children say they like the fact that the doll can walk. But when they see the doll itself, 60 per cent say they like this. Obviously the commercial has not done justice to the doll. If, on the other hand, you find that your commercial raises hopes which are disappointed when the children see the doll, I have little doubt that, being an honest person, you will modify the commercial. Prize pad test. You give children a pad on which four toys are illustrated, including the one you are advertising, and ask them to circle the toy they would like you to give them. Then, after showing them your commercial, you say that some of the children forgot to put their names on the pad, which is probably true. You hand out new pads and again ask them to circle the toy they want. By comparing the votes, you get a measurement of your commercial’s persuasion. After doing this with several toys and several commercials, you can relate your score to the norm. Gentle reader and fellow parent, if you think it unseemly for researchers to enrol children as guinea-pigs, it will comfort you to know that they are now protected from us admen by ferocious regulations. For example, we are no longer allowed to tell children to importune their mothers to buy our products. Other regulations in force in the United States include these: ‘Appeals shall not be used which directly or by implication contend that if children have a product they are better than their peers, or lacking it, will not be accepted by their peers.’ ‘Material shall not be used which can reasonably be expected to frighten children or provoke anxiety, nor shall material be used which contains a portrayal of or appeal to violent, dangerous or otherwise anti-social behavior’ ‘Advertisements shall not include any dramatizations of any product in a realistic war atmosphere.’ ‘Advertisements shall include audio and video disclosure when items such as batteries needed to operate a product as demonstrated in the advertising are not included.’