moving toward more
collaborative, child-inclusive decision making models.

When real world application is analyzed, it is obvious that Turkish companies

have started to become more child aware while marketing products. The persuasive
power of children is not only recognized by brands, but they also try to speak with them
directly through digital platforms, advertising and co-branded campaigns. Dual targeting
is adopted by successful companies that appeal both to children’s desires and parents’
rational concerns. This family oriented approach shows that marketing paradigms are
changing and the ways in which value is being sold over hard sell techniques.

The study also identified a number of ethical and practical issues. With an
increased company engagement with child consumers, manipulation, unhealthy
consumption, and premature materialism become more pronounced. However, Turkish
regulatory bodies have started to address these issues but enforcement is still underway.
Companies need to embrace self-regulation frameworks that put the child welfare above
market competitiveness.
 The concepts within the research build upon the existing models of consumer
socialization and their decision process. Nevertheless, it also points out the fact that there
is a need for less context sensitive and flexible frameworks that take into consideration
cultural, economic, and technological differences. At the same time, family models like
the family decision-making unit (FDMU) are of great value and can be easily adapted to
incorporating the reality of influencer, initiator and decider being increasingly blurred.

In the end, children play a significant role in the consumer markets and this role is
not only important but evolving. Opportunities and responsibilities for the businesses and
policymakers alike exist in the presence of the informed, digitally savvy, emotionally
expressive participants in purchasing decisions. This research provides some more
nuanced understanding of this phenomenon, based in the academy as well as the practice.
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