The ‘nag factor’ and children’s product categories

Abstract

When products are designed for the youth market, should marketers focus on parents? Or does it make more sense to target children directly? In the latter case, marketers in the USA often rely on the ‘nag factor’, reaching children so they will influence their parents’ purchase decisions. Such influence may be observed as an apparent increase in varietyseeking behaviour. For product categories aimed at children, this study observes no difference in response to promotional activities (temporary price cuts, in-store displays and feature advertisements) between households with children and those without. However, households with children show greater sensitivity to price and greater variety seeking in the carbonated beverage and children’s breakfast cereal categories. Further, the present results are consistent with recent public policy research findings, in that media advertising may be driving children’s requests for brands in these categories. Because advertising messages cannot be completely prevented from reaching children, if one goal of American public policy is to promote healthy eating and reduce child obesity, it may be more effective to improve education and/or implement taxes that activate a price response in children’s food categories.