Use Kid-Directed Content to Create More Effective Campaigns

by TIFFANY TASKER, business development director, SuperAwesome

More than one-third of influencer-led purchases in the youth and family category are same-day purchases, and another 25% of purchases occur within a few days, according to new research from SuperAwesome. Moreover, kid-directed influencer content drives more sales than parent-directed influencer content because influencers build positive perceptions with kids and drive purchase intent for 80% of kids and tweens, compared to 60% of parents.

This is huge. It’s only February, but this is already one of the most exciting pieces of information I’ll receive all year. Let’s unpack why.

Understanding the parent-directed versus kid-directed marketing split has always been a hot topic within the toy industry. We know that driving kid-ask is an essential part of marketing a youth product, but it’s often assumed that marketers should focus on parent messaging to drive purchase.

A study shows that both strategies are important: 52% of parents would purchase something their kid discovered through an influencer and then requested, and 43% of parents would purchase something that they saw an influencer advertise for their kid. Overall, kid-ask is a bit more powerful than parent discovery in driving sales in influencer marketing.

Another conversation I have frequently with toy marketers is around curating the right mix of digital marketing strategies to deliver the same quick sales spikes as the golden years of linear TV. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) and kids’ data privacy laws mean that it’s very hard to pinpoint sales conversion time, so this nugget of information on sales from influencers feels like a North Star.

Lastly, influencers are often seen as adjacent to media plans. Toy marketers think of them as useful sources of organic content in exchange for a product, but not a format in which to invest significant dollars. I understand the mindset of “Why pay when you can get it for free?” But controlling the narrative with a specific strategy, co-created content, and a quality group of authentic influencers is a powerful way to leverage the format.

Influencers are the most-followed type of social media accounts, even over brands and celebrities. This is one of the reasons influencer marketing is so successful is driving purchase: Both parents and kids under 13 years old prefer to follow influencers on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitch, and Facebook. Only on Twitter and Pinterest do users choose celebrities over influencer accounts, according to SuperAwesome’s internal research.

Of course, the platform on which you choose to run influencer collaborations matters. In the U.S., YouTube is the most influential platform for girls and boys from 6-12 years old, with TikTok a close second. In the UK, kids have the same preference for YouTube until age 10, when TikTok begins to outpace YouTube for girls.

If you’re running global or multi-regional campaigns, it’s important to consider your platform mix. In general, it’s a good practice to run multiplatform campaigns that also ensure brands reach the total audience. Most fans follow influencers across many different platforms, but it’s important to take care to create content that fits the style and format of each platform.

It’s well documented that sparking family conversations about a product or brand dramatically increases purchase intent. One-third of parents now follow the same influencers as their kids, so influencers can be used to drive co-consumption of content within families. By working with influencers and creating content that appeals to both kids and their parents, brands can ignite a family conversation.

This article was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!