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PARENTS INSIGHTS
A virtual world This month Jenny Kieras asks ‘What are the affects of Coronavirus on your future plans’?
Jenny Kieras Chief Operating Officer Experienced in product development and both B2B and B2C marketing, Jenny’s focus at Parents Insights is expanding the products offered by the business, which currently surveys 10,000 parents each year to give brands valuable insights into emerging trends. Jenny has worked for brands and with buyers and retailers in this industry for many years, so also knows it is more important than ever before to be able to stay ahead of trends and back product decisions with data and insight. Parents Insights was launched by Manchester-based The Insights People in 2018 to give companies direct access to flash trends and key data to enhance their knowledge about their target audiences’ attitudes, behaviours and consumption.
About Parents Insights Parents Insights is the most comprehensive and dynamic market intelligence resource on all things expecting and new parents in the UK. Every week we survey 200 expecting and new parents (up to the age of 4), which is more than 10,000 every year – which enables brands and agencies to provide significant insight what is influencing into the attitudes, behaviour and consumption of this generations of parents. For more information on Parents Insights, a sample report and a demo of the Parents Insights award winning portal visit www.parentsinsights. co.uk/nurserytoday or call Jenny on 0330 159 6631.
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his year we have seen that World has had to adjust to new ways of life because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Restrictions, that have been put in place by governments to save lives, have meant that people can no longer lead their normal way of life. With the closure of schools and many working from home, families have been spending more time than ever together. As restriction starting to lift it will be interesting to see what behaviours, attitudes and consumption changes parents will continue going forward. Being unable to leave the house for other reasons than essential shopping trips, an hour’s exercise or medical reasons, families have been spending a lot more time together. Parents are taking advantage of these lockdown restrictions, no longer having the daily commute or other obligations, they are able to share more experiences with their children. Our data shows that since lockdown we have seen an increase by 23% in the proportion of parents reading books with their child (42%), a 12% increase in the proportion playing with toys (46%) and watching TV (42%) with their kids and a 9% increase in the proportion creating art and craft with their child (27%) compared to the same period last year. This is one positive outcome from the pandemic that parents and children alike have enjoying spending more time together which we believe parents will make more time for in the future. Since lockdown we have seen shopping habits change. With many people having to limit their trips to the supermarket or shopping online when they can, they have had to plan out their shopping list more than before. Children are playing an increasingly important role in driving decisions within the home, seeing a 13% increase in the proportion of parents saying their kids have ‘a lot’ of influence over the for grocery items now compared to Q4 2019. Parents
and children have become more appreciative of the other’s need, which we predict going forward there will be a greater consideration place over the ‘whole’ family desires when buying items for the family. The virtual world has been imperative for people to keep in touch with loved ones as well as helping with education, shopping needs to name a few. Spending more time at home with their children, parents are also more exposed to the importance of YouTube and social media influencers among kids. Not only have we seen an increase in kids using YouTube (by 4%) but parents are also 36% more likely to be following parenting bloggers/celebrities than the same period a year ago. LadBaby (16%), Giovanna Fletcher (11%) and The Unmumsy Mum (11%) being the most popular. Meaning that consumer related products used by bloggers/celebrities will be much more at the forefront of parent’s minds, if they appeal. Brands that have helped families through the pandemic will hold lasting value. With many having to switch online for entertainment and shopping, brands have had to innovative. Parents are engaging with online retailers via social media more than previously. From our data we know there have been a 45%
increase in parents saying they use Instagram (22%) to keep up to date with shops, 40% increase using their official app (13%) and a 38% increase in parents using YouTube (11%) to compare to the same time period the year before. Therefore, brands that streamline the path consumers take from discovery to purchase have done well in these unforeseen times. Marketeers will need to be thinking of even more ways to appeal to both parents in campaigns to capitalise on this growth in mutual understanding. The pandemic has led to many changes in family’s day to day lives, with positive outcomes on family bonding time we can imagine parents will be reluctant to go back to the old ways. This is a brief snapshot of Parents Insights capabilities, but it’s clear the attitudes, behaviours and consumption of young parents are changing significantly. We’re offering brands an immersive planning meeting to illustrate how data and insights into the world of parenting can help inform advertising, content, licensing, product, marketing and sales planning. To download a complimentary Parents Insights report please visit www. parentsinsights.com/nurserytoday.