A Covert Marketing Tool For Parent Buyers The Kiddie Ride

A Covert Marketing Tool For Parent Buyers – The Kiddie Ride

Choosy mothers choose Jif. But what do choosy kids choose? "Automobiles and electronics," says Mark Snyder, senior vice president of brand management for Holiday Inn. "Children very much get to participate in making those purchasing decisions." Let's face it. Anyone who has ever stood in a checkout line in the supermarket knows that kids have always had a say in purchasing toys, food and other smallish items. What's new is how far that influence now stretches—and how advertisers are reacting.

Let’s look at one tool the grocery industry uses to influence kids and ultimately to get parents to buy foodstuff at their location. This tool is beginning to be used by smart marketers in other industries as we’ll detail. The tool – a kiddie ride.

Every grocer wants to create a carnival type atmosphere to attract kids and their grocery-buying parents. Kiddie rides provide a great way to attract kids and their money-spending parents. Most every parent can tell you which grocery stores have kiddie rides because their kids alert them to the fact, and of course, which grocery store is the kid going to want to shop at when tagging along with Mom or Dad. Of course, the one with the kiddie ride.

Let’s look at some other industries that are taking a page from the grocers of America and utilizing kiddie rides in their marketing efforts.

Pulte Homes knows that part of selling houses is selling the kids. "We always make sure we are marketing to the children," says Deborah Blake, the company's vice president of marketing for Arizona and Nevada. "We want the kids to say, 'I have to live here,' as the parents are driving by the model homes." A fun and novel way to make a model home stand out to children is to have a kiddie ride in the living room. The stone fireplace may, or may not, stand out in the children’s minds. A kiddie ride sure will, though.

A very different example of the kiddie ride as a marketing tool is in the lobby of a pediatric doctor. Whether the doctor is checking a child's teeth or their warts, it is really hard for a doctor to differentiate himself from another doctor in the mind of his layman clients. One way to differentiate a practice is to create a fun carnival environment in the lobby with a kiddie ride. The kids, and parents for that matter, probably won't remember the dull office visit, but they most certainly will remember and want to return to the fun lobby. This is to say nothing of a doctor offering a "magic" token to operate the ride as good behavior during an examination. Think of the time a doctor could save over the course of the year if just one minute was shaved off each exam because of good behavior.

“What a great motivational tool our kiddie ride has been in our doctors office,” said Linda Day of Pediatric and Teenage Dentistry in West Virginia. “The kids look forward to their office visits because they know an exciting ride is waiting for them at the end.”

Another great example of the kiddie ride as a marketing tool is at a car dealership. When a family with children walks onto the lot, instead of immediately taking them to the vehicles the salesperson takes the family to the kiddie ride. Out of his or her own pocket he pulls out a quarter to treat the young kids to a "free" ride. This harkens back to psychologist Robert Cialdini's seminal book "Influence", and his examination of the "click" and "whirr" of reciprocation. The salesperson has given the kids a free ride, now the parents will reciprocate giving the saleperson their time and attention, and quite possibly, the opportunity to match any offer of a competing dealership. This is to say nothing of the fact that the dealership with the kiddie ride will stand out in the children's minds and probably get talked about at the supper table.

While they were created originally as vending machines, the real earning power today of a kiddie ride isn't in how many quarters are in the coin box each week, but in how effectively marketers can use this classic amusement ride to build goodwill with kids and their money-spending parents.

BONUS : A Gift To Be Remembered: Child Personalized Stationary

Benefits of Child Personalized Stationary

One of the best gifts you can give to a child that is just learning to write is child personalized stationary. Children love to be told that they’re special and personalized stationary is a concrete way to express that sentiment. Seeing their own name printed on child personalized stationary will fill a child with delight and wonder at the magic that you used to make it happen. Custom printed stationary will stand out as a thoughtful gift, and will also encourage your child to practice writing, enabling them to make rapid progress. Reading and writing are fundamental skills, and anything that stimulates a child to practice writing is a helpful tool for their success in education. Older children can also benefit from child personalized stationary by inciting them to learn the art of correspondence. In today’s society of internet slang and abbreviated online conversation, standard letter writing is a skill that is often overlooked.

Child Personalized Stationary Designs

Child personalized stationary is available in many designs, colors and formats. From pictured note cards, to parchment style paper and standard lined notebook stationary, custom designs can be found to fit any child’s interests or preferences. Many child personalized stationary products are available in designs featuring dinosaurs, dolls, trucks, toys, and other favorite icons of childhood. Whether the child you’re buying the stationary is crazy about horses or wants to be an astronaut, there is a child personalized stationary gift design available that will further customize your gift. Many sets come with envelops in a coordinating design, and some also include stickers to enhance your child’s correspondence and add to their enjoyment.

Using Child Personalized Stationary

A great way to implement your child’s use of child personalized stationary is to have them write thank you notes following a birthday or holiday party. Teaching your child the thoughtfulness of personalized thank you notes will help them to develop good etiquette. Another great way to encourage the use of child personalized stationary (particularly with older children) is to get them into a pen pal program. Having a pen pal from across the country, or across the globe, can be a learning experience as well as providing a chance for your child to find a new friend. Most children are proud to use their personalized stationary as a means of expressing themselves.

Other Personalized Gifts for Children

Beyond child personalized stationary, there are many customizable gift options for children. From silk screen t-shirts, to door signs, placemats and personalized jigsaw puzzles and block sets, there are many gifts available to show your child how special they are to you. With so many interchangeable toys on the market today, giving a customized gift is a way to really connect with your child. The next time a birthday or holiday rolls around, consider personalized gifts for you child. There’s nothing that can compare to the smile on a child’s face when they receive a much loved gift.