Again it can't be said with any certainty whether children hold more materialistic values because of the television commercials. Indeed it would be difficult to put this general question to test given the virtually universal presence of advertising from the cradle to the grave. There is however an emerging agreement among the experts that controls on television commercials primarily targeted at children need some tightening. For example, care has to be taken that television commercials don't make appeals that contend that, if children possess a product, they are better than their peers or that in lacking it they will not be accepted by their peers. The child's feelings and motives must not be manipulated-something that is easier said than enforced.
Many countries debar the use of cartoon characters to endorse products.
Some do not allow children below a certain age to endorse products. All said and done some clear ground rules have to be enforced especially when advertisers have every incentive to exploit loopholes in their bid for aggressive selling.