Viral marketing: targeting at children

Résumé du document

Nowadays, companies are getting more and more involved on the Internet. Indeed, Harridge and March (2004) confirm this statement. There are in fact several reasons why companies are increasingly using the Internet. It is possible for them to introduce their company through a website, to present their products, they are given the opportunity to propose online payments and they can collect information about the viewers of their website, in order to create a customer and a prospect database. However, marketing managers are constantly looking for new means to sell effectively. That is why, an increasing number of companies use the Internet as a new marketing channel. In reality, businesses use the net also to create buzz and to apply viral marketing techniques. Viral marketing is, in this sense, a really contemporary subject. Nevertheless, there is another side that one can consider to study this method of setting up interactive marketing. Indeed, on the one hand, children became one of the favourite targets of advertisers and marketers and on the other hand, they are increasingly using the Internet. Therefore, one can wonder how viral marketing is targeting at children. Due to academic articles, it is possible to evaluate this area. First, an overview of viral marketing is provided. In the second part a brief analysis of children behaviours on the Internet is proposed. Then, one will be able to identify the strategies employed by companies to target children online. Finally, to go further, the major stakes and issues are outlined.

Extraits

[...] (2004) ‘Agents of change: how young consumers are changing the world of marketing', Qualitative market research: an international journal 153-159 Wilson, R.F. (2000) six simple principles of viral marketing', Marketing Today 70(1) Websites: Barbie (2007). Activities and Games for Girls Online [Online]. Available: http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/ Colgate (2007). Online Kids Games and Activities for Kids [Online]. Available: http://www.colgate.com/app/Kids-World/US/HomePage.cvsp Disney (2007). Kids & teens [Online]. Available: http://home.disney.go.com/foryou/kidsandteens/ Disney (2007). Disney World Chat Room [Online]. Available: http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/chat.html Hasbro (2006). Hasbro Web site privacy statement [Online]. [...]

[...] One can wonder why it is interesting for marketers to target children. Spero and Stone (2004) provide an answer to this question. Indeed, the total income of teenagers in Western Europe was about billion in 2002. The spending power of this segment is therefore a sufficient reason for marketers. Combining this spending power to the finding that they spend more and more time in front of their computer screen seems to be a good motivation for advertisers to target children online. [...]

[...] The first one, the integration strategy”, focuses on small incentives to encourage the consumer to transfer a product, a service or information to others. It will be difficult to have this strategy working with children. The second level, the “high customer integration strategy”, is far more proactive. Indeed, this kind of viral marketing needs to involve the consumer. An interesting example could be the development of Kids Clubs online for example or the creation of forums and chat rooms where children can talk about their similar interests. [...]

[...] That is why viral marketing is said to increase the power of communication (Putrevu, 2003). To complete the previous definition, Wilson (2000) presents six major elements of viral marketing. Indeed, he believes that these six principles have to be combined together to generate viral marketing. The points he suggests are detailed afterwards. First, companies need to give away products or services. Then, they have to provide an effortless system for viewers to transfer information to others. In addition, businesses need to think about a scheme that will stay manageable whatever the size of the scale. [...]

[...] McDonald really uses a high involvement viral marketing strategy. Indeed, McDonalds website not only offers to children the possibility to create a buzz with the use of the ecards but it also proposes to children to access to some games and to a paint box, to download screensavers or wallpapers, and it broadcasts the YumChums movie created for the website). Austin and Reed (1999) also denounce companies that ask personal information to children in exchange of free gifts. It also raises ethical issues about collecting data, sharing them and using them. [...]