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“6 Strategies Marketers Use to Get Kids to Want Stuff Bad” By: Bruce Horovitz. Angela West Angela Perrone Rose Dugan. Marketer’s goal: Get kids to nag on Mom and Dad. Kids through the ages of 14 will influence $160 billion in spending in November and December alone.
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“6 Strategies Marketers Use to Get Kids to Want Stuff Bad”By: Bruce Horovitz Angela West Angela Perrone Rose Dugan
Marketer’s goal: Get kids to nag on Mom and Dad • Kids through the ages of 14 will influence $160 billion in spending in November and December alone. • Last year marketers spent $1.4 billion per month marketing to children – 15% more than the year before. Here is a list of the six most effective techniques marketers are using to snatch the attention of youngsters.
1. Techie Wish Lists Walmart has a website that children can select toys they want by clicking YES or NO and then notify their parents. • When YES is selected the website applauses • When NO appears the website is silent. • The site promises children they Wal-Mart will send the wish lists straight off to their parents by email. Many people have asked Wal-Mart to close this site due to the fact it encourages children to nag their parents for toys.
2. Repetitive TV Spots • Paul Kurnit, the founder of KidShop, a consulting firm says, “The best way to build brand awareness with kids is the 30-second TV commercials”. • Even though TV viewing has leveled off, kids still watch 20 hours of TV viewing weekly. • The eight weeks before Christmas are called the “hard eight”. This is when prices jump for slots on kids shows. • Some companies spend their entire TV ad budget during the “hard eight”.
3. Big-Screen Hype • Marketers are using movies as stepping stones for toy licensing. • Ruskin says, “Disney exploits children’s love for Pirates of the Caribbean to get them to nag for toys. Hollywood knows if you hook a kid’s heart, the parents wallet follows”.
4. Books as Toys • Children’s Publishers such as Scholastic are now selling toys and games to boost their sales. • The toys are not usually sold alone, they are packaged with individual books. Ex. Spots Christmas book with plush dog. Ex. Care Bears with plush
5. Faux Toy Shortages Is a toy shortage actually a shortage? Or is it used to build sales and media about the product? “Planned shortages are the perfect way to get kids to nag parents for presents, “ says Linn of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. “The buzz creates a sense of urgency to get the toy.” When there was a shortage of Elmo dolls before Christmas, critics blamed , insisting the shortage was set up.
6. Bus Radio • A radio station designed for school buses. It is age appropriate and designed for kids. • For every hour played 8 minutes are devoted to commercials. • Ad revenue is shared with participating school districts.
Holiday hype has reached a point where parents need a tip sheet to know what to watch for to shield their kids, and themselves.