For perhaps as long as marketing has existed, targeting children has also been around. Even so, business has a history of ignoring kids when they make their plans because marketing to them used to seem like a waste of time. Children don't have jobs so they don't have money to spend! That shortsightedness isn't so common anymore, and the promotional products industry has no shortage of products for children.

Since its early days the fast food industry has been a master of marketing, but fast food companies have been especially good at marketing to kids for the past few decades. One company in particular pushed child marketing in a new direction when they created meals with a special name and special packaging targeted directly at children in 1979. We're not talking about any old "kids menu" but a highly successful, almost thirty year marketing campaign. The meal just wasn't just "kid sized" but incorporated cute promotional packaging and cheap promotional toys. It turned out so successful that the leading competitors couldn't ignore it and they've got their own. Kids have been asking their parents for happy meals for more than one generation now... but maybe more for the toys than the food!


Kid promotions with special packaging or kiddie-sized food portions aren't the only way to do it, though. Every other kind of business out there has a route to take to advertise to youth and kids. Even banks! In order to encourage kids to start saving early, they can give out customized piggy banks. Perhaps putting together a "Getting started" kit for children that will educate them on the benefits of putting things aside for a rainy day. Some airlines have special "fun packs" they offer to families which are airplane-theme boxes with more airplane themed promotional items inside. A similar approach can be taken for every transportation sector from trains to buses. Crayons, pencils, pads of papers, and even toys of every shape and size are out there. Maybe instead of obviously promoting to kids you can include them in shaping your promotional efforts... kids like a contest as much as any adults do!

Marketing to children and teens can be blatant manipulation, though, which is an unpleasant situation to create. Blatant manipulation of children generally pisses everyone off, and not everyone can take the "any publicity" approach. There are a wide variety of ways to add an education touch to your promotional items, and some of them are explicitly education like special safety coloring books or products with educational messages. Just as you should when selling to adults, your promotional products should create a mutually beneficial relationship of sorts with the kids you target.

The difference between marketing and alienating potential customers can always be kind of hazy, but is particularly treacherous when it comes to kids. While McDonald's special meal idea turned out to be a huge success, they stumbled when they went as far as marketing directly on a school's report cards. Almost every school district, looking for more revenue, has at least considered allowing restaurants to set up shop in a cafeteria and this is always controversial. So don't toe the line too closely, you don't know when you'll accidentally cross it.

Even despite the hazards, including youth in marketing efforts remains a worthwhile idea. Don't be slimy about it and you'll be fine. Creating a good relationship with youth will lead to a mutually beneficial and long-lasting business relationship. From the tradeshow to the sales floor, Harold Ellis has years of experience with marketing in all kinds of environments. He's had to learn some hard lessons about the good use of promotional items over the years, but you don't have to! Use what he's learned to get a leg up.