In the past, we used to think of "spoiled kids" simply as a few "rich kids" -- the children of the very wealthy, the pampered few who would inherit their parents' great wealth.
However, within the past generation, due to several factors (growing affluence, sense of entitlements, changing family structure, television and commercialism), there's a lot more wannabees -- kids of middle-class parents --who were pampered during their childhood and youth, but who are unaware of the reality that it can't last forever.
"Overprivileged children"is the term used in James McNeal's Kids as Customers whose research discovered: "Nationwide there are around 7 million children, ages 4-12, who could be classified as overprivileged because they average receiving, saving, and spending twice that of children overall."
Teen-agers, for example, in America have had a lot more spending money and freedom than their parents' generation. Music and entertainments cater to the huge teen-age audiences who have the discretionary income to spend. Movies, for example, are primarily geared to attract young males (with action, sex, and violence), both here and abroad. To a lesser extent, young women are targeted for "date night" chick-flicks.
Furthermore, since the mid-1990s, satellite television (especially MTV) has had a powerful effect -- a worldwide "teen culture" of music, dress, and sports -- upon teens in other countries. The culture shock is especially keen in Islamic countries where traditional family roles are being challenged by American attitudes and behaviors of our teen-centered consumerism.
College kids, for example, by 2003 had ordered so much e-commerce "stuff" online that college mailrooms were being overwhelmed with a five-fold increase in packages delivered. Many of these non-essential items were being paid for by high interest credit cards (secured by parents) or by easily available "student loan" money, which has to be repaid (at relatively high interest) later, just at the time when college graduates are ready to start a family, or to live independently.
In 2002, the average student loan indebtedness upon graduation was $28,700, and about one-third of all recent grads were unable to make their first payment due. "The reasons are two-fold," said Chief Executive Barry Morrow of the Collegiate Funding Service: "Students are more indebted than ever, and they are walking into one of the worst job markets in a decade."
Boomerangs are one result: grown children who do not have an adequate income or job to support themselves, and who come "back to the nest" to live with their parents. (Someday perhaps they will be, or will marry, a "high maintenance" wife.) But, seriously, as the economy worsens, more "nuclear families" will be forced into being "extended families" with many people of different generations crowded together in one house. That's stressful!
For example, James McNeal writes in "Children as a Market
of Influencers" (pp.73-74) in his book, Kids as Customers: A Handbook
of Marketing to Children:
"Their typical request is direct and usually begins with "Get me,"
"Buy me," or "I want." Sometimes it is more emotional and
contains words such as "I just gotta have," "I must have"
and "I'll die if I don't getta." Sometimes it is just a gesture, such
as a toddler pointing to a product, or more intently, grabbing for the product.
In most cases, rather than just asking "May I have it," the child
utilizes a style -- a way of asking-and an appeal-the reason for asking-to increase
the chances of obtaining the item(s) requested. Like marketers, the child appeals
to the motives or needs of the parent (usually one parent at a time). Through
learning from trial and error, from friends, and from marketers the child applies
the most effective appeal through the most effective style. The appeals are
large in number but fall into some general categories:
• Educational -- "You want
me to learn don't you?"
• Health -- "Don't you want me
to be healthy?"
• Time -- "It'll save you time."
• Economy -- "It'll save
you lots of money."
• Happiness -- "You want me to
be happy don't you?"
• Security -- "You don't want
me to get hurt do you?"
Marketers may provide these appeals in their advertisements concurrently with
appeals to the child. For example, one ad might say, "It's fun [for the
child] and it's educational [for the child's parents]," or simply, "Have
fun while you're learning," and the child seems to understand the focus
of each appeal.
Like the variety in appeals, there are many styles the child employs in his
or her request to parents for goods and services. And like the appeals, the
style is learned mainly as a result of the parents' responses to each style.
A positive response reinforces the style, a negative response extinguishes it.
It is particularly in the style that acting ability pays off, and the child
learns to switch from one style to another as a means of renewing a request.
Some of the popular styles are these:
Pleading -- It is usually accompanied by
words such as "puleeeze," ... .. help me," and by repetition
such as "mother, mother, mother."
Persistent --
This style involves repeating the request over and over at all opportune as
well as inopportune times. Sometimes requests are accompanied by "I'm gonna
just one more time."
Forceful -- This is related to the demonstrative
style that follows. It uses loudness and forceful words such as "I must
have it," "Nothing will stop me from having it," and "I'll
ask grandma if you don't buy it for me."
Demonstrative -- This is perhaps the height in acting. In younger
children it means going stiff, holding the breath, or falling down on the floor
screaming. In older kids it entail refusing to leave the store or refusing to
talk or look at the parent. Tears are often employed for effect.
Sugarcoated --
The words "love" and "wonderful" are usually invoked in
this style: "I'll love you forever if just get me one," and "Buying
me one means you're the most wonderful father in the world.
Threatening -- This style usually focuses
on the negative results that will occur if a purchase is not forthcoming: "I'll
hate you forever if I don't get one," and "I'm gonna home if you don't
buy me one."
Pity -- Finally, there is the negative
result for the child rather than the parent if the purchase is not made: "I'll
be the worst-looking kid in school if I don't have one," "Nobody will
even talk to me if I don't have one,""Everyone has one except me,"
and "You never buy me anything."
All of these appeals and styles may be used in combination, but kids tend to
stick to one or two of each that prove most effective for certain kinds of merchandise
and for their own parents. While the examples given are mainly related to personal
items for children, these request styles and appeals are used also for obtaining
items for the household such as a new television set, telephone, or living room
furniture...."
McNeal emphasizes that kids are important customers:
1) immediately, with their own money;
2) immediately, influencing their parents' choices on many products;
3) and, in the future, by establishing long-term desires, buying habits, and
brand loyalty.
from James McNeal, Kids as Customers: A Handbook of Marketing to Children
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