Recapturing childhood sales

Mintel’s latest research (MW February 7) raises significant doubts over the efficiency of TV advertising aimed at children. With only 38 per cent of those surveyed responding that they “like to buy things they see on TV”, it is time for marketers to explore more cost-effective and result-focused methods of capturing children’s interest. The answer is very simple: work with a child’s natural instincts.

Children shopping with their parents have a low boredom threshold. Before long, they lose interest and start to play with anything they can reach. This tendency is an absolute gift to the canny marketer. Creating a point-of-purchase display with a simple interactive mechanism draws a child’s attention while its parents are otherwise occupied. “Shopping boredom” is temporarily overcome and the brand message conveyed at the same time as the parents are present and in the right frame of mind to buy.

The place of TV advertising in marketing will never disappear – its value in brand-building is undisputed. However, when the pressure is on to build sales figures it is essential to explore ways in which the marketing budget could be more effectively invested.

Richard Courtney

Managing director

Bezier

Bristol