kids world watch

2011-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

When your 9-13 year old asks to put up a Facebook page, you need to know about Everloop. It's a safe, kid-only community that lets kids be free but lets parents guide the social tools they can use. Everloop also gently guides kids toward safe online behavior and away from bullying. But it's not sanctimonious, it's playfully mischievous. Right now, kids can listen to their Zombie Radio (featuring Monster Mash and more ghoulish tunes). And prank each other with Gooblins.

Pull-Ups Potty Dance

2011-02-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

Power to the toddler! This little video intended to help parents potty train their little ones has had a viral life of its own. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVToZfaGCTw VerveLife didn't create the idea or the video. We did recommend and license the talent, Ralph of Ralph's World, AKA "the Paul McCartney of the under-4 set." Though this artist may not be knighted, there are many parents who think he deserves it.

"Music is Our Language"

2010-09-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Thus sayeth, Aimee. One example she used are the playlists they make for each other to support or console or encourage or commemorate their lives's events.

Rachel said almost the same thing while searching though our latest promotion. This one opens dialog between parents and students through (and about) music. Families choose playlists to help accomplish after-school goals: "Focus" "Create" etc. The music library includes tunes for both generations. Squeaky clean but crazy cool http://www.quakeroats.com/about-quaker-oats/content/after-school-rocks/verve-life.aspx

HeyThereTweens

2009-12-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Since back-to-school season, Go-GURT has been running a digital music download promotion. Kids get codes and can download all kinds of tween faves: Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Jesse McCartney (all have been in the top 5) but "Hey there, Delilah" ranks number one, week after week. That's by a band from Lombard called the Plain White T's. It's not even new. What's your theory?

PeaceSigns

2009-09-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Ohio high schoolers not far from Kent State, when asked to come up with non-verbal symbols, quickly imagined peace signs. When they had to draw the signs, the girls were able to. They wear them on clothes and accessories. The boys tended to draw Mercedes logos.
Carole, their teacher, recommended that they imagine them as dove tracks.

Emoticons

2009-08-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

East Asians read emotions from the eye region, westerners tend to scan the whole face.

No wonder that emoticons have their own language. Check out how the mouth tells the whole story in the west. In the east it's a straight line.

West/East differences in Emoticons

Happy.... :-)....(^_^)
Sad........:-(....(;_;) or (T_T)
Surprise..:-o....(o.o)

GirlMusicPSP

2009-08-05T04:52:00.001-07:00

What makes a PSP more "like me" for girls? Not just the lilac color but the apoplexy-worthy artists that add fun to the games. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Vanessa Hudgens--all via free downloads when you enter codes. It launched Monday.

VerveLife provided the artists, the microsite and music delivery system. Don't know who added the "z." http://vervelife.com/girlzplaytoo

KidEntrepreneurs

2009-07-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

Mary Mazzio has created a film on teen entrepreneurship, bless her. With few jobs for teens, it's more important than ever. And they're full of ideas like cake-on-a-stick and they're shooting for the moon. Even the trailer will make you choke up. It's called "ten9eight"

GenZ

2009-06-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

What will the kids after Gen Y be called? "Gen Z" gets my vote, not because it's evocative, but because it's easy to remember.

If I coined a name for them, it would be the "MOBILE-GLOBALS" to recognize the most significant technology of their early childhood and the world-connectedness into which they're being born.

These children are the ones born after the mid-90's (some say 2000). Here are some of the other names in contention.

Computer Generation
Generation M (for Millennium or Multi Task)
Millennials
Google generation
Global Generation
Generation Einstein
Generation Q (for "Quiet", termed by Thomas L. Friedman)
Net Gen, a shortened form of "Net Generation"
Source(s):

Thanks to a blogger named Tehtaza for the list above.

AtlanticSponge

2009-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Monthly takes a break from its erudite content to muse on the Atlantic's most popular denizen, SpongeBob Squarepants. We've been caught in his net for ten years.

They quote Rowland Semiotics, "Sponge Bob is one of the greatest believers of he American Dream," and end by saying "he will not succumb to complication. His corner of the world is all levity." They exhort the drained adult to embrace him and salute his yellow flag. "It's a sign of life."

In 2001, I noticed Edinborough U. students watching a show I'd considered to be a US kid phenomenon. That was the first time I wrote about SpongeBob.

The first month of this blog included him, too. Happy 10th birthday, Sponge!

KudosTraderJoe

2009-05-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

I had thought that Trader Joe's check-out balloons were there to create a festive atmosphere. But Friday I witnessed the thrilled little girl who got to choose her favorite color to take home (you already know it). Her father's grateful pleasure and her shy joy sent a smile down the line. One happy child created contagious happiness.

I began to spot balloons bobbing on strollers in surrounding blocks.

So simple and visible. If I were a food manufacturer, I'd consider branding the helium tank or taking the idea to another retailer in return for balloon message-sharing.

EasterDrawing

2009-04-14T18:19:00.001-07:00

Here's how you gained admission to the jelly bean hunt at my house this week: draw an Easter drawing with sidewalk chalk. An impromptu collaboration produced the "Easter Emu."

HannaFan

2009-04-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I saw a little girl jumping and cheering at the sight of Hannah Montana in the Mich. Ave. Disney Store window. Her older brother's sympathetic comment was, "I'ma kill you if I hear anymore about Hanna Montana." Her mother seemed interested though. Today another nice mom, Raleigh, from Denver, posted this little girl's review of the movie, "Mom that was the BEST movie ever!"

PiratesAgain

2009-04-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

Lauren, who works at the Chicago Field Museum said all tickets were sold out yesterday for the new exhibit on, what else? Pirates--the trend continues. She had taken her 12-year-old brother.

This blog talks about Pirates so much, I should have an eye-patch.

See entry from Oct. 15,'06 "Yo-ho-ho and a stick of gum," or Jan 15,'07 "Pirate in the Phils," that page also sports a Disney pirate ship promo spotted in Istanbul (far from the Caribbean).

BoysShop

2009-03-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

These pics by Ali Pohn make one thing clear. Boys shop with their hands. Want to get a boy's attention? Give him something to probe, pound or poke.

MonkeyToys

2009-02-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

Izzy pointed me to an ingenious Texas A&M study on Vervet Monkeys and toy choice. As with humans, female monkeys tend to choose dolls, male monkeys tend to choose trucks.

MealMarkers

2009-02-16T05:28:00.000-08:00

How to get picky eaters to pick fruits and vegetables?

See mealmarkers.com--Nutritionists joined a psychologist to create this tool to put the power of planning healthy meals into kids' hands. And it's game-like quality could spur Healthy competition.

If I were Del Monte, Dole, Bird's Eye or a grocery chain, I'd go bananas about this clever but simple idea.

PrincessParade

2009-02-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Little Caroline can take class called "Princess Ballet--and you can see why that's offered. Look what she lugs in her backpack: a posse of princesses. Later she found one more figure at the bottom, a lone prince.

You can keep your handsome prince. I put my chips on the princess square.

GrandGift

2009-01-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

What to get a thoroughly modern grandmama for Christmas? A Flip! Anne filmed her little prodigy and sent this clip through email. The song is old and simple to sing, the camera is new and simple to use.

OjoChristmas

2008-12-28T06:59:00.000-08:00

Little Hugo, from Madrid, fastens his huge eyes on an shiny ornament. He's learning about Christmas before he learns to walk--and he'll be at the Christmas market pictured below within three years.

Perhaps he'll choose an ornament instead of, or in addition to, the nativity scene figurine that Spanish children traditional brought home.

(Sweet Hugo is the son of Elena at Grupo SM Edgar & Ellen's publisher in Spain)

Navidad

2008-12-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

At the Christmas Market in Madrid's Plaza Mayor, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, snowmen (it barely snows) and ornaments have encroached on world of Nativity Scene figurines. Those lively villages spread over tables full of animals, mountains, innkeepers and lonely shepherds. But they no longer dominate the market.

I recalled the Lego insight, that boys build UP and girls build OUT. A tree rises to the ceiling, while a "Nacimiento" builds an extended community. Christmas in Spain may tilting toward the boy side.

Nacimientos, though, have a new trick: battery power. Boys goggled at the turning water-wheels, perpetually lucky fishermen, clothes-hanging washerwomen, and hammering blacksmiths. They pointed and grandparents plunked down their Euros.

Lucky boys and girls of Spain: they have two terrific ways to decorate and now, two gift occasions. They get gifts not just on Three Kings Day, but on Christmas day, too.

Toothpicks

2008-12-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

My trend-muse, Aimee, says keep your eye on toothpicks. Not even theater students smoke these days, she says. Consequently, the hotspots in Manhattan offer toothpicks in appealing containers. They come in flavors, too, cool mint being the menthol version.

I predict slick personal packs next. What could be a simpler free premium for college marketing?

scene

2008-12-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 29th this staid convention center in Ohio became a tween hot spot for one night. The parents evidently hadn't read the news saying they'd spend less on tweens this season.

A Bar Mitzvah took over a ballroom and conference rooms as Guitar Hero, a "tattoo parlor," video karaoke, a DJ and a full sit-down dinner rolled out. I suspect that this child didn't just get the predicted books and board games as gifts, either.

I was there for the other end of the age spectrum. My 83-year-old widowed father was getting married. Some of our younger guests (under 35) went next door to get tattooed.

Quick! What year is this?

2008-11-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

This Halloween I noticed a lot of stroller-babies zipped into warm, cozy costumes including a dinosaur, a giraffe, and this little chicken and lion. To look at this photo you might think it was taken in 1987. There's Wonder Woman, "Where's Waldo?" and timeless baby animals. The only clue that it's the 21st century is the name on the stroller, "Baby Jogger." It's October 2008, when the same old days suddenly look like the good old days.

Perhaps there's a clue in Pumpkin Goo

2008-10-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

Well, kids may not be crazy about "pizza bones" mentioned in my last post, but these pics would indicate that the gooey part must be sheer delight. While his grown-up sister winces, Kit relishes the squish of the squash.

Pizza bones

2008-10-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Just Kid Inc. today posits that the chance for success of a "better for you" kid introduction is under 5% (and possibly declining). I guess "better for you" doesn't communicate Yummy and Fun (unlike Billy's idea posted below).

I also learned today that kids think of Pizza's crust as its "bones." Bones are not yummy or fun. Luckily, the gooey, colorful, and empowering toppings are both, and can be quite good for kids. Based on a similar kid insight, we now have the successful Uncrustables--got time to design a crustless pizza?

Tattooed Moms

2008-09-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know that 32 percent of Gen-X moms have tattoos? I learned that from my old buddies the authors of Marketing to the New Super Consumer: Mom & Kid. It's published by Paramount Books.

This pic comes from a fellow blogspot blog, "Tattoo Machine."

If you want to ponder who influences whom, go to Google Images and look how many kids have proudly uploaded "Mom's first tattoo" pictures.

Help! Author of Edgar & Ellen missing.

2008-09-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Chicago, IL September 10, 2008

The Missing Author department of Simon & Schuster has put out the call for help in locating the lost Edgar & Ellen author and the manuscript for his next book.

On the eve of the publication of, Hot Air, the kick-off book in Edgar & Ellen's second series, Charles Ogden has disappeared leaving nothing but a small scrap of paper with two odd words (it's reproduced in the back of the book along with the publisher's urgent plea).

Where is he? Will the second manuscript ever be found? Is there evil afoot or does the name of the new series eerily portend a long and arduous voyage?

The second Edgar & Ellen book series is called "The Nodyssey."

Intrepid sleuths may want to check http://edgarandellen.com/missingauthor/

Good trick for picky eaters

2008-09-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

Billy Carton says he gets his children to eat everything from salmon to brussels sprouts by cutting foods small and impaling the pieces on those cocktail toothpicks with colorful frou-frou on the ends.

Perfect!

It adds color, kid-sizes, eating ritual, and provides a weapon (er, toy).

Add it to your kid food innovation armory.

Growing fans

2008-08-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

I posted this little girl's picture a couple of years ago to underscore kids' intense love of color. (Oct. 2006 "Let them eat bright colors"). See how she's grown!

She was also one of Edgar & Ellen's young US fans while her father was working here. Now she's back in her native Holland. Her mother reports that she still watches Edgar & Ellen which now plays on Nickelodeon Benelux. I notice that the Fan Forum also has fans whose spelling is improving, whose writing is becoming more precise and whose attention spans are getting longer(they're still wacky).

What keeps fans in the fold? Here are theories: Varied humor (from silly pratfalls to clever pranks). Layered storytelling. Never talking down to them. Multimedia access. The ability to influence the content. The chance to add your own plots and characters to the story-world.

"Smash! Crash!"

2008-08-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

After spending 6 months on the NYT Bestseller's List, this perfect boy property by Jon Szieszka is getting its own web world. You can imagine the audio.

Food marketers, alert: This property could get kids eating carrots, apples, pears, peanuts: Anything that goes "crunch."

And I predict "Wrecker Rosie" with her pink wrecking ball will be a breakout character. If I made Bubble Gum, I'd put together a deal with them "Smash! Crash!" before sundown.

Look at me, I'm a designer!

2008-07-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

You can design for your avatar in your favorite virtual world, and you can do the same for your tween girl self at Fashionology LA. Not only that, you can model it and show your creation and yourself on large screens throughout the store. As soon as you grow out of that, you'll grow into your personally-designed Lill Street bag.

Kids always say "I do it self!" The business of creating a platform and letting the young customers create content is not just for them, but they'll lunge for it fastest.

See what I mean by "adorable?"

2008-07-02T14:10:00.001-07:00

Meet Pucca who loves Garu in what's positioned as a funny love story. She looks exceptionally good on products and, though she didn't show up in a lot of press, she had a prominent spot at the NY Licensing Show.

Oddly appealing

2008-06-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

This year's Licensing Show was refreshingly un-dominated by ancient reruns.

A lot of new Japanese adorableness (kawaii) had elbowed its way in.

Simplistic "hand-draw" styles like Charlie & Lola and even Roald Dahl had center aisle presence.

And, breaking new ground, was Pampers' Kandoo, a lively spokesfrog previously mentioned in this blog. P&G was wisely licensing the rights to their potty-empowering character.

On behalf of Edgar & Ellen, I met with people from Israel, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Latin America and the US entertainment triangle: Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

NY Licensing Show starts tomorrow!

2008-06-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

I'm packing my wheelie in anticipation. Last time I went was in 2005 when I was disappointed in the lack of originality: Hello Kitty!, Barbie, Marvel Superheroes, same old stuff--except Chronicles of Narnia which had many people scratching their heads. Would it work? It was religious after all.

But it's doing fine--another in the trend toward literary properties for kids.

I'm taking the twins, Edgar & Ellen who, with eight books under their jammies, are beginning their licensing journey outside the US.

Prized supplies

2008-05-25T06:46:00.001-07:00

Jim McNeal has often talked about Chinese students' preference for school supplies over toys as premiums and treats. It can be true in the US, too. Here a girl uses her own discretionary dollars to buy the "cutest" pens.

Flatbread and geometry

2008-05-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

At the Fancy Food show in Chicago last month, along with Lithuanian liquors, Japanese pine needle juice and all manner of "healthy" dark chocolate, were homely flatbreads.

Why are they popular these days?

The answer offered by an enthusiastic flatbread puveyer was that they're "not the circles and squares that everyone's so tired of." I wondered if rectangles could possibly be so much more appealing a form. He said, "No, they get broken up--into sharp angles and uneven shapes. That's what makes them interesting."

I thought of Cheetos, which get their appeal from weird shapes--and that was the only thing that made me keep from raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Occupational Hazard

2008-05-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

While signing autographs at New York Comic Con 2008, Edgar & Ellen's illustrator, Rick Carton, got a dose of the pranking he invents. An 11-year-old fan named Jason popped him in the face with a whipped cream pie. Rick's brother (and Jason's co-conspirator), TV writer, Billy Carton had an Edgarish look as he laughed in the background.

To see the whole picture, visit:

http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=23177

Top Kids Picturebooks

2008-04-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Check out the top-15 children's picture books sold in the US over the week of April 21, courtesy of our friends at Publishers Weekly.

Colleen's Clue for Kid Marketers: Notice how many titles include rhymes!

1. Gallop! by Rufus Butler Seder, Workman, US$12.95.

2. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems, Hyperion, US$14.99

3. Dirt on My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy, HarperCollins, US$16.99

4. Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly by Jane O'Connor, HarperCollins, US$16.99

5. Don't Bump the Glump! And Other Fantasies by Shel Silverstein, HarperCollins, US$17.99

6. Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems, Hyperion, US$16.99

7. The Jellybeans and the Big Dance by Laura Numeroff, Abrams, US$15.95

8. Smash Crash! by Jon Scieszka, Simon & Schuster, US$16.99

9. Zen Ties by Jon J. Muth, Scholastic Press, US$17.99

10. Alphabet by Matthew Van Fleet and Brian Stanton, Simon & Schuster/Wiseman, US$19.99.

11. My Dog May Be a Genius by Jack Prelutsky and James Stevenson, Greenwillow, US$18.99

12. First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Roaring Brook/Porter, US$14.95

13. Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy by Matthew Reinhart, Orchard US$32.99.

14. Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantasical World Around you by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, Simon & Schuster, US$24.99

15. Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, HarperCollins, US$16.99.

Used with permission, copyright Publishers Weekly 2008; a full listing in all categories can be found at www.publishersweekly.com.

Hello, Sweden!

2008-04-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Nickelodeon Nordic just put some Edgar & Ellen games on their site and suddenly Sweden, Norway and Finland jumped to the top 10 countries sending fans to http://edgarandellen.com Number eleven? Why, Denmark.

Never underestimate the power of casual games! The one that's getting the most play is Pet Soccer, featuring Pet, the beloved hairy eyeball as the soccer ball.

Beancake man and the cult of cute

2008-04-03T15:35:00.000-07:00

In Japan, "Kawaii" warms the hearts of the teen girl in everyone. The Kawaii icon is an adult-type cute--softy, cuddly, innocent, "like a baby bulldog" says Tokyo-based licensing agent, Jim Weatherford. "Hello Kitty!" reigns as the quintessential example, but Ampanman (named after a cute bean cake) is still sweeping Japan.

Western characters, Miffy and Snoopy qualify. How could you make your product as ineffably adorable?

Girls multiply sales

2008-04-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

In last month's Shop-along, three girls (each with $20 to spend) made identical purchases including pens, St. Patrick's Day hats and Play-Doh. POP aimed at girls would do well to reflect and encourage that propensity.

Pushing the right POP buttons

2008-03-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

In last week's Shop-Alongs for KidSay, Ali Pohn, noted that boys headed straight for the toy section and especially responded to anything that moved, could be punched, bounced or pushed. The girls tended to wander more and pay attention to signage that to showed what was in the departments. The cuter the better, like this Peeps daisy signifying the Easter candy section.

Martha Barletta's book, "Marketing to Women" has similar observations to make about how men and women shop for a white shirt and a black dress. Men head directly to the shirts, women check everything in between and around the dresses.

Kids properties to watch

2008-03-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine wrote from Atlanta to ask what properties were catching my eye in the kid world. Here's my quick reply:

-Yo Gabba Gabba for very young kids, is super hot

-In books it's The Twilight Saga — huge with teens, now I'm hearing adults talking about reading it

-Worth keeping an eye on: Word World (animals are formed from the letters that spell their names) on PBS

-Pirates of the Caribbean, the Massively Multiplayer Online Game from Disney is getting kids and adults who aren't quite geeky or devoted enough for World of Warcraft

-AddictingGames.com draws bunches of boys

-I guess I have to mention HS the Musical and Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, but I know you know them already

Baby/bebe cribs

2008-02-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

According to Kids Today, many of the big gains in Baby Crib sales from now through 2012 are projected to come from Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas.

That makes me suspect that we'll soonl be seeing more biligual Spanish/English activity toys, video games and TV shows, more non-blond dolls, more tamarind and mango baby foods. What else?

Twin wins for Edgar & Ellen at Elan Awards

2008-02-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

The mischievous twins sneaked off with two top prizes at Canada's Elan Awards, winning both Best Art Direction and Best Series.

Their Valentine’s Special “Crushed” (in which Edgar’s heart is temporarily broken) won the award entitled “Best Production Design or Art Direction” which may have helped mend his heart. But if it didn’t, Edgar and his identical twin sister Ellen should be celebrating the fact that they took the Seven Group Award for Best Animated Production – Television Series.

For me the real prizes come in the hundreds of emails from kids on http://edgarandellen.com, like this one from 10 year old Sara, last week, "Hello, I really like your cartoons and your books! At first Isaw alot of people reading it, and I wondered if it was as good as people said it was. I really like Pet because he is so ugly he's cute, sneaky, and mysterious."

Little Kids and Candidates

2008-02-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

On the heels of Brarak Obama's recent sweep, I'd like to share a finding reported by parents. Their kids love to run around the house saying, "Obama, Obama, Obama!" It's fun in their mouths.

A word to the wise: remember to look for this syllabic bounce when you're naming a kid's brand.

Back to Board Games

2008-01-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

Amid all the talk of tech at this week's Kid's Marketing Mega Event (I hosted the Symposium on Media & Technology) I was surprised at how many times kids, parents and speakers mentioned family board game nights. No wonder Hasbro paid $77 million for Cranium.

Frequent mentions of scrapbooking, crafts, Crayolas and outdoor play convinced me that a counter-trend is in full flower. Parents and kids are valiently working to weigh down the anti-tech side of the scale with traditional amusements. Clearly, not all family time is spend gathered around the Wii.

Then I realized I had joined the trend, too. Last week, I had introduced my godchildren to Apples to Apples. They couldn't get enough of it--they never begged once to use my coveted laptop.

Grafitti is forever

2008-01-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

Iesha lives in a Puerto Rican neighborhood on Chicago's west side. Yesterday, while walking by Lincoln Park's St. Clement's church, I asked her if she'd like to look inside.

At first she hung back, but when we came out she said she'd liked it, "Especially the beautiful graffiti around the ceiling."

Mosaic scriptures circle the golden dome as graffiti circles the el trains. To Iesha, graffiti doesn't deface, but embellishes.

Watch for more book back-matter

2008-01-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

DVD's provide their "making of" bonuses and funny outtakes, websites provide secret material that's unlocked by codes. Until recently, books just ended with "The End." Now publishing is catching on and catching up. The surge of Book Club questions and author interviews after the final sentence attests to it.

Edgar & Ellen books provided a hidden code that led readers to the site. 39 Clues will take you on a multimedia quest.

I predict that the popularity of our next series, Kaimira Code, will hinge largely on the mysterious back matter that provides coded messages, an unfinished manuscript and a lost diary.

Keep an eye out for a growing trend in intiguing, fragmentary content--the end after the end...

Wii Three Kings

2007-12-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

In St. Charles, Illinois the most played-with present under my 10-year-old nephew's tree, was the versatile Wii. It stole the crown from the dinosaur kit, the talking globe (from last year), and the Pirateology book. It commanded the attention of three generations of family who were easily lured into trying their skills and who did not necessarily beat the youngest person in the house.

After the college board, the longboard

2007-11-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

Chico State University students arrive at class on narrow-tailed longboards. Their feet don't touch the pavement between the dorm and the doorway where they hop off before propping their boards against classroom walls.

Yesterday, a knee-sized Chico resident whizzed by me on a board as tall as he was. Three years old and already preparing for college, California style. Just a reminder, if you're predicting trends always watch California kids.

Kids are quick, sales follow

2007-11-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

It astounded me to see how a 1.5 second appearance of a previously unadvertised book within a sweepstakes commercial made an immediate difference in its Amazon sales rank. Edgar & Ellen's Mischief Manual had previously ranked last among the Edgar & Ellen books but it flew to the top during the promotion period. It was briefly mentioned as part of a prize package for an Edgar & Ellen Party in a Box on Nicktoons Network.

More proof that today's kids have an uncanny ability to grasp visual information at high speeds. Maybe auditory, too.

Clan costuming

2007-11-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

This year, I spotted groups of people dressed as "casts." There were two groups of Ghost Busters, a handful of glistening French courtiers, a gang of jolly cons and a crew of pirates.

Costumes catch the eye when they're multiplied. Halloween customs seem to be borrowing from the costumed tribes in role-playing games.

Halloween, America's Carnaval

2007-11-04T06:36:00.000-08:00

Returning from the Greenwich Village Halloween scene, I doubt that costumes will remain the domain of kids.

Sure there were little pirates, fairies, Spidermen and Elmos trick-or-treating at generous shops and liquor stores, but they were outnumbered by the throngs of Paris Hiltons, sexy angels, Louis IV courtiers, and taller pirates. Through the evening, the epicenter moved from 6th avenue to Washington Square. Lots of laughing students and groups of tottering girls--expect bands, sponsors and pregnancies to follow.

While we talk about KGOY "Kids Getting Older Younger," I propose a parallel trend: ASYLUM "Adults Staying Younger Longer Until Married." Bring on the adult-sized costumes, welcome to Carnaval.

Twice the fun at Halloween

2007-10-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

On this blog, I've noted that kids are wearing costumes outside of Halloween season; so how can you make Halloween special? One dynamic four-year-old at the Halloween Fair in Oz Park had the perfect solution: wear two costumes at once. His full Spiderman suit was topped with a fire fighter's hat and rubber coat.

I do hear that Target is having its best Halloween ever. Could it be the Edgar & Ellen theme, or simply that kids are doubling up?

Will and DeWitt now in a bathroom near you

2007-10-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm intrigued to see the little P&G Kandoo Frog appear in a Kids WB! TV show called Will and DeWitt as the helper to a little boy named "Will"--as in "power", get it? The brand is takin it "toddler power" positioning beyond potty training. http://kidswb.com/shows/will-dewitt

I didn't know you were allowed to make TV shows from established characters (like Ronald McDonald). Clearly, it's a bright marketing move by the company that brought us soap operas. P&G packaging and FSI's bring unbeatable targeted media impressions to the show's launch.

Edgar & Ellen treats at Target

2007-09-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here's candy with a twinkle in its eye in a Colorado Target store. Edgar & Ellen mad lab beakers, test tubes, dissectible gummi frogs, even hairy-eyeball candy buckets honoring Edgar & Ellen's pet, "Pet" make Halloween a little more humorous.

Edgar & Ellen began as a book series--but come October 7th, it will also be a TV series on Nicktoons Network.

The shape of Crocs to come

2007-09-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

The best place to see the Crocs of the future is in the Denver airport. Probably because Colorado invented Crocs.

All children wear them (pink and lavender on little girls, lime and purple on older ones) and there's a balcony dedicated to selling the new styles. Families exclaimed over colorful rubber boots, lined slippers and a rubber version of Mary Janes. Popular decorations included Dora the Explorer and the American Flag.

Today in Chicago, I counted 6 pairs of the traditional Crocs on kids headed to school, and one tiny green pastel pair on a toddler. If you're looking for premium idea, think of new ways to fill the perforations-- kids' eyes are closer to their shoes than adults's eyes are.

David Whitten's 27 kids

2007-09-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last time I saw my old schoolmate, David, he and Cheryl had only 21 kids. When he wrote me this week, he mentioned that he now has 6 more. All of their lovely, boisterous children (many of whom were born with difficult conditions including blindness, missing limbs or deforming maladies) have been adopted. The driveway echoes with with bouncing of basketballs and the house vibrates with energy.

Some of his kids once told me they wanted a karaoke machine for Christmas. i sent one, and David reported that the whole crew embraced it and turned the living room into a non-stop club. The universal truth is that kids love to sing.

Now David says that Ben, his Korean son, has acquired another little Korean brother. Their favorite song? "I'm a Seoul man!"

Aquapod on the loose!

2007-08-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Stepping out of a "paint your own pottery" party on Armitage this morning, an eight-year-old girl lost her grip on her small, fat-bellied Aquapod of Nestlé Water. It tumbled merrily down the sloped sidewalk till her mother made a diving save. Nice to see that a company has made water festive enough to be a party drink!

Evil villains and bland good guys

2007-08-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

Villains in children's stories have fangs, warts, claws, arched eyebrows, sharp noses--all kinds of specificity. Good guys, by contrast, are undifferentiated. That's because children have a clearer sense of the world around them than of their own identities. Consequently, they identify with undifferentiated characters.

Bats, spiders, turtles and one hairy eyeball

2007-08-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

As a face painter I dread the request for Spiderman. Batman's fast, all that takes is an eye mask or a simple graphic. But Spiderman requires a painstaking web that covers the child's reddened face. Once you've done one, other boys wants them, too.

This week on Oak Street Beach, I got big help from a boy's imagination. With just an eye mask drawn of webbing and a simple radioactive spider on his forehead, he began whooshing invisible webs from his wrists over the guests. Superhero bats, spiders and turtles give me great hope for Edgar & Ellen's mysterious pet, Pet--who's much easier to draw!

Scraping the sky

2007-08-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

On a plane back from St. Louis this Thursday, we circled the Chicago downtown. A four-year-old boy repeatedly asked his mother and sister, "Do skyscrapers scrape the sky?" When told "No," he began importuning, "Why not? Why not!" For his mother "skyscraper" was a dead metaphor. For the child, it had the vivid power of the day it was coined.

I wish I could have asked him "Does the sky like being scraped like a dog having its ears scratched?" but the mom was setting him straight. What must he think of the name, Luke Skywalker?

"My favorite flavor is red!"

2007-08-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at a neighborhood street fair, kids climbed all over the gleaming red fire truck. If the truck were blue, it would be cool but it wouldn't lure them so magnetically.

The fair's centerpiece was a red moon walk topped by an inflatable dalmation in a red fire hat. 11-year-old face painters carefully shaped red hearts on on a little girls' cheeks. Mothers were serving Hawaiian Punch. Kids' hot dogs wore plenty of ketchup, no mustard at all. Redder tasted better.

Which was your favorite Lifesaver when you were a kid?

Disguises in the Summertime

2007-07-29T06:09:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, on my way to a farmers' market in Chicago, I encountered a flock of 4-year-old princesses--not presiding from thrones, but competing (with little regard for their long, voile skirts) in a game that required running around and throwing beanbags.

No sooner had I turned the corner when a small fairy walked by carrying peaches for her mother.

Halloween has slipped its moorings. Soon clothing stores will have permanent costume sections.

Colleen's tips for great kid POP

2007-07-21T06:58:00.002-07:00

A trip to New York last week took me past the winning windows of FAO Schwartz where they masterfully use scale (giant animals), color, texture and "touch-me" appeal. How can you give your product that kind of power in a crowded store environment?

1. Get down on your knees, look at the store from a child's perspective. That will tell you where to concentrate your POP.

2. Remember young children can't read well. Emphasize visuals.

3. No need to be literal. Kids are happy to believe that elephants can fly. Tap into their vast imaginations.

4. Floor graphics work better for kids than for adults. They're closer.

5. Inflatables look like balloons, balloons are toys, ergo: inflatables communicate fun.

6. Consider an involvement device--kids love to touch everything. Can it spin, does it have a handle, could you include a button that makes a funny noise?

7. Empower them. Can you provide their own bag, bubble or basket to do their shopping with?

8. Think big. Could your product sponsor a play area in the front of the store? Cadbury does that in southeast Asia.

9. Everything that your mother tells you isn't tasteful is delightful to kids. Sparkles, flocking, holograms, neon colors...the more the merrier.

10. Put a prize in the package and kids will love you.

Apple dipping vs. Pizza eating

2007-07-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

For our Kids Advisory Board Tuesday evening, our intern, Kristine Greiwe, made the snap decision to buy a big platter of Dominick's Foods dipping apples rather than to rely on the baby carrots that we usually offer.

We also served the favorite food of kids in our 9-13 age range: pizza, of course.

The kids dove for the apples! The older ones exclamed how much they looove caramel apples. Pizza-eating got put off. What a great example of McDonald's marketing power! First came Happy Meals' Apple Dippers--now its happy chatter about apple platters.

Op-art influenced backpack

2007-07-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

I told you about the retro look in London fashion. Today, I saw it again in the featured JanSport backpack in the Target Circular. And, hey! The same backpack appears featured on eBags. Hats off to JanSport for jumping on a trend and adapting it to their products. The pattern's called "chocolate chip bubbles" and the color palette is spot on. Look for plenty of this pattern in schools come fall.

Carnaby St, is baaack!

2007-06-30T06:15:00.000-07:00

This month, teen girls in London floated by on ballet slippers, baring cleavage and ankles in their loose baby doll tops and colorful leggings.

What brought back thoughts of Beatles music for me, were the bright op art patterns and sleazy polyester fabrics. No wonder many moms sported the same look as their daughters.

Universal tweens

2007-06-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

While in London, I visited a family in Hammersmith Barnes: 11-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister--lovely, sociable kids living with a single Anglo-Guyanese mother.

They were perfect tweens. The boy loved his Wii, the Simpsons, soccer stars, and Playstation.The girl loved her iPod, Ashlee Simpson, Brittany Spears, Jamelia and Hannah Montana.

I offered them an Edgar & Ellen "Rare Beasts" Book. The boy's eyes lighted up. "I LOVE them!" He said. He had found Edgar & Ellen's "Under Town" and "High Wire" in his school library.

Now I'm crossing my fingers that Edgar joins Bart in his heart. And that his mainstream tastes predict that the twins will catch the big tween wave.

Wii gets the table, Playstation gets the floor

2007-06-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

In a tiny rowhouse in Hammersmith, a mother who works seven days a week has managed to provide her two kids with every digital necessity. The 11-year-old boy's Wii rules his room's most prominent corner. He even uses it to search the web, as his 12-year-old his sister begrudges him computer time. Of course, she never lets him touch her iPod or CD player, either.

Finally, he has a bargaining chip. Unlike the kicked-aside Playstation and his box turtle, this the first posession he owns that she covets.

Mums in hijab and headscarves

2007-06-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

Again, my attention turned to big strollers this week on Oxford Street in London (this is partially because they were hard to navigate among the crowds).

Though I noted many strollers, I saw NONE being pushed by women who lacked a head-covering. This points to a clear direction for baby and kid product development--it faces Mecca.

Wonk'd Out Room

2007-06-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Wonka promotions contain real kid trends and insights. Today, I noticed that they're offering "Build a Factory Room" online to win a cool room. Why it's on-trend: kids are taking control of their room decor--and kids relish designing environments on-line, too. This lets them do both. http://www.wonka.com/wonkafactory/shome.htm?section=rooms

Wonka's first insightful promo was "Wonkaaaah" The insight: for kids roller coasters provided a rite of passage--they tied the scream to the brand with boxes that screamed "Wonkaaah" to show you'd won. (Full disclosure, my previous team created that one).

Prediction: Next prize trend will be chances to glamorize rooms in kids' virtual worlds.

Many moneys

2007-06-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

Kids (who don't have credit cards or checkbooks) have many creative ways to buy things in virtual worlds. Gaia offers Gold, Whyville offers Clams, NeoPets offers NeoPoints which kids (who don't have real world salaries) love earning and spending. In my favorite panel at Digital Hollywood this week, on microtransactions, the question was raised, "Will there be too many currencies? Will it become confusing?"

I'd say "no." People are used to multiple currencies. Think of Green Stamps, Box Tops for Education, Poker Chips, Frequent Flier miles, Frito-Lay Ploids...when it comes to money, for kids or adults, the more the merrier.

Pop-up/Light-up cards and books

2007-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I heard oohing and aahing behind me today, and turned to see a detailed pop-up that featured glowing light sabers. No need to tell smart kids marketers what That property was.

This brought to mind the tendency toward maximalism that I wrote about in my first entry on this blog. A recent conversation with a greeting card manufacturer threw light on the subject, too. Effects that used to be too expensive are affordable now that manufacture is largely done in Asia.

Giant strollers

2007-06-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

As I watched a Dad muscling a heavy stroller into the backseat of an SUV, I thought of all the strollers-wrestling I see in airport jetways. Parents need an iPod of strollers: light, compact, and tasteful.

Today's strollers are the equivalent of yesterday's boom boxes.

Axe Deodorant and Disney Cars

2007-05-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite image from Kid Power this year was Wynne Tyree's picture of a tween boy's dresser. It answers the question, "what is a tween boy?" Answer: he's halfling ricocheting between boyhood and lady's man. The Disney Cars in the center of his dresser, he tried to hide from the photographer. He proudly displayed the Axe.

Making waits less hateful

2007-05-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

At Orlando's Kid Power this week, speaker David Calvert, "Corporate Director of Fun" at Starwood pointed out a guest service opportunity that rang with truth. Tired, antsy kids at hotel registration desks need distraction and entertainment. Starwood tries to make the experience fun--with giveaways and face painters.

What a sponsorship moment! Any kid (and parent) would look gratefully upon the company that popped for a puzzle. treasure map, or comic.

Some smart marketer should own the "I Hate to Wait" moment, not just in hotels, but wherever kids encounter it.

Dangerous Book for Boys

2007-05-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

This week, I've cheered as this title zoomed up the charts.
Kids need more irreverant fun, more creative fun, more time in the real world. Evidently, a lot of parents agree. Hooray for boys and their dads!

Speaking of shapes

2007-05-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

American Greetings brings us a square, triangle and circle-inspired characters. They're coming at licensing through the back porch. AG, a traditional licensor, courts broadcast entertainment partners for its own property--traditionally, it's been the other way around.

Geometry of kid characters

2007-05-11T10:03:00.001-07:00

What makes characters who have no arms and no discernable expressions so popular among kids? Sponge Bob is a square, M and M's characters are circles and Pet is a triangle.

The McDonald's McNugget Buddies are ovals, and kids used to love the little Fry Guys who were round hairy mops on stilty legs--all they could ever do was play soccer. Kid squeal with they see Pet crawl across the screen. And the giant purple triangle, Barney, continues to be roundly loved.

Healthy Pet

2007-05-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Kids send in all kinds of imaginative fare in the "Pet Sightings" section of http://www.edgarandellen.com and why not? Edgar & Ellen's pet, "Pet," who appears to be a hairy eyeball, comes in a shape that's easy to spot and to imitate. I share this one with you in my quest to inspire ways to make healthy food fun.

Kids books and early learning

2007-05-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hallway chat at an O'Hare forum hosted by the "Ready to Learn Parternship" yielded this gem--you can predict parents' engagment in children's learning via the 6-BOOK RULE:

Every 6 books in the house equates to 1 day a week that contains learning conversation. 12 books mean two days, 42 books mean 7 days.

The number of adult's books in the household often equals the number of kid's books.

last to go

2007-04-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

April 18, Easter eggs have all become egg salad by now. Still some licensed property baskets hanging around CVS. Last to go? Naughty Naughty Pets.

Remaindered Easter Baskets

2007-04-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

Remember the huge Easter baskets I was worried about at the CVS? They're still sitting on the discount display, and underneath it, too. They still have more than twenty.

On the forlorn table you see plenty of "Naughty, Naught Pets" as well as "Disney Princesses." The baskets that sold out? Well, if you've been following this blog, you'll have predicted this...
Pirates of the Carribean!

Many lives of kid bloggers

2007-04-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Kids drive the blog on http://www.edgarandellen.com. Though moderators post topics from which fans launch conversations, most of the time, fans take over and talk about their interests. They love Johnny Depp and pirates in general. They think Edgar is "hot." Willy Wonka shows up a lot, as do typical kid themes: homework, pets, and question of identity.

What's new is that fans try out emo and goth identities, they assume three identities and get them to arguing among themselves, they go overboard under one name and renew themselves under another.

By changing a screen name you can change your identity faster that your shoes. Online tweens are the Imelda Marcos's of on-line identities.

April Showers bring Big Baskets

2007-04-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

They're featuring pre-packed Easter Baskets as big as Santa's packs in the CVS drugstore on Armitage in Chicago where these kids' mothers shop. Bubble wands have given way to licensed properties like "Animal Planet" and "Build-a-Bear". I had thought that Halloween was the new Christmas. Now there's yet another contender in kids' world of giant gift-occasions.

But beware! A pre-packed basket may be a convenience but a giant one brings an inconvenience. It's harder to hide. I'm not sure that they'll sell.

Daddy vs. Mommy sales effect

2007-03-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

At the 2007 Youth Marketing Mega Event, two intriguing pieces of information made me crinkle my brow:

1. Wynne Tyree of Smarty Pants talked about DADS' influence on practically all the electronics purchases in the home.

2. The next morning Steve Knox of P&G's Tremor, shared a case history in which they tested a separate message to MOMS along with their normal "trend spreader" teens to sell an MP3 player.

The effect was to raise sales 300%--much higher than the 75% garnered by the teen message alone.

Assuming that Wynne is right (as I do), what's happening here? Are the Moms asking the Dads for advice? Cluing them in? Any theories?

Edgar & Ellen's April Fools' Day Prankemonium!

2007-03-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! I just got back from New York where they told me that Nicktoons Network will celebrate Edgar & Ellen in a big way on April Fools' Day.

Not only will they premiere our "Nobody's Fools" special--but they intend to run each of the other four specials, too. I'll let you figure out their seasons by their titles: "Accept No Substitutes," "Trick or Twins," "Cold Medalists," "Crushed."

The mishcievous pranksters series will debut in August.

Is it wishful thinkig or do I detect a new trend brewing?

India, meet Mexico

2007-03-08T08:01:00.000-08:00

So much kids promo activity in the kids' food space in Gurgaon outside of Delhi! I witnessed corresponding purchases for all but one of the promotions that I saw on TV. That's as hot, hot, hot as I've ever seen in my marketing life.

It makes me think of something I once heard about Sabritas (Frito-Lay) sales in Mexico. A huge portion of sales are connected to a consumer promotion. Want to guess? It's purportedly 80% !

This promotion was a sweepstakes for an XBox. There was one on display in the store. These boys had already put it in their parents' cart. But they were proud to take it out to show me (and you).

Kid promos in Delhi

2007-03-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

I had been in India for less than 24 hours when I saw a TV commercial for this promotion on a kids cable channel and then witnessed this boy put the product (Sunfeast noodles) in his cart at a grocery store called "Big Bazaar".

His indulgent father pointed at the premium to indicate why his son had chosen these particular noodles. There was abolutely NO resistance from his parents to this purchase.

Spoonfuls of Stories

2007-02-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here's my prediction: We're about to see more kids' foods doing tie-ins with publishers.

Why?

Because it's getting hard to stand out from the crowd of brands that are encouraging physical activity. And as food companies keep feeling pressure, they're going to respond with new things that are deemed good for kids.

Ergo: reading

Notice the Mom-friendly promotion on the cover of Cheerios box. It's an on-pack book for pre-readers, with publisher, Simon & Schuster--it's part of a larger program called "Spoonful of Stories." The book is "Horace and Morris Join the Chorus."

Watch for a chorus of reading-related promotional programs in 2007/2008.

Kids and cooking shows

2007-02-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Did you know that U.S kids love watching Rachel Ray? And that cooking shows are drawing them into the kitchen?

This pic is from Rachel Ray's kid page--it invites children to submit recipes that may be selected to be featured. Another example of kid-influenced content!

This is great news for parents who want to introduce new flavors...it IS well-known that kids are more likely to sample what they prepare themselves.

Pirate in the Phils

2007-01-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

I'm going to stop talking about pirates, I promise! But Pepi's father sent me this photo from Manila where three-year-old Pepi is out on the town dressed as Captain Hook.

Judging by his costume, adults have been heavily involved--a clue as to why the trend is so wide-spread. Parents like pirates, too!

See entry from October 15th...

What to wear in Turkey

2007-01-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Topkapi Palace,
Nothing new,
Girls wear pink,
And boys wear blue.

Double fun for a double holiday

2007-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Istanbul experienced both New Year's and Eid at the same time this year. That's why kid treats were prominent right next to the liquor section in this small supermarket just up the street from the ferry dock in Kadikoy.

Here's a premium within a premium. The hollow eggs carry toys inside them--and now their outside is a pirate ship toy, too.

Note that this year's ubiquitous Pirates have traveled into the Bosphorous.

High-tech user-generated content

2006-11-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

Props to "YukaHotanashi" a young YouTuber who has practically created an Edgar & Ellen network of her own. Check out at least a dozen of her creations--mixing eclectic music, inspired editing and a wry sense of humor.

Low-tech user-generated content

2006-11-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

User-generated content is the present and future of kids' entertainment and marketing. Bloggers and YouTubers know. But so, evidently, do spray painters. Full disclosure: Graffiti Jam was hosted by Terracycle, who makes plant fertilizer from worm poop. Edgar & Ellen partner with their in-school recycling program called "Bottle Brigade."

Yo-ho-ho and a stick of gum

2006-10-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Pirates are getting younger these days. I'm in New York for the Bryant Park Book Festival and, in helping spread the word for Edgar & Ellen's "High Wire", I've given out "Master of Mischief" stickers to many of the original mischief-makers of the high seas.

It's a good 15 days before Halloween--so the fact that the pirates look to be 11-year-olds with plastic cutlasses does nothing to dissuade me from thinking they're on shore leave from the bounding main.

Marketers alert! Start thinking pieces-of-eight, parrots, jolly rogers, walkable planks, eye-patches...we're entering a pirate period.