Adidas, Apple and Nike are the favorite brands of children and teenagers in Brazil, according to a survey carried out with 9,500 people by Askids, Kids Corp Brasil’s insights portal. They are followed by Coca-Cola, YouTube, Disney, All Star, McDonald’s, Netflix, Barbie and Minecraft.
The ranking, therefore, is made up largely of sporting goods and entertainment brands, in addition to beverage, fast-food, toy and game brands. According to the survey, younger children are more inclined to toy and entertainment brands. As they grow, sneaker and tech brands become more relevant.
Also according to the survey, 9 out of 10 children and adolescents in Brazil trust a brand, and the number of brands they trust increases with age. Likewise, trust in tech and sneaker brands grows with age as well.
For children and teenagers, there are three main factors that make them interested in a brand: it makes them fun, makes them happy and
be of quality.
This audience is attentive and aware about advertising. The YouTube
is the main channel where children and young people see their favorite ads. With age, social networks like TikTok and Instagram become relevant.
The survey was carried out between April and November 2021 with children and young people aged 3 to 18 years. Those aged between 3 and 5 were accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The country manager of Kids Corp Brasil, Humberto Galdieri, commented, in an interview with Market & Consumptionthe search results.
Market&Consumption: What explains the success of certain brands among children and the trust children have in them? What aspects or actions are fundamental in building this relationship?
Humberto Galdieri: Children, as they are in constant contact with different content throughout all their stages of development, potentially from a very early age can begin to build a relationship of loyalty with brands, as long as they are present in an appropriate, relevant and connected way. the different interests of this segment. Successful brands in this relationship with children and young people are those that know their behavior, those that from an early age invest in monitoring their tastes and preferences and create strategies and messages in line with the particularities and characteristics of each profile and age group. .
Although from the age of 3, children begin to recognize certain brands, until the age of 4, parental control is complete, with parents making the decisions about exposure to the media and brands of their children. From that age, until the age of 6, they begin to develop their first tastes and desires, especially in products linked to the toy industry and supermarkets.
Between 7 and 9 years old, the influence of third parties begins, such as friends and YouTubers, for example. And interests in electronic devices and events are incorporated. From the age of 10, until the age of 12, a rejection of children’s brands arises, and their attraction to sneakers, clothes and books begins, as well as their own search and research on the internet about brands and products. At this stage in their lives, they also begin to strongly influence household purchases.
From adolescence, from the age of 13, a strong relationship with brands is established, and this target starts to connect directly and make their own purchases. It is also a stage of permanent search for the approval of third parties, and of interest and influence in domestic decisions related to vacations and home appliances.
Market&Consumption: When it comes to children, there is great concern about not exposing children prematurely or inappropriately to brands or encouraging consumption. What should a company that deals with this audience do to act ethically and legally for this audience?
Humberto Galdieri: We understand that the new generations are digital natives, they engage with different content and characters that are designed and created for this audience, so it is natural for brands to enter this segment. However, they must do so taking into account the best practices established by the sector, and rely on specialist partners to build this connection, from a conceptual, technical and methodological point of view, so that the messages are not only effective, but above all. , responsible. There are very important regulatory frameworks in the world to protect children in their internet connections, such as the LGPD in Brazil, in force since September 2020. For this reason, there is an enormous responsibility on the part of governments, the private sector and NGOs that , together and in a coordinated way, must continue to develop an increasingly better scenario for children to be increasingly secure in their connections.
Market&Consumption: How has children’s exposure to brands changed in recent years through advertising, advertisements, channels, programs?
Humberto Galdieri: Exposure to content occurs at increasingly younger ages, and this is partly explained by their access to smartphones. In the case of Brazilian children and adolescents, 86% have access to a smartphone. Likewise, the amount of content available is increasing, which, on the other hand, implies less and less attention time dedicated to each attraction. At the same time, the migration of TV audiences to digital is increasingly accentuated, with 43% of children and teenagers in Brazil claiming to watch open/pay TV, a rate largely surpassed by the consumption of YouTube (78%), streaming series and movies (65%) and video games (65%).
When asked about their favorite ads/commercials, 7 in 10 children and teens report seeing them on digital media (highlighted by YouTube), while 50% of children mention TV (broadcast or cable).
Finally, it is worth highlighting the multitasking nature of children’s behavior when watching TV. Almost all (93%) report having done something while watching TV, questioning the attention given to streaming content: 30% use their smartphone, 29% talk to people (other family members), 25% play in parallel with toys and 14 % do their homework.
Mercado&Consumo: What are the differences in the laws that deal with the subject in Brazil and abroad?
Humberto Galdieri: There are not many differences between the LGPD and the most important laws in force in the United States – COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act – and in Europe – GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation).
In 2013, with the update of COPPA, a path was opened to raise awareness about the protection of children when they are connected. It currently includes children up to 13 years old on websites, apps and any connected device, but there are initiatives in the US to extend it to 16 and even 18 years old. The regulation considers that the personal data of minors cannot be collected without the consent of parents or guardians. Personal information includes location data, IP address, cookie ID and ad ID.
In 2018, the European Union launched its own general data privacy regulation, GDPR. It includes rules for minors, through GDPR-K (GDPR + Kids) and, being a continental regulation, allows each country to have its own definition of the maximum age at which a child is considered protected. The limits range from 13 (like COPPA) to 18 years. In Europe, the scope is linked to any service (mobile content, apps, games, videos) offered to children or in an environment/context for them. In August 2018, the then president of Brazil, Michel Temer, sanctioned Law 13,709/2018, the LGPD (General Data Protection Law). Article 14 establishes rules for the collection and processing of personal information in Brazil. The law came into effect on September 1, 2020, but the possibility of state sanctions was postponed to August 2021, giving companies time to learn about and adapt their strategies to regulation. This law was based on the GDPR of the European Union, and with regard to minors, one of its main objectives is to protect them when they are connected, preventing the collection of data without the consent of their parents or guardians. In the LGPD, the terms children and adolescents are explicitly mentioned, and all types of persistent identifiers, geolocation, photo identification or video recording are considered personal information.
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