The Rise of the "Kidult" as a Target Audience in Marketing
Everyone has an inner child. But some adults never grow up. In fact, it’s become an archetype that has emerged as a new audience target in marketing called the “kidult,” a portmanteau of “kid” and “adult.” And it comes with plenty of ripe opportunities to advertise, create and connect.
Why Are Kidults an Emerging Target Audience
Kidults are people over 21 who have what could be considered “childish” interests or hobbies, such as video gaming, watching cartoons, collecting toys or cosplaying. Kidults want to escape the world’s social and geopolitical turmoil, relive the magic of childhood or just get a second chance at being a kid. They have the youth and whimsy of a fifth grader and the consumer buying power of a Gen Xer. It’s the best of both worlds.
While they may not have had a clever name, the target market has always existed. So, why now? Well, from a psychological perspective, as trends and technologies rapidly accelerate, there's more and more comfort in nostalgia.
One of the best examples in recent history is the popularity of the Barbie movie. (The Barbiecore fashion trend alone was more than “Kenough” to revive our favorite less-than-bendable doll.) Mattel has been banking on this market with a future roster of post-Barbie movies that play on that same strategy, like Uno, American Girl Doll and Hot Wheels.
This common consumer type likely took a while to evolve into a true target market due to the larger society’s negative view of it. Kidults have historically been seen as immature adults who reject their grown-up responsibilities. However, the recent surge of “kidulthood” is showing a clear balance between work and play.
What Marketing Opportunities Do Kidults Provide
For marketers, the kidult consumer archetype brings a whole host of advertising and messaging opportunities. Yes, reaching a new psychographic takes additional resources, but as far as we’re concerned, there’s really no downside to becoming besties with the kidults in your market.
Potential Partnerships and Collaborations
Targeting the kidult market opens the door to new strategic partnerships. Brands that may not have been connected to IPs marketed to children can now create interesting collaborations. Toys, media and entertainment venues designed for children can branch out, while “adult” brands can forge audiences based on fun for adults looking for levity. Imagine a line of adult fragrances based on everyone’s favorite cartoons. (Can we get an Eau de Bikini Bottom?)
Creative Freedom
Marketing to kidults also gives brands new, imaginative freedom when it comes to creative output. From packaging design to product marketing campaigns, we can all embrace our inner child and step outside of our confined adult-ish boxes. Unexpected partnerships and creative content ideas bring new opportunities while also revealing new means of A/B testing your messaging (e.g. various IPs, simpler language, childhood trends, etc.). Unlocking your marketing agency’s or in-house team’s inner child is sure to reveal lots of new ways to show (and possibly even expand) your brand.
Deeper Brand Loyalties
Some of our deepest brand loyalties lie with companies that have followed us from our youth into adulthood. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling. Brands who take advantage of this connection to childhood forge a stronger connection between their brand and their audience. For maximum impact, find where there are content connections but little audience overlap with kidult activities and brands.
Why Kidult Marketers Should Take Caution
Marketing to kidults isn’t just a matter of mentioning parts of their childhood. If audiences can tell that your use of childhood media is purely to capitalize on nostalgia and not an attempt at honoring the source material or to forge a genuine connection, audiences will take notice—and maybe retaliate. For instance, the (ill-fated) adult animation TV show Velma was heavily criticized for not staying true to the original show. The result? A 1.6/10 rating on IMDB. Jinkies!
Also, this is still an emerging audience psychographic, meaning there’s little research on them. If you do pursue kidults in your marketing and advertising, you’ll be building the plane while you fly it.
How to Elevate Your Brand with Kidult Marketing
If you’re going to successfully reach the kidult market, you’re going to need a marketing agency with both childlike wonder and adult proficiency. That’s Elevate My Brand. Ask us about our Discovery Phase today to explore the ways your brand can connect to kidults in ways that match your marketing goals and brand identity—while supporting your efforts to stand out in a crowded competitive field.