When it was time to launch this year's back-to-school marketing campaign, the clothing company Old Navy knew it had to switch gears. Typically, the San Francisco- based clothier, which is owned by Gap Inc., devotes its marketing efforts to the moms who purchase clothes for their sons and daughters.
Old Navy knew it also had to effectively address both parents and kids with its back-to-school campaign because, let's face it, kids drive purchase decisions more than ever before. But it's not easy to craft a marketing campaign that simultaneously appeals to parent and child. For many brands, the challenge is...