Children and Online Adverts

Once upon a time one of parents' biggest worries was that their kids spent too much time in front of the television. Today's generation of children still spend hours a week staring at a screen - but these days it's more likely to be part of a computer or mobile that's connected to the Internet rather than a TV.

A recent survey revealed that 77% of children aged 7-13 spend more than 20 minutes online every day - and with children's increased exposure to computers it's a trend that can only grow. With figures like these it's no surprise that advertisers aiming at kids are keen to cut down on traditional adverts and join their target audience online.

Interactive appeal

While 52% of children claim they use the Internet to help with homework, a massive 63% say they get connected to enter online competitions and play games. Both these sectors offer big opportunities for canny advertisers to reach children. Competitions with toys as prizes have always been part of advertisers' marketing strategy where kids are concerned - and with an interactive element ads can be even more effective. For example, a recent campaign for a crisp company in the UK urged consumers to win a prize by creating a new crisp flavour. This meant the company could gain valuable marketing data (including age, tastes and an email address) from the entrants. The marketers could use this information in future to offer carefully targeted email alerts.

Playing the game

It's relatively easy for advertisers to create arcade-style games with kiddie appeal. By including branded characters in the games marketers can create excitement while introducing kids to their range. By offering a 'share with' button advertisers can effectively get kids to share marketing messages with their friends.

An even more sophisticated approach is to get involved with one of the many massive 'virtual worlds' that are springing up online. These huge online play spaces allow children to control avatars (like a cute penguin in the popular Canadian site 'Club Penguin') and interact with children from all over the world. By controlling an avatar, or being involved with online sponsorship, advertisers can effectively reach millions of children at a time.

Social networking

The explosion of sites such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace has created a whole new forum for advertisers to communicate with kids. The sites feature personal information about millions of children, much of which would be invaluable to advertisers. However, so far users of such sites have been resistant to letting advertisers have a free rein on their personal attributes and have threatened boycotts if advertising were to become overwhelming.

The future

This challenge is central to how advertisers communicate with children using Web 2.0. The Internet is a powerful communication tool - but it can also wreck a brand overnight. If children are negative about products online the word can spread all over the world. Children today are the first generation to grow up online and their likes and dislikes are likely to shape the experience in the future. Eventually it's going to be up to them exactly how much advertising they will tolerate when they turn on the computer.