Trend Report: Grown-Up Tastes
The TESS teen skin care line keeps its packaging simple and sophisticated.
Today’s tweens seek simple, mature packaging designs.
By Ameann DeJohnConsultant, Ameann Solutions
Tweens of the 21st century are savvy consumers. They consider cell phones, Ipods, laptops, and the Xbox as standard. Are we surprised, then, that they have become miniature adults with preferences and tastes to match?
“Children are being forced to grow older faster. As they learn to emulate the adults in their lives, their tastes also mature,” notes Zsuzsanna Kantor, a Euromonitor analyst. Today’s tweens are more aware of their product preferences than ever before. They know what products they want, and many have performed the research to back their decisions.
In terms of packaging, cliché designs geared toward youth may no longer attract today’s tweens. “Teens have come to expect a level of quality and innovation that is so much more [advanced from that of] previous generations,” says Information Resources Inc.’s Leigh Anne Rowinski. Take, for example, the Limited Too brand, the wildly successful spin-off of The Limited Inc., devised strategically for the tween market. And, while maybe not specifically targeting the tween market, the packaging for Axe Body Spray clearly implies, “I’m not your dad’s deodorant,” and deliberately speaks to the youthful Generation Y.
As a market made up of 29 million tweens with more than $50 billion in spending power, tweens should be taken seriously by marketers. Tweens also have a strong influence in family buying decisions—up to 80%, according to recent surveys. Many parents now believe that their children know more about brands and products on the market than they do, and they rely on that knowledge.
Ameann DeJohn is a consultant, author, and speaker advising contract manufacturers and beauty businesses ranging from small start-ups to prominent corporations. She currently resides in the
Los Angeles area where she operates her consulting firm Ameann Solutions. E-mail dejohn@ameann.com with any questions.
So what exactly is it that tweens want? They want colors, designs, and package functions that speak to them. As tweens have become more shopping savvy, their tastes have matured, and what they want is packaging that is more streamlined and adult. Bill Goodwin of Goodwin Design Group, a design consultancy especially for the youth market, notes, “What is appealing to kids is changing fast. A more-simplified, modern visual language is emerging in many categories. More used to mean more. Now, even with kids, less is more.” In other words, kids may still want fun packaging complete with bold, bright colors, but they want designs that are tastefully edited and without all the fluff.
We see evidence of this philosophy in the market already. American Girl, the tween brand by Bath & Body Works, requires a second look to know that the packaging is targeting tweens. Boldly striped bottles, simple shapes, and push-top lids would attract even adult women to the line. TESS (Teen Everyday Skincare System), a line of teen skin care products, is also attractive for those reasons.
Other things to consider when developing packaging for tweens are portability and ergonomics, which tweens are adult enough to appreciate. Portability speaks to the take-it-with-you mentality tweens are accustomed to with their cell phones, music players, and video games. Finally, consider multifunctional products that keep up with their fast-paced lives and, of course, unique innovations that tweens can share with their friends and blog about on their favorite Web sites.