How do ad writers vary their messages for different audiences? How do they change a message to sell to adults? How do they change a message to sell to children? Use evidence from your reading and from your own experience.

Ad writers tailor their messages to resonate with specific audiences by considering factors such as age, interests, values, and communication styles. Here’s how they adapt messages for adults versus children:

Messages for Adults

1. Focus on Benefits and Features: Adults often appreciate detailed information about a product's functionality and benefits. Advertisements for adults tend to highlight quality, value for money, and practical benefits. For instance, a car commercial may emphasize safety features and fuel efficiency, which are relevant concerns for adult buyers.

2. Appeal to Emotions and Values: Adults are often motivated by emotions and personal values. Ads might evoke nostalgia, promote family values, or highlight social responsibility. A campaign for a vacation package might showcase family bonding or personal achievement, tapping into the desire for experiences and meaning.

3. Use of Humor and Wit: While humor can be effective for all ages, the type of humor used for adult audiences can be more sophisticated or sarcastic. For instance, an ad for a financial service might use clever wordplay that resonates with the adult audience's experiences.

4. Professional and Polished Presentation: Adult-targeted advertisements often have a more formal tone, professional imagery, and a polished overall presentation. A luxury brand campaign would use elegant visuals and refined language to convey exclusivity and sophistication.

Messages for Children

1. Simple Language and Concepts: Ads aimed at children use age-appropriate language and straightforward concepts. For example, a cereal commercial might focus on how fun and tasty the cereal is, using simple words and colorful visuals.

2. Imagery and Animation: Children are attracted to bright colors, animated characters, and playful imagery. A toy commercial often features animated characters to grab attention and engage children emotionally.

3. Excitement and Playfulness: Ads for children emphasize fun, excitement, and adventure. For example, using themes of exploration or imagination can make a product more appealing, as seen in advertisements for video games or action figures.

4. Peer Influence and Social Acceptance: Children are influenced by their peers, so marketers often show groups of children enjoying a product together. This creates a sense of community and desire to belong, as in commercials for popular snack foods or toys.

Evidence from Experience

In my own experience, I've noticed the difference in ad styles during childhood transitions. For instance, when watching children's programming, ads for toys often included animated characters and catchy jingles, focusing on excitement and fun. In contrast, during family viewing times, I see ads for products like cars or insurance, which elaborate on safety features and customer service, presented in a professional tone.

Overall, ad writers succeed by understanding their target audience's psychology and preferences, crafting messages that effectively engage them, whether they're adults or children.