Big Names for Small Consumers

Around 2.7m British mums will buy an estimated 35m licensed character products this year for their toddlers, with the Tweenies and Bob the Builder taking the top slots. The findings, from child & youth research specialists Carrick James Market Research, show that eight in ten mums of pre-school children have bought at least one such product in the last 3 months.

This amounts to an average 13 products per mum in the year. The survey includes about sixty different market categories and over 40 named characters, each analysed by age and gender, and provides subscribers with information for each individual product field covered as well as for the universe of mothers.

The Tweenies are still at the top of the heap in terms of overall numbers of products sold, with Bob the Builder climbing the ladder behind them. Third are the perennial Teletubbies with relative newcomers Fimbles in fourth. Winnie the Pooh edges the battle of the bears at five with Bear in the Big Blue House no. six, while Scooby Doo is seventh and a resurgent Noddy eighth.

Clothing items were the most common purchase, followed by toys and games, food products, household items, books/stationery and toiletries/cosmetics. Licensed character product penetration is highest amongst mothers of children aged 3-4 years.

'The findings will be of interest to anyone interested in quantifying the penetration and average purchases of licensed character products in the various markets covered', says agency chief, Carrick James. 'A similar survey is being conducted amongst British children aged 5-12 years and given the level of interest that we have received so far we are also planning to extend into Europe'.

CJMR interviewed 349 mothers of children aged 0-4 years in August. Furhter details, plus information about the company's tracking studies, including Baby & Young Child Track, Child Track and Youth Track, are available at www.cjmr.co.uk or by contacting Carrick James or Zosia Skorupa via research@cjmr.co.uk

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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