How Marketers Target Kids

ByQaisar Wahab AimalUmair ZamanAbd-ur-RaheemHasan Javed

BBA (Hons.) Group-BBatch 2005

Marketer’s opportunity

Kids represent an important demographic to marketers because they have their own purchasing power, they influence their parents' buying decisions and they're the adult consumers of the future.Guilt can play a role in spending decisions as time-stressed parents substitute material goods for time spent with their kids.

Single minded Competitiveness

Corporations are racing to stake their claim on the consumer group formerly known as children.Brandishing advertising jargon like “Cradle-to-grave brand loyalty“

The Issues

Advertising, its everywhere

Studies show, that on average we see 3,000 ads per day. At the gas pumps, in educational institutes, during sporting events—advertising is impossible to avoid.Billboards, clothing with prominent corporate logos, endorsements by famous actors, product placement within films and television programs, etc.

Some ways of Targeting

Ambient advertisingStealth-endorsersTargeted advertisingProduct placementDigital or “Virtual” advertising

How do they target kids

Pester Power

Children's ability to nag their parents into purchasing items they may not otherwise buyMarketing to children is all about creating pester power, because advertisers know what a powerful force it can be

Kids’ Psychology and Marketing

With the help of well-paid researchers and psychologists, advertisers now have access to in-depth knowledge about children's developmental, emotional and social needs at different ages

Building brand name loyalty

Marketers plant the seeds of brand recognition in very young children, in the hopes that the seeds will grow into lifetime relationshipsBrand loyalties can be established as early as age two, and by the time children head off to school most can recognize hundreds of brand logos

Commercialization in education

Budget shortfalls are forcing institutions to allow corporations access to students in exchange for badly needed cash, computers and educational materialsExclusive deals with fast food or soft drink companies to offer their products in a school or districtSponsoring school events

The Internet

Part of youth cultureParents generally do not understand the extent to which kids are being marketed to onlineKids are often online alone, without parental supervisionUnlike broadcasting media, the Internet is unregulated

Marketing adult entertainment to kids

Children are often aware of and want to see entertainment meant for older audiences because it is actively marketed to them70% video game companies regularly marketed Mature rated games (for 17+ years) to childrenMature and Teen rated video games are advertised in youth magazines; and toys based on Restricted movies and M-rated video games are marketed to children as young as four

Effects of Excessive Marketing

Developmental concerns

Young children have difficulty distinguishing between advertising and reality in ads, and ads can distort their view of the worldYoung children are especially vulnerable to misleading advertising and don't begin to understand that advertisements are not always true until they're eight

Effects of Materialism

Children's identities shouldn't be defined by their consumer habits; yet that is the way they see themselves reflected in the media—as consumers, and advertisers are targeting younger and younger children with this messageA healthy society raises children to be responsible citizens rather than just consumers. Creating healthy, happy families means spending time together rather than spending money.

Young consumers as Collectors

Kids love to collect thingsCollections used to consist of marbles, stamps or coinsBut now, thanks to our consumer culture, kids amass huge collection of store-bought items such as action figuresBecause most collecting crazes are short-lived fads, the trend quickly fades, and kids move on—leaving behind boxes of discarded toys

Dealing with Marketing:What Parents Can Do

Educate your kids about advertising and how marketers target young peopleEncourage your kids to challenge advertisers' claims about their productsYoung children should watch mostly non-commercial television

Contd.

Explain that shopping should not be viewed as a hobby or pastime. It's something we do when we need to buy something and then we come homeGet your kids involved in other activities, so they have less time to hang around the mall

Examples in our Society

Ding dong, Captain Safeguard

Conclusion

Children's immersion in the commercial culture has implications that go far beyond what they buy or don't buy. The very traits that today's advertising encourages--brand loyalty, impulse buying, and cynicism--are antithetical to the qualities necessary in a healthy democratic citizenry

Questions & Queries