FCB Ulka study reveals kids' `pester power' stronger  ( August '31,2001, HBL)

CHILDREN can never be ignored in advertising. The country's fifth largest ad agency, FCB Ulka, with billings of nearly Rs 650 crore, has come out with a study christened `Kids' mood' to find out what this `pester power' is all about.

In this era of nuclear families with double income, children have the strongest say on the brands their families consume. And, this is not just in the case of chocolates and soft drinks, but on a gamut of areas comprising soaps, toothpastes and television serials.

Any marketeer who fails to listen to their squeals (`Yeh Merawala brand...') might just be the loser in the race.

The study, targetting kids between 4 and 14, was aimed at finding out how they behaved with regard to various elements in their environment -- school, friends, consumption of media and entertainment. The objective was to reach out to the key influences which affected their behavioural pattern.

Using the technique of FCB Mind and Mood, 40 kids in Sec A households in Mumbai were studied. The research was first conducted among children in the 4-6 age group, whose life revolves around themselves and their parents and whose activities are controlled by their parents. At this age, their school life begins, but friends and teachers ate yet to become an important part of their lives.

TV viewing among this age group is extremely high. Apart from viewing whatever the family does, Cartoon Network and Disney Hour are viewed by them, followed by Discovery, National Geographic and music channels. A possible reason for this could be that parents in urban India have increasingly started using TV as a surrogate nanny. They consider it a safer option to play, the study said.

Brand recall in this age group is still low and promotions and contests are not fully understood. However, collecting things such as shells and stones is a major pastime.

There is virtually zero consumption of any other media except television as reading is not in their scheme of things. Interaction with the computer is restricted to playing games.

The circle of influence widens among the next age group -- 7-10 years, the study said. They form opinions about film and sport icons and their minds absorbs everything. Television is still a big draw, but the programmes viewed changes. Cartoons take a backseat as movies, music and sports dominate their viewing time.

They begin reading, though newspapers are still not part of their lives. Outdoor campaigns hold a high recall value for them. Playing with friends, homework and computer games gain predominance, apart from passive television viewing.

Advertisements are a form of entertainment and they tend to remember jingles. Brand recall is high, with ads becoming a major influence. They also participate in promotions and contests.

The last group, the study said, comprises kids in the 11-14 age group, where their lives revolves around friends and peers. There is a lot of television viewing, with movies, serials, news and music being widely discussed among peers. Magazines and supplements serve as information search vehicles, while the Internet is used extensively for downloading data and e-mail. Cricket and movies comprise the main influences, as collectibles such as posters of Sachin Tendulkar and Hritik Roshan serve as role models, the study concluded.