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Marketing to young people discussed at second IMM Fridays event

By our News Team | 2022

Marketers need to appreciate how young people understand brands and consume information at different stages of their development.

Marketing to children and teenagers can be a challenge for marketers because of the need to understand their different thought processes and attitudes at varying stages of development.

All of these aspects came under the spotlight at the recent IMM Fridays event organised by the Institute of Marketing Management South Africa at its new facility in Parktown, Johannesburg. The IMM is one of the founding members of the African Marketing Confederation.

Guest speaker Andrea Kraushaar during the recent IMM Fridays event. Photo courtesy of IMM South Africa

Guest speaker Andrea Kraushaar, Research and Insight Director at specialist youth market agency Youth Dynamix, discussed aspects such as how children understand brands, how young people consume information, and the importance of brand transparency when dealing with this audience.

She also emphasised that the idea of marketing to children to create ‘pester power’ aimed at their parents was an outdated concept dating back to the 1990s. Modern families tend to be more democratic and children are already part of the decision-making process when choosing products and brands. Strategies should therefore be less about ‘pestering’ and more about stressing brand benefits.

Key differences within the age groups

Looking at the different age groups within this broad market segment, Kraushaar highlighted key differences in 8-12-year-olds (the ‘Age of Belonging’) verses 13-15-year-olds (the ‘Age of Exploration’) and 16-18-year-olds (the ‘Age of Analysis’).

In the two younger age groups, for example, brand values have little meaning as everything tends to be taken at face value and the focus is on physical attributes and benefits.

As they become older, an uncanny ability to multi-task increases, as does their connection to the world through technology and their willingness to question brand claims – more so than with older consumers.

The event concluded with a panel discussion involving a group of teenagers, during which they were asked for their opinions on a range of topics relevant to marketers. Thereafter, members of the audience could pose questions to the panel.

IMM Fridays are held on the last Friday of every month. The aim of the IMM is to bring together like-minded individuals to share thoughts and experiences within the rapidly changing marketing environment.

The institute offers a wide range of value-added products and services for marketing professionals who are Associates in either an individual or corporate capacity. Find out more about the IMM here.

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