Brandchild: Inside the Minds of Today's Global Kids: Understanding Their Relationship with Brands - Hardcover

Lindstrom is recognized as one of the world's primary online branding gurus. He developed some of Australia's, Asia's and Europe's most successful websites. He was co-founder of Europe's largest Internet company, BBDO Interactive (now Fremfab), in 1995, founder of Australia/Asia's largest Internet solution company, ZIVO, in 1997 and in 1999 International Chief Operating Officer for BTLookSmart.

""Unless there are issues, parents usually stop reading parenting books long before their children hit the middle-single digits. The desire wanes with confidence - or they're just too worn out. But ""Brandchild"" (Kogan Page Ltd., London, 316 pages, $39.95) isn't for parents. Martin Lindstrom's book, which he wrote with Patricia B. Seybold, is for companies targeting tweens. As I read it, I realized it held my interest because I'm a parent of a tween. The 8-to-14 generation, which the author says is the richest in history, gets to choose from ""an endless variety of disposable goods and leisure products designed specifically for them."" The book explains the motivation behind the $150 billion spent each year by U.S. tweens and the additional $150 billion a year they influence by picking restaurants, adding brands to the grocery list or suggesting what car their parents buy or where they go on vacation. That's not an overestimation. Tweens are driven by versions of things that we just didn't have. We might buy a game. They can't wait for the next version to come out. This is also the first generation to consider the Internet, e-mail and cellphones as routine and required. Mr. Lindstrom shows how ""they think in an interactive dimension"" and explains how that makes this generation so global. ""Brandchild"" will open your eyes to why Legos had no choice but to add computer integration to a line of products that we thought was perfectly fine, thank you. Here are some basic findings that marketers need to understand and parents could use, too, for communicating effectively with tweens: Being 110 percent direct and totally honest is the new trend. And deliver more than 110 percent - in short, surprise the kids. This is a generation that keeps upgrading. Mr. Lindstrom is a branding guru who has advised companies on top brands such as Mars, Pepsi, Lego, Cartoon Network, Visa, Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft. (He) uses the Internet to extend the pages of ""Brandchild."" He says one of the facts of life that authors face is that their books will eventually be out of date. So he included a six-digit code on the back cover of the book that allows readers to register for e-mail updates from Mr. Lindstrom at Dualbook.com."" -- Dallas Morning News ""Today's 9- to 13-year-olds have grown up faster with more disposable income than any previous generation.Interactive and demanding, these kids were born with a mouse in their hand and a computer screen as a window on the world.The book is based on a study of 2,000 tweens in Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, Spain and the USA, a cross-section of economies and Western and non-Western cultures. One conclusion: Tweens spend about $150 billion a year, and influence their parents to spend another $150 billion. ""BRANDchild"" presents a fascinating portrait of these kids, with insights for global marketers, as well as tweens, their families and teachers."" -- USA Today ""Although the book is aimed at marketers, parents and educators -- and tweens themselves -- will find much fascinating information here."" -- Booklist ""This is a must-read book if you want to communicate with and market to young people. Lindstrom provides fascinating data and stories taking you into the mental and emotional life of this new generation, who are distinctly different from us Baby Boomers."" -- Philip Kotler, S C Jonhson & Sons Distinguished Professor of InternationalMarketing, Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management 'BRANDchild will be a valuable addition to our industry's literature."" -- Lester Wunderman, Chairman Emeritus and Founder of Wunderman Cato Johnson ""Martin Lindstrom's fascinating tour-de-force may have you staying awake for 60 hours in order to mine this kids-focused marketing wisdom."" -- Stan Rapp, Chairman, MRM Partners Worldwide, Co-Founder of Rapp Collins and Co-Author of 'The MaxiMarketing Trilogy' ""A real thought-provoker for marketing and business people. 'BRANDchild' is a wonderful tool if you are marketing to kids and teens."" -- Stan Davis, Author of 'Blur' and 'It's Alive' ""When someone qualified challenges the conventional thinking, it will result in a fresh perspective and give food for thought about the way children behave. Martin Lindstrom does this in his new book BRANDchild.' -- Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, President and CEO, The LEGO Company