Kids are Naturals

Some of the funniest ads I've seen lately have featured young children, and Trigon BlueCross BlueShield commercials are no exception.  I've watched three commercials that tell consumers to stay healthy by eating right, going to the doctor for injuries, and exercising regularly through the voices of adorable children.   

Using children to get the attention of adults is smart, but the ads also work because the kids seem very natural and honest when speaking.  It doesn't seem as if they've been coached to say and do the things they do in the thirty-second spots.  They are also culturally diverse, representing a couple of different groups.  Particularly in the one featuring a little girl and a little boy, the two children are each members of a different race, but they talk and laugh together harmoniously, all while reciting healthy foods and their idea of Spanish.  

It’s interesting that the directors of this particular ad chose to use the scene when the girl and boy discuss what words are Spanish and which aren’t.  The girl says “Spanish” instead of “spinach,” and when the boy questions her about it, she replies, “Hakuna matata!” (like Timba and Pumba sing in Disney’s The Lion King).  He corrects her and says, “That’s not Spanish!” and then attempts to say “Como estas?” which is Spanish.  It’s a cute exchange of dialogue, but I’m not sure of the purpose of it.  Is this scene included just to add comedy, or to discreetly and subtly speak to the Spanish-speaking population using humor?  It'd be interesting to know what Spanish-speaking viewers think when they watch it, but I assume they'd chuckle at the kids' silliness and naïveté.  

I think these commercials would appeal to a broad audience because children are not inhibited by racial distinctions, they are innocent and truthful, and they are comical without even trying.  The kids speak to the members of their own groups as well as anyone who identifies with children or love to watch their antics.  

I think the advertisers reach multiple cultural groups by using young children to gently tug on their heartstrings with innocent humor.  I imagine people with children would watch these commercials and think about their own in relation to healthiness and insurance coverage.  Also, insurance companies sometimes have a negative reputation of being inconsiderate and uncaring, but using cute kids and their simple dialogue to promote Trigon's company gives off the impression that BlueCross BlueShield wants to help children and families and not make health benefits complicated.