Advertisers Take Aim at Children

He couldn’t be Batman because his cape isn’t black but green--with tiny dollar signs on it. And he’s certainly not Superman, because instead of an “S” embroidered on his chest he has a giant “V.”

That “V” is for “Value Man.” And marketers are wagering that this caped cartoon character may soon get children--as young as 6 years old--to clip coupons.

“Kids are going to spend money anyway,” said Hugh Anderson, vice president of Taste Publications International, which is trying to coax major marketers into paying for the use of Value Man’s image on everything from coupon books to mail sent to tykes. “Isn’t it better if your kid gets 50% off a pair of Nikes?”

It is too early to tell if Value Man will take off--although a classroom full of wide-eyed 10-year-olds outside of Baltimore gave him the thumbs up Monday. But there is no doubt that, like never before, marketers are chasing after the eyes, ears and taste buds of children--as young as 2 years old.

Preteens--4 to 12 years old--account for nearly $6 billion in direct purchases annually and influence an additional $132 billion that their parents spend on them. And experts say that as a result of the baby boom, children are the fastest-growing market segment.

Not everyone is thrilled about this sudden infatuation with children as consumers.

“These companies don’t see kids as a natural treasure to be nurtured but as a market to be exploited,” said Michael Jacobson, co-founder of the Center for the Study of Commercialism in Washington. “All this does is encourage materialism among kids.”

The upcoming holiday season is the time of year when marketers go into overdrive to reach youthful consumers. Duracell USA today will announce results of its annual survey of 650 children who picked the top-ranked toys for 1992. No surprise that six of the top 10 toys selected just happen to be battery-operated, including the top choice, Milton Bradley’s “Knock Out”--a $20 game featuring a motorized hammer that knocks fake bricks out from a wall.

A spokeswoman for Duracell denied that the company sponsors the children’s survey in order to sell more batteries. “It’s a service to children and their parents,” said Lisa Dimino, who did note that 40% of batteries are sold during the fourth quarter. “People are out there buying toys this time of year,” she said, “and toys do need batteries.”

Marketers are spending huge sums to get the attention of children. Last year, marketers spent $6.8 billion on advertising and public relations campaigns aimed at children, estimates James U. McNeal, professor at Texas A&M; University and author of “Kids as Customers.” What’s more, he said, the amount spent on marketing to children is growing at a 15% annual clip--nearly three times the growth rate for the adult market.

Children watch nearly four hours of television per day--and see about 40,000 TV commercials yearly. And with the booming success of TV broadcasts targeted at children--including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Channel One and Fox Kids Network--ABC is considering the launch of a kids’ radio network. Children’s Satellite Network was started in a handful of markets last month.

To be sure, some major children’s marketers, such as Nike and Fox Network, have also spent heavily on cause-oriented campaigns that help teach children vital lessons about key issues, such as the environment and race relations. And some marketing experts insist that children are not being exploited at all.

“It’s not fair to say these companies view kids as markets to be tapped,” said Dale K. Wallenius, publisher of the Encinitas-based Marketing to Kids Report. “People in this industry are sensitive to the special needs that childhood poses.”

But not nearly sensitive enough, others argue. “Marketers are trying to reach kids at school, in the malls, in their homes--and everywhere in between,” said Peggy Charren, president of the organization Action for Children’s Television. “Kids can’t get away from this. It is antithetical to the way that childhood should be.”

At the same time, marketers are moving beyond traditional research techniques and are even trying to break into children’s peer groups to find out what children want. Levi’s, which is about to introduce a version of Dockers jeans aimed at young boys, sent marketing snoopsters out to see the kinds of clothes young boys keep in their closets. And before introducing a children’s line of shoes, Nike met groups of children in their bedrooms to discuss their likes and dislikes.

Meanwhile, a growing number of companies, from Burger King to Fox Television, are amassing detailed databases with names of children who join their “Kids Clubs.” These are typically mail promotions featuring comic books stuffed with purchase incentives--such as coupons for free ice cream at Wendy’s--that reach children right in their homes.

Fox, whose Kids Club is only 4 years old, already has 4.7 million members, said Bert Gould, vice president at Fox Children’s Network. “Fox Network’s key marketing strategy is kids,” Gould said. “We work to build that brand awareness, even when they’re 2 years old,” he said, by constantly reminding children that they’re watching Fox.

Another big marketer to children is Hyatt Hotels, which developed the “Camp Hyatt” concept in 1989 in an attempt to get families with 3- to 12-year-olds to stay at Hyatts. “Marketing to kids today is not a game,” said Julie Halpern, director of special markets for Hyatt. “It is very, very serious business.”

Camp Hyatt features organized activities for children at Hyatt hotels--a concept that Hyatt works hard to communicate to parents--as well as to children. When children arrive, they get free painter’s caps. Well aware that kids love to receive mail, Hyatt later sends them incentives for free gifts if their families stay more frequently at Hyatt. The object is to get children to plead with their parents to stay at Hyatt so that the children can collect their freebies. Said Halpern, “It’s something that we at Hyatt call the nag factor.”

Briefly . . .

Hollywood’s Creative Artists Agency has asked director Francis Ford Coppola to develop a seasonal Coca-Cola spot that will be a takeoff on “The Last Supper.” . . . The Culver City-based MGM movie studio has had discussions with agencies about its $30-million account now at Wells Rich Green BDDP/Los Angeles. . . . Savoy Pictures of Beverly Hills is expected to hand its estimated $15-million account to a Los Angeles agency next month. . . . Luxor, a Las Vegas resort scheduled to open next year, is talking with a handful of Los Angeles agencies about its $3-million account. . . . Venice-based Chiat/Day/Mojo is expected to hire at least 20 additional employees as a result of its win last week of the $75-million Infiniti account formerly handled by the Marina del Rey office of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos. . . . More than 100 employees from Hill, Holliday’s local office are job-hunting this week as a result of the closure of the office, and President Gene Cameron says his own future in the ad business is uncertain. . . . The Los Angeles-based Latino ad agency Coronado Communications was selected by the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission to create Spanish-language ads for the Metrolink and Metro Red Line openings. . . . Anti-smoking protesters are expected to be out in force at Wednesday’s Virginia Slims of New York tennis tournament. . . . Julian Myers Public Relations, a “24-hour” PR agency for the entertainment industry, has opened in Century City.