It is impossible to ignore the differences between those growing up in a world technologically driven versus what most of us grew up in, a world without computers, smart phones, tablets and social media. Children today are raised immersed in technology. If they need to research something, they Google it and get the answer in a matter of seconds. When they want to be entertained, imagination is no longer necessary, as there is a plethora of games and entertainment at their fingertips. Relationships are taking on a new form as social media connections are the new “friendships,” and communicating is no longer face-to-face.

So what does this mean for our youth? It is not all bad. The digital world has allowed personal growth in the areas of productivity, efficiency and connectivity. There are, however, certain dangers associated with children’s lives being so deeply integrated with their technology “sidekicks”. According to an infographic by Techmamas, babies as young as 6 months old are playing with electronic devices and more children ages 2-5 years old know how to play a computer game than ride a bike. The average teenager owns 3.5 tech gadgets and according to Care2, children ages 8 to 18 spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes daily playing video games, going online and watching TV. The market for children’s toys is also becoming more and more technological, for example Tabeo has recently released a child’s tablet.

So what does this mean for marketing and businesses when kids younger and younger are able to comprehend and navigate technology? According to USA Today, kids influenced $1.12 trillion last year in overall family spending. This is a number that marketers aren’t going to ignore. They will create new ways, to target and communicate in this very influential market. While many large children’s brands are listening to parents’ concerns and implementing parental controls, there are still new marketing technologies popping up every day that parents are unaware of. Companies are trying to get inside daycares to bore their logo into a child’s mind. Also, unaware to parents, companies are collecting information on the child each time that child downloads an app that appears to be a harmless child’s game.

What does this mean for you? Children are our future, they are growing up with technology and are very savvy in adapting to all new technologies. While this market cannot be ignored, we must still practice responsible marketing, i.e. it is important to keep in constant communication with the parents. Below are three key guidelines to ensure you are being a responsible marketer and still clearly getting your brand message out.

Target Family– Lego has created a campaign titled “Build Together” which targets Dads and encourages them to connect with their kids. The goal is to spend time with your children using Legos and let their imaginations grow, a win-win scenario. By targeting the parent, Lego is being seen as a positive brand and indirectly finding its way into the child’s home.

Promote Values- Kotex has an integrated campaign called GenerationKnow.com that engages with girls to end sexualization and stigma around their anatomy. This campaign includes a mobile friendly website, an Instagram component and a “Conversation Starter” linked with Facebook and Pinterest. Kotex uses values that make parents feel positive about bringing this brand into the home because of their positive messages.

Communicate with Parents- ToysRUs recently launched their holiday campaign, “Make All Their Wishes Come True” which includes a TV campaign that lets parents witness the toy store through their child’s eyes. This campaign creates nostalgia and reminds parents of the magic surrounding the toy store for their children and it encourages children and parents to shop together. In addition, it highlights free layaway, price match guarantee and an extended return policy which are key features that appeal to parents. Communicating with parents and demonstrating the advantages of shopping with ToysRUs, ToysRUs gets the children into the store.

 

How do you feel about children using technology? Do you believe there should be legal guidelines that Companies need to follow when targeting children?