Hey Advertisers! Guess What My 4-Year-Old Can Do!

Here’s a challenge for the advertisement and marketing industries – how do you reach a generation of kids who are onto your schtick from toddlerhood?  Not sure, but here’s a quick idea of what you’re up against…

My 4-Year-Old can:

Fast Forward Through Commercials – Yes, she has a DVR cable box in her room and yes, she reaches for the remote the moment a commercial invades her pre-recorded Saturday morning cartoons.  She don’t even wait to hear what letter and number are sponsoring a particular episode of Sesame Street.  “Daddy, we don’t watch any ‘mercials, right?” No we don’t babe, we just blaze through ’em.

Distinguish Between Product and Packaging – At the supermarket the other day, dairy aisle.  Sweetpea, here’s that yogurt flavor you like, and look, Dora’s on the box.  “Yeah but Daddy, this box is the same flavor but it’s bigger!” Well, OK, but so you don’t want the Dora one?  “I don’t want Dora, I just want more yogurt, Daddy.” Atta girl.

Understand Film Release Cycles – We didn’t get out to the theater to see How To Train Your Dragon, know why?  “Because one day I can watch it on my TV, right Dad?” That’s right, Sweetpea.  “Daddy, you can get it from that Red Box really soon.” Yup, sure can.  “OK, but I want to see Toy Story at the movie place and I want you to bring all my friends.”

Well, they’re not totally immune, but man do they get it.  Better hone those subliminal messaging skills and product placement chops, you ain’t getting these kids with the old school repertoire.