The ‘nag factor’ and children’s product categories

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.

The 'Nag Factor' and Children's Product Categories

Eileen BridgesKent State University

Richard A. BrieschSouthern Methodist University

INTRODUCTION

In the USA, although advertising for adult products is aimed directly at the decision maker/buyer, for children's products the path to purchase is less direct. Manufacturers and retailers of consumer packaged goods often design advertising and promotional activities that appeal to children. However, when children wish to influence a purchase, they tend to use the 'nag factor', which describes an indirect path beginning with promotional activities influencing children, who then request that their parent(s) buy the product, followed by the parent(s)...

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