Tweens' Knowledge of Marketing Tactics Skeptical Beyond Their Years

In this study, children between the ages of 8 and 12 were surveyed with regard to their awareness and evaluation of 10 relatively new and increasingly utilized marketing tactics. General skepticism about the truthfulness of promotional messages and materialistic values was also measured. Results showed that, for this preteen-age group (otherwise known as "tweens"), the awareness of implicit promotional tactics lagged behind their awareness of explicit tactics. Moreover, awareness of implicit tactics increased more rapidly with age than awareness of explicit tactics. The current study found that the awareness of explicit tactics was positively related to tweens' general skepticism regarding the truthfulness of promotional messages. The study highlights implications for consumer socialization, youths' vulnerability to advertising, fairness in marketing to this age group, and marketing management.