Newest consumers

ScreenS, connectivity and the neweSt conSumerS

understand your customers – the contours of their lives, the ways they behave, their needs and wants. show that what you offer can make their lives better. That’s how brands succeed in emerging markets.

Children have always been the largest, most dynamic emerging market. Wherever they grow up, children share the experience of developing into a distinct personality with connections, responsibilities and choices. Just as emerging geographical markets move toward economic independence and exploration of possibilities, so do emerging generations.

What’s new is the connectivity today’s youth enjoy as they explore their growing freedom. A kid’s identity and preferences are being shaped not just on the playground, but across an entire world of potential interactions and choices.

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screens, Connectivity and the Newest Consumers

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something else is sure to emerge tomorrow, but this is what’s emerging today: Kids have interactive screens of all kinds, wherever they go. They’re connected in the classroom and at home, with their friends and on the move. And they’re not passively watching; they’re choosing what to consume and with whom to engage.

eAGeR TO LeARN sHOuLDN’T MeAN eAsY TO exPLOiT

Youth marketing consultant James McNeal believes that developed societies are defined by the consumer behavior that enables and shapes virtually every activity – working, worshipping, schooling, housekeeping, playing and more. Additionally, McNeal sees the development of consumer behavior as inextricably tied to the sense and presentation of self. Children as young as two begin identifying with brands as part of their self-image.


Many laws and self-regulatory organizations prohibit ads that exploit the credulity of children under 12. For example, Article 18 of the international Chamber of Commerce Code of Marketing and Advertising bars communications that:

• undermine positive social behavior, lifestyles and attitudes

• exploit inexperience or credulity, such as exaggerating a product’s performance

• Portray or encourage activities that may be mentally, morally or physically harmful

• suggest that a product conveys physical, psychological or social advantages

Anyone who has ever been pestered by a child or teenager to buy something will recognize these as sensible rules – but also that they don’t solve everything. Protecting kids will always require effective supervision.

Today that supervision is becoming much harder to provide as marketers now have the power to create highly personalized and interactive experiences. With a smartphone or tablet, youth can download apps, play games and share personal information with friends and marketers alike – all without mom’s approval or even her knowledge.

some brands have exploited this interactivity. The u.s. Federal Trade Commission reports that most mobile apps aimed at kids fail to provide any information about what personal data is collected and how it is used. Many collect information such as device iD, geolocation and phone number, and many contain interactive features such as advertising, in-app purchases and social media links – all without any disclosure to parents.

NeW TeCHNOLOGY CAN suPPORT AGe-OLD PRiNCiPLes

Fortunately, the enduring values of childhood still matter. And the same tools that can be used to deceive can also be used to deliver responsible brand messages, as well as to spread the word about brands that fail to meet their social obligations to vulnerable populations such as children and youth.

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“ younger conSumerS have become more open to the brandS they buy.”

ScreenS, connectivity and the neweSt cuStomerS

Although children begin to form consumer preferences at an early age, it takes time to achieve intellectual, emotional and financial independence. By age nine or 10, most kids have their parents’ trust to make some independent purchases. But they don’t always have the best judgment, and brands can get into trouble when they take unfair advantage of that fact.

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Fortunately, the enduring values of childhood still matter. And the same tools that can be used to deceive can also be used to deliver responsible brand messages, as well as to spread the word about brands that fail to meet their social obligations to vulnerable populations such as children and youth.

“social media changes things,” notes Bruce Levinson, Anthem Worldwide VP of Brand strategy. “A brand’s reputation is increasingly important, and they need to be seen as transparent in the way they market their products.” More than ever, the emerging market of connected youth requires brands to have a strong, motivating purpose.

With interactive control over a world of possibilities, “Younger consumers have become more open to the brands they buy,” according to Levinson. “They’re rethinking their choices not only on the value or benefit of the product, but also the reputation of the company. Brands that are seen as positive influences build their reputations, and social media enables a lot of that.”

The most successful brands stand for something that transcends their product category. it’s not just about the “share of voice,” as in the children’s TV model of advertising, but about the “share of conversation,” Levinson believes. Although brands can curate or moderate the conversation, they can’t own it. everything the brand says, and everything youth or their parents say, becomes part of the social discourse.

Brands need to take advantage of every opportunity to shape that discourse – and it has to be about more than driving sales. smart brands use social engagement to promote values that help parents feel good about bringing the product into their home. That means giving children and teens opportunities to express creativity, humor, freedom, belonging and fun. And it means helping parents feel in control.

it’s also wise to remember that today’s youth can talk back to brands, whether to express a personal aspiration or register a very public complaint. even kids without the money to spend on a product can influence its success through online reviews, facebook discussions and tweets.

THe YOuTH MARKeT is THe FuTuRe OF eVeRY MARKeT

The personal, connected screen is not like a billboard or TV. it’s a portal to relationships. With young people today, the first principles are more important than ever before: understand your customers. show how you can make their lives better.

That’s the advice we’d give for engaging with any emerging market where people are gaining new resources and forging new communities of shared interest. But this market – the global youth market – is unlike any other. They’re all around us, they’re linked together, and they’re the future. Let’s raise them well. ⬢

Smart brandS uSe Social engagement to promote valueS that help parentS feel in control

ScreenS, connectivity and the neweSt cuStomerS

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WANT TO KNOW MORe?

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Call: barbara glass at 203.918.4052 Email: [email protected]

Schawk, Inc. is a leading provider of brand development and deployment services, enabling companies of all sizes to connect their brands with consumers. With a global footprint of operations in 26 countries, Schawk helps companies create compelling and consistent brand experiences by providing integrated strategic, creative and executional services across brand touch points. Founded in 1953, Schawk is trusted by many of the world’s leading organizations to help them achieve global brand consistency. For more information about Schawk, visit www.schawk.com.

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