Sweet Fun Experiences Sell!

Posted by Joseph Michelli, Ph.D. on January 4, 2011

0 comments | 1626 reads

Don’t skip the “fun” and “sweets” if you want to appeal to the kid in all of us.

Can you guess the brand that has the highest equity features among the 8-24 year old demographic?

According to the Harris Interactive first annual Youth EquiTrend study, the winner is M&M’s (based on several key elements including familiarity, quality, and purchase consideration)

Here’s a surprise —Number 2 is Google (the only online organization ranked among the top ten brands). Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Oreo’s rank third and fourth, respectively, followed by Apple’s iPod.

The authors of the study cite Regina A. Corso, SVP, Youth and Education Research at Harris Interactive, as saying “Today’s youth are not just tomorrow’s consumers; they are already consumers in their own right with their own money to spend… At this stage, the brands that resonate the most with youth are mostly ones that involve food… ”

The study also shows “Nintendo Wii ranks highest in brand equity among the youngest set, ages 8-12 years old, followed by Doritos and Oreo’s, ranked second and third, respectively. The Disney Channel, though ranked fifth among this age group, overall the Disney Channel ranks highest among the media and television brands for the 8-12 year old age group.”

The Internet leads the way for 18-24 year olds with Google, Facebook, Ipod, Gatorade, and Target making up the top 5.

While clearly this study looks at characteristics of brand salience for youth and young adults, it reminds us that sugar and whimsy sells? How might you sprinkle a little play (if not sugar) into your product or experience?

Joseph Michelli, Ph.D.

Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., an organizational consultant and the chief experience officer of The Michelli Experience, authored The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and the best-selling The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary.

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