The other day my nearly 3-year old granddaughter said, “Grampy, I am going to come over and babysit you and G-Ma today, and we’re gonna play in the orange fwimming pool very well.”
So cute — don’t you love having conversations about “adult topics” with little ones? Funny stuff comes out of that, especially when you allow THEM to TELL YOU what they know. Kids feel empowered when they think they know something you don’t. It’s fun to let them run with it. I don’t just do that with grandchildren, though — I figured out a way to use it in directing kids in advertising.
Using kids in advertising is not a new concept — but this particular approach that I learned from one of my mentors, Bob Ebel, is nearly fool proof. It’s not kids selling kid stuff, reading scripted lines, or just looking cute and lovable — it’s Kids Telling it Better! They are speaking of things that kids don’t speak of — healthcare, insurance, banking — but making it so simple and cute that every adult is drawn in to see what they’re talking about.
We recently directed the latest campaign for SwedishAmerican Hospital using this “Kids Tell it Better” technique. These 4-5-year-olds were talking about maternity services — how babies are made — and boy, did they have a unique take on it!
We have a very unique way to CAST, EDUCATE, DIRECT and EDIT the spots. The trick is that they never know they’re being filmed, so it’s very authentic. It’s not cheap, but it’s very good. We’ve won a number of Addy Awards, and consumers are taking notice, too! As an example, after our first hospital kids ad campaign ran, one community resident actually called the hospital to leave a message, “thanking whoever did the spots with the kids for bringing a smile to my face.” Listen for yourself.
So, if your advertising seems a little repetitive, and you’re looking for a new, unique way to tell the story about your brand, consider letting Kids Tell it Better! We’d be glad to handle it for you, very well.
