Seems Like Every Kid Has a Cell Phone These Days …

It’s no secret that mobile device penetration among children is on the increase – we don’t need statistics to tell us that when iPhones decorated with Hannah Montana stickers and pink rhinestones are being wielded by 6-year-olds.

But, the data backs us up. According to Nielsen data, the average age of phone ownership is pushing down – and quickly. In Q2 of 2008, the average age kids got their first mobile phone was 10.1 years, and in Q1 of 2009 that number dropped to 9.7 years. Undoubtedly it will continue to fall.

And how do kids use their phones? Well, they use them a lot. The average 13-17 year old sends more than 2,000 text messages per month, according to Nielsen. And, more than half of the youngest (age eight) mobile phone owners used their cell to send text messages in the last year.

Additionally, “Two-thirds of tween mobile phone owners took pictures with their camera phones in the last year. Half spent time playing the pre-installed games. Four in ten activated the speakerphone feature. Twenty-eight percent filmed a video clip, and 24% listened to the MP3 capability.”

Multimedia is on the increase, and as more and more children become just as phone-reliant as their parents, it means changes for mobile marketing practices. Currently, kid-focused content and games is certainly an issue being addressed by forward-thinking marketers. But, the landscape is changing, and proportionately, children are going to be a bigger piece of the mobile pie as time goes on.

This means, smart marketers will figure out ways to reach children through mobile means. This includes text marketing, social networking and media sharing sites – kids use them all … a lot. Additionally, given that a large percentage of parents do regulate their children’s cell phone usage, it makes sense to make first contact with parents for kid-centered campaigns. Convince the parents of your brand’s value, and they’ll give the green light to their kids.

Focusing on increasing educational value, engaging kids with appropriate messaging and providing a benefit to parents will help insure that you get your message across to all the right age groups.

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