Small But Mighty: The Purchasing Power of Kids

It happens to the best of us. You go out for a brief shopping trip with the kids, and by the time you get home, the car is stuffed with items they couldn’t live without. Maybe they convinced you to shell out for a pricy designer hoodie, or that they have to have the newest gaming system to play with their friends. There’s no doubt children have sway over their parents’ purchasing decisions, but just where does packaging fit into that suddenly crowded backseat?

First, let’s get a better grasp of the situation. Unsurprisingly, teens wield a significant amount of influence (up to 96%) over products that directly affect them, like their own clothes and personal care supplies. What’s more shocking is how far a child’s opinion stretches outside of their own personal items.

In the living room, teens influence entertainment choices from board games to movie rentals for the whole family. But that’s just the tip of the spending iceberg.

With these statistics in mind, here are two takeaways you might be experiencing right now:

1. Wow! I’m terrified that my own teen has that much power over me! And;

2. Wow! My target audience is bigger than I ever imagined!

While there’s nothing we can do about the first one, the second opens a new dimension to the power of your brand. Don’t you have fond memories of your favorite childhood cereal your mom bought for you? What about the baseball mitt your dad gave you for those afternoons in the backyard?

Over a quarter of brand preferences are cemented before adulthood, and your eloquent packaging is a vital player in those allegiances. Take it from Isabella, age 11. She’s the daughter of Ernest’s very own Creative Director, and she already has opinions about brands she’s encountered at school:

Isabella is referring to Aviator Nation, one of the hottest (and most expensive!) clothing brands kids are pining for right now. Their hoodies are particularly popular because of their bold, colorful stripes.

When Isabella saw her friend George wearing an Aviator Nation jacket, she just had to try it on. We’re not sure if the decision was driven by friends or by comfort, but we do know that Isabella had set her mind on getting one of her own!

Even if you aren’t a brand that specifically targets children, you may be leaving a lasting impression on them with every sale. So here’s one more takeaway for you: Wow! Strong packaging is more important than ever!

At Ernest, we’ve been saying that from the start. We have a proven record of driving innovation and success in packaging for clients, regardless of the age of their customers. Future lifelong fans of your brand might not even have a wallet yet, but it’s nonetheless vital to stand out from the competition. Give us a call to see how Ernest can help your packaging make a lasting impression.