Date of Award
Spring 5-2-2025
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Communication and Digital Studies
Department Chair or Program Director
Whalen, Zach
First Advisor
Goldman, Adria
Major or Concentration
Communication and Digital Studies
Abstract
Ryan’s World is a children's toy review YouTube channel with over 36 million followers and features kid YouTuber Ryan Kaji. A qualitative content analysis of the YouTube channel Ryan’s World was conducted to observe the rhetorical strategies the videos employ to sell Ryan’s World products, as well as how those strategies compare to traditional advertising. An analysis of twelve videos resulted in dominant themes of increasing brand familiarity and product performance of Ryan’s World products. These were accomplished through the use of traditional advertising rhetorical strategies such as product placement, special effects, appeals, and more. The study shows that the rhetorical strategies employed in Ryan’s World mimic the rhetorical strategies in traditional advertising. It also examines how advertising to children has moved to a more covert format, where it is harder, if not impossible, for children to distinguish the persuasive intent behind the messaging.
Recommended Citation
Denny, Cora, "Advertising to Children: A Content Analysis of Ryan's World" (2025). Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects. 624.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/624
Rights
Included in
Mass Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, Social Media Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons