Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Snapshot of kids 6-11 years in America
- Spending money and household responsibilities
- Influencing factors
- Daily media use averages more than seven and a half hours a day
- Childhood obesity weighs on the nation
- Parents spend on kids to ease the pain of the recession
- Trends and observations to draw on
- Kids’ activities and free time hobbies
- Kids’ computer and internet use
- Game on for everyone
- Personal electronics
- MP3 players and iPods
- Cell phones
- Eating healthy in school … indulging after
- Older girls feeling fashionable, but don’t like their style
- Jeans and sneakers worn by (almost) all
- Older kids don’t want “kiddy” personal care products
- Free toys and gifts desired in cereal and restaurant promotions
- Other important attitudes
- Parents are primary information source for kids 6-8; older kids look further
- “Green” beliefs more likely to be held by girls
- Hard work and education for all; older boys desire fame and fortune
Insights and Opportunities
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- Trends to shape marketing strategies
- A taste for healthier fare
- Interest in e-books
- A computer for the kids
- Connecting with kids beyond the tube
- Nine is more than a number
- Go “green” with girls
- Go “greenbacks” with boys 9-11
- Leveraging kids shows with parents
Inspire Insights
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- Trend: Learning Through Play
Demographics and Drivers of the Kid Market
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- Key points
- Growth in number of 6-11-year-olds
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- Figure 1: Population, by age, 2005-15
- Hispanics to account for one quarter of kids 6-11 by 2015
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- Figure 2: Population of 6-11 year-olds, by race/Hispanic origin, 2005-15
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- Figure 3: Population of 6-11 year-olds compared to total, by race/Hispanic origin, 2005-15
- Television is the center of the universe
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- Figure 4: Kids 8-14 years old average daily use of media, by age group, October 2008-May 2009
- Obesity concerns and a possible shift in eating habits
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- Figure 5: Prevalence of high BMI in U.S. 6 to 11-year-olds, by race and gender, 2007-08
- Poor diet
- Lack of exercise
- Environment
- Recession doesn’t stall parents’ spending on entertainment for kids
- Kids: the 800-pound gorilla in the house
Marketing Strategies for Reaching Kids
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- Key points
- Brand and merchandising strategies
- In-store merchandising and strategies
- Character merchandising
- Kmart’s layaway success
- Partnerships and co-branding
- Online initiatives
- TV commercials
- Be a hero with Toy Story 3
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- Figure 6: Lego Toy Story, Television Commercial, 2010
- McDonald’s offers an Elysian escape for young girls
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- Figure 7: McDonald’s and Strawberry Shortcake, Television Commercial, 2010
- Fame and glory with Guitar Hero
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- Figure 8: Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, Television Commercial, 2010
- Honey Nut Cheerios and the pulse of the moment
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- Figure 9: Honey Nut Cheerios, Activision Television Commercial, 2010
Leading Company—Disney In-depth
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- Key points
- Toy Story 3 a smashing success
- Disney.com is at the center
- Social marketing with Disney
- Other technology, online and social media initiatives
- iPad apps
- iBooks and ebooks
- Online games
- Facebook as a sales platform
- Reinventing the Disney Store
- Phineas and Ferb is a crossover hit
- Noteworthy initiatives
- Getting Kids to Make Healthier Choices
- Charitable donations
Innovations and Innovators
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- Technology and toys
- American Doll goes philanthropic
- Pajama parties at Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes
- Healthy snacks and character merchandising
- Personal care
- Exotic and all-natural ingredients in healthcare
Spending Money and Household Responsibilities
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- Key points
- Household chores and allowance are top ways kids get spending money
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- Figure 10: Spending money sources, by gender and age, August 2010
- Gender and age factors in how money is earned and household chores
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- Figure 11: Way of receiving money, and average earnings, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
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- Figure 12: Household chores, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Kids buy toys, candy/gum, and video games with their allowance
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- Figure 13: How allowance is spent, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids’ Activities and Free Time Hobbies
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- Key points
- Boys more likely to play outside with friends; older kids more self-sufficient
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- Figure 14: Typical types of play, by gender and age, August 2010
- Kids like spending time with family, playing sports, and computer time
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- Figure 15: attitudes to free time and activities enjoyed, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Bicycling and swimming are top sporting activities
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- Figure 16: Sports played in the last year, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Kids read books for fun; girls drawn to arts, older girls learn their lessons
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- Figure 17: Other activities and hobbies, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids’ Computer and Internet Use
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- Key points
- Work and play on the home computer
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- Figure 18: Computer access and home computer usage, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Playing games, watching videos, and more
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- Figure 19: Online activities in past month, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Older girls more likely to visit a variety of websites
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- Figure 20: Websites visited/search engines used in past month, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids’ Ownership and Use of Video Game Systems
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- Key points
- Nintendo Wii replaces DS and PS2 as top system
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- Figure 21: Video game system owned or played, May 2006-June 2010
- Older boys drive the video gaming market
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- Figure 22: Video game system owned or played, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids’ Ownership and Use of Personal Electronics
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- Key points
- Older kids own more electronics
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- Figure 23: Electronic equipment owned, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Almost half of kids 6-11 own an MP3 player
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- Figure 24: MP3 or digital media player owned, by gender and age, May 2006-June 2010
- Cell phone ownership and nature of usage
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- Figure 25: Cellular/wireless phone ownership, by gender and age, April 2007-June 2010
- Talking, texting, picture messaging three most popular uses
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- Figure 26: Cellular/wireless phone features used, by gender, by age, by gender and ages 9-11, April 2009-June 2010
What, Where and How Kids Eat
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- Key points
- Girls eating healthier fare at school
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- Figure 27: School lunch food and drink, by gender and age, August 2010
- Schools cut back on soft drinks in vending machines
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- Figure 28: Items sold in school vending machines, May 2004– June 2010
- Fast-food beats family-style when going out to eat
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- Figure 29: Restaurant usage, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Older girls more likely to visit a variety of restaurants
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- Figure 30: Fast food or drive-in restaurants visited in the last month, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Older kids—particularly girls—watching their weight
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- Figure 31: Diet/light products usage, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids and Shopping
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- Key points
- Grocery shopping is common, but girls go more often
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- Figure 32: Frequency of going to the grocery store, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Past-month store visits reflect gender and age interests
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- Figure 33: Stores visited in the last month, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Music purchases trending away from discount, going more online
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- Figure 34: Where music (CDs/DVDs) purchased in the last year, May 2004-June 2010
- Online music purchase trend driven by boys
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- Figure 35: Where music (CDs/DVDs) purchased in the last year, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids’ Style/Clothing Choices
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- Key points
- Older girls feeling fashionable…but are less happy with what they see
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- Figure 36: Fashion perceptions, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Nearly half of kids 6-11 own Old Navy and Levi’s jeans
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- Figure 37: Brands of jeans owned, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Nike dominates sneaker field among boys
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- Figure 38: Brands of sneakers owned, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Boys own licensed sports clothing, NFL is most popular
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- Figure 39: Licensed sports clothing owned, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Kids and Personal Care Items
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- Key points
- More than half of kids 9-11 want regular products instead of kids’ versions
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- Figure 40: Overall interest in regular personal care products vs. those for kids, by gender and age, August 2010
- Kids’ versions of personal care products used most by girls 6-8
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- Figure 41: Use of kids’ versions of personal care products, by gender and age, August 2010
- Kids pick their own toothbrushes and toothpaste
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- Figure 42: Who chooses what to buy, kid or adult, kids personal care items, August 2010
What Kids Want in Promotional Giveaways
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- Key points
- Kids want free toys and gifts with their breakfast cereal
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- Figure 43: Interest in promotional items with breakfast cereal, by gender and age, August 2010
- Kids want free toys and gifts from restaurants, too
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- Figure 44: Interest in restaurant promotional items, by gender and age, August 2010
Leaders and Followers – Who Gets What First?
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- Key points
- More kids say they get toys and games around the same time as friends
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- Figure 45: Who sets the trends? Getting toys or other items before or after friends, August 2010
- Girls ahead of boys when it comes to fashion and new trends
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- Figure 46: Who sets the trends? Getting toys or other items before or after friends, boys, August 2010
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- Figure 47: Who sets the trends? Getting toys or other items before or after friends, girls, August 2010
Kids’ Information Sources to Learn About New Things
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- Key points
- Kids 6-8 turn to parents, kids 9-11 go to multiple sources
- Girls scout for information in a bigger world
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- Figure 48: Sources of information for new things, by gender and age, August 2010
“Green” Beliefs and Aspirations
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- Key points
- Kids think everyone should recycle, but girls are “greener” than boys
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- Figure 49: Kids’ environmental attitudes, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
- Kids think it’s important to work hard at school and want to go to college
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- Figure 50: Kids’ values and perceptions of self, by gender and age, April 2009-June 2010
Impact of Race/Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Kids who are white are most likely to play a variety of sports
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- Figure 51: Sports played in the last year, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2009-June 2010
- Asian kids spend the most time on computers
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- Figure 52: Amount of time spent on internet per week (non-email), by race/Hispanic origin, April 2009-June 2010
- Wearing cool clothes/looking cool is more important to kids who are black
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- Figure 53: Fashions perceptions by race/Hispanic origin, April 2009-June 2010
- Kids who are black are more likely to shop around at multiple retailers
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- Figure 54: Stores visited in the last month, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2009-June 2010
- Asian kids are more likely to have “green” opinions
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- Figure 55: Kids’ environmental attitudes, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2009-June 2010
Cluster Analysis
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- Testing Wings
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- In-the-Nesters
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Ready-to-Flyers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 56: Marketing to kids clusters, August 2010
- Figure 57: Sources of information for new things, by marketing to kids clusters, August 2010
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- Figure 58: Typical types of play, by marketing to kids clusters, August 2010
- Figure 59: Spending money sources, by marketing to kids clusters, August 2010
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 60: Marketing to Kids clusters, by gender and age, August 2010
- Cluster methodology
Appendix: Other Useful Tables
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- The population of white kids 6-11 set to grow 9% from 2005-15
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- Figure 61: U.S. white population, by age, 2005-15
- Hispanic population of kids 6-11 set to grow 40% from 2005-15
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- Figure 62: U.S. Hispanic population, by age, 2005-15
- The population of black kids 6-11 set to grow 0.7% from 2005-15
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- Figure 63: U.S, black population, by age, 2005-15
- The total population of Asian kids 6-11 set to grow 32% from 2005-15
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- Figure 64: U.S. Asian population by age, 2005-15
Other Consumer Tables
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- Boys play sports, girls more likely to go to scouts, dance, and cheer
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- Figure 65: Afterschool activities engaged in, by gender and age, August 2010
- Boys 9-11 eat meals with family outside the home more often than others
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- Figure 66: How often meals are eaten outside of home, by gender and age, August 2010
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