Social and Cultural Codes of the Child Image in Advertising: The Cases of Şölen, Eti and Torku

Abstract

This study aims to examine how the image of the child is used in advertisements, for what purposes, and within which ideological frameworks, through a post-structuralist approach. In the application section of the study, chocolate advertisements produced in Türkiye for the brands Şölen, Eti, and Torku were selected via random sampling and evaluated using semiotic analysis. In the analysis, the functions assumed by the child image in advertisements, the cultural and emotional meanings it conveys, and the gender codes it reproduces were examined. According to the research, the child image in advertisements serves not only as an element of attraction for the target audience but also as a cultural symbol that evokes values such as family, tradition, and social solidarity. In the Şölen advertisement, the child is depicted as a symbol of the culture of national and religious holidays, emphasizing the values of sharing and happiness. In the Eti Petito advertisement, while an emotional meaning is attributed to the product through the representation of children’s innocence and joy, the sense of family bonding is emphasized through the grandfather–grandchild relationship. In Torku’s Miniki advertisement, the child image is associated with themes of health, trust, and family unity; at the same time, gender roles are reproduced at an early age through the color codes of blue and pink.