With the subject of children and their media consumption always a hot topic for discussion, we decided to take a look at how the consumption habits of children are looking in more recent times. We carried out a variety of research approaches, including a survey and 3rd party research resources. I've provided a brief summary of the results below - if you'd like to know more, please drop us an email and we will send you the full research report.
Firstly, we took a look at the different types of media that children consume. Unsurprisingly, the 12-16 age groups showed the highest percentage of media consumption across all types of media. What was more interesting however, was the prevalence of the 5-7 age group as major consumers of television, games consoles and computers - with a higher percentage in the 5-7 age group than the 8-11 across the three activities. Mobile phone usage increases significantly with age, as would be expected, with close to 100% penetration amongst the 12-16 year olds. Television still achieves the highest penetration with close to 100% consumption across each age group, leaving us to wonder - what damage / good does TV advertising do to our children, given the high levels of exposure? A question for another time!
Mobile phone usage was an interesting one, with the most popular activity a mobile being used for across both the 5-7 and 8-11 age groups being games. It is not until the children reach the 12-16 age group, that we really see the social uses of the mobile phone emerge, with this age group showing heavier use for both calls and texting, accountable for 2/3 of usage, with games, video and music making up the remaining 1/3.
Online consumption results mirrored many recent research reports, with social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo showing strong prevalence in both the 8-11 and 12-16 age groups, despite the minimum age for members of 13 years. YouTube was popular across the age groups, with many of the younger age group's online usage being largely parent-led and linked to television consumption - being driven to websites for TV channels such as CBeebies, Disney etc.
With complete digital media immersion clearly a way of life for the younger generations, an increasing number of exciting opportunities to engage with our target audiences will emerge. Improved targeting, niche campaigns, increased return on investment and better audience conversations will all be possible for brands that embrace a truly integrated approach, accepting digital not simply as another channel, but as marketing itself.
Jocelyn Kirby
Marketing & Business Development Manager
Twitter @JocelynKirby
Research carried out by:
Laura Hannan
Twitter @bluhalolaura
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