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Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): April

Copyright (c) 2026 Sayed Basir Ahmad Ayoubi, Assadullah Sadiqi

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Brand Attitudes in Generation Alpha: Social Media Marketing Exposure and the Moderating Role of Parental Mediation

https://doi.org/10.62810/jssh.v3i2.137
Sayed Basir Ahmad Ayoubi
Jami University, Department of Economics, Herat, Afghanistan
Assadullah Sadiqi
Jami University, Department of EconomicsHerat, Herat, Afghanistan
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7889-3147

Corresponding Author(s) : Sayed Basir Ahmad Ayoubi

b.ayubi@jami.edu.af

Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): April

Abstract

Children in Generation Alpha are growing up in algorithm-driven social media environments where branded content is seamlessly integrated into entertainment, creator culture, and influencer endorsements. While prior research has examined the effects of digital marketing among adolescents and Generation Z, limited empirical evidence explains how platform-based marketing shapes younger children’s brand-related evaluations and how parental mediation influences these effects. This study therefore investigates (1) the relationship between exposure to marketing content on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram and children’s brand awareness, attitudes, and loyalty, (2) the relative effectiveness of different content formats, (3) the influence of influencer type on trust formation, and (4) the moderating role of parental mediation. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 500 parent–child dyads (children aged 8–12) with six focus groups involving both parents and children. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis to provide deeper contextual insights. Findings indicate that TikTok is associated with the strongest brand-related responses among children, while short-form and gamified content produce higher recall and emotional engagement than other formats. Micro-influencers generate greater perceived credibility and stronger loyalty than macro-influencers. Importantly, active parental mediation, particularly through discussion and contextualization, reduces children’s susceptibility to persuasive content. These findings contribute to digital marketing and child media research by clarifying key mechanisms shaping early brand socialization and offering practical, ethically informed insights for marketers and parents.

Keywords

Brand attitudes Gamification Generation Alpha Influencer marketing Parental mediation Short-form video Social media marketing
Ayoubi, S. B. A., & Sadiqi, A. (2026). Brand Attitudes in Generation Alpha: Social Media Marketing Exposure and the Moderating Role of Parental Mediation. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(2), 468–481. https://doi.org/10.62810/jssh.v3i2.137
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