Kids - The Growing Power Behind Technology

Children are turning technological sales, marketing and advertising on its head. Not only are the children of today more switched on to technology, such as computers, the Internet, video games, mobile phones, pagers, etc. than any other generation before - they are now influencing new technologies, and finding uses for the more outdated modes, such as pagers.

Children are increasingly becoming the driving force in the world of technology. They have more influence over their parents' purchasing power - research conducted by our partners in Canada, Environics, found that 30% of young people say they influence the technological purchases in the household. In many cases they are creating the market - and parents want to make sure their children are not 'missing out' in terms of both their peers and their educational needs.

In Summer 1999 MORI conducted research for Motorola to develop a deeper understanding of 10-16 year olds and to learn more about their aspirations, brand preferences and lifestyles. It found that this "i-generation" has access to more information, more products, more opportunities and can exercise more choice than their predecessors. They are not as influenced by parental preferences as they are by what their peers and 'heroes' use and choose. My 12 year old son asked for a mobile phone for Christmas - for the life of me I couldn't think how he would use it or could pay for it, but apparently most of his classmates have one, so he wants one too. Children have a strong sense of "keeping up with the Jones" - their need to fit in, be up with (and own) the trendiest clothes and accessories is a necessary evil for survival in the playground.

When asked what they would buy if they could walk in to a shop and buy any one piece of technology a third said a mobile phone, with the second favourite option being a laptop computer, closely followed by a personal computer. They are fast becoming a mobile and technologically driven generation.

Even the government is recognising it, with the intention that all schools and houses will have access to the Internet. Last month the DfEE launched a web site to help parents help their children in terms of schools, homework and activities. This is a recognition of the need for technology to aid the potentially stressful parent-school relationship, a relationship explored in a recent MORI survey.

We are constantly being told about the growth of the Internet - currently at the staggering rate of 12,000 new Internet joiners a day in Britain. However, what we are not told is the rate of growth among families. MORI has been tracking the growth of technology for the past three years, and has found that the growth amongst households with children is considerably higher than those with no children. The chart below shows the difference for just the last month:

Parents have always wanted their children to be at a minimum on a level pegging with their classmates - and acceptability is an important part of that - but computers are now becoming an integral part of education. Homework is now beginning to include looking up specific things on the Internet, such as information on history. Furthermore, parents understand that computers are now such an integral part of working life they want to ensure that their children are not left behind in the global technological revolution.

Further research conducted by MORI has found that even 6 and 7 year olds are using the Internet and/or CD Roms - and not always accompanied. More than any other age group they are highly influenced by popular characters. Girls of this age tend to go to the Barbie web site where there are virtual communities of Barbie dolls which they can dress with computer generated clothes. Boys tend to go to car web sites and find the sites with games. By the time they are leaving primary school many are very adept on the Internet, and know how to navigate their ways around. In several of the more technologically advanced schools, children are already designing web pages.

In the "i-generation" study British youth have a distinct awareness of labels, and have a high sense of brand loyalty. Indeed, the brand loyalty develops very early on. However, they are not very strategic when they actually come to buy. They are impulsive and tend to be stimulated by the environment at the point of sale. Over half want to be dressed in Calvin Klein, nearly half to wear Nikes - these are seen as the coolest clothes brands. Two-thirds think McDonalds is cool. Two-thirds also think Sony is the coolest technological brand. Currently, in the UK, Sony has one of the biggest advertising campaigns aimed at teenagers ever run. The success of this campaign demonstrates the commercial value of targeting today's youth on their own terms.

It is often important for technological firms to target children as a major part of their advertising campaigns. However, to gain credibility among young people it is essential that the advertising is pitched appropriately. Being patronising, or using the 'right' words in the 'wrong' way will only serve to alienate this increasingly important market. Advertisements aimed at this age group will only work if they do the following things:

• Are on their wavelength. It is very important that the adverts both represent and have meaning to youth. A Canadian advertisement for pagers gives 'slang' pager codes which only they understand, for example 007 means "it's secret, let's meet up to discuss"
• They must build very strong images for the brands - very strong images which are appealing to children, are seen to be 'cool', or are linked with a strong icon
• Demonstrate that anyone who uses/wears this product must have a unique style
• Communicate as much information as possible in the relevant media
• Promote impulse purchasing

It is becoming increasingly important for us to understand this generation. They have a very high awareness of brands, technology and marketing. Already, by the age of 10, the youth of today has a stronger sense of what is acceptable, what is new, and what they want, than any other generation before. To ignore the wants, needs and demands of this generation could be a fatal mistake for any company. We can only understand them by talking to them, researching them and including them in our strategies.

When Tony Blair launched the NHS Direct web site in December he said "I know not all all of us know how to use the Internet, but the kids know how to use it, and increasingly the rest of us will as well". For possibly the first time in history, the children are teaching the adults.

Technical details

MORI research surveys mentioned in the article:

"i-generation" was a study conducted for Motorola among 1,161 children aged 10-16 between 22 June and 10 July 1999. Results were weighted to be representative of this age group throughout Britain.

MORI also conducted research for the Department of Education and Employment among 1,000 parents of 5-11 year old children at primary school in England to explore parenting and schooling issues. Fieldwork was conducted between 16 and 21 November 1999. Data was weighted to represent the profile of parents of children of this age in England.

The Technology Tracker is a service that MORI offers to track the uses of technology in GB. Interviews are conducted using MORI's Omnibus - a representative sample of at least 2,000 GB public a fortnight. Results are aggregated monthly.