• by Karl Greenberg , June 15, 2011

Marketers reach kids through their moms, but that may be a mistake when it comes to online content and offline experiences. A new study from Ipsos suggests that dads may actually be the go-to parents for companies marketing online games, music, educational content and other digital experiences to kids. They may also be the parents of choice for offline vacation, entertainment, sports, and adventure companies offering turn-key experiences for families.  

In the study, part of Ipsos OTX MediaCT's LMX Family project, was fielded in January and February and involved 2,080 kids from 6 to 12 years of age and 715 parents. The study found that 72% of dads and 67% of moms said they were "spending more time doing things with my kids than my parents spent with me."

But Dads are spending more time online with kids than moms are. Seventy-three percent of dads who own a console or gaming device said they play video games with kids for at least an hour per week, versus 38% of moms. The study says dads spend about 4.5 hours per week online with their kids and are more likely than moms to buy and download music, games, movies, television shows and educational content for kids.

Dads are also more likely than moms to share out-of-home experiences like movies, sporting events, and live entertainment with their kids. The study found that dads saw about 7 movies with their kids over the previous 12 months versus 4.4 that moms saw with kids. Forty-seven percent of dads versus 35% of moms saw entertainment events with their children; 44% of dads versus 27% of moms went to sporting events with their kids; and 29% of dads versus 20% of moms went to concerts with kids in tow, per the LMX Family data.

Donna Sabino, SVP of kids and family insights at Ipsos, tells Marketing Daily that the difference between moms and dads has to do with time and attitude. "In the heat of the moment, when kids say, 'Can we download this music or get that game?,' dad's criteria may be different than mom's. It's more about having a good time with their kids at that moment, versus moms who are more likely to think of costs and other factors like 'How many other times will they ask for that toy' because mom is usually the one kids go to for myriad requests during the day."

Sabino adds that kids, even younger children, are the ones pulling parents into the digital space with them. "These are kids 6 to 12, but we are finding that they like to go online, share videos on YouTube, look at pictures, and share Facebook pages." She says dads are more likely to be their child's friend on Facebook than moms.

"I think, especially if you are marketing any kind of digital entertainment activity, you should know it is not always mom who the kid is running to, or who is enjoying the digital experience with their child. It is perhaps more likely to be dad. So when you tailor your marketing language, it shouldn't put him off. Acknowledge he's a partner, too."

The study's results can be applied to offline activities as well, per Sabino. When it comes to ways to spend time with kids, dads are more likely to take advantage of packaged experiences, concerts, sporting events, and adventures that are all-inclusive, "where they can just show up with a ticket and just do it, while moms are more inclined to construct experiences for their kids," she says. "I think part of it has to do with the ease dad feels in knowing, 'Oh, my kids will like this.' It may be that since fathers have less time to spend with kids, they will do anything that pushes ahead on the curve to have a good time."

Thus, says Sabino, marketers of turnkey experiences, whether digital or real, should be talking to dads. "Video game data support this, as graphics are better and games are more lifelike, so sitting with a kid and playing is a way to spend time in a way that guarantees both will have fun. Moms like it also, but I think they are willing to or usually do the things they need to construct experiences, such as building a birthday party from scratch."