• Ad Age, Friday, June 2, 2006 12:30 PM

If they're not already doing it, marketers trying to reach kids should incorporate a variety of digital communications and emerging media tools into their marketing mix. A new study by NPD Group, "Kids and Consumer Electronics Report," revealed that young kids are extremely tuned into electronic devices of all sorts. One finding was that by age 7, surprisingly large numbers of children are integrating personal music devices, digital cameras and DVD players into their daily activities. Another revealed that households with children under age 14 are more likely to have a desktop computer than a TV, and kids are more likely to personally own a video game than a TV. Growth factors were also surprising. For example, cell phone ownership in the 4- to 14-year-old age group has shot up 50 percent since last year. "I think it's very natural. They see their parents or older siblings using these products and they're intrigued. I don't think it's much different from our generation when we wanted an Easy-Bake oven," said NPD analyst and study author Anita Frazier. "It still seems rather mysterious to the parental generation, but it simply 'is' for these kids."

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