Engaging with 21st century kids – tackling the age gap

Date: 24 January 2006

How do you reach the children of today? They are using new media, responding to new techniques - and they represent a huge potential market for all manner of products and services. To research and engage with this audience, marketers need to know what makes them tick – and research is key.

On 20 February 2006 experts from the suppliers and users of research will come together for a one-day conference to share their expertise and experience in researching 21st century kids. While the focus will be on the critical issues facing those involved in researching children, and the challenges involved in finding out what they think, the conference will also highlight the increasing influence of this consumer sector.

Held at The Mayfair Conference Centre in London (W2) and chaired by Martyn Richards of Opera Research, ‘Researching Kids in the 21st Century’ is the next in the series of Research Conferences organised by the MRS. The programme includes youth specialists Barbie Clarke from Family, Family Kids & Youth speaking on ‘The Future of Children’s Research’ and Dr Brian Young, head of psychology at Exeter University, speaking on ‘Responsible Advertising’. Juliet Strachan, Senior Partner, HPI Research Group, and Jeremy Preston, Director of the Food Advertising Unit, will also join the line-up and will be focusing on the increasingly hot food advertising debate.

They are joined by agency-side speakers Matt Hotten and Victoria Hardy from Jetix, offering the quant perspective on researching kids, and keynote speaker Dave Lawrence, group planning director, Logistix, who will give an overview on trends and hot issues for researchers. Debrah Harding, deputy director general at the MRS will deliver an update on the MRS Code and guidelines for researching young people.

Debrah Harding explains: “Researching children presents many challenges to researchers and users of research. Everyone involved in a study has a responsibility to safeguard the interests of those being researched, at the same time as ensuring a study can present a true view of what today’s children think. Children and young people represent a key market for today’s products and services and it is important to understand the best and most appropriate ways to conduct research with them.”

“This conference will present different views on the key issues involved with engaging with 21st century kids – understanding the most effective methodologies and processes to be used, encouraging delegates to pioneer new ways of researching this group, and in turn, highlighting what this information can offer users of research.”

The conference is divided into a morning session on responsible ‘Marketing to Kids as Consumers’, which includes a panel debate, and an afternoon session looking at ‘Challenges and Opportunities’. Speakers will offer valuable tips on convincing organisations of the potential for allocating spend in this sector, and will highlight how research feeds into products, services and communications that appeal to this diverse age group.

‘Researching Kids in the 21st Century’ runs from 9.15am to 5pm on Monday 20 February. For more information or to book a place please contact Nicole Cornelius on 020 7566 1875 or email Nicole. Cornelius@mrs.org.uk .

Notes to editors

With members in more than 70 countries, MRS is the world’s largest association representing providers and users of market, social, and opinion research, and business intelligence.

MRS serves both individuals and organisations who identify with its core values of professionalism, excellence, and effectiveness. It has a diverse membership of individual researchers within agencies, independent consultancies, client-side organisations, the public sector and the academic community – at all levels of seniority and in all job functions.

Research Conferences, organised by the MRS, take place throughout the year and offer a series of leading-edge one-day conferences, seminars and workshops.

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