Kids are consumers, too.
Often overlooked in national surveys, children age six to 11 influence many of the media and consumer decisions made in millions of American households – over 42 million households, according to the Fall 2009 Survey of the American Consumer™.
To fill in the gap, GfK MRI conducts the American Kids Study™, collecting data from approximately 5,000 boys and girls living in households which have already participated in the Survey of the American Consumer™.
The American Kids Study™ uses an innovative child-friendly questionnaire that focuses on 5 areas:
- “About You”: demographic information
- Magazines: audience measures for 14 magazine titles
- Additional Media: TV, radio, Internet, video games, etc.
- Products: food and beverages, nutrition, restaurants, toys
- Lifestyles: sports, advertising, thoughts/feelings, money, purchase influence
GfK MRI asks these young consumers a series of questions intended to gauge their feelings and attitudes across a number of issues:
- Advertising preferences
- Magazines attitudes and actions
- Movies
- Music and video games
- Nutrition
- Sports
- Thoughts and Feelings
In addition to surveying children in the household, GfK MRI asks “primary caregivers” – typically mothers or stepmothers – to fill out a separate questionnaire detailing the child’s purchase influence and activities as well as the caregiver’s past purchases and purchase intent on behalf of the child.
6-19 Database
The 6-19 database aggregates data common to the American Kids™ and Teenmark® studies. Marketers may focus on any age group within this range, including the sought after “Tween” segment.