KIDSCAN

Quarterly Newsletter
WINTER 2014/2015

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to your new edition of Kidscan from The Value

Engineers Kids & Family practice, covering the period
from September 2014-January 2015.
The report is intended to provide you with a regular
update on the UK kids market.
Over the last few months information has been sourced
and disseminated from a wide range of research and
news sources. We are delighted to be able to include
proprietary research from SuperAwesome, the childrens
online community and market research service. Other
specific sources are acknowledged as appropriate.
Proprietary commentary and analysis has been provided
throughout the report by consultants from The Value
Engineers.
If you would like further information on any of the
content or analysis, please contact Lou Ellerton:
t: +44 (0)1494 680999
e: lou.ellerton@thevalueengineers.com

HOT TOYS, GADGETS & WEBSITES

Its no surprise to see technology dominating the lists of
favourite toys and gadgets for 7-12 year olds, taking eight
and nine of the top 10 spots for older girls and boys
respectively. More interesting is the breadth of technology
apparent in both lists, with tablets, e-readers, gaming
consoles and mobile handsets all making the grade as we
approached Christmas.
Its another testament to the power of Disneys Frozen
franchise that the brand came in at #3 for younger girls and
was also the only non-technology range to make their older
sisters lists, even before this years presents went under the
tree.
LEGO achieved a similar feat with boys, sitting at #2 for 4-6
year olds and #3 for 7-12 year olds perhaps unsurprising
given that it was named the worlds most powerful brand in
the Brand Finance Global 500 report early in 2015.
Hasbro had one new entry and one re-entry to the charts with
its Furby and Furby Boom toys. A top seller for Christmas
2012, the Furby crept into tenth place among younger girls,
while the 2013 Furby Boom with greater app-driven
interactivity made it to #6 for 4-6 year old boys.

Despite their video games remaining popular among boys,

Minecraft, Skylanders and Ben 10 all failed to make the cut
before Christmas, while longstanding TV favourites such as
Dora The Explorer, Doc McStuffins and Disney Princess were
equally notable in their absence from younger girls lists.
Finally, when it came to time spent online,
YouTube remained king of the web for
pre-teens of both sexes, duelling with
dedicated childrens content provider
CBeebies for top spot among 4-6 year
olds and with Minecraft for 7-12 year
olds.

TOP 10 TOYS & GADGETS

GIRLS 4-6

BOYS 4-6

1. iPad (all types)

1. iPad (all types)

2. Other tablet

2. LEGO

3. Frozen toys

3. Action Man figures

4. Barbie

4. Other tablet

5. Peppa Pig dolls

5. Nintendo Wii

6. My Little Pony

6. Furby Boom

7. Doll

7. iPod

8. Dog (all types)

8. Xbox consoles

9. Nintendo Wii U

9. PlayStation consoles

10. Furby

10. Scooter

GIRLS 7-12

BOYS 7-12

1. Other tablet

1. iPad (all types)

2. iPad (all types)

2. Xbox consoles

3. iPod

3. LEGO

4. iPhone

4. iPhone

5. Xbox consoles

5. Other tablet

6. Kindle Fire

6. PlayStation consoles

7. Frozen Toys

7. iPod

8. Computer/laptop/PC

8. Kindle Fire

9. Nintendo 3DS

9. Other console

10. Pets / Toy pets

10. Nintendo Wii U

Source: SuperAwesome Kids OnTrack, November 2014. For more information,

contact Milo Warby on +44 (0)20 7268 9964, milo@superawesome.tv

TOP 10 FAVOURITE WEBSITES

GIRLS 4-6

BOYS 4-6

1. YouTube

1. CBeebies

2. CBeebies

2. YouTube

3. Build a Bear

3. LEGO

4. Netflix

4. Minecraft

5. Disney Jr.

5. Moshi Monsters

6. GirlsGoGames

6. WWE

7. BBC iPlayer

7. Disney XD

8. PopGirl

8. Pop Power

9. Nick / Nickelodeon

9. Animal Jam

10. LEGO

10. CiTV

GIRLS 7-12

BOYS 7-12

1. YouTube

1. YouTube

2. Minecraft

2. Minecraft

3. Instagram

3. LEGO

4. CBeebies

4. Friv

5. MovieStarPlanet

5. Match Attax

6. Moshi Monsters

6. Amazon

7. Ebay

7. Netflix

8. Facebook

8. Agame.com

9. Friv

9. BBC iPlayer

10. Amazon

10. Pokemon

Source: SuperAwesome Kids OnTrack, November 2014. For more information,

contact Milo Warby on +44 (0)20 7268 9964, milo@superawesome.tv

TELEVISION
In what seems to be a recurring theme, the top TV shows in
the last quarter of 2014 were dominated by CBeebies. Our
experience suggests this is a reflection of the greater number
of channels and offerings dedicated to school-age children,
and the reluctance of many parents of pre-schoolers to
expose their children to commercial television until no longer
preventable.
Its good news for the BBC, which continues to combine its
own commissions with acquisitions like Peter Rabbit from
Nickelodeon and co. With CBbeebies 2014 commissions
taking three of the top five audience figures in November
cartoons Boj and Bing and live-action series Swashbuckle
the channel can be sure of holding its own as it heads into
2015.
Over on the commercial stations, meanwhile, the viewers
choice was more diverse, with CiTV and Disney Junior
splitting eight of the top 9 spots equally, leaving the final
spot to the Disney Channel. Horrid Henry continues to prove
popular with 4-8 year olds, both in its cartoon form and as
the live-action 2011 film starring Richard E. Grant, Anjelica
Huston, Dick and Dom, and Theo Stevenson as the
eponymous (anti-)hero.
The only title overtly targeting an older audience to achieve
more than 200,000 viewers this quarter was Jessie; the
American sitcom from the Disney Channel now concluding its
fourth and final season. With series such as Doc McStuffins
and Sofia The First firmly holding their places in the
commercial top 10, however, theres little sign of the
entertainment behemoth losing its grip on childrens TV
merchandising any time soon.

TOP TV SHOWS

Top TV shows across all times (November 2014)

Channel

Programme

000

CBeebies

Peter Rabbit

554

CBeebies

Sarah And Duck

554

CBeebies

Boj

546

CBeebies

Swashbuckle

535

CBeebies

In The Night Garden

535

CBeebies

Topsy and Tim

526

CBeebies

Bing

505

CBeebies

Grandpa In My Pocket

484

CBeebies

Abney And Teal

475

10

CBeebies

Peter Rabbit

446

Source: BARB (November 2014) includes highest

viewing figures per programme title across 4 wks.
w/e 05.11.14-02.12.14

TOP TV SHOWS
Top Commercial TV shows across all times
(November 2014)
Channel
1

CiTV

Disney Jr.

CiTV

Disney Jr.

Disney

Programme

000

Film: Horrid Henry The Movie

322

Doc McStuffins

258

Horrid Henry

244

Sofia The First

241

Jessie

240

Disney Jr.

Film: The Little Mermaid: Ariels

Beginning

232

Disney Jr.

Jake and The Never Land Pirates

216

CiTV

Nerds And Monsters

211

CiTV

Film: Scooby-Doo

206

Source: BARB (November 2014) includes highest

viewing figures per programme title across 4 wks.
w/e 05.11.14-02.12.14

TOP TV SHOWS: PRE-SCHOOL

CBeebies

1. Peter Rabbit (555k)

2. Sarah and Duck (554k)
3. Boj (546k)
4. Swashbuckle (535k)
5. In the Night Garden (535k)

Nick Jr.
1. Peppa Pig (211k)
2. Dora & Friends: Into the City (201k)
3. Paw Patrol (137k)
4. Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom (123k)
5. Wallykazam! (100k)

Disney Junior
1. Doc McStuffins (258k)
2. Sofia The First (241k)
3. Film: The Little Mermaid: Ariels
Beginning (232k)
4. Jake and the Never Land Pirates
(216k)
5. Curious George (205k)

Source: BARB (November 2014) includes highest

viewing figures per programme title across 4 wks.
w/e 05.11.14-02.12.14

CHILDRENS BOOKS
As weve come to expect in the run-up to Christmas, annuals
took four of the top 10 spots on the bestsellers chart over
the Black Friday weekend. One year on from its move online,
the Beano is still hitting nostalgia buttons for relatives
seeking gifts, while Peter Capaldi shows that Doctor Who can
keep kids allegiance even in a new, older and greyer
incarnation.
The big pre-Christmas publishing sensation was of course
Girl Online from fashion & beauty vlogger and You Tube
Queen of Teens Zoella aka Zoe Sugg. Her first RL publication,
Girl Online swept to the top of the charts well before its
official release date. And while the national media may have
made much of claims that the book was at least partly
ghostwritten, fans and their parents appeared to have no
problem keeping the cash registers ringing.
The No.2 spot in the charts went to Jeff Kinney, who
continued his annual conquest of the childrens book charts
with The Long Haul the aptly named latest instalment in his
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Another annual appearance
came from David Walliams, whose Awful Auntie once again
drew comparisons with Roald Dahl in its funny, often
grotesque characters and storylines.
As Christmas approached, it was the turn of the
ever-popular boxed set gifting format to take its
place in the spotlight. The format provides
parents and other relatives with an easy, highperceived-value gift at a relatively low price
point. This year, the box sets in the top 10
spanned the kids demographic, with Peppa Pig:
Little Library at one end and New York YA
author Veronica Roths Divergent trilogy at the
other.

TOP CHILDRENS BOOKS

Childrens Books
1.

Girl Online Zoe Sugg (aka Zoella)

2.

The Long Haul (Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 9)

Jeff Kinney

3.

Awful Auntie David Walliams

4.

Guinness World Records 2015 Guinness World Records

5.

The Official Doctor Who Annual 2015 BBC

6.

Beano Annual 2015 Annuals 2015

7.

Minecraft: The Official Construction Handbook Egmont

8.

LEGO Official Annual 2015 Various

9.

Divergent Trilogy boxed set (books 1-3) Veronica Roth

10. Peppa Pig: Little Library - Ladybird

Source: Amazon (w/e 30 November 2014)

TOYS & GAMES

Once again, Black Friday was the talk of the trade heading into
Christmas 2014, as major retailers including Debenhams,
Argos and ASDA joined Amazon in ushering in the Christmas
shopping season with hefty discounts.
The extent to which Black Friday & Cyber Monday affected
sales over the festive season is still being assessed by brands.
Results from some pre-Christmas qualitative research
conducted by The Value Engineers with parents of pre-teens
suggest that the weekend had most impact on the relatively
small proportion of smaller presents purchased on impulse by
parents. Increasingly, were seeing that planned bigger-ticket
items tend either to be purchased during earlier promotional
periods in the year, or would have been delayed in the now
fairly safe expectation of later pre-Christmas discounting.
Six months on from its release on DVD in the UK, Disneys
Frozen remained the hottest property in town, with licensed
dolls, jewellery, costumes, puzzles and even an edition of Top
Trumps all making the top 10 lists at Amazon and The
Entertainer. While its safe to assume that very few within or
outside the childrens marketing industry remain unaware of
the phenomenon, its worth noting the impact of the incredible
success of Frozens Anna and Elsa licensing on other girls
toys, most of which will have seen a decline in sales across
2014 as they struggled for a share of the parental
purse. The likes of Mattel are surely hoping that
the film will quickly be forgotten by pre-schoolers
and tweens going into 2015, as it looks to restore
Barbie once more to her place as queen of the
playground.
Finally, one item stands out from other bestsellers
in its adult targeting. Described as the party game
for horrible people, Cards Against Humanity was
funded via Kickstarter by a group of Illinois high
school alumni, and has since become a case study
for toy entrepreneurs around the world.

TOYS & GAMES

Toys & Games: Amazon
(w/e 30 November 2014)
1. Cards Against Humanity: UK edition
Cards Against Humanity
2. Frozen Sparkle Princess Elsa Doll Disney
3. Pop-Up Pirate Tomy
4. 2nd Edition S107 New Version Indoor
Helicopter Syma
5. New Baby Puzzles: Jungle Galt

6. LeapTV LeapFrog
7. Barbie Endless Curls Doll Mattel
8. Frozen Anna Sparkle Doll Disney
9. Fart Whistle Stocking Fillers
10. Fashion Headbands Creativity for Kids
Toys & Games: John Lewis
(w/e 30 November 2014)
1. Frozen Bracelet, assorted Disney
2. Toy Waitrose Shopping Trolley John Lewis
3. Frozen Anna & Elsa Jewellery Set Disney
4. Frozen Elsa Tiara Disney
5. HappyLand London Bus & Characters
Early Learning Centre

6. Frozen Anna & Elsa Bracelet & Ring Set

Disney
7. Frozen Top Trumps Disney
8. Minecraft The Ender Dragon LEGO
9. Disney Frozen Puzzle & Memory Game Pack
Ravensburger
10. Toy Washing Machine John Lewis

PC & VIDEO GAMES

As we saw with girls and boys favourite toys and gadgets,
the childrens gaming market was dominated by no single
console or system last year. The bestselling titles preChristmas were almost equally divided across Nintendo, Sony
and Microsoft platforms, with two console types apiece. Most
evident is the way in which traditional computer gaming has
almost disappeared from the charts, with only one title in the
top 10 formatted for PCs and laptops.
Heading into December, its possible to see a difference in
the types of games that were most popular on each platform.
Unsurprisingly given the consoles respective heritages,
games for PlayStation tended towards high-graphic,
immersive offerings such as FIFA 15, while Nintendo showed
a definite pre-teen skew with titles like Pokmon Alpha
Sapphire and Just Dance. Microsofts Xbox sits somewhere in
the middle, with the likes of Minecraft sitting alongside FIFA
15 on the bestsellers chart.
Well over a year on from launch, Disney Infinity appears to
have failed to make the sort of strides it had hoped for
against established toy/gaming hybrid Skylanders. However,
its partnership with Marvel proved helpful in getting it into
the pre-Christmas bestsellers list, with expandable Infinity 2.0
figure the Hulk sitting in tenth place.
15 years on from its launch for the Game Boy, Pokmon is
now the second-most successful and lucrative video gamebased media franchise in the world, behind only Nintendo's
Mario franchise. Pokmon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby
are remakes of the original Ruby & Sapphire games from
2002, continuing the tradition of developer
Game Freak of releasing paired titles in each
generation of the popular franchise.

PC & VIDEO GAMES

PC and Video Games (excl. 15+)

1. FIFA 15 (Xbox 360)
2. Football Manager 2015 (PC/Mac)

3. FIFA 15 (PS4)
4. FIFA 15 (PS3)
5. Pokmon Alpha Sapphire (Nintendo 3DS)
6. Pokmon Omega Ruby (Nintendo 3DS)
7. Just Dance 2015 (Nintendo Wii)
8. Minecraft (Xbox 360)
9. Minecraft (Xbox One)
10. Disney Infinity 2.0 Hulk Figure (Xbox One/360/PS4
/Nintendo Wii U/PS3)

Source: Amazon (w/e 30 November 2014)

FILMS
The autumn half-term has been an important fixture in the
childrens films calendar for some years now, as studios look
to take advantage of longer evenings and parents desperate
for distractions, while setting the rest of their years films up
for the big pre-Christmas purchasing burst. 2014 was no
exception, with a box office that spanned fantasy, action
adventure, toy spin-offs and no less than three translations
from page to screen.
Despite a critical reception best described as lukewarm The
Guardian called the film total turtle turkey the 2014
rebook of 90s hot property Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
took a respectable 4.79m on its UK opening weekend and
stayed at the top of the charts some three weeks later for the
autumn half-term.
In second place at the box office was The Maze Runner, the
film adaptation of the first in James Dashners successful YA
sci-fi trilogy. Five years on from the books launch, The Maze
Runner has stepped neatly into the slipstream of the Hunger
Games adaptations, proving to be almost equally appealing to
teen and tween audiences though less so for adults.
Two others to have made the successful transition from book
to film last quarter were The Boxtrolls, based on Here Be
Monsters! by Alan Snow, and Alexander and the Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, from the 1972 similarlytitled book by Ray Cruz and Judith Viorst.
For families looking for slightly worthier fare, meanwhile,
The Book of Life provided an animated and more than slightly
macabre take on Mexican myths and legends.
When it came to DVDs, Frozen remained
comfortably in 3rd place more than six months on
from release. Other long stayers were The Hobbit:
Desolation of Smaug and The Lego Movie, at #8
and #4 respectively, while Disneys Planes 2: Fire
and Rescue managed the enviable feat of sitting
on both the box office and DVD charts at the same
time.

FILMS

Box Office Excl. 15+

(Based on gross box office figures)
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2. The Book of Life

3. The Maze Runner

4. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day
5. The Boxtrolls
6. Planes 2: Fire & Rescue
7. Dolphin Tale 2
8. My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Rainbow
Rocks
Source: Box Office Mojo, w/e 02 November 2014

Childrens DVDs
1. How to Train Your Dragon 2
2. Maleficent
3. Frozen
4. The Lego Movie
5. Harry Potter The Complete 8-film
Collection
6. Mr Peabody & Sherman
7. Elf
8. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
9. Planes 2: Fire & Rescue [pre-release]
10. Frozen (Limited Edition Artwork)
Source: Amazon, w/e 30 November 2014

MORE CHILDREN CAN USE A TABLET THAN SWIM,

TIE SHOE LACES AND TELL TIME
Children as young as two are learning to use smartphones and
tablets before tackling vital life skills.
According to research, more than half of children aged between
two and 10 feel more confident using a tablet than learning to
swim, telling the time and tying their shoe laces. The majority of
young children also said they felt more confident using a mobile
phone than reading.
The study from London-based optical specialists Lenstore
surveyed 2,000 parents of children aged between two and 16 in
the UK.
They asked the parents which activities their children could
carry out confidently.
Riding a bike topped the list on 60 per cent, followed by using a
tablet with 59 per cent and using a phone, and reading both on
57 per cent.
Tying their shoe laces achieved 53 per cent, followed by
swimming on 52 per cent, while telling the time was at the
bottom with 49 per cent.
Elsewhere, the findings found that nearly one in three under
fours now own a tablet, and 10 per cent regularly use a mobile
phone, claimed the report.
But fewer than half of parents surveyed with children aged
between five and 10 said they check their childs online activity.
According to the report, a third of the two- to four-year-olds who
own a tablet spend an average of two hours and 35 minutes a
day on these devices, and this could be affecting their eyesight
and eye health.

Source: Daily Mail (9th September 2014)

MILLENNIAL MUMS ADOPTING SMARTPHONES AS

BABYSITTERS
The smartphone is fast turning into the nation's babysitter,
according to new research from BabyCentre.
The 2014 Mobile Mum Report reveals that 40% of mums play
entertainment videos to their children on their smartphones.
Over half of the mums (51%) watch videos on their phones on a
weekly basis and 21% do so daily.
Micro-content on video platforms is becoming a growing source
of inspiration, information and education for millennial mums.
Almost two thirds (62%) of mobile video-watching mums watch
'how-to' videos on their phones. Among these, 64% watch
cooking videos and nearly half (48%) watch 'how-to' hair
tutorials. Craft and DIY films are also popular - with 46% and
44% watching these respectively.
Julie Michaelson, vice president of sales at BabyCentre, said:
"Short videos continue to increase in popularity with our mums,
especially short entertainment and 'how-to' videos."
The report also pinpointed new health products as a key area of
growth. Over a third (38%) of mums would use tools to track
their child's development's if it were easier. In addition, almost
two thirds (65%) say that would be interested in products like
wearable baby monitors which tracks a baby's movement and
warns a parent if something appears to be wrong.
Smartphone adoption is now at 95% amongst UK mums (up by
32% since July 2012). Tablet ownership has also increased and
66% of mums now own a tablet device, an increase of 61% in the
last 12 months.

Source: Marketing Magazine (12th September 2014)

COMPETITION COULD BE KEY TO KIDS HEALTHY

EATING
CHILDREN could be encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables
by introducing simple competitions into meal times.
A new study suggests playing to a youngsters competitive
streak is likely to result in them being more likely to choose
healthier foods by up to a third.
And it indicates that girls are more likely to respond to an
element of competition in vegetable-eating than boys.
The study analyses the findings of a trial conducted by
researchers at the universities of Edinburgh, Bath and Essex
involving more than 600 pupils aged six to seven and nine to
ten in 31 different primary schools.
For the individual scheme, pupils were given a sticker if they
chose a portion of fruit or vegetables at lunchtime, or brought
one in as part of a packed lunch. They were given an extra
reward if they picked, or brought in, more than four of the foods
over the course of a week.
In the competition scheme, a second set of pupils were also
given a sticker for choosing a portion of fruit and vegetables,
but were split into groups of four, with the youngster in the
group who had the most stickers at the end of the week gaining
an extra reward. There was also a control group that was offered
no incentives for eating fruit or vegetables.
The researchers found that although the results differed by
pupils age, gender and background, overall offering pupils
incentives increased their consumption of the foods, with the
competition having a greater and longer-lasting effect than the
individual scheme.
In the competition scheme, among those
who were not eating fruit and vegetables
every day before the trial, the proportion
trying the foods increased by around a
third.
Source: The Scotsman (6th October 2014)

CHILDREN SATISFIED, YET FEAR OF BULLYING

REMAINS
Analysis of research into childhood in the UK paints a mixed
picture of high satisfaction on the one hand, and fear of bullying
and crime on the other.
Data compiled by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) finds
over three-quarters (77%) of children aged 10-15 are satisfied
with their lives.
Yet 12% of those aged 10-15 reported being a victim of crime,
and 12% said they were frequently bullied.
The ONS also found children quarrelled more with mothers than
fathers.
The ONS report - Measuring National Well-being, Exploring the
Well-being of Children in the UK, 2014 - draws on three surveys
of childhood: The Children's Society's Good Childhood Report,
the Household Longitudinal survey and Understanding Society.
It found three-quarters (75%) of children aged 10 to 15 thought
the things they did in their lives were worthwhile and just under
three-quarters (74%) reported a moderate to high level of
happiness.
[] The proportion of children in England aged 2 to 15 who
were overweight, including obese, was 28% in 2012.
Children aged 11 to 15 years were more likely to be overweight,
including obese (35%) in 2012 compared with those aged 2 to
10 (23%).
[] Not surprisingly, technology played an important role in
children's lives, with nearly all children (98%) aged 10 to 15 in
the UK using a computer at home in 2011-12.
Girls were more likely to use it to complete
their homework, while boys were more
likely to play computer games.

Source: BBC News (8th October 2014)

OFCOM: ONE IN THREE CHILDREN UNDER 15 HAS

OWN TABLET COMPUTER, SUPPLANTING TV
Tablet computers have replaced the TV in the bedroom as the
must-have gadget for children, with over one-third of those aged
from five to 15 owning their own tablet, says Ofcom.
Studies from the UKs media and telecoms regulator discovered
that the proportion of children having their own tablet, instead
of using a parents device, has increased from 19% in 2013 to
34% in 2014.
Over six in ten children use a tablet at home, up 50% on 2013,
while the number of children with TV sets in their bedrooms has
decreased by a third in five years.
Tablet use has expanded for all age groups over the last couple
of years, as they have become an affordable alternative to a PC
and can be bought for under 100 from major high street
retailers and supermarkets.
[] The number of 5-15-year-olds using a tablet to go online
has doubled to 42% in the past year, while PC use for internet
access by children has decreased by 3% to 88%. PC sales have
steadily decreased over the last three years, as tablets and other
smart devices have grown in popularity.
Beyond internet access, tablets are being used by children for a
range of different activities. Games are played on tablets by 30%
of children, while 20% watch live TV on their tablets and 33%
watch on-demand TV.
[] Ofcom also found that 84% of parents directly supervise
their children online and 82% have defined rules about the use
and access of the internet by their kids. Over half of parents also
use tools to manage their childs internet use on tablets and
PCs, including internet filters, password protection and antivirus software

Source: The Guardian (9th October 2014)

THE COST OF RAISING A CHILD IS 84,000

JUST FOR THE FIRST 11 YEARS
The average cost of a child's first 11 years is 84,000 - or
110,500 in London, a survey suggests.
Caring for a child from birth to the start of secondary school age
will set a household financially back by almost half the average
UK house price, which stood at 187,188 in September, the
research by Halifax found.
Most of the cost - at 41,139 - is due to childcare before
children reach school age.
The issue of the cost of childcare has rapidly moved up the
political agenda, with the Coalition pushing through an overhaul
of the current system of childcare vouchers.
When asked, parents said they were having to find an average
633.54 a month, averaging 7,602.50 a year.
But it is the first year of a child's life that is the most expensive,
costing 8,500 on average.
As children reach school age and less money needs to go
towards childcare, the annual cost of raising a child falls to a
low of around 6,489 for a child aged between five and eight
years.
But as children grow older and start raiding the kitchen
cupboards, food costs were found to increase with age, being
most expensive for parents with children aged between nine and
11, when the average monthly spend tops 87.
Holiday costs reach a peak for parents of children aged between
five to eight years old, at 71 per month typically.
The cost of raising a child varies hugely
across the regions, with children growing
up in London costing their parents on
average 110,500, over 25,000 more than
the average. In comparison, this falls to
76,000 in the East of England.
Source: The Telegraph (10th October 2014)

PRIMARY SCHOOLS SHOULD WARN OF BODY IMAGE

DANGERS, SAY CAMPAIGNERS
Children should be warned in primary schools of the dangers of
wanting to look thin like models and pop singers, a new
pressure group will say today.
The charities YMCA and Girlguiding, and retailers Debenhams
and New Look are among organisations who have joined a
campaign to challenge a national epidemic of low confidence
among young people due to body image.
They say 16 million Britons say they are depressed due to the
way they think they look, one in four say poor body image has
damaged their relationships and one in five say it has deterred
them for applying for a job they wanted.
The campaign want schools to include body image in their
curriculum once children reach seven years of age and will
appeal to parents to help children feel more confident about
their weight and looks, rather than struggle with dieting and
exercise regimes to change their appearance.
Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England, said: Too
often the way we look becomes a measure of who we are and
there is a growing pressure to achieve an aesthetic ideal that
few of us can live up to. When we feel bad about how we look,
we make bad choices about our health and are stopped from
achieving our full potential.
We are seeing this amongst young people, both boys and girls,
across the country and urgently need to help them become
confident about who they are and what they look like.
The campaign was launched after a report two years ago by a
cross-party group of MPs highlighting the link between body
image and low self esteem among young people.

Source: The Times (13th October 2014)

HALF OF GRANDPARENTS TEACH THEIR

GRANDCHILDREN DOMESTIC SKILLS
Many Brits often lament the loss of the good old days with the
prevalence of home cooking, baking and other domestic skills.
However, it seems that the nations grandparents are ensuring
these skills arent lost on the next generation, as new research
from Mintel reveals that 55% of parents say their childrens
grandparents play a key part in teaching their children some
form of domestic task.
Indeed, whilst some parents look ahead to a time when their
adult children are able to fend for themselves, it seems that
Britains grandparents are not content to take a hands-off
approach to their grandchildren. Indeed, three in ten (30%)
parents claim their childrens grandparents play a key part in
teaching their children to cook and bake and nearly a quarter
(23%) say they play a fundamental role in teaching their children
gardening.
Furthermore,
12%
of
grandparents
with
grandchildren aged 10-18 teach them sewing or knitting and
11% with children aged 8-18 DIY and decorating.
However, Mintels research also shows that grandparents are not
just teaching their children domestic tasks, but also life
essentials. Over a quarter (28%) of parents say their childrens
grandparents are helping them learn to read and write and 10%
of brave grandparents even step in to potty train. Over one in 10
(12%) parents with children aged 0-9 years also say their
childrens grandparents help with bathing and washing their
children and getting them to brush their teeth.
[] Furthermore, it seems that grandparents are also giving
away money as well as time. Indeed, a third (34%) of parents
with children aged 5-18 in their household say their youngest
child receives pocket money from their grandparents.
Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) of parents say that
grandparents put money into their childs savings account and
one in 10 (10%) parents receive financial support for their childs
education.

Source: Mintel (17th October 2014)

CHILDREN PREFER TO PLAY OUTDOORS THAN

WATCH TV
Children would rather be playing outdoors than watching
television, but parents' concerns keep them indoors, a survey
suggests.
The poll of nearly 3,000 parents and children by Eureka
Children's Museum in West Yorkshire found 81% of children
prefer playing outside to watching TV.
But half of the parents and carers surveyed said they did not let
their child leave their home or garden. Just 37% said they let
their youngster to go to the end of the street.
In total, 2,823 parents and children, aged 5-11, took part in the
poll, with an approximate split of 52% children (1,456
respondents) and 48% parents (1,367 respondents).
The findings show young people are unlikely to stray very far
from home, because concerns about road traffic and strangers
mean most parents do not let them outside without supervision.
While 95% of adults agreed it was good for children to take risks
when playing, about one in four said they would not let their
child take these risks without a safe environment to play in.
Many parents believed their children did not have the same
freedoms as they did as youngsters.
They put this down to heavier traffic making playing in the
streets more dangerous, as well as a lack of community spirit
and fear of strangers.
[] The survey found 77% (1,042) of parents thought play was
an important all-year round activity for their children.
Children themselves said they wanted to explore through
unstructured, free-spirited play, with 67% preferring free play.

Source: BBC News (28th October 2014)

TIME NAMES LEGO AS 'MOST INFLUENTIAL TOY

OF ALL TIME'
TIME interviewed toy historians and experts to create a list of
the 13 most influential toys.
LEGO topped the list as the brand, TIME states, has 'redefined
the potential of playthings'.
The construction hit was followed on the list by Barbie ('worlds
most popular doll for girls'), GI Joe ('paved the way for other
action figures') and the Nerf Bow and Arrow (changed Nerfs
entire brand to where it is today').
Other entries in the list include the Super Soaker, Star Wars
figurines and Cabbage Patch dolls, while the most recent
creation to make the list is the Doc McStuffins toy line.

Source: Toy News (17th November 2014)

THE MOST CHALLENGING AGE OF A CHILD - REVEALED

Children are at their most challenging for mum and dad as they
turn five, a study has revealed.
The point at which children start school is when parents face the
most difficult problems, the research discovered, with fierce
tantrums and teenage-like attitudes and ideals creeping in.
Parents also admit to struggling with accepting their 'baby is
growing up', as well as balancing work with childcare outside of
school hours or during holidays.
Other kids influencing their childs behaviour and their
youngster answering back also add to the challenges of bringing
up a five-year-old, according to the research from Care.com.
It also emerged that despite the newborn sleepless night stage
being thought of as the most difficult to deal with, 66 per cent
of parents actually found this to be one of the easiest.
[] When it comes to dealing with the challenging years, 57 per
cent of parents say mums bear the brunt, with just five per cent
believing it was mostly left to dad to cope with.

And as a result of the added stress, seven in ten admitted their

relationship with their partner suffered while they were going
through a difficult stage with their child.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel with one in three
now able to look back on the challenging years of their childs
life and laugh about it.
Researchers also revealed eight in ten mums and dads admit
parenting has been more challenging than they thought it would
be.

Source: BT.com (4th November 2014)

DREAM TOYS 2014 REVEALED

The DreamToys list has been announced by The Toy Retailers

Association. The list is the most accurate predictive list of which
toys will dominate the wish lists this Christmas. The list has
been broken down into ten categories and 12 Top Toys.
The 2014 DreamToys list is the perfect illustration of how the
toy industry continues to innovate and evolve creating new
lines every year whilst finding new and ever increasingly creative
ways to reinvent established brands," said Gary Grant, chair of
the DreamToys committe.
"If the predications are right, and 2014 turns out to be a bumper
year, the biggest credit has to go to the toy makers and their
endless creativity and imagination.
From the 72 toys in the list the panel selected 12 Top Toys that
they believe will be dominating the wish lists this Christmas.
They are, in alphabetical order:

Bop It! Beats - Hasbro (21.99)

Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa - Jakks Pacific (34.99)
Disney Frozen Sparkle Doll (assorted) - Mattel (16.99)
Kidizoom Smart Watch - VTech (39.99)
Little Live Pets Bird Cage - Character (19.99)
Minecraft Figures (assorted) - Character (7.99)
My Friend Cayla - Vivid (58.99)
Nerf Demolisher 2-in-1 - Hasbro (44.99)
The Lego Movie - Bennys Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! LEGO (79.99)
Toot-Toot Animals Safari Park - VTech (39.99)
Transformers Stomp & Chomp Grimlock
- Hasbro (89.99)
Zoomer Dino-Boomer - Spin Master
(99.99)

Source: Toy News (6th November 2014)

TOP CHRISTMAS TOYS HAVE 'MORE COMPUTER

POWER THAN APOLLO MISSION'
There is more computer power in some of this year's top
Christmas toys than the first moon mission, experts said.
The 12 toys predicted to top childrens wish lists feature the
most advanced technology available, including voice recognition
software, photo editing and video, while some connect directly
to the Internet and can be controlled via mobile phone apps and
iPads.
Even more traditional brands such as Lego have had to evolve to
continue to capture the imagination and top sellers such as
Bennys Spaceship, retailing for 79.99, are based on hugely
successful movie franchises.
This Christmas is expected to be the biggest year for toy sales
in four years, as the all-singing all-dancing technological
wizardry compete with ongoing trends for "must-have" loom
bands, Panini stickers and mine craft figures.
Sales of toys in Britain are up 6 per cent on last year and
analysts predict that an increase in spending this Christmas will
take annual sales to more than 3 billion, an increase of 166
million in one year.
The DreamToys top 12 list compiled annually by the Toy
Retailers Association (TRA) is considered one of the most
accurate indicators of what will feature on most childrens
Christmas lists.
Among those most likely to be stuffed in childrens stockings
are the 58.99 My Friend Cayla doll, which connects to the
Internet and features voice recognition software and the 39.99
Vtech Kidizoom Smart Watch, which can store up to 900
pictures, 15 minutes of video and boasts analogue and digital
clocks, built in games, an alarm and a stopwatch.

Source: The Telegraph (5th November 2014)

CALL TO BANISH FRUIT JUICE FROM RECOMMENDED

FIVE A DAY
Fruit juice should be removed from the recommended list of
healthy things to eat daily because it is confusing for parents,
say campaigners.
Action on Sugar found many children's juices contain at least six
teaspoons of sugar - more than cola - and come in cartons larger
than recommended.
Official advice currently says a 150ml glass of unsweetened fruit
juice counts towards your five a day.
Other juice drinks, such as squash and sweetened juice, do not.

A smoothie containing all the edible pulped fruit or vegetable

may count as more than one five-a-day portion, but this depends
on the quantity of fruits or vegetables or juice used, as well as
how the smoothie has been made.
Action on Sugar says the guidelines are baffling.
But Public Health England says the advice is sound and that
consuming five or more portions a day helps reduce the risk of
heart disease and some cancers.
Nutritionist Kawther Hashem said: "Parents do not always
understand the difference between a juice drink and a fruit
juice. And most cartons come in 200ml or more.
"Many parents are still buying fruit juices and juice drinks for
their children thinking they are choosing healthy products;
children should be given as little juice as possible."
She said juice should be an occasional treat, not an everyday
drink.

Source: BBC.co.uk (11th November 2014)

TRADITIONAL FAMILY A THING OF THE PAST

The concept of family has become more fluid, increasingly

viewed by people as encompassing more than just parents and
siblings, according to a major new research project from OMD
UK and Time Inc called The Future of Families.
Two in three people believe one size no longer fits all where
families are concerned, while 19% of people include friends as
part of their family nucleus, 36% include in-laws and 29% believe
pets are part of the family. Half believe there simply wont be a
stereotypical family structure in future.
Traditional parental roles are expanding with parents sharing
decisions on childcare and upbringing, up from 54% ( from Time
Inc. UKs Origin Lounge figures from 2008) to 67%; working and
earning money up from 34% to 41% and shopping decisions up
from 24% to 33%.
Cost of Living is the biggest financial pressure for 68% of British
families: 31% worry about paying their rent or mortgage each
month and 15% about getting on the housing ladder. This is
impacting family roles with grandparents increasingly stepping
into a childcare role. However only 15% of grandparents are
paid, treated or receive something in return.
[] Technology is aiding communication within families. So
even parents are concerned about things such as sharing
personal information (68%) and privacy (67%), 78% instinctively
believe that technology is not disruptive in the home and
actually has the power to bring families closer together. For
instance, 68% see watching TV together as valued family time.
Rian Shah, managing partner strategy, OMD UK said: The
increasing presence of mobile and tablet devices within the
household and adoption of a stack and snack approach to how
we consume media and content, has actually brought families
back into the living room together.

Source: Research Magazine (20th November 2014)

LIKE A CHILD IN A CHINA SHOP

The average child will cause more than 2,000 worth of damage
in their home by the time they reach the age of ten. Researchers
who polled 2,000 mums and dads found the incredible bill
includes torn wallpaper, ripped up carpets and even broken
windows.
Parents said their kids frequent accidents and boisterous
playtime meant they end up spending around 200 in repairs
every year. In fact, 49 per cent said their children were the root
cause of destruction to the house voting them more damaging
than unruly pets, severe weather and badly fitted D.I.Y. jobs.
A spokesman for home-insurance company MORE TH>N, which
commissioned the research, said, We all know that children are
more accident-prone than adults, but its surprising how much
damage they can cause. Younger children playing with friends or
siblings can get overexcited and clumsy, whereas the heavyhandedness of teenagers can also be a risk.
[] The research showed almost four in ten parents have found
scribbles on the walls, whilst permanent stains on the carpet,
shattered plates and broken stair banisters were other
unwelcome discoveries.
Around 15 per cent of parents said their children have blocked
the toilet or sink, and the same amount have had a window
smashed. Amazingly, four percent of parents reported their kids
had even set something on fire in their homes. Intentional
scratches in surfaces, carpets being pulled up and broken beds
that had been jumped on too hard were also listed among the
carnage.
Interestingly, two in three boys were deemed
hazardous to the home by their parents
compared to only four in ten girls. And its sons
aged four to ten who are most likely to cause
domestic chaos, raking in 36% of the vote whilst
daughters of the same age received only 22%.
Source: The London Economic (21st November 2014)

CHILDREN WATCH HALF AS MUCH LIVE TV AS

ADULTS, SAYS OFCOM
Children aged 11 to 15 watch half the amount of live TV and six
times more short online video clips per day compared to adults,
according to new research by Ofcom.
The UK broadcast regulator found that 11 to 15 year olds watch
1 hour and 32 minutes of live TV per day and 33 minutes of
short online video clips, compared to 2 hours and 58 minutes of
TV and five minutes of clips for adults.
In a clear indication of a generational shift in viewing habits, the
Childrens Digital Day research said that 45% of 11-15 year olds
watch online video clips on websites every week compared with
20% of adults. These clips account for 19% of overall viewing
time for this age group compared with just 2% for adults, said
Ofcom.
While children aged 11 to 15 were found to watch a similar
amount of free on-demand TV from services like the BBC iPlayer
and 4oD as adults (13 minutes compared to 12 minutes) they
did so less frequently.
Some 38% adults said they watch these services each week,
compared to 26% of 11 to 15 year-olds.
11-15 year olds are more likely to do more than one activity at
the same time, as they squeeze 9 hours 33 minutes of media
activity each day into 7 hours 3 minutes, said Ofcom.
A fifth of time 11-15s spend on watching activities is
attributed to short online video content. Considering all of the
time spent on watching activities across a week among 11-15
year olds, just over half (52%) is to live television, compared
to 69% for all adults.

Source: DigitalTVEurope.net (25th November 2014)

SLEEP-DEPRIVED PARENTS RELIANT ON BEDTIME

BRIBERY
Forget story time, sleep-deprived British parents are taking
unconventional steps to get their children into bed, including
allowing their children to stay up and watch TV until they fall
asleep (20%), bribing them into bed with the promise of
presents (10%) and even allowing them sweets at bedtime (9%).
Lights out leads to weekly tantrums from one in five (20%)
children aged between three and six, with one in six (16%)
parents having fallen asleep in their childs room whilst trying to
get them down.
A study conducted by Dream Lites, the cuddly bedtime toys,
reveals a story and slumber time snack is the perfect antidote
for those struggling to lull their children off to sleep, with over a
third of youngsters wanting one more story told to them before
lights out (35%) and a little something to combat their hunger or
thirst pangs (34%). Sadly, almost one in 10 (9%) parents
nationally and 14 per cent in London report being too busy for
bedtime rituals such as storytelling.
The average child aged between three and six goes to sleep at
7.22pm and awakes at 6.46am, having woken three times in the
night, disturbing their parents sleep. Mums suffer most with
half (46%) regularly getting up to soothe their infant back to
sleep, compared to under a quarter (21%) of dads. All this night
time toing and froing means a quarter (24%) of parents are
unable to recall the last time they enjoyed a good nights rest.
[] Whilst it is clear parents are adopting more unusual
techniques to get their children off to bed, youngsters are
equally inventive with their excuses for staying up, including
being scared of the dark (26%).

Source: Easier Lifestyle (2nd December 2014)

QUEEN ELSA FROM DISNEY'S FROZEN IS DREAM JOB

FOR ONE IN FIVE BRITISH GIRLS
[...] A new survey has revealed that one in five British girls'
dream job is QUEEN ELSA from Disney film Frozen.
The majority of British children also have no idea what their
parents do for a living and are disconnected from the "real
world" of work, new research suggests.
A nationwide study, carried out by publishing company Kids
Educational Books, found that one-in-four of today's youngsters
are "clueless" about the true value of money and have "little
grasp" of how it must be earned.
Kids Educational Books founder Mairi McLellan said: "We all
know that fun-based play is crucial in Early Years development,
however we must also endeavour to strike a healthy balance that
encourages an interest in work and, as with most mind-sets, it's
important that we achieve this as early as possible."
The publisher questioned 950 parents about their own
children's views towards work and about youngsters'
perceptions generally.
A total of 55% said their children only have a basic
understanding of what their parents do for a living, with 32%
saying their kids had "very little grasp whatsoever".
Top 10 jobs children want to have when they grow up
1.Doctor/nurse
2.Firefighter
3.Footballer/athlete
4.Police officer
5.Queen Elsa from Frozen
6.Teacher
7.Vet
8.Professional
9.Farmer
10.Trades (builder, electrician, etc.)

Source: The Mirror (20th December 2014)

AVERAGE COST OF RAISING A CHILD IN UK

230,000
Parents face bills of almost a quarter of a million pounds to
raise just one child to the age of 21, new research shows.
Surging childcare fees and expenses linked to education mean
the basic cost of bringing up a child in the UK has risen 50 per
cent faster than inflation over more than a decade.
The study, carried out by the Centre of Economic and Business
Research for the insurer Liverpool Victoria suggests that parents
have cut back spending on toys and even food but any savings
have been swallowed up by other rising costs.
It also points to evidence that the expense of raising children
could be shaping the population, with some parents actively
postponing of ruling out having a second child because of the
cost.
[] Overall the basic cost of raising a child in the UK from birth
to the age of 21 has increased to by 63 per cent since 2003,
when the survey was first carried out, to 229,251 at present. It
has risen by just under 2,000 in the last year alone, almost
twice the current rate of inflation.

Childcare costs and those associated with education ranging

from uniforms and books to school trips together account for
almost two thirds of the total expense.
Across the UK parents will spend an average of 67,586 per
child on babysitting, nursery fees or childminders, based on
current prices.
By far the most expensive time for parents is between their
childs first birthday and when they start school. The study
calculates that parents will typically spend 61,084 between the
aged of one and four, more than a quarter of the total.

Source: The Telegraph (22nd January 2015)

COMPUTER TIME IS MODERN PARENTS' BRIBE AND

THREAT
Parents are using access to computers as a way of controlling
their children's behaviour, according to a study of modern
childhood.
The Childwise survey, which has been tracking family life in the
UK since the 1990s, shows a surge in the number of tablet
computers used by children. But it suggests that parents use
time on tablet computers as a way of rewarding or punishing
their children.
The study shows young people spend more time online than
watching television.
This latest report from Childwise, the 21st annual survey, shows
children's lives suffused with technology, using tablet
computers, laptops, videogames and smartphones.
The study, based on a representative sample of more than 2,000
children across the UK, aged 5 to 16, shows that two of the
most popular destinations are YouTube and the online game
Minecraft.
The use of tablet computers is overtaking laptops among young
children, says the survey - and it suggests they have become
important bargaining chips in family negotiations.
The Childwise annual survey shows that among the youngest
group, five to seven year olds, one in three have their own tablet
computer, with two in five going online every day for an average
of more than an hour.
Among older children, in the 13 to 16 year old group, internet
use is even more widespread, averaging two and a half hours a
day, with YoTtube the most widely used website.

Source: BBC.co.uk (22nd January 2015)

ANYA HINDMARCH GIVES FROSTIES FASHIONABLE

NEW LOOK
Kelloggs has teamed up with British fashion designer Anya
Hindmarch, who has designed a pack of Frosties featuring her
famous handbags.
The boxes depict Frosties mascot Tony the Tiger posing with
one of the bags. They will initially be available only at
Hindmarchs luxury stores including her flagship in Londons
Bond Street priced 3. From November, they will be available
at all branches of Waitrose.
The move comes after Hindmarch unveiled bags featuring Tony
and his corn flakes counterpart, Cornelius the Cockerel, earlier
this year.
Hindmarch said she wanted to find beauty in the banal.
Impeccable materials and craftsmanship applied
to fmcg, treating the everyday ordinary in an
extraordinary way, she added. Craftsmanship and
humour are very much part of our brand DNA,
working with Kelloggs on Fashion Flakes is an
extension of this.

Its difficult to see a compelling rationale in the collaboration between

Hindmarch and Kelloggs. The designers desire to find beauty in the
banal is perhaps not the greatest compliment to the Frosties design
team, and it feels like a stretch to claim a correlation between the two
brands target audiences. Yes, the HFSS and comms regulations on
kids cereals has forced brands such as Frosties to narrow their
targeting onto parental buyers rather than child consumers. Yes, one
could argue that a collaboration with such a premium, adult-focused
designer adds credibility to Kelloggs stated shift in emphasis.
However, the values of the two brands remain light-years apart,
ensuring that the collaboration sits firmly in the PR camp rather than as
a brand-led initiative.

Source: The Grocer (15th September 2014)

SUGAR PUFFS RENAMED HONEY MONSTER PUFFS AS

HALO CUTS SUGAR FROM RECIPE AND NAME
Sugar Puffs are being reformulated with less sugar and a new
name as owner Halo Foods looks to revive plunging sales and
mitigate consumer concerns over sugar.
Rolling out later this month, Honey Monster Puffs will feature a
revised recipe with less sugar and 20% more honey, and also
feature traffic light nutritional labelling on front of pack. Halo
said it was taking a responsible and transparent approach to
nutrition and wanted to help consumers make informed
decisions.
[] We feel the product relaunch, coupled with our move to
bring the product name in line with the Honey Monster character,
can help grow our share of the cereals category, said Halo Foods
marketing director Andy Valentine.
Halo is targeting 30m sales by 2017 and penetration
up from its current 13.8% to about 18%, he added.
Halo is hoping to tap nostalgia for the Honey Monster
character, who first appeared in 1976, and will be
supporting the launch with a 3m marketing push
that breaks in Q1 next year.
With sugar rapidly becoming the new demon haunting FMCG, breakfast
foods are becoming polarised between perceived healthier
alternatives such as muesli and granola and the more traditional
cereals that have long been families and kids favourites. Its no
wonder that cereal manufacturers like Halo are seeking ways to adjust
perceptions of their products by introducing sugar alternatives
whether artificial sweeteners (themselves now the object of growing
suspicion from many consumers) or natural sweeteners such as honey.
With the launch of the reformulated product under the amended brand
name, Halo will hope to allay parental concerns around their childrens
diets, while the reintroduction of the Honey Monster to TV screens will
bring a touch of 70s and 80s nostalgia for Gen X & Y parents.

Source: The Grocer (16th October 2014)

KELLOGG'S TO LAUNCH CHILDRENS FAVOURITE

COCO POPS INTO THE PORRIDGE MARKET
Kelloggs is taking kids cereal brand Coco Pops into the
porridge market. Rolling out early next year, chocolate-flavoured
Coco Pops Porridge will be sold in a pack of seven sachets (rsp:
1.99).
Kelloggs said there was a big space in the porridge market for
a childrens product.
Children dont regularly request porridge mums give it to
them, said Kelloggs UK sales director Colin Bebbington.
Research has shown Coco Pops is the most requested childrens
cereal, and we are confident children will request the porridge.
The launch comes as growth in the overall porridge category has
slowed from 8.5% 12 months ago to just 0.4% in the past year
[Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 9 November 2014].
Suppliers have previously struggled to establish
a kids porridge brand PepsiCo axed Paw
Ridge in 2011 and Kelloggs said the strength
of the Coco Pops brand [] would be crucial to
making its new porridge a success.

Where Halo Foods has reformulated and rebranded to try to allay

parents concerns, Kelloggs has taken another approach entirely,
looking to translate some of its Coco Pops equity among kids into a
category with growing parental appeal. Taking Coco Pops into porridge
is a bold choice, given the dominance of brands such as Quaker and
Dorset Oats that play on a natural, homespun positioning. With the
rapid growth of the category in the past 2-3 years, however, theres a
clear commercial rationale for entering the arena particularly now that
the advent of the convenient pots format shows signs of opening up
the market to a wider audience. The question is whether the extension
will appeal to parents who havent yet made the move into porridge, as
those who have are less likely to feel the need to purchase a
specifically kids-oriented offer.

Source: The Grocer (4th December 2014)

NEW MR MEN CHARACTER MR GLUG CREATED FOR

EVIAN WATER
Water brand Evian has teamed up with Mr Men owner Sanrio to
create new character Mr Glug.
Mr Glug is described by Evian as: A very busy fellow, who
enjoys going to galleries, rollerblading and all sorts of sports.
He also changes colour when thirsty.
Evian and Sanrio have launched an online hub where Mr
Men/Little Miss fans can play games, win a Mr Glug e-book and
download a free sticker book that can be completed using
stickers available on Evian Mr Men/Little Miss 9x33cl multipacks
from later this month.
Mr Glug will also be touring selected Tesco stores throughout
September and will be signing copies of his new book.
This is the first time Evian has worked with
Mr Men/Little Miss and we have loved every
minute of it, said Melissa Loan, shopper
marketing manager for Evian owner Danone
Waters.

One little-anticipated consequence of the clampdown on HFSS

advertising to children has been the emergence of a new cadre of
character and license-led promotion from brands like Evian and Just
Water. Previously, such brands would have struggled to gain traction
with parents and children swamped with similar activity from HFSS
foods with greater pester power. Now, however, they have a relatively
open field and nutritional credentials with parents that grant them
permission to play. The partnership with Sanrio is a lovely move by
Evian, given its longstanding adult target and more recent quirky
advertising. The introduction of a new Mr Men character allows it neatly
to tap into the brands warmth and nostalgia, while also greatly
increasing its relevance for families.

Source: The Grocer (16th September 2014)

FOR GOODNESS SHAKES LAUNCHES LOW-SUGAR

DAIRY DRINKS FOR KIDS
Protein brand For Goodness Shakes has launched a kids range
of low-sugar dairy drinks. Milkshoot comes in vanilla, chocolate
and strawberry flavours (rsp 1.29/235ml bottle), and goes on
sale in 120 Waitrose stories next week, followed by a national
listing with Asda from November.
The range was designed to draw on the health and goodness
message of the For Goodness Shakes brand to offer a
nutritious, low-sugar alternative that releases energy slowly,
said co-founder Alex Brooks.
It is packaged with a sports cap and contains 25% added milk
protein, vitamins B and D, plus iodine and calcium, and will be
pitched as an alternative to carbonated and mainstream
milkshake drinks.
[] Flavour-wise, Brooks said Milkshoot was just sweet
enough and had been certified with a low Glycaemic
Index score, which he said helped avoid sugar spikes.
We founded For Goodness Shakes 10 years ago for our
own personal consumption, he said. Were now dads
ourselves, and want our kids to grow up healthy, active
and strong, as well as enjoyaing a good diet.
With the fresh dairy market in decline and many yoghurt brands
suffering from the EU clampdown on probiotic claims, pundits are
hailing protein delivery as a hot growth area for the industry. If so, For
Goodness Shakes is on the right track to capitalise, having grown from
a niche performance nutrition brand five years ago to a mainstream
competitor in 2015. The new Milkshoot brand is likely to appeal to
those Gen X and Y parents who have grown used to the concept that
functional foods and drinks can still deliver on taste, but may struggle
to cut through with a wider family audience. While initial listings are
promising, one wonders how well the brand will compete the likes of
Actimel Kids and Frijj both very different propositions, but ones that
may be perceived to play in the same broad space.

Source: The Grocer (29th September 2014)

BIRDS EYE UNVEILS BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN

Birds Eye is launching a Back to School campaign to help

families get back into the swing after the long summer holidays.
The leading food brand Birds Eye has enlisted a panel of minichefs aged 7-12 years to develop a range of kid-approved
recipes to inspire parents with new ideas for teatime. Recipes
include a Yummy Fish Finger Pizza, Chicken Dipper Korma and
Waffle Submarine.
The campaign has been created to promote Birds Eyes
heartland teatime products: Fish Fingers, Chicken Dippers and
Potato Waffles.
Details of the kids approved recipes can be found on the Birds
Eye website along with a mini cooking show hosted by kids
showing families how to recreate the recipes at home which can
be viewed at www.youtube.com/birdseyechannel.

The campaign is being supported by a social

media competition encouraging parents to
upload photos and videos of their own mini-chefs
cooking after school onto the Birds Eye Facebook
page. Lucky winners will be rewarded with an
exclusive, limited edition freezer bag.
Supermarkets such as Tesco and ASDA have long brought in children as
expert consumers to test and approve their own-label products,
thereby giving them a way to signal the child-friendliness of their
family offerings. Birds Eye has taken the concept one step further by
inviting children to design & promote their own kid-approved recipes.
Anything that increases parents confidence that a new purchase will
appeal to their kids is likely to achieve some traction, but the use of
kids own recipes and the mini-cooking show are clever touches that
parents can use to engage their own kids above and beyond the point
of purchase. It will be interesting to see whether Birds Eye maintains
and builds the concept beyond the initial campaign, as salad brand
Florette has done so successfully with its YouTube offering.

Source: Food & Drink Innovation Network (12th September 2014)

URBAN EAT UNVEILS CRAFTY KIDS PROMOTION

Food-to-Go brand URBAN eat is underlining its artistic

credentials by giving schools and nurseries the opportunity to
win thousands of pounds worth of art and craft materials during
December.
The brands Crafty Kids promotion will launch on December
1st, and in true advent style, a new prize will be unveiled every
day in the run up to Christmas with all those entering on a daily
basis being included in a final draw to win a further 2,000 to
spend on art materials.
Brand manager Isla Owen said:
Crafty Kids is a real departure from our usual
promotions which have been very much
focussed on students and young food to go
consumers, however we now have such
extensive listings across the retail, travel and
education sectors we are able to start engaging
with a whole new audience.

URBAN eat is best-known for its sandwiches, which have a cult

following among students at the 400 university stores it supplies. Last
year, the brand signed a national distribution deal with Kerryfresh that
would take it into 12,000 independent retailers. Since its launch in
2010, the brand has grown to a 100m business and with the
Kerryfresh deal, signalled the beginning of its move to break into the
mainstream, signing. The selection of a schools- and nurseries-focused
promotion shows a clear intent to beef up its presence at the younger
end of the educational sector, and could in time build into a mechanic
targeting parents for their kids schools in the same way as Sainsburys
Active Kids has though this may be a stretch given the brands likely
small promotional budget.

Source: Food & Drink Innovation Network (5th November 2014)

KIDDIECUBES ROLLS FROZEN BABYFOOD LINES INTO

OCADO
Frozen babyfood brand KiddieCubes is hitting shelves almost a
year after its planned debut.
The 14-strong range of packs of 25g frozen pure cubes
launches in Ocado this week.
Asda is also trialling the product in a freezer in the babyfood
aisle of one store a concept that would roll out to a further
100 stores if successful, said KiddieCubes. Commercial director
John Cornish, who joined the business in June, added the brand
would clock up 10m in sales in its first 18 months on shelf.
Theres a huge potential for frozen baby food and we believe
our entrance to the market could do for the category what New
Covent Garden did for chilled soup and Tropicana for juice.
[] The initial launch this January had been
delayed because KiddieCubes wanted a complete
range from the start and needed extra time to
source seasonal ingredients, said Cornish.
The organic brand is manufactured by Surreybased Frecco Foods & Beverage

Every babyfood brand knows that parents find portion control an ongoing issue with older babies and toddlers. Ellas Kitchen created a new
sub-sector with the convenience and resealability of its pouches,
becoming the market leader and setting the standard for all other
babyfood brands, but childrens sometimes small and finicky appetites
often mean the inconvenience of keeping an open pouch or wasting
some of the content. For those making their own food, the likes of
Happy Mummy Baby Cubes offer portion control, but to date there has
been no easy equivalent in pre-prepared. KiddieCubes hopes to provide
this, but will need to establish its nutritional creds with parents to exist
in a fiercely competitive market no easy task with so many existing
brands selling themselves on an organic, like homemade platform.

Source: The Grocer (10th December 2014)

QUINOA MOTHERGRAIN LAUNCHES NEW KIDS

RANGE
Quinola Mothergrain has launched a new range of healthy ready
meals for kids.
Ready in 30 seconds, the new Kids range is a healthy alternative
to supermarket microwave meals.
Packed full of Perus Fairtrade quinoa, the pouches are bursting
with vegetable protein, minerals and essential amino acids.
Designed to appeal to busy parents, the Quinola Mothergrain
Kids range is 100% organic, gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
Created with picky kids in mind, the new range includes three
flavours:
Mediterranean Quinoa with tomato, courgette and carrot
Tex Mex Quinoa with kidney beans, sweetcorn and tomato
Thai Quinoa with peas, carrots and coconut milk
Suitable for 3 11 year olds, each 1.99 pack
serves as a main meal for one or a side dish for
hungrier kids.

The Quinoa Mothergrain range is available at

Amazon.
According to BBC Good Food, quinoa is close to the perfect ingredient.
Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a complete protein, with all eight
essential amino acids. It has been recognised by the United Nations as
a supercrop for its health benefits: packed with dietary fibre,
phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and easy to
digest. The grain has made huge strides in awareness and popularity
over the past year, from being seen as the sole province of healthfood
devotees to becoming a recognised and favoured ingredient in
mainstream media. While theres a very long way to go before quinoa
becomes as ubiquitous as pasta or rice, the fact that a brand feels that
the potential exists for a dedicated kids spin-off however small the
volumes may be at launch is a clear & positive sign of things to come.

Source: Food & Drink Innovation Network (19th January 2015)

KERRY FOODS LAUNCHES NEW YOLLIES

Kerry Foods has announced the launch of Yollies the worlds first
yogurt on a stick into convenience chillers.
Debuting in Nisa from 9th November, Yollies is Kerry Foods first
foray into the branded yogurts category and is aimed at tapping
into the huge healthy-eating lunchbox opportunity, as well as
after-school and out-of-home eating occasions.
Yollies a fruity yogurt on a lolly stick is a new format available
in Strawberry and Raspberry flavours and will offer mums a new
way to provide kids with a source of calcium and vitamin D, while
unlocking new sales opportunity for retailers.

Each lolly contains no artificial colours or flavours and comes in a

protective pod featuring a cool character from a range including
pirates, Vikings, scuba divers and a whole host of others, while the
collectable Yollies sticks will encourage collectability and repeat
purchase. Lee Willett, dairy marketing controller at Kerry Foods, said:
Yollies are perfect for lunchboxes, out-ofhome and after-school eating, and our
research shows that more than 80% of kids
who have tried Yollies loved the taste and
really liked the collectable Yollies sticks.
The kids yoghurt market has been in something of a neutral state for
some time now when it comes to NPD, with the last big format launch
being Frubes pouches in 2007 and the latest big product launch Muller
Kids Corners in early 2013. In Q4 2014 Kerry Foods took up the NPD
gauntlet with the launch of a new format in the shape of its Yollies
yogurt-lollies. The new product has the nutritional credentials that
parents expect - no artificials; good source of calcium etc. but does
require chilling or freezing. As with its highly successful Cheestrings
concept, Kerry Foods will be hoping that Yollies will breathe new life
into the dairy lunchbox offering by combining a fun positioning and
comms with nutritional credibility for parents and an added functional
benefit: a self-contained serve with no cutlery required.

Source: Food & Drink Innovation Network (19th November 2014)

ELLA'S KITCHEN FOUNDER PAUL LINDLEY UNVEILS

NEW BRAND PADDY'S BATHROOM
Ellas Kitchen founder Paul Lindley has launched a start-up
business producing a range of natural kids toiletries.
With similar styling to the Ellas Kitchen food range - named
after Lindleys daughter - the Paddys Bathroom brand has been
named after his son, Patrick.
Paddys Bathroom will make its debut in 500 Target stores in
the US in January before rolling out in the UK exclusively to 300
Tesco stores in March.
Designed for toddlers and babies, the range comprises seven
lines: three hair & body washes, bubble bath, shampoo,
conditioner and hand wash. As he did with Ellas Kitchen,
Lindley is using innovative packaging including pouches for the
bubble bath and shampoo, and top-down squirty bottles for
two of the hair & body washes.
The products are produced with natural
and organic ingredients.

Nine years on from its launch and almost a year on from selling Ellas
Kitchen to The Hain Group, entrepreneur Paul Lindley is looking to
translate his experience of launching into a category dominated by
multinationals and with behemoth national retailers as core customers
to the childrens toiletries category. While Paddys Bathroom stands as
an entirely separate brand and business, Lindley has deliberately aimed
to create a sense of kinship between the two, writing in a blog that: I
want families to see that Paddys looks a bit like Ellas, is founded by
the same guy, and has the same ethical business values and therefore
they can trust it. Its a clever use of positioning and design to suggest
a brand architecture that doesnt exist in reality, and an astute choice
of a category thats ripe for a significant, supported brand.

Source: The Grocer (2nd December 2014)

M&S BANKS ON EXTERNAL BRANDS FOR BABY

RANGE LAUNCH
Marks and Spencer has launched the M&S Baby brand, extending
its childcare range to newborns and very young children.
The retailer has paired up with eight external brands to bulk out
the range, including bottle maker Avent and pram specialist
Baby Bjorn. M&S Baby will also pull together the retailer's
existing baby products, plus a new maternity range.
M&S will trial M&S Baby in nine stores. It has added a dedicated
section to its website and will launch a catalogue for the range.
Should the trial go well, the retailer plans to roll the brand out
to more stores.
M&S childrenswear director, Stephanie Chen, said the idea was
to help parents navigate the "volume of choice" when it comes
to baby products.
Chen told Retail Week: [] "Under M&S
Baby weve put together a range that
reflects the exceptional quality and safety
standards our customers expect
complemented by a careful edit of the
leading specialist baby brands in the
market."
Given Marks & Spencers presence and stature, its surprising in many
ways that its taken the retailer so long to pull together its baby,
nursery and maternity offerings under a single brand. Its baby clothes,
toys and gifts are popular with relatives looking for good-value, quality
products for a new arrival, and its ubiquity in womens underwear
drawers surely places it in good stead to take ownership of practical,
well-fitting and reasonably priced maternitywear in the weeks and
months immediately pre- and post-birth. To date, the single biggest
stumbling block has been the limited size of its maternity and babycare
ranges something that the retailer now hopes to correct by
introducing well-known third-party brands. Its missed a trick in not
partnering with those brands on the products themselves, however.

Source: Marketing Magazine (6th October 2014)

CHARACTER OPTIONS TO LAUNCH TOY RANGE

BASED ON NEW TELETUBBIES SERIES
DHX Media has appointed UK toy company Character Options as
global master toy partner for the new series of Teletubbies.
The deal was completed by DHX Brands, the companys
dedicated brand and consumer products arm.
Character Options will launch a Teletubbies product range at
retail in the UK in 2016, with other territories to follow. Core
categories will be plush, plastics and bath toys.
The new 60-episode series of Teletubbies has been
commissioned by the UKs CBeebies and will feature the same
characters but will boast a 'refreshed, contemporary look.'
Teletubbies is one of the most recognisable pre-school brands
globally which we believe represents a remarkable consumer
products opportunity," said DHX Brands EVP Peter Byrne.

"Were very excited to be partnering with

Character Options, who have an incredible
track record in building and nurturing
pre-school brands for the long term.

14 years on from the last new content produced, Teletubbies is the

latest hot property to get a reboot for Gen Y parents and toddlers.
Although first creator Anne Wood said in a Radio Times interview that
she was a bit sad that commissioners felt the show needed to be
remade, 60 new episodes will go out on CBeebies in 2015 and will
doubtless prove to be as popular as the original 365. Last time around,
Teletubbies merchandise proved so popular for Christmas 1997 that it
outsold all other toys twice over, taking Ragdoll Media and the BBC
somewhat by surprise. This time around, owner DHX Media has no
intention of making the same mistake, so has partnered with Character
Options to produce its toddler-friendly core range of plush dolls, plastic
and bath toys.

Source: Toy News (8th September 2014)

LEGO PLANNING TO LAUNCH MASTER BUILDER

REALITY TV SHOW IN 2015
Lego is already a big enough brand to rarely need advertising but
this year's surprise hit film The Lego Movie has made the classic
building blocks even bigger than it once was.
With a Lego Movie sequel planned, a spin-off for Will Arnett's
Batman recently announced and the movie-tie in Lego video game
series continuing to do good business, the natural progression for
the Danish company is TV and that's exactly where it is heading.
Lego vice-president of global licensing and distribution Jill Wilfert
said at the Mipcom TV conference in France that the company is
"exploring some reality competition show formats, which is new
for us: the idea of becoming a master builder is something we
think could be quite resonating".
The idea of a Master Builder came about in The Lego Movie,
essentially meaning someone able to create amazing things
without the need for the instruction leaflets that potentially limit
so many children from playing with Lego.
"You will continue to see us in this entertainment and
content space," Wilfert said. "We are working on a new
property that will launch with a TV series in 2015 and
we are focusing on having real interactivity.
In the past decade, the LEGO brand has gone from strength to strength,
extending its reach into gaming, licensing, electric and architectural
building, broadcast and social media among others. The LEGO Movie
showed a marked opportunity for the brand to strengthen its
entertainment offering, following in the footsteps of other established
toy-to-broadcast properties from Barbie and Monster High to
Transformers, and the company has been quick to respond. While its
core remains 6-12 year old boys, the business also recognises the
profit stream represented by the so-called AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO).
A move into TV presents an opportunity to involve both audiences in a
single medium in this case, a reality show to build and develop its
master builder concept into a real & highly aspirational career.

Source: International Business Times (14th October 2014)

TRUNKI UNVEILS 'MADE FOR ME TRUNKI' SERVICE

Children's travel specialist Trunki has launched a bespoke
service for its UK fans, called Made for Me Trunki.
Globetrotting children can head online to the Trunki imagination
station and create their own bespoke ride-on suitcase.
With nine different parts and ten different colour ways, there are
one billion potential colour combinations.
Each 40 Made for Me Trunki will be built by hand in Trunki's
UK factory. It will come with its own Trunki birth certificate,
dated and signed by its maker.
Gift cards will also soon be available for retailers to order.
"Made for Me is a really exciting launch for
us," said a Trunki spokesperson. "It's
something we've wanted to do for a long
time, and having our own UK factory gives
us the flexibility to offer an incredible
bespoke service."

Famously rejected for investment by Dragons Den, Trunki has since

gone on to become one of the great success stories of British childrens
manufacturing of recent decades. Driven by a powerful insight &
initially-unique benefit anchored in the family travel experience, the
brand has forged an entirely new category for its childrens luggage
and remains the market leader, if no longer the sole player. Trunkis
London 2012 limited editions proved popular with British and
international parents looking for a practical, reasonably priced and
engaging souvenir for their children, and the introduction of its new
bespoke range demonstrates that the company still has a good eye for
childrens interests. While firmly established as a driver of desirability,
personalisation remains a key trend for children's brands to utilise.

Source: Toy News (3rd November 2014)

ARGOS UNVEILS CHRISTMAS WISHLIST APP

DEVELOPED AT FIRST HACKATHON
Argos has launched an app for children, a Santa wishlist, born
from its first hackathon event in March at the retailer's London
digital hub.
The "My Christmas Wishlist" app is a mobile take on the
traditional letter to Santa. It lets children choose the toys they
want for Christmas.
Parents who download the app must first register their email
address. They will then receive the wishlist, which can be
adjusted to control how many toys the children can choose
within a certain price range.
A Pixar-style animated character, chosen by the child using the
app, will then pick the desired toys and products.
[] The app is aimed at children aged between 3- to 7-years-old
and is available for iOS and Android devices.
It targets children who still believe in Santa, rather
than older children interested in Christmas solely
for the sake of presents, according to the retailer's
head of digital innovation, Neil Tinegate.

The Argos catalogue has long been an intrinsic part of the run-up to
Christmas for many families. Those thirty- and forty-somethings who
grew up with a catalogue in the house see it as an invaluable tool to
occupy over-excited children. Whether marked with Post-its, ringed in
marker pen or torn out, catalogue pages are used to form kids
Christmas wishlists all over the UK. Argos has been one of the faster
catalogue retailers to take advantage of the opportunities presented by
digital & online shopping, but now faces the challenge of how to
migrate this type of paper catalogue-based behaviour online. With its
new app, the retailer doubtless hopes to move young browsers and
parents to a more cost-effective & traceable medium but functionality
will need to be equal to Amazon to bring in new customers.

Source: Marketing Magazine (7th November 2014)

MORE THOUGHTS
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