Tween Marketing Tips

The word tween is a marketing term that refers to preadolescents aged 8 to 12. A cross between the word teen and between, this word has not yet made it into the dictionary, but it is on the lips of every marketer. This is because last year alone, tweens spent $51 billion dollars on themselves, with their parents spending another $170 billion. This is simply a market that cannot be ignored, but tween marketing requires a whole different strategy. No longer interested in toys (unless of course you are referring to an iPhone or mp3 player), tweens follow music, fashion, and celebrities, and are engaged with technology and each other like never before. If you want to market to this special group, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Meet Them Where They Are. Traditional marketing like direct mail will simply not reach this market, kids aren’t checking their mail, they are checking their email and cell phones. This demographic embraces and quickly adapts to new technology, so don’t be afraid to experiment with a new technology. If you really want to do print, think outside the box. For example, new mobile snap technology allows a user to snap a photo of an advertisement with their mobile phone and receive special offers from the merchant in return.

Remember Goldilocks. Your message should neither downplay the intelligence of this group, nor speak above it—it should be “just right.” This group is smarter than you think. Don’t oversell, they can see it coming a mile away. Be direct in your messaging and speak their language. Do your research: Watch what they watch, listen to what they listen to. Talk to your own kids, conduct focus groups. Evaluate and learn from the competition—who is marketing successfully and how are they communicating?

Be where they’re at. Remember that members of this demographic don’t own cars, so they aren’t at the mall, but instead at home in front of the computer interacting with friends. Kids are connecting like never before; social networking sites like MySpace are extremely popular with this group and are growing rapidly. Facebook, for example, now has 130 million users worldwide. Stardoll.com, a website for tween girls combining social networking and gaming, has gained over 24 million members in its first two years online. It is essential that you reach out to your audience where they will see you.

Make it move. Kids are always on the go, as should be their marketing. Animation is a must with any youth marketing and you can incorporate this most easily into your website. Tweens still enjoy cartoons, but in a more sophisticated manner. Barbie.com is almost entirely animated as is their spinoff barbiegirls.com (created specifically to ensure they were capturing their youngest customers). Many tween websites have digital mascots and allow kids to create their own avatar (a graphic or digital representation of oneself). Moujaes, a branding agency based in Austin, Texas, now has their own animation studio to fulfill the growing needs of their tween marketing clients. Owner Chris Moujaes believes that successful youth brand communication depends on creating entertainment and experiences, which simply cannot be done with static text.

Think like a parent. Last, but certainly not least, never forget that the parents of tweens are directly or indirectly financing any purchase. Just because something is trendy or popular with this group, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate in a parents mind. Remember the controversy over Joe Camel? Be responsible and err on the safe side. Always think, “If I had a child of this age, how would I perceive this?”

Marketing to tweens is a whole new ball game. You really have to get inside the head of a tween to ensure you present your message where they will see it, and in a method that specifically appeals to them. The above tips may help you wrap your mind around marketing to this group, but any rookie should seriously consider pairing up with an experienced branding agency.