• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, May 28, 2020

WPP and SuperAwesome, a tech platform dedicated to the safety of children who use the internet, announced a global partnership today. The agreement provides WPP agencies and clients with access to the team at SuperAwesome — which specializes in developing safe and secure children’s technology — as well as its engagement platform and array of tools. 

The collaboration will help brands learn the ins and outs of engaging responsibly with kids online and in compliance with global privacy laws including COPPA (US), CCPA (California), GDPR-K (Europe) and Age Appropriate Design Code (UK). 

The companies cited research showing that kids make up 40% of all new internet users, while the COVID-19 pandemic has driven screen time usage among children by 50% or more above pre-crisis levels. 

Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome, stated: “Kids’ opinions are increasingly important in the family and for society. Retail, personal care, entertainment and brands in many other verticals understand the influence youth have on their businesses, but have been struggling to understand how to engage responsibly and compliantly. It’s a business imperative to evolve how we interact with and support the under-16 audiences, especially as their digital consumption patterns will be forever changed by their COVID-19 experiences.” 

With offices in London, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the company is backed by Microsoft’s M12 Ventures, Mayfair Equity Partners and others. It technology is used by hundreds of brands and content owners including Lego, Hasbro and NBC Universal.