In order to speak to youthful consumers in the most effective way possible, Target got writers ages eight to 11 and directors who are ages 13, 15 and 17 to create some of its latest back-to-school ads.
The project even includes a music score and set design that was done by children -- with the company set to feature the illustrations used in the commercials to also promote the campaign in stores and through digital mediums. In order to create the project, Target collaborated with '826LA,' an organization with a goal is to improve the creative writing skills of children and 'Adolescent,' an advertising agency.
In each of the short commercials, children are shown building positive relationships with their peers as a means to solve problems. This is shown in one back-to-school ad where two girls wait for a bus together only to realize that they have the same Target lunchboxes, which allows them to bond.
Child-Written Promotional Campaigns
Target's Back-to-School Ads were Written and Directed by Kids
Trend Themes
1. Child-written Advertising - The rise of child-written advertising campaigns presents an opportunity for companies to connect with youthful consumers in a more engaging and authentic way.
2. Youth-inspired Set Design - Collaborating with organizations that foster children's creativity can lead to innovative set designs that reflect the youthful perspective and provide a new way to reach consumers.
3. Peer Relationship-focused Marketing - Emphasizing peer-to-peer relationships as the solution to problems can be a disruptive way to market products and services, particularly to younger audiences.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising - Advertising agencies can adopt new practices by collaborating with organizations or communities to create more impactful and authentic campaigns.
2. Education - Organizations focused on enhancing the creative writing skills of children can potentially expand their services to include advertising campaigns, further improving the skills of the next generation of writers and directors.
3. Retail - Brands and companies in the retail industry can leverage child-written ads and youth-inspired set designs to appeal to youthful consumers in a more meaningful way, potentially increasing brand loyalty and sales.