Getting the Brand in Kids’ Hands
We all know that the repetition of messages and images – whether in politics, the marketplace, or classroom – has a profound impact on the memory, choices, loyalties, and preferences of adults.
In children the effect is magnified; a vulnerability which marketers have exploited for decades. The repetitious use of cartoon characters creates a recognizable, relatable, and unique personality for children to associate with a particular brand or product. According to Andrew Ellis, professor of psychology and author of a study about brand recognition in children, the associations ingrained in childhood are typically carried forward into adulthood. “You’re more likely to be favorably disposed to a brand you've known all your life than one you've encountered more recently," says Ellis. In this way, a corporation that builds trust and positive associations in children is more likely to retain that child consumer’s brand loyalty into adulthood. Marketing characters, in this sense, are tools for establishing customers for life.
According to John F. Love, author of “McDonald’s: Behind the Arches,” “no other marketing factor has been more important in distinguishing McDonald's as a leader in fast food than its early decision to appeal to children through advertising.” Although other fast food chains followed suit, “none was able to weaken the loyalty of children to McDonald’s.”
To this end, McDonald’s has not only ensured that Ronald and the McDonald’s brand are everywhere kids are, it has branded products intended for even its youngest customers. There are in-store PlayPlaces for kids and menu items wrapped in images of Ronald playing with children. There are also the high chair trays with images of anthropomorphic hamburgers and infant bibs with pictures of Ronald and Friends. All serve to reinforce the brand for both children and parents alike during meals, playtime and beyond.
Promotional gimmicks such as collectable toy series in kids’ meals provide ongoing incentive to keep kids coming back. Typically, any one toy is made available for a limited time, often a period of one week so that in order to “collect” the complete set, a child must return to McDonald’s and purchase a Happy Meal as often as the toys are rotated. In a survey conducted by Consumers International, approximately one out of every three 8- to 11-year-olds said the toys and games included in the kids’ meals were an important reason for visiting one chain over another.
So what’s the result of all this product placement?
Well, not surprisingly, numerous studies have shown that exposure to food advertising makes children significantly more likely to favor advertised brands. In a 2007 study from Stanford University, preschool children even reported that food in McDonald’s wrappers tasted better than identical food wrapped in plain wrappers, suggesting that branding can even trump sensory input.