| Sumario: | Game and toy marketers who are trying to capture the attention of today's busy, brand-conscious kids have to come up with new business strategies that reflect the increased sophistication of kids and their changing play patterns. A study at the University of Michigan, the Panel Study on Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement, showed that in 1997, children aged 12 and under spent about 30 minutes less a day in unstructured play and outdoor activities, compared to the same age group in 1981. According to Julie Halpin, CEO of the Geppetto Group, a New York City-based firm that specializes in kid marketing, capturing the “share of play time” rather than a “share of the market” is essential to the long-term success of toy manufacturers and marketers of fun. As children's lives have gotten more complex and scheduled, the manifestation of play has also changed. Some manufacturers have realized this and are making connections between products—like the Pokémon game that is a card, a toy, a video game, a movie, and a cyberlocation, as well as selling food, says Halpin.
|
|---|