Marketing to Children: New Strategies

Marketing to children has always been a challenging task.  With the rise of technology and the fragmentation of the media landscape it has become even more complicated.  Adding to this complexity are new restrictions around FTC/COPPA guidelines that will extend existing protections to kids up to 16 and will ban targeted advertising to children under 13 regardless of parental consent.

Today’s children are exposed to a variety of digital media and platforms, making it essential for marketers to develop new marketing strategies to reach them effectively. To succeed in marketing to children, brands must create strategies that not only capture their attention but also engage them on a deeper level. Here are some strategies that brands can use to reach children:

• Gamification: Gamification is the process of turning everyday tasks into games. It is an effective way to engage children and make them more interested in a particular product or service. Brands can use gamification in their marketing strategy by creating interactive games or apps that children can play.
• Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing is a popular marketing strategy that has been successful in reaching kids. Brands can collaborate with popular influencers or kid-friendly YouTubers to promote their products or services. These influencers have a large following of children and can promote products effectively.
• Storytelling: Storytelling is an effective way to reach children. Brands can use storytelling to create a narrative that engages children and promotes their products. Brands can use storytelling to create characters that children can relate to and promote their products through these characters.
• Personalization: Personalization is an effective way to make children feel valued and special. Brands can use personalization to create customized products that cater to children’s specific interests and preferences. For example, a brand can create a customized toy that reflects a child’s favorite cartoon character.
• Cause Marketing: Cause marketing is a marketing strategy that promotes social causes and charities. Brands can use cause marketing to engage and promote their products. Brands can create products that support social causes or donate a portion of their profits to charity.
• Family Focus: Engaging with the entire family during their favorite activities is the most legally compliant and recommended way to reach children.  These shared family moments offer the most efficient way for brands to interact with children.  

In conclusion, marketing to children requires a careful balance of creativity, engagement, and responsibility. With the right marketing strategies, brands can effectively reach children and promote their products. It’s important to remember that children are vulnerable, and their safety should be a top priority when developing marketing strategies. By using the strategies listed above, brands can create successful marketing campaigns that engage children and promote their products responsibly.