CHAPEL HILL -- For years, marketers have used phrases like "pester-power" and the "nag-factor" to describe the way children talk their parents into making purchases. According to marketing consultancy Yankelovich, Inc., in its 2005 Youth MONITOR study sponsored by Disney, these phrases are clearly showing their age and irrelevance, and miss several key, emerging trends among parents and kids.

The study, Yankelovich's 10th youth and family analysis since 1987, signals that it's time for organizations to retire phrases that ignore the true nature of family dynamics and instead adopt "Team Decision-Making" as the ruling mantra for connecting with kids and families.

"Make no mistake, this dynamic is relevant in far more categories than most would assume," said John Page, Youth Insights Manager at Yankelovich. "From cookies to cars, video games to video cameras and snack foods to stores, kids and parents are making decisions together about what to buy, do and enjoy. Getting kids to nag their parents is not the most effective focus of marketing dollars anymore. In fact, marketers should avoid pitting kids against parents at all costs because it flies in the face of the kind of interaction parents and children want with each other."

Shared Preferences Lead Way

The "nag factor" is a thing of the past because parents often want and enjoy the very same things their children do. In fact, 74% of parents say "my child and I have a lot in common when it comes to things we like to do and buy," according to the Yankelovich study. Examples in the marketplace include:

-- Latest electronic gadgets, like camera phones and iPods

-- Recent blockbuster hits like "The Incredibles" and "Shrek 2"

-- Continuing popularity of "evergreen" brands in the food and beverage category

The study cites this trend toward shared preferences as part of a broader trend called "Zapping the Gap," which refers to the generation gap, a term Yankelovich coined nearly four decades ago. "We're seeing," says Page, "parents and kids being more likely to start discussions about the marketplace, and life in general, more from a place of commonality rather than conflict. The generation gap that many of today's parents experienced in their youth has diminished significantly."

The study also found half of parents say they "really enjoy a lot of today's pop culture, such as music, fashion, the popular shows and celebrities, and things like that." According to Page, "This is an impressive number given adults' propensity of believing the ruling pop culture of their youth couldn't possibly be matched. But we have to remember that today's parents are, to a significant degree, the MTV, original Star Wars, Star Search-generation. So in some respects, the ruling pop culture of their youth is frequently echoed in today's pop culture."

The study also found that nostalgia holds great sway among parents with 87% agreeing they "get a real kick out of seeing my children enjoy the same kinds of things that I did when I was a kid."

Savvy Consumers

Both parents and children are smarter consumers today and more adept at navigating the marketplace. Most importantly, they talk to each other more than ever about the marketplace and a wide range of subjects, such as money, emotions and business ethics, according to the study. In fact:

-- 90% of parents say they "talk about more things with my child than my parents talked about with me."

-- 73% of parents say they talk with their child about important family decisions, up from about 60% in the 2001 and 2003 waves of the study.

-- 77% of parents, up from 68% in 2003, say they are having discussions with their kids about how kids should spend their money.

-- 52% of parents say they are talking more with their kids about commercials they see on TV, up from about one in three in prior waves of the study.

The same trends regarding family decisions, money, commercials and the like have been reported among an increasing number of kids, as well. In fact, 59% say they talk to their parents about how to spend their money (up from 53% in 2003).

Parents have recognized the benefits of listening to what their children have to say, with 70% saying it makes shopping easier when their child knows what brand he or she likes. Further, the study collects both parents' and kids' point of views on the amount of involvement the child has in a wide variety of categories. The following percentages of kids report helping their parents pick out the following:

-- Clothes - 84%

-- Movies, DVDs and videos to rent - 77% (up from 67% in 2001)

-- Sit-down restaurants - 63% (up from 51% in 2001)

-- Stores to shop in - 58% (up from 47% in 2001)

-- Family vacation spots - 50%

"For many parents, the emotional rewards found in sharing experiences with their children become self-sustaining and spill over to other categories," Page said. "So while marketers must rethink some of the old standbys in marketing to kids, they also have tremendous opportunities to tap into the 'Team Decision-Making' dynamic by understanding that the pre-shopping, actual purchase and usage of many products and offerings these days are family experiences."

For more information and to obtain a complimentary topline report, please contact Danielle Rumore (danieller@blisspr.com) or Keenan Hughes (keenan@blisspr.com) at 212-840-1661.

About the Yankelovich Study

Since 1987, the Yankelovich Youth MONITOR(R) study has gathered and trended the values, motivations and attitudes that shape kids' and their families' decisions and interactions in the marketplace. Youth MONITOR consisted of in-home, in-person interviews among a nationally representative sample of 1,458 children ages 6-17. Interviews ranged in length and content based on three age groups: 6-8, 9-11 and 12-17. Adults in the household (96% of whom were the child's parent) completed a self-administered questionnaire with demographic, attitudinal and behavioral information. Additional data is presented from the Yankelovich MONITOR 2004/2005 and the Yankelovich MONITOR II 2005.

About Yankelovich, Inc.

Yankelovich is headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC, with offices in Norwalk, CT and Atlanta, GA.  For more information visit www.yankelovich.com