Media Shop sets up venture to target youth advertisers

The Media Shop is setting up a joint venture with a former planner from The Media Business to target advertisers in the youth market.

Dean Weller, former strategic planning director of The Media Business, will lead The First Age! Media Company, which aims to win business from advertisers which want to reach pre-school children through to 18-year-olds.

Weller left The Media Business in December after 13 years with the company.

“Campaigns targeted, planned, bought and researched against children, youth and their parents need as much attention as their adult-focused counterparts,” says Weller.

“We think there is room in the market for a specialist shop, and we are targeting all clients which have products where the child has an influence.”

The agency hopes to attract interest from confectionery, cereal, toy and computer game companies plus clothing and shoe manufacturers.

The company is not the first media buying shop to specialise in the children’s market. In January, Martin Jones, former director of

CIA Medianetwork, launched MJ Media, another youth media buying specialist.

Children’s marketing consultancy Logistix Kids estimates that children aged between five and 14-years-old have spending power of 2.3bn.