Children and YouTubers: Navigating the maze of sponsored content and advertising for merch
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| Title: | Children and YouTubers: Navigating the maze of sponsored content and advertising for merch |
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| Authors: | Thelandersson, Fredrika, Martinez, Carolina, Sandberg, Helena |
| Contributors: | Lund University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences, Department of Communication, Lunds universitet, Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten, Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar, Institutionen för kommunikation, Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Lund University Profile areas, LU Profile Area: Proactive Ageing, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Lunds universitets profilområden, LU profilområde: Proaktivt åldrande, Originator |
| Source: | Children & Society. :1-11 |
| Subject Terms: | Social Sciences, Media and Communications, Media and Communication Studies, Samhällsvetenskap, Medie, kommunikations, och informationsvetenskaper, Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap |
| Description: | Recent scholarly attention has focused on YouTubers' advertising practices and their influence on young followers' understanding of commercial content. Although previous studies primarily explore children's advertising literacy, they often treat YouTubers' influencer marketing as a unified phenomenon. This article distinguishes between two types of advertising: sponsored content and merchandise (merch) advertising. Merch advertising is viewed as more personally connected to the YouTuber than third-party sponsorships. The study examines how children, ages 10–13, interpret these forms of advertising within parasocial relationships with YouTubers. Based on group interviews with 19 Swedish children, the analysis explores appropriation, moral economy and parasocial relationships. The findings reveal that children find sponsored content more intrusive and deceptive than merch advertising, which is discussed more as a product. These results highlight the importance of a nuanced understanding of YouTubers' advertising practices in research involving children and YouTubers |
| File Description: | electronic |
| Access URL: | https://lucris.lub.lu.se/ws/files/220562361/Children_Society_-_2025_-_Thelandersson_-_Children_and_YouTubers_Navigating_the_Maze_of_Sponsored_Content_and.pdf |
| Database: | SwePub |
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Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Recent scholarly attention has focused on YouTubers' advertising practices and their influence on young followers' understanding of commercial content. Although previous studies primarily explore children's advertising literacy, they often treat YouTubers' influencer marketing as a unified phenomenon. This article distinguishes between two types of advertising: sponsored content and merchandise (merch) advertising. Merch advertising is viewed as more personally connected to the YouTuber than third-party sponsorships. The study examines how children, ages 10–13, interpret these forms of advertising within parasocial relationships with YouTubers. Based on group interviews with 19 Swedish children, the analysis explores appropriation, moral economy and parasocial relationships. The findings reveal that children find sponsored content more intrusive and deceptive than merch advertising, which is discussed more as a product. These results highlight the importance of a nuanced understanding of YouTubers' advertising practices in research involving children and YouTubers |
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| ISSN: | 09510605 10990860 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/chso.12975 |