Using brand character when targeting children: what for? An exploration of managers' and children's viewpoints
Abstract
Purpose
Brands that target children frequently use a brand character to improve children's recall and recognition and to develop a relationship with young consumers. This paper aims to explore the reasons why marketers use brand characters to target children and how children perceive and understand them.
Design/methodology/approach
This work investigates both managers' and children's experiences, in order to compare them. Two studies are carried out: one with managers in charge of brand characters and another one with children aged between six and ten. In both cases, a qualitative approach based on semi‐focused interviews is adopted.
Findings
This research contributes to a better understanding of the way children infer brand image from brand character. Second, it highlights a success key factor of brand character: its ability to build a close relationship with children. In addition it points out how this relationship can be fostered.
Originality/value
By exploring managers' and children's viewpoints, this research suggests some levers to build children's relationship with brand character and improve children's brand loyalty. This article gives an insight into the way brand character establishes a close relationship with children. In particular, it underlines that a child feels all the closer to a character if the character is used in the long‐term and has experiences that resonate with his/her life.
Keywords
Citation
Hémar‐Nicolas, V. and Gollety, M. (2012), "Using brand character when targeting children: what for? An exploration of managers' and children's viewpoints", Young Consumers, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 20-29. https://doi.org/10.1108/17473611211203911
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited