Marketing to minors online can be tricky business - in fact, thanks to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), it can often be illegal business! The law puts forth strict guidelines that can get a company in quite a bit of trouble if they’re not complied with to the letter.  So how do online marketers reach this lucrative market without breaking the law?  Most companies rely on traditional methods of advertising like television and print ads.  Never satisfied with the status quo, innovative company’s like Fathead (www.Fathead.com) have strategized other methods of reaching kids online while remaining COPPA-compliant.

Today, Fathead will launch the inaugural edition of a new line of products called Tradeables.  The primary demographic for this product is projected to be boys between the ages of 8 and 14.  Essentially, Tradeables are a 5” x 7” version of the company’s life-size product sold in packs of five.  Constructed of hyper-durable vinyl with a low-tack adhesive backing, Tradeables can be easily peeled off their backing and stuck to practically any smooth surface.  Later, they can be removed and placed in another location without losing adhesion.  The NFL Edition will hit retailers nationwide first.  Over 180 Tradeables of fan-favorite NFL players and team helmets will also be sold on Fathead.com and Tradeables.com.   So what has Fathead done online that’s so different to launch Tradeables?

For starters, within each pack is an insert printed with a unique secret code that drives purchasers to www.Tradeables.com with the promise of winning cool prizes, playing games and having fun.  Each code is individually tracked to the purchaser when entered on the home page.  Per COPPA, before users can take advantage of the site’s content, they must first answer a series of questions - including giving their birth date.  Anyone who registers that is under 13 years of age must provide their parent’s email address.  An email is automatically sent to parents informing them of their child’s whereabouts online, the specific content on Tradeables.com and gives them the option of disabling their child’s account.  Of course, parents are also given the opportunity to sign up for an account of their own - since there’s plenty of fun for adults to have on the web site too!  Since COPPA doesn’t apply to people over 13, registrants of age are given immediate access.

Once the age issue is hurdled, the next step is providing compelling content that both piques user interest and keeps them on the site as long as possible to experience the brand.  Tradeables users are all given their own web page that allows them to view the catalog, take polls and unlock a variety of games as well as print a roster of all available Tradeables and a “membership card.”  The users’ secret code entitles them to a “locker key,” which can be used to unlock the games, a free spin on the prize wheel and access the content of their choice.  With each spin of the prize wheel, users have great odds of winning cool prizes like free packs of Tradeables, discounts on Fathead’s life-size product, locker keys, additional prize wheel spins and more.  Another avenue of obtaining the prized keys is a coin flip.  Like the flip at the beginning of a pro football game that decides which team kicks off or receives the ball for the first play of the game, the Tradeables coin flip gives users a 50-50 chance of winning a free spin on the prize wheel.  Codes, locker keys and everything else a user needs to know about their Tradeables experience are available in a “gym bag” located on their personal web page. Fathead plans to update the site consistently with fresh content and functionality to maintain user interest and activity.
Kids are, by nature, the most finicky demographic.  Maintaining their interest is a challenge in any medium, let alone one with as many options as the web.  For companies striving to reach kids online, the best strategy is generally one of providing multiple interactive content options that keep the kids on the site.  After one game loses its allure, there should be numerous options for them to try next.  There’s no such thing as enough content - the more there is to on the site, the longer you’ll capture kids’ interest.  Also, it’s critical that you don’t discount basic strategies like banner ad placement and search engine marketing. You can never go wrong when you make your site easy to find
The beauty of the web is also its bane - you can always do more, offer more and strive to make your site the stickiest one out there.  But with so many options to choose from, your site is only as good as the content that gets users there today.  As they age or discover new sites, their preferences change faster than you can say SPAM!  With kids, the challenges can seem even more insurmountable.  Even focus testing them to gather new ideas and opinion research can backfire as a child isn’t guaranteed to have consistent opinions or even feelings from one moment to the next.  Like so much else in this business, sometime your gut is your best guide.  The one thing you can count on for sure: if kids don’t like what your site offers, the numbers will tell the story immediately.

If you’re interested in learning how other companies stay COPPA-compliant or about the COPPA law itself, email me and I’ll write another post on the subject.

Article Tags: COPPA compliance | Fathead | Fathead Tradeables | innovative strategy | Marketing to Kids | new products | NFL | online marketing | sticky web sites

Filed under: Marketing to Kids