Marketing to tweens and teens is a balancing act. They’re considerably savvy about brands and marketing ploys, and they’re incredibly mercurial when it comes to taste and preference. But with them, brand preference is a lot like high school. If you’re in, you’re in. And if you’re out… well, good luck as a niche player.
During a visit to the Boston Children’s Museum not long ago, I came across an exhibit of kid’s self-portraits. Half were drawn by US kids, and half by foreign kids. I was immediately struck by the prominent display of brand affinity among the American portraits. The young artists fearlessly splashed their portraits with larger than life logos and brand names. Kids have always used personal style to make a statement about who they are. But these days a garment’s brand nearly eclipses cut and color in some regards. A white t-shirt with a single brand name on it may make as much of a statement as an entire outfit. Can you tell which brands are winning this game?
More photos of the exhibit after the jump…see if you can spot the Americans vs. the Non-Americans.
