This is the first time I am doing something like this: copying and pasting what I wrote a couple of years ago as I continue to see the same problems with some kids promotions. One of the most important must-have attributes in a kids meal program and/or family marketing promotion is IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION. If the child can not play with the toy or premium, then why bother? When developing a kids meal marketing program, especially for restaurants, this is something that is often overlooked.
A few years ago I wrote about a glow-in-the-dark light switch cover. This time I ran into a door hanger made out of thick paper. You do not have to be a kids’ meal marketing expert to figure this one out - it will NOT work. Maybe if you had the support of an extremely strong property like Ice Age, Transformers, etc., you might be able to get by, but a generic theme is not going to cut it.
So, here it is one more time: Marketing to Kids is no Kid Stuff.
In order to attract kids you first have to understand how kids think. Kids think with urgency and when they have something in mind, they want it right then and there. They are not willing to wait to be rewarded; hence immediate gratification is of the essence.
I recently visited a restaurant chain and noticed something was wrong with their kids meal offering. They had bought kid stuff to give away as a prize with their happy meals, but what they were giving away as a promotional toy had me puzzled. The restaurant was giving away a glow-in-the-dark light switch cover (feel free to replace wtih: The restaurant was giving away a paper door hanger). You can probably figure out where I am heading with this example. I asked the employee behind the cash register how well these give-aways worked and she had a smile on her face.
“We don’t seem to be able to get rid of them – kids leave them behind,” she said.
What exactly is a kid going to do with a light switch cover? Nothing, which leads me to the next point:
If a promotion that targets kids does not work, how long do you have to wait until you pull it off your shelves, your market or your offering?
This is a tough question but it requires more questions in order to answer it correctly:
1. Did I purchase this item on clearance? Be careful about buying things on clearance or on sale as it pertains to kids meal toys. Companies that keep high inventories of items in stock are simply trying to dump them into the market place. If they are on sale is because they do not sell. Ask youself the following three questions:
2. Was this item discontinued? If it is discontinued it is probably because it has been on the market for way too long. So, unless you do not care about your competitor restaurant using the same item or a very similar item, you better just pass.
3. Do I have another item in inventory to replace this one? Sometimes you have to lick your wounds and move on. If the item has been in your stores for 2 weeks and it is doing little for your traffic or sales, then get it out of your stores immediately.
If you answered yes to all three questions above, then your answer should be “immediately.” Pull that item and discontinue the offering as fast as you can. Kids learn quickly and they will learn that you have an item that they dislike and that you continue to have it for an extended period of time. Soon enough they will begin to generalize your poor offering with your future promotions. Catalog companies that keep large selections of items in stock, rather than just a selective handful of collections, usually run into these problems: overstock. They will pay their salespeople incentives, bonus and commissions in order to clear this inventory and make room for new ones, so the family promotions that are being offered at great prices, end up costing you more on the long run. This is a common practice today as the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) new guidelines has made it impossible for these companies to import items that do not meet the new regulations - so, make sure the discontinued items you are purchasing at great prices are not going to create a threat to your business.
So now you need to think like a kid. Remember your childhood and think of the things that make you smile and laugh. When marketing to kids, be a kid. Here are some of the things / themes you should keep in mind when marketing to kids:
> Balls: Kids love sports. Basketball, Football, Baseball, Soccer, Volleyball… all of these make great themes for boys and girls.
> Exploring: Kids love to learn about other cultures. They often picture themselves in other places, countries and dream about traveling through planes, cars, boats, etc.
> Animals: Kids love animals. You simply cannot go wrong with themes such as safari, zoo, jungle, farm, endangered species, down-under, etc.
> Kid Friendly: Make sure that the item you are giving away can be operated by kids. Items that may have a wind-up, pull-back, press-n-go, etc. mechanism are great. If you choose an item that requires the motor skills of a 25-year-old to operate, you will end up with a very frustrated young customer.
> Informational: Kids love to learn and to share information. Give them something to talk about. If you have the chance to buy a toy with a bilingual insert card, do it! Kids love to learn about other languages and cultures.
> Dinosaurs: Yes, these are not extinct in kids’ minds. They are one of the most popular themes among kids. Other very popular themes among kids are: Space, Travel, Museum, Zoo, Olympics, Technology, Charity, Recycling and Languages.
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