The effects of cartoon characters on the purchasing behaviours of children

The increasing role and importance of children are becoming more noticable in today?s marketing. As a special consumer group, the importance of children is not only due to the size of children?s market but also their role in the family purchasing behavior. For this reason, marketers seek out new ways to reach and influence children in their purchase decisions. Because of that, different ways of reaching to the children are sought in marketing sector. In accordance with that, common usage of media means such as movies for children, animations, and cartoons may be observed in recent years. The most clear indication of that is the number of television channels and telecasts through only children.In this study, it is aimed to put forth the effect of cartoon characters on decisions of purchasing of children for consideration. Especially, it is aimed to determine the effect of cartoons on purchasing process, considering the behaviours of the children as consumers. After consulting the relevant literature and interview studies, a poll is conducted to the children in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades of primary education, in order to state their opinions expressly.Companies are trying to reach children via children targeted marketing and children-oriented television programmes in terms of their child-oriented products. Children-oriented advertisements are very effective way of marketing for this kind of companies. In this context, companies which are focused on producing children-oriented products, use popular cartoon characters and also, the products which are shown and used by the cartoon characters in a movie, are demanded by children. Because of the fact that parents feel forced to satisfy the demands of their children, the investments on children-oriented television channels increased in recent years. As a result, young aged consumers are being focused by those companies in the market. In consequence, the study the effects of children- oriented television programmes on children becomes important in terms of marketing.