This article begins with the statement, “Today’s pre-teenagers are the next generation of consumers and they already know what online experiences they want.” This is another acknowledgment of the market power tweens hold. They flock to the web and want fun, friendship and education. The major players, Disney, Viacom/MTV (Nickelodeon), Habbo, Stardoll and Turner Broadcasting are keenly aware of the potential earnings from tweens and are giving them what they want; gaming, video and the beginnings of social media experiences. Astounding is the precise focus on several specific age subgroups within the standard 8 to 12 year old tween definition. Disney has developed Disney XD for boys aged 6 to 14 years old. Turner relaunched its Cartoon Network website for 7 to 11 year olds. Nickelodeon also focuses on 7 to 11 year olds. Teen Nick was specifically developed for 10 to 13 year old girls. Habbo looks to market to a group beginning with 11 and 12 year olds.
The article states, “Tweens may not have the spending power and influence of teenager, but... is just a few years away from being able to put their consumption habits into action.” This doesn’t seem to account for the dollar amounts reported in the article included in this collection “How to Hype-proof your Tween” which reported tweens spending $50 billion dollars a year of their own money and $170 billion dollars spent on them by others. $220 billion dollars spent on/by tweens in one year does not equate to “not having the spending power.” If, in fact, this is what the New Media Age staff believe, then it would have been helpful for them to provide a dollar amount that their comparison group (teenagers) spend annually. One other significant fact reported in the article is that 87% of 8 to 12 year olds go online at home or at school.
TWEENS ONLINE: Kids rule. Feb 11, 2010 p19New Media Age, p.19. Retrieved April
25, 2011, from Academic OneFile via Gale.
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