Do you have a brand that sells to children? This could be books, clothing, perishables, toys or anything in-between; we are the kids PR agency for you! In today’s busy world with the inevitable hustle and bustle that surrounds us; it’s easy to forget that it isn’t just adults that are watching the television, listening to the radio and taking in information from the various media outlets that surrounds us.That’s right; children are absorbing information too. As a result, they are deciding what they like and what new, innovate products appeal to them. This means that you as a company need to appeal to two target audiences, the child themselves and the parent. There is a risk that the message can lose the key element of what you are trying to encompass. You should always take all reasonable steps possible to retain the message as to not confuse or mislead minors. VerriBerri are a kids PR agency working with brands across the UK.  We are recognised as a leading agency for everything children. Our clients gain an amazing amount of exposure from working with us. Our clients love that we sign non-disclosure agreements with them that ensure that from the outside looking in you would assume that all their PR and marketing are carried out in-house.

In addition to this we have made our mark with something totally unique to us; unlike other agencies we do not tie you into a long term contract. Why? Because we believe our work speaks for itself. We do not feel the need to force you to commit to us as we retain client’s due to the quality of service and work they receive and we feel this is paramount to building a relationship with you.

As a kids brand, it may be hard to decide how you’re going to target your core audience. 

This is particularly true now, with so many restrictions placed on children’s media! With these recent bans in mind, it’s important to consider the ethics of marketing to children and the impact this could have on kids. After all, there have been many corporations who have faced backlash following failed marketing attempts. Our kids PR agency have put together a list of marketing activities to avoid when raising awareness of your brand. Some may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised what we have seen! 

Avoid anything that could be seen as inappropriate 

It sounds evident, but you would be surprised at the number of brands who use “sexually inappropriate” adverts to appeal to a teenage demographic! In 2016, Jack Wills, British clothes retailer, was criticized by parents for their overly sexualized ad, featuring a group of teenagers drinking, dancing and in bed whilst in underwear. As a result of the complaints, the Advertising Standards Agency deemed the advert as “irresponsible” so it was taken down.

Stay away from “getting down with the kids” 

There is reaching out to the younger generation and there is making yourself and your brand look like fools – something you really want to avoid, especially with a generation so quick to criticize. Welch’s, the American juice company attempted to target a pre-teen audience by using the phrase “Pour’em a glass of LOL’s!” It didn’t go down well with their audience – in fact, it became something to laugh at.

Avoid unhealthy behaviour 

Again, it should be obvious that promoting drugs and alcohol to the younger generation would be a bad idea. However, cigarette brand, Malboro, didn’t think so when creating their ‘Don’t be a maybe!’ campaign. Aimed at young teens, these adverts showed people in dangerous situations that parents believed “persuaded the young to smoke” by the power of peer pressure. One advert in Switzerland featured a barefoot young woman standing on the roof of a high building, overlooking the city with the caption “A ‘maybe’ never reached the top!”

So how can you avoid making these mistakes when planning your own marketing strategy?

At VerriBerri, we are a kids PR agency so have a specialised understanding of marketing children’s and teens brands and the specific marketing tools you can use to target your audience in an ethical and effective way. If you’re looking for help with branding, design, PR, SEO, social media, or content marketing; why not get in touch with our expert team?