Kids pulling the purse strings, survey says

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): The little ones may be noisy, demanding and easily bored, but advertisers and shopping center managements listen up.

Indonesian kids are tiny powers behind the purse strings in the family, according to a survey conducted by Frontier marketing and research, which examined attitudes, interests and opinions of 2,500 children, aged nine years to 12, from middle and high economic bracket families in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya and Medan.

Frontier managing director Handi Irawan said children's role as an influence on family spending was now greater than the "primary market target" of their parents for some goods.

Contributing to the change is the fact that family sizes are decreasing steadily in urban areas, the number of working parents is increasing and there has been a resulting shift in parental expectations toward children.

"Unlike the old saying that having more children would bring more fortune, these days parents perceive children as a sort of investment," Handi said. "They are willing to spend more for their children's welfare, feed them better, give them better education, hoping that someday they will become more successful than their parents."

He added that keeping up with trends created "hidden competition in the neighborhood. Mothers usually compete with each other in pampering their children".

Mall managements and the retail sector in general needed to focus on children's comfort while their parents were shopping, because the former would try to persuade their parents to shop at the place they liked, and avoid those they disliked.

"Eighty percent of the children decide which mall to go to. Usually their choices are malls which provide areas where they can play," he said.

Some stores say they have already recognized the value of the young customer.

Assistant advertising and promotion manager with PT Metropolitan Retailmart, Anskarina Christin M., said Metro department store offers them specific goods from different manufacturers and at different prices.

"They may not be the 'real' buyers but we offer them a variety of goods to choose from," she said.

However, Handi faulted some retail operators for failing to take kids into account.

"We often see how members of staff at the mall or supermarkets give a cold look to a crying child, while other staffers consider their playful behavior as disturbances. They should help these children feel more comfortable while in their establishments."

The survey also disclosed that 90 percent of the children surveyed have a huge role in various impulse buying, influencing their parents in purchasing specific brands for edibles, like candy, biscuits and dairy products.

They also hold sway in the choice of comics, clothing and destinations for a family vacation.

However, when it comes to the purchase of items like medications, television sets and cars, the ratio drops to two out of 10 children, whose preferences on taste, colors and models are heard by their parents.

Handi said consumer goods manufacturers could seize the opportunity by directing their products to both parents and children, or children alone.

"This opportunity has been taken up by some manufacturers of dairy products. They successfully communicate their merchandise in TV ads, targeting both parents and children or children alone."

Television may be the ideal medium to get the message across.

The survey found that 55.8 percent of the children watch television from after 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with an average duration of two hours. Another 26.7 percent watch TV after 6 p.m., with an average duration of one hour and 29 minutes.

The children's favorite advertising figures were child singer- movie star Sherina and artist-entertainer Joshua with 22.9 percent and 20.8 percent respectively, followed by young singer Tasha and three adult entertainers adored for their good looks, Tamara Bleszinsky, Ari Wibowo and Bella Saphira.

Sherina and Joshua also headed the list for favorite young artists, gaining 45.8 percent and 22.9 percent respectively.

Favorite "idols" were again Sherina and Joshua, followed by Irish boyband Westlife, lead singer Duta from local band Sheila on 7 and Japanese cartoon character Sinchan (former president B.J. Habibie was 18th on the list, as children said they liked his quirky gestures and facial expressions!)

But advertisers and businesspeople have to move fast in capitalizing on the trends.

"Trends are constantly evolving and children's preferences will shift as well," Handi said.