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Preschoolers Recognize Power of Brands, Study Says
Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers
Even baby wants a Mac. Credit: shutterblog
Apparently, it's not just teens or grownups who recognize the power of an "in" logo or brand -- preschoolers know their Apples, McDonalds and Nikes, too.
In a study that may have parents worrying about logo-conscious toddlers coveting $100 brand-name sneakers, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan found that youngsters may recognize brands and logos earlier than once previously thought, according to MSNBC. The study appears in the March issue of Psychology & Marketing.
"Children as young as 3 are feeling social pressure and understand that consumption of certain brands can help them through life," the study's lead researcher, Anna McAlister of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tells MSNBC. "Findings like this show us that we need to think about materialism developing in very young children."
McAlister and her colleague, T. Bettina Cornwell, focused their study on 38 kids living in Brisbane, Australia, involving 50 brands that ranged across 16 categories. While some children didn't recognize certain brands, others, such as a fast-food brand, might rate 93 percent recognition. The kids' recognition increased with children's brands, MSNBC reports.
Researchers also measured whether 42 of the kids "got" the brands by having the children compare products with the brands they belonged to. When answering several questions about the brand and its "perceived quality," the children surprised the researchers by showing "strong judgments," McAlister tells MSNBC.
Those children who had a greater grasp of brands also were the ones with "more advanced social skills and a particular type of cognitive development," MSNBC reports, such as being able to predict what specific gift a mother might want instead of offering an idea of what the child wants.
"Children who are able to think about the thoughts of other people are better able to dig out a toy and say 'I'm going to take this Lego to preschool because other kids at school will like it ... and think I'm cool,' " McAlister tells MSNBC about how children relate to the brands.
McAlister tells MSNBC this research might explain "why children like certain brands and products, and why, for instance, they'll go so far as throwing temper tantrums over these desires."
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-12-2010 @ 12:18PM
francine said...Brand names and the pushing of brand names in advertising have existed since the invention of the printing press. I I think it's just a part of life. And "branding" in and of itself is not the problem. Apple and Nike are companies that employ people who have families.
It's a parents responsibility to help kids realize that a brand name doesn't not equate "coolness" or "success." Apple for eg. does great things. I know of many infants and toddlers who are benefit from their I Phones and apps. There's a lot of educational material out there....there's language games "word world" and "peek a bouncer" and "make a martian" and "doodlebops." My kids love all of those and it buys me a little sanity on line at the grocery store. They "branded" like many other things but are a positive contribution to our society.
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3-12-2010 @ 3:31PM
Sara said...Eeh, they also love Cows and Pigs and Horses. Anything that's clear and recognizable will be noticed by kids.
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