Kidult Content Network Deep Dive Report

Content Networks: Deep Dive Report Kidult: Fall 2012Thursday, October 11, 12

Introduction Introduction At sparks & honey, we synchronize brands with culture. Using a proprietary cultural mapping platform, we track and identify cultural bursts and trends in real time, score their energy level, project their lifespan and analyze their cultural resonance. This data is aggregated into what we call Content Networks. Content Networks are a mapping system used to model and understand dynamic, interconnected webs of cultural activity. These Content Networks help brands understand and connect with popular culture in order to make more strategically informed business decisions. We are monitoring for both signals of longer term change and fast moving cultural buzz. This enables us to identify both cultural waves that are ripe with immediate opportunity (Fast Culture) and longer term shifts that will play out over time (Slow Culture). Examples of Fast Culture include: fads, memes, fashion, viral content, natural language, trending topics, news events and micro trends. Slow Culture includes: macro trends, consumer behaviors and movements that have cultural impact over a period longer than 3-6 months. sparks & honey makes no claim regarding ownership or trademark of the language used to name or describe the Content Networks herein. Any usage of similar language by other individuals or organizations is purely coincidental. 2Thursday, October 11, 12

About The Kidult Content Network Report Introduction We invented the concept of Content Networks as part of our Wave Branding offering and have identiﬁed a total of 56 dynamic Networks that are most resonant in popular culture today. We monitor online sharing and conversations, media stories and specialized inﬂuencer groups to understand the energy levels of each Content Network and discover examples in real-time. This document takes an in-depth look into the Kidult Content Network, which has been bursting with energy over the past 180 days. The trends and insights in this Deep Dive Report are valuable for marketing and media professionals, product strategists and anyone running a business seeking to be culturally relevant. This research can help guide your decision making process and strategic thinking over the next six months. 3Thursday, October 11, 12

How To Read This Report Throughout this report you will see icons representing Energy, DNA and Prediction Scores*. These scores can help you contextualize the information and examples in this document. ENERGY SCORE The energy score is rated on a scale of 1-5. It is represented by these icons: DNA low high science as play myth busting The Energy Score is the speed deconstruction and volume of buzz and reach of the example. alternative methods +5 more PREDICTION SCORE The prediction score is rated on a scale of 1-40. It is represented by these icons: A unique set of attributes that describes each example. short long The Prediction Score reﬂects potential duration or life of the example. *The scores contained in this report are reﬂective of energy levels as of October 9, 2012. All scores are dynamic and change over time. 4Thursday, October 11, 12

DNA Kidult Kidult nostalgia immature adult social commentary clever child Adults connecting to their inner child by adapting mediums meant for ENERGY PREDICTION childhood dreams younger audiences and kids connecting to their inner grown-up. +21 more 5Thursday, October 11, 12

About Kidult The Kidult Content Network contains two equal and opposite elements that are evident in manifestations across popular culture -- adults connecting to their inner child by adapting mediums meant for younger audiences and, conversely, kids connecting to their inner grown-up. The Kidult Content Network is driven by major social, economic and cultural shifts, most notably the ﬁnancial crisis, recession and slow economic recovery we are living through. Technology and changes in media distribution are also key drivers of Kidult culture. For adults, the pervasiveness of bad news has led to a greater desire for an escape from reality in the comforts of childish things. But just as fragmentation of media and new distribution channels have made news ever-present, so have these trends driven an explosion of content and information that is decidedly childish. YouTube is rife with Kidult content that once upon a time may have been considered too fringe or too immature for major media outlets to produce: animations with adult themes; ﬁrst-person narrative accounts of childish pursuits; and child-like experiments that take toys and games to a whole new level of sophistication. Likewise, changes in the media landscape have meant that children are introduced to mature content and themes much earlier than previous generations. And for this emerging generation, for whom media has always been a two-way street, a natural outgrowth of consuming adult content is to join the dialogue and speak up. For todays children, participating in media has led to a greater sense of activism and participation in the adult world at large. About 25 Percent of Adult Children Live 12-Year-old Steers Car to Safety After Dad at Home with Their Folks Has Seizure on Highway Barack Obama’s Campaign Scoring Points with Video Gamers Street Pong Mattel’s All-Pink Cruise Line for Barbie Fans 6Thursday, October 11, 12

Seth MacFarlane to Host Oscars Lego Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Official CollectionImages are hyperlinked Marching Band Halftime Show: Video Games Presidential Debate Spawns Campaign to Save Big Bird 7 Thursday, October 11, 12

LEGO Teenage Mutant Seth MacFarlane to Ninja Turtles Official Host Oscars Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Collection LEGO unveiled its ofﬁcial Teenage Guy and the 2012 comedy hit Ted, Mutant Ninja Turtles collection during October 1, 2012 has been chosen to host the 85th October 11, 2012 the 2012 NYC Comic Con event. The annual Academy Awards on Feb. cult classic childhood animated 24, 2013. Since Ted is about a series is getting a reboot this year ENERGY grown man whose best friend is a ENERGY play face to the voice childhood nostalgia through multiple modalities - refreshed image talking teddy bear and Family Guy is building block bold including two movies in production - unexpected pixels the epic animated series for adults, funny man cult sparking a nostalgic craving for all PREDICTION +7 more MacFarlane is the poster child for PREDICTION +8 more things TMNT amongst the brand’s adults being immature. adult fans. Marching Band Presidential Debate Halftime Show: Video Spawns Campaign to Save Games Big Bird The Ohio State University Marching Romney’s comments about PBS Band’s performance during a and Big Bird during the Oct. 3rd October 7, 2012 October 4, 2012 halftime show featured a video Presidential Debate spurred an game theme, with the band forming outbreak of support for Big Bird and ENERGY unique show ENERGY shapes from Zelda, Halo, Pokemon, nostalgia Sesame Street, including a number video games childhood icon nostalgia Tetris, Super Mario Bros. and others. preservation of efforts to “Save Big Bird” such as jaw dropping crowd-funding marching band widespread movement an Indiegogo campaign and memes +10 more PREDICTION PREDICTION +5 more featuring an unemployed Big Bird. 8Thursday, October 11, 12

Conversation With My 12-Year-Old Self Child’s Own Studio Images are hyperlinked8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes a Stand Against Slavery 10-Year-Old’s Petition Convinces Jamba Juice to Stop Using StyrofoamThursday, October 11, 12

A Conversation With Child’s Own Studio My 12-Year-Old Self 167 Filmmaker Jeremiah McDonald dug Child’s Own Studio collaborates up a recording he made at the age with kids to bring their drawings to July 5, 2012 of 12 when he had a conversation July 16, 2012 life in the form of soft toys that the with his “future self”, and edited it kids can cherish for years to ENERGY into a clever video that went viral. ENERGY come. soft clever child planned experiment real life convergence of past & present artist’s method time machine tangible-intangible childhood dreams imagination +8 more +6 more PREDICTION PREDICTION 8-Year-Old’s Lemonade 10-Year-Old’s Petition Stand Makes a Stand Convinces Jamba Juice to Against Slavery Stop Using Styrofoam Vivienne Harr, an 8-year-old girl, has August 28, 2012 Ten-year-old Mia Hansen started a August 16, 2012 started a lemonade stand in Change.org petition to get Jamba ENERGY California to help combat human ENERGY desire to raise Juice to stop using styrofoam. She taking a stand awareness kids speaking up trafficking. Her goal is to raise collected over 130,000 signatures, young activist fundraising petition raise awareness $150,000 for the nonprofit group green and Jamba Juice agreed to phase moral imperative movement PREDICTION +9 more Not For Sale, which is fighting to PREDICTION +8 more out styrofoam by 2013 as a result. end slavery across the globe. 10Thursday, October 11, 12

Kidult Topic Clusters Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old Brittany Wenger (17) Wins App Developer Google Science Fair Grand Prize Wins Award for Breast Cancer Diagnosis App Date: 11/16/2011 Date: 7/25/12 ‘Random Kid,’ Huge Impact: Teenager Authors Book Date: 10/4/12 The Simpsons: “Homer Votes 2012” Date: 9/20/12 ENERGY Bricen Chitty: The 8-Year-Old CEO Date: 8/15/12 PREDICTION Kid Genius Energy: 3/5 Adult Cartoons Phillip Lim’s Comic Book Is a Story of ‘Love and Betrayal,’ Energy: 5/5 Underage CEO 9-year-old Girl DNA Blogs About Among Other Things Energy: 3/5 Unhealthy School Date: 8/17/12 Lunch nostalgia Date: 6/15/12 immature adult social commentary Adult Nostalgia Kids clever child Speak Up Energy: 5/5 Energy: 4/5 childhood dreams +21 more Mister Rogers Remixed KIDULT Date: 10-year-old Girl Petition 6/7/12 Convinces Jamba Juice to Stop Using Styrofoam Date: 8/22/12 Inspirations From Talented Kids CONTENT NETWORK Childhood Energy: 5/5 Energy: 4/5 8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes A Stand Awesome HD Slinky Against Slavery Slow-Mo Toys for Role Date: 8/16/12 TOPIC CLUSTER Date: 6/13/12 Grown-Ups Reversal Energy: 3/5 Energy: 3/5 EXAMPLE 12- and 8-year-old sisters Lennon and Maisy sing their version of Robyn/Erato “Call Perfume Stores Make Your Girlfriend” ADULT as KID Date: 5/29/12 Scents Inspired ByImages are hyperlinked Childrens Books Date: 8/21/12 13-year-old Carly Rose KID as ADULT Sonenclar Wows Judges on X Factor Date: 9/13/12 12-year-old Steers Car Lego Recreation of Breaking Drivers to Race on Giant to Safety After Dad Has Bad Meth Lab Hotwheels Track Seizure on Highway Date: Date: Date: 7/10/12 6/21/12 9/9/12 11 Thursday, October 11, 12

Mapping The Kidult Content Network TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS MOMA: A Random Book Mean Girls by Rookie Yearbook BrickFair LEGO Ted Century of About the Power TedxTeen Rachel Crow One Convention the Child of a Kid Hunger Oscars: Seth Hunger Games: Games Written Brickleberry Comic Con MacFarlane Oh Sit! Catching Fire Movie Movie Brave by a Kid Hosts 3/23/12 6/11/12 6/22/12 6/29/12 7/18/12 7/29/12 8/15/12 9/4/12 9/25/12 10/2/12 10/11/12 1/19/13 2/24/13 3/16/13 9/10/13 2011 Current 2014 ADULT as KID KID as ADULT INFLUENCERS NATURAL LANGUAGE Adult as Kid Kid as Adult Seth MacFarlane Joss Whedon Tavi Gevinson Thomas Suarez Erich Origen Gan Golan Talia Y. Leman Adora SvitakImages are hyperlinked LEGO Seth Rogen TEDxTeen Aelita Andre + 53 more 12 Thursday, October 11, 12

Implications Innovation Driven by Kids Image Credit: Martin Barber on Flickr • More children will create sophisticated works of culture that are recognized by adults for their quality, character and maturity. • The success of young innovators like Mark Zuckerberg, Lena Dunham and Tavi Gevinson will inspire conﬁdence among investors to support the work of emerging young entrepreneurs. 13Thursday, October 11, 12

Implications More Social Change Initiated by Kids Image Credit: Takver on Flickr • The children of the Kidult Content Network exhibit maturity beyond their years as they take matters into their own hands and spearhead social change. • It will become harder and harder to ignore social movements and protests organized by the underage population. • As extraordinary children are being recognized, more youth will seek to have their voices heard on social issues. 14Thursday, October 11, 12

Implications Immature Humor No Longer a Sideshow Image Credit: Tobyotter on Flickr • For adults facing the worries, insecurity and ambient anxiety that underlie so much of American life today, an explosion of mainstream Kidult content will offer an escape that connects them with their inner child and appeals to their juvenile sensibility. • Immature humor will no longer be looked down upon and will be embraced by the establishment, as evidenced by the selection of Kidult poster child Seth MacFarlane as Oscar host. 15Thursday, October 11, 12

Implications Re-imagined Products From Our Youth Image Credit: WomansDay.com • Kidults looking to reconnect with less complicated times embrace not just the entertainment of childhood, but also food and fashion traditionally associated with children. • Mac and cheese has become an upscale treat; this is just the beginning. There will be a slew of products beyond entertainment that leverage nostalgia to target adults, such as adult-only amusement parks and the reintroduction of popular kids favorites like alphabet soup. 16Thursday, October 11, 12

With knowledge of the dichotomous Kidult trend permeating culture, brands and businesses can produce culturally relevant strategic thinking and creative output to engage in more relevant conversations with their customers. A different language can be employed and alternate conversation channels can be explored. The line between adult-targeted and child-targeted products can be blurred given a new sense of audience ﬂexibility. If the Kidult Content Network is critical to your business, then please contact us to explore deeper insights, additional reports and real-time approaches to help synchronize your brand with the latest high energy shifts in culture. 17Thursday, October 11, 12

Sign up on our website to receive updates and future reports: sparksandhoney.com For more information: 212.894.5100 info@sparksandhoney.com Stay connected @sparksandhoney facebook.com/sparksandhoney sparksandhoney.tumblr.com/ Stay Tuned For Our Next Deep Dive Report!Thursday, October 11, 12

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Kidult Content Network Deep Dive Report

by sparks & honey on Oct 09, 2012

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