Webkinz Kraze!!

This entry is somewhat of a response to my entry on the BHF trying to ban junk food ads. How you might ask, well let's see...

I stumbled upon this article by Matt Bailey from MarketingNewz.com, entitled "Webkinz and Marketing to Children." The article talks about the virtual phenomenon of webkinz and how it is one of the most popular toys for children right now. For those of you who are unfamiliar, webkinz are plush toys that come with an access code that lets the owner access part of the webkinz website, where they can play games and win points (the points are a currency you can purchase things with for your character), and minimally talk to other kids. Essentially, it's a social network for kids. In a way I was freaked out when I first heard of webkinz, imagining kids all over the world "tagging" pictures of themselves and writing on their 7 year old friend's wall. However, thank God, it's nothing like that, in fact there is limited interaction actually as kids can only choose from a variety of phrases to say to other people.

This is where marketing comes in, and I guess I've never though of webkinz in this way: it's somewhat of a marketing masterpiece. Think about it this way: webkinz is two products, a toy and a social network. What exactly is webkinz trying to market? The network, thus by making a toy, they have something to actually advertise on TV and sell. What child in their right mind would beg mommy and daddy for "access to a social network online". That is simply illogical from a child's perspective, but when you buy a toy, you gain the access THEN get hooked. (also note: they sell webkinz trading cards, lip gloss, bags, etc). Think about networks such as facebook and myspace, theyre slowly catching on, on how they can market themselves, as myspace has branched out with its own "myspace records". But until webkinz, marketing social networks was a strange and slightly untapped land (especially for the child demographic)!!!

Back to the Junk Food Entry! So, what ties this together nicely, is how Mr. Bailey seems to agree with me, about parent's responsibility in raising their children (to an extent). He says, "It is ultimately the parents that need to take an active role in knowing what your child is doing online and how it can help or hurt them. Educating children about marketing and how to evaluate marketing messages will be critical as more and more marketers see children as a "gold mine" for marketing-entertainment." He goes on to say how while social networking sites like webkinz may be seen as entertaining, it's the parents duty to be aware "of the real motivations behind these sites".

Source

Know anyone that plays on webkinz? Do your kids? Let me know the appeal from their perspective, I'm curious to know!!

note to kim: while I realize Mr. Bailey's article is a month old now, I feel the information is still extremely relavent, and nonetheless, it's the opinions that matter :)