VOLUME 22

Table of Contents

Heard on the Playground

What's New This Month

Tech Trends

Kids

Tweens

Teens

Trend Watch

Heard on the Playground

Think Like a Kid

There are two essential understandings marketers must consider when advertising their products to kids and tweens. The first is that kids and tweens don’t think like adults. The second is that kids don’t even think like other kids, depending on their age and level of development.  WonderGroup ’s president, Dave Siegel, has been reading up on child psychology and cognitive development to show how these findings from centuries ago impact marketing to kids and tweens of different ages today.

Young children aged 4 to 7 are still operating on a relatively simple level. Their worldview is egocentric, their memory capabilities are limited and their attention spans are very short. Children this age have yet to learn the memory aids of their older counterparts and tend to remember events in story form.

Advertisers targeting this age group should convey their message in a simple, linear story.  Use of repetition and likeable, recognizable characters will help the brand be remembered when kids hit the stores with their parents. Messages to this age group do not have to be rational as long as they contain a story strongly linked to the product so it is remembered.       

Emerging tweens aged 8 to 10 are beginning to develop cognitively and socially. This could be attributed to the shift from a life spent totally with family to one spent with both family and peers at school.  They are still operating on a very concrete level, but are better able to process information and relationships. Memory, attention and time perception also improve with age, so ads targeted to this group can feature more complex stories.

One of the key elements to feature in messages to this age group is social acceptance. Peers become increasingly important as children get older, so they want to know that a product will help them fit in and make them popular. Instead of featuring ads with just one person, as one should for a younger child, ads targeted towards emerging tweens should feature same-sex groups of friends enjoying the benefits of the product. Another important consideration when marketing to this group includes the perceived age level the product is intended for. Emerging tweens shun anything they consider babyish.

Cognitively, transitioning tweens aged 11 and 12 are better able to make comparisons, think analytically and focus their attention. Socially, they place even more emphasis on social acceptance and peer groups.  One of the biggest forces shaping this group is the onset of puberty. Consequently, the opposite sex becomes more of a factor in their social interactions.  

Marketers targeting transitioning tweens should emphasize the social benefits of the product, particularly the ability to help the user interact with the opposite sex. Instead of featuring same-sex friend groups, ads should feature more gender-mixed groups. Transitioning tweens look up to teens and desire their confidence and independence. Therefore, it is again important not to skew the product’s message too young.

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What's New This Month

Toys Go Back in Time

This latest wave of toy nostalgia provides another example of a key principle that product developers and marketers need to always keep in mind.  Make sure to consider both parents and kids when developing and pitching a product geared toward youth consumption or usage.  More and more decisions are being made based on the input of both parent and child.  These toys are an excellent example products that will appeal to both parties in the decision making process.

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Tech Trends

Stuck in Your Head

Catching some or all of a song that’s played in a commercial or a movie can often lead to an extended remix of that song blaring in your head for what seems like an eternity.  For some, this is total frustration, but for others, it leads to an inquiry at the local record store of where they can get the CD with “that song from that one movie.”  A recent trend in video games is based on this very strategy, and a recent survey demonstrates just how effective it can be.

ElectricArtists, an online buzz marketer, recently surveyed over 1,000 video game users defined as “hard-core” from around the world, asking questions about the music and gaming industries.  Of these mostly male respondents between the ages of 13 and 32 years old, 40% said that after they heard a song they liked in a video game that they went and bought the CD.  Some newer bands that have benefited from this exposure include OK GO, Andrew W.K., Good Charlotte, Nappy Roots, Del the Funky Homosapien and Trust Company.  While most of these bands are more likely to appeal to the young adult age segment than teenagers, other bands considered to be more “teen oriented” will begin showing up on video games in the near future.

In fact, a good example of using musicians more popular with teens is a new game being developed exclusively for PlayStation®2 called Amplitude.  It is a rhythm-action game that allows players to become a rhythmical DJ and mix more than 20 songs in both offline and online game play.  The roster of artists used on the game covers a wide range of music genres, including hip-hop, rap, electronica and rock with bands such as blink 182, P.O.D., Weezer, Quarashi and even David Bowie.  Now, game players who may have never heard of the musician before will be exposed to new artists.  In turn, they may develop an interest in and eventually buy their CD.

The inclusion of specific music from artists makes it a “win-win” situation for both the video game companies and the recording industry.  Artists are always looking to find new and innovative ways to expand their fan base.  The ElectricArtists survey found also that 74 percent of the respondents think that soundtracks help to sell videogames.  In reality, it is a “win-win-win” situation—artists get more exposure, video game companies get better sales and the players get a higher quality game that they feel is a more enjoyable product.  This is quite the Trifecta.

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Kids 

Covering the Spectrum

With products ranging from green ketchup to pink butter to blue French fries coming out over the last couple of years, simply adding color to products is not the eye-opening phenomenon it once was, at least with marketers engrossed in the continuing evolution of consumer packaged goods targeting today’s youth.  This type of new product offering does still generate some excitement with its intended target, especially when the new color is coupled with another important element, interactivity. 

Food products that provide an interactive experience for the child, like allowing them to build their own snack or just add sprinkles, make the entire meal experience more fun.  A good example of this is the line of interactive frozen kid’s meals Kid Cuisine® recently launched.  The offerings range from Alien Invasion Pepperoni Pizza, which allows kids to add rainbow-colored parmesan cheese, to their Burger Patty Sandwich Builder.  While the house-shaped beef patty adds some fun to boring old burgers, the highlight for the kids is the chocolaty bricks and the packet of “mortar” frosting. 

While these products seem like they would be prime candidates for turning mealtime into a food fight, moms continue to utilize them in their busy lives.  Every time we talk to moms about any food category, one of the main things they say is that when the food is more fun, their child is more likely to eat it, and they will take any help they can get when it comes to feeding their picky eaters. 

Another party with a vested interest in making meals more fun is the school food service industry.  March is in fact National Nutrition Month®, and with it comes a new program called “There’s a Rainbow on My Plate” that will be in over 12,000 elementary schools and more than 3,000 partnering supermarkets.  The overall goal is to encourage kids to reach the national 5-A-Day goal of eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables. 

Of course, when working to incorporate color into your marketing strategy, who better is there to involve than the Crayola® brand.  They along with the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and Dole® Food Company, Inc. are hoping their education program, created in collaboration with Learning Works LLC, will lead to a pot of gold and some well-nourished kids.  The curriculum includes worksheets, classroom posters, a coloring book with characters like Bobby Banana© and a special five-pack of Crayola crayons.  This effort extends into the supermarkets with the offer of a special coloring book given with every purchase of Crayola Twistables™, a new type of crayon that twists up more color when the tip wears down.

All of these examples demonstrate how marketers are looking to make an eating experience with their product as fun and interactive as possible for kids.  Basing this interaction on simple things like color and interactivity, plus allowing kids to use their imaginations, is an excellent way to get kids excited about the product.  It certainly provides a more colorful plate than the standard “mashed potato moats” many of these marketers were surely stuck making when they were this age.

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Tweens 

Lifestyles of the Young and Fashionable

Tweens dabble in two worlds. They strive for the confidence and independence of teenagers, yet they still retain some of the playful nature of younger kids.  There are four key motivating drivers for tweens—what WonderGroup refers to as centrics®—which help tweens remain in both of these worlds.  Incorporating aspects of fun, freedom, power and belonging into products usually translates to a successful new offering when executed properly.  Marketers and product developers have picked up on these centrics and this duality of worlds with the introduction of some new lifestyle “toys” that cater to the kid and teen in every tween. 

Hasbro has introduced Thin-tronix®, a line of ultra-thin telephones and radios that allow tweens to indulge in two of their favorite activities, socializing and listening to music, in a totally new and different way.  Providing a great deal of fun and sense of belonging, both the phones and the radios are in the form of colorful, one-inch-thick posters that can be hung on walls.

Fashion and self-expression become more important to tweens, especially tween girls. Lego® has developed Clikits®, a construction/craft system that allows girls to design jewelry, accessories and room décor. The removable parts will offer girls a great sense of freedom and individuality in what they can create. The room décor elements appeal to tweens’ desire to have their own space and personalize it.

Crayola has picked up on the tween decorating bug as well with its Radical Room® kits. These sets feature lampshades, picture frames, switch covers and tissue holders that tweens can decorate with metallic and gel markers, giving them the power to personalize their rooms—a truly sacred place for many tweens—however they want.

Combining their interest in fashion with the fact that they still like to play, toy makers have created some new doll lines that definitely aren’t Barbie™. According to Kidscreen magazine, the Bratz®, Diva Starz® and My Scene® dolls appeal to tweens because they are slightly edgier and focus more on fashion and lifestyles as opposed to fantasy. 

Tweens have reached the point where they want to express their individuality and explore a more grown-up way of life, but have fun while doing it. Companies making products that allow tweens to do this and deliver on some or all of the aforementioned centrics have the opportunity to reach a very profitable and loyal customer base.

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Teens

What to "Look" for This Spring and Summer

After meeting with some fashion-hungry teenagers and doing some power walking through the malls on cyberspace, Youth University has gotten a sneak peek of what “looks” teenagers, particularly girls, will be sporting this coming spring and summer.  Retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, The GAP, Pacific Sunwear and Hot Topic will continue to be the inspirational source as teens strive to freshen up their wardrobe.  Three particular styles will be the foundation of many an outfit, so whether these teens’ style falls into the category of “Preppy Chick,” “Feminine Pretty,” or “Retro Sporty,” there will be plenty for them to choose from.  Overall, this season is all about being stylish yet comfortable, conservative yet chic. 

Preppy Chick

Teen girls who prefer khakis and oxfords in the spring are going to have a field day with the summer fashions geared for these preps.  Polos are out in full force, including shrunken, fitted, ¾-sleeve, and even sleeveless varieties.  The only type of sleeve missing is a third one.

The hottest colors for polos are bright pinks and greens, but anything with stripes will also do the trick.  Stripes are the pattern of the season, and will be found on everything from sandals to swimming suits.  Shrunken oxfords paired with a khaki and denim skirt will be a popular combination as the weather starts to heat up.  Of course, it’s always the accessories that make the outfit, so colorful belts and Dr. Scholl’s sandals will help these girls look like they really are a part of “J’s” crew.

Feminine Pretty

For those teens wanting to emulate a more mature look, ruffles are once again the rage this coming season.  Ruffled blouses and skirts give any outfit the fun, romantic look that is so huge right now.  Also look for shirts and skirts with rhinestones, mirrors, beading, and bows which are also making a comeback this season.  Prairie skirts, flowing gauze separates, lace-up tops and handkerchief hems give the girls plenty of options to stay warm on cooler spring and summer nights.

Retro Sporty

J. Lo’s style continues to inspire trends.  Velour hoodies and sweats are a must-have for summer.  These separates will be cropped, fitted, and scaled down to be much more chic for the season.  Retro sneakers will remain a hot item for the summer, but look for ones that slip on and are similar to sandals.  The sports lover in everyone can shine through the whole season with stylish t-shirts. 

Shrunken vintage logo tees will be everywhere.  The hottest logos are character graphics and athletic brand logos.  Baseball tees and ringer tees will also be big this season, and you can’t go wrong with the classic, solid color crewneck, which once again will be a staple of wardrobes during the warm months of spring and summer.

Overview

Obviously there will not be three distinct segments of style-inspired teens.  Teenage girls view their style and wardrobe as one of the key expressions of who they are as individuals.  One of the reasons these particular styles are prevalent is that they still provide a lot of room for individual influence and self expression.  For some, self expression means looking totally unique, but for others, it’s all about blending in with the crowd.  Either way, these styles will surely find their way out of a lot of malls and into a lot of closets.

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Trend Watch

My Big Fat Greek Cinematic Preview

As next month’s Academy Awards ceremony gets closer, the tendency for many movie fans is to look back at the films of past year.  While the ceremony gets over four hours to revel in the poignancy of the silver screen, Youth University only gets about four paragraphs, so a quick look ahead at what the next year has to offer makes a lot more sense. 

Overall, the crop of movies set to be released for remainder of 2003 and in the first half of 2004 has a lot of features that will have a lot of appeal for the ever-important tween and teen markets.  When looking at these titles, there are some interesting trends that surface.  Movies who’s primary target is the tween market will be extensions of television properties or will be starring television personalities.  Several of them are also continuations in a franchise with an emphasis on fantasy.  The films that should really appeal to teens—the segment that often determine how big of a blockbuster a movie can be—have a heavy emphasis on comic book characters, sci-fi action and also, the continuation of successful franchises.  The following list of films and dates are based on the most recent information from the studios, but titles and release dates are always subject to change.

Tweens will have a chance in the coming months to see some of their favorite small screen actors on the big screen, including Frankie Muniz, Amanda Bynes and Hilary Duff.  The Malcolm in the Middle star Muniz is in Agent Cody Banks (March 14), a film about a teen who is recruited to work for the CIA.  Meanwhile, Bynes’ What a Girl Wants (April 4) and Duff’s The Lizzie McGuire Movie (May 2) are both centered on the premise of American teenage girls visiting Europe and the subsequent culture shock they encounter.  Some well known animated television properties planning to join in on the act include Nickelodeon’s The Rugrats Meet the Wild Thornberrys (June 13), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (November 14) and a SpongeBob SquarePants project planned for a 2004 release.  In terms of sequels, the vastly popular gadget-filled Spy Kids franchise will be adding an extra dimension with Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (July 25).  Other sequels set for a 2004 release include another Harry Potter, Scooby Doo and Shrek offering.  These do not yet have set titles or release dates, but tweens love following the progression of a story, so they will surely be lined up when they hit the theaters.

Many teens will be sure to check out some of the films listed above, but the films that will really be of high interest for them will be filled with lots of actions, music and special effects.  The trend of films based on comic properties will continue this summer with X2, the sequel to X-Men (May 2), and The Hulk (June 20).  Some may already be looking forward to 2004 with the sequel to the record-setting film Spiderman and a Fantastic Four movie both in the works.  Fans of Neo and Trinity will get a double dose with the next two installments in the Matrix series. The Matrix: Reloaded (May 15) and The Matrix: Revolutions (November 7).  Let’s not forget that Arnold is finally fulfilling his prophecy of “I’ll be back” with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (July 2).  These three films in particular will definitely attract a large number of teenage boys who live for this type of action and noise.