Generation alpha’s attitudes toward mobile advertising

Purpose This study aims to examine how four message attributes – entertainment, credibility, personalization and irritation – are associated with Generation Alpha’s attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile advertising in Spain. It also explores the moderating effects of mobile phone ownership and advertising exposure on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with a representative sample of 1,070 Spanish children aged 10–14. The direct and moderated effects of the message attributes, mobile phone ownership and ad exposure on attitudes toward mobile advertising and intention to click on ads were analyzed using additive moderation analyses. Findings Entertainment, credibility and personalization were positively associated with Generation Alpha’s attitudes toward mobile advertising. Among these, entertainment and credibility were also positively related to the intention to click on mobile ads. In contrast, irritation showed no significant association with either attitudes or behavioral intentions. Moderating effects of mobile phone ownership and advertising exposure were significant only in the relationship between perceived ad credibility and behavioral intentions, suggesting that children without mobile phones and those with higher ad exposure are more susceptible to credible advertising messages. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of Generation Alpha’s receptivity to mobile advertising, emphasizing the importance of entertainment and credibility in driving engagement. It also highlights how mobile access and ad exposure influence susceptibility to persuasion. These findings offer valuable insights for advertisers, educators and policymakers involved in digital literacy and mobile advertising regulation.