The Insights Family’s latest report – ‘Making It Matter’.
The Insights Family – a global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence − surveys more than 469,040 kids aged 3-18 years and 228,800 different parents a year across 22 countries on six continents. And, from this data, it has become clear that the family dynamic has changed forever. The Insights Family’s new Making It Matter report highlights trends such as:
Kids are aware of global issues from an increasingly young age
As kids become more exposed to technology and social media, they are more likely to harbour concern for geopolitical and socioeconomic issues too. Globally, since the start of 2021, concerns over animal cruelty (+79%), gender equality (+38%), racism (+18%) and human rights issues (+42%) have all increased. Children as young as 6-9 in the UK rank the environment (#4) and racism (#5) among their top concerns.
Trust in TV advertising falls with younger parents
Parents aged 18-25 are -41% less likely to trust adverts they see on TV than the average parent. Also, +72% are more likely to trust the recommendations of influencers than parents aged 56+.
The switched on and connected next generation
Across the 22 countries surveyed, 52% of 3-5-year-olds have access to a tablet. 50% of tweens (ages 10-12) watch videos on YouTube, while 31% use TikTok. Digitally enabled kids are learning to expect that they can access what they want when they want.
Children influence most household purchases, including new cars
It might be expected that kids would influence household purchases that affect them, such as TV subscriptions (63%) to platforms that contain their favourite shows. However, what has emerged is kid influence growing over categories that might not directly concern them, such as the purchase of new cars (+10% growth year-on-year).
Commenting is Matt Smith, Head of Industry Knowledge team.
“We know that nearly 30% of the world’s population are between the ages of 3 and 18 years. Kids represent our future. The next generation of employees, employers, citizens, voters and consumers. As kidfluence becomes even greater in the household, it is only a matter of time before every organisation becomes family first.”
“As we’ve established, kids are now more switched on and plugged into larger societal concerns,” adds Raj Sundavadra, Lead Researcher in Industry Knowledge. “Are we doing enough to listen to kids when it comes to tackling these socio-economic issues?”
Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE Professor, Global Education Adviser & Director, says; “We have a confusing relationship with our children, in our families and beyond. We ‘love them to bits’ but at the same time express views that ‘children are there to be seen and not heard.’ We speak of a ‘children’s voice’ but, more often than not, treat this as no more than tokenism. Is it not time to re-imagine childhood for our time, our world? Do we not need to make children visible deliberately and purposefully in our society, as an active force for good? And not merely see them as junior appendices to a family unit?”
Maggie Atkinson, Former Children’s Commissioner, England concludes.
“We must turn how we view family on its head to see it through the eyes of family members with much to learn, more to contribute, but little power – our children. They are not passive receivers of what we deign to give them, as this report eloquently explains. They have opinions and concerns about the world they will inherit and the adults who will leave it to them.”
The Make It Matter report is available to download here. Alternatively, for further information on The Insights Family, please click here.
