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Page 1: Kidult Content Network Deep Dive Report

Content Networks: Deep Dive ReportKidult: Fall 2012

Thursday, October 11, 12

Page 2: Kidult Content Network Deep Dive Report

At sparks & honey, we synchronize brands with culture.

Using a proprietary cultural mapping platform, we track and identify cultural bursts and trends in real time, score their energy level, project their lifespan and analyze their cultural resonance.

This data is aggregated into what we call Content Networks. Content Networks are a mapping system used to model and understand dynamic, interconnected webs of cultural activity. These Content Networks help brands understand and connect with popular culture in order to make more strategically informed business decisions.

We are monitoring for both signals of longer term change and fast moving cultural buzz. This enables us to identify both cultural waves that are ripe with immediate opportunity (Fast Culture) and longer term shifts that will play out over time (Slow Culture).

Examples of Fast Culture include: fads, memes, fashion, viral content, natural language, trending topics, news events and micro trends. Slow Culture includes: macro trends, consumer behaviors and movements that have cultural impact over a period longer than 3-6 months.

sparks & honey makes no claim regarding ownership or trademark of the language used to name or describe the Content Networks herein. Any usage of similar language by other individuals or organizations is purely coincidental.

IntroductionIntroduction

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We invented the concept of Content Networks as part of our Wave Branding offering and have identified a total of 56 dynamic Networks that are most resonant in popular culture today.

We monitor online sharing and conversations, media stories and specialized influencer groups to understand the energy levels of each Content Network and discover examples in real-time.

This document takes an in-depth look into the Kidult Content Network, which has been bursting with energy over the past 180 days.

The trends and insights in this Deep Dive Report are valuable for marketing and media professionals, product strategists and anyone running a business seeking to be culturally relevant. This research can help guide your decision making process and strategic thinking over the next six months.

IntroductionAbout The Kidult Content Network Report

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Throughout this report you will see icons representing Energy, DNA and Prediction Scores*. These scores can help you contextualize the information and examples in this document.

How To Read This Report

ENERGY SCORE

low high

The energy score is rated on a scale of 1-5. It is represented by these icons:

DNA

PREDICTION SCORE

short long

The prediction score is rated on a scale of 1-40. It is represented by these icons:

A unique set of attributes that describes each example.

The Energy Score is the speed and volume of buzz and reach of the example.

The Prediction Score reflects potential duration or life of the example.

*The scores contained in this report are reflective of energy levels as of October 9, 2012. All scores are dynamic and change over time.

science as playmyth bustingdeconstructionalternative methods+5 more

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KidultKidultAdults connecting to their inner child by adapting mediums meant for younger audiences and kids connecting to their inner grown-up.

ENERGY PREDICTION

nostalgiaimmature adultsocial commentaryclever childchildhood dreams+21 more

DNA

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About KidultThe Kidult Content Network contains two equal and opposite elements that are evident in manifestations across popular culture -- adults connecting to their inner child by adapting mediums meant for younger audiences and, conversely, kids connecting to their inner grown-up.

The Kidult Content Network is driven by major social, economic and cultural shifts, most notably the financial crisis, recession and slow economic recovery we are living through. Technology and changes in media distribution are also key drivers of Kidult culture.

For adults, the pervasiveness of bad news has led to a greater desire for an escape from reality in the comforts of childish things. But just as fragmentation of media and new distribution channels have made news ever-present, so have these trends driven an explosion of content and information that is decidedly childish. YouTube is rife with Kidult content that once upon a time may have been considered too fringe or too immature for major media outlets to produce: animations with adult themes; first-person narrative accounts of childish pursuits; and child-like experiments that take toys and games to a whole new level of sophistication.

Likewise, changes in the media landscape have meant that children are introduced to mature content and themes much earlier than previous generations. And for this emerging generation, for whom media has always been a two-way street, a natural outgrowth of consuming adult content is to join the dialogue and speak up. For today's children, participating in media has led to a greater sense of activism and participation in the adult world at large.

About 25 Percent of Adult Children Live at Home with Their Folks

Barack Obama’s Campaign Scoring Points with Video Gamers

Street Pong

12-Year-old Steers Car to Safety After Dad Has Seizure on Highway

Mattel’s All-Pink Cruise Line for Barbie Fans

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Marching Band Halftime Show: Video Games Presidential Debate Spawns Campaign to Save Big Bird

Seth MacFarlane to Host Oscars Lego Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Official Collection

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Seth MacFarlane to Host Oscars

LEGO Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Official

CollectionSeth MacFarlane, creator of Family

Guy and the 2012 comedy hit Ted,

has been chosen to host the 85th

annual Academy Awards on Feb.

24, 2013. Since Ted is about a

grown man whose best friend is a

talking teddy bear and Family Guy is

the epic animated series for adults,

MacFarlane is the poster child for

adults being immature.

LEGO unveiled its official Teenage

Mutant Ninja Turtles collection during

the 2012 NYC Comic Con event. The

cult classic childhood animated

series is getting a reboot this year

through multiple modalities -

including two movies in production -

sparking a nostalgic craving for all

things TMNT amongst the brand’s

adult fans.

October 11, 2012October 1, 2012

ENERGY

PREDICTION

face to the voicerefreshed imageboldunexpectedfunny man+7 more

ENERGY

PREDICTION

playchildhood nostalgiabuilding blockpixelscult+8 more

Presidential Debate Spawns Campaign to Save

Big Bird

Romney’s comments about PBS

and Big Bird during the Oct. 3rd

Presidential Debate spurred an

outbreak of support for Big Bird and

Sesame Street, including a number

of efforts to “Save Big Bird” such as

an Indiegogo campaign and memes

featuring an unemployed Big Bird.

nostalgiachildhood iconpreservationcrowd-fundingwidespread movement+5 more

ENERGY

PREDICTION

October 4, 2012

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Marching Band Halftime Show: Video

GamesThe Ohio State University Marching

Band’s performance during a

halftime show featured a video

game theme, with the band forming

shapes from Zelda, Halo, Pokemon,

Tetris, Super Mario Bros. and others.

unique showvideo gamesnostalgiajaw droppingmarching band+10 more

ENERGY

October 7, 2012

PREDICTION

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8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes a Stand Against Slavery 10-Year-Old’s Petition Convinces Jamba Juice to Stop Using Styrofoam

Images are hyperlinked

Conversation With My 12-Year-Old Self Child’s Own Studio

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Child’s Own Studio

softreal lifeartist’s methodtangible-intangibleimagination+6 more

Child’s Own Studio collaborates

with kids to bring their drawings to

life in the form of soft toys that the

kids can cherish for years to

come.

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ENERGY

PREDICTION

July 16, 2012

10-Year-Old’s Petition Convinces Jamba Juice to

Stop Using Styrofoam

8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes a Stand

Against Slavery

Ten-year-old Mia Hansen started a

Change.org petition to get Jamba

Juice to stop using styrofoam. She

collected over 130,000 signatures,

and Jamba Juice agreed to phase

out styrofoam by 2013 as a result.

Vivienne Harr, an 8-year-old girl, has

started a lemonade stand in

California to help combat human

trafficking. Her goal is to raise

$150,000 for the nonprofit group

Not For Sale, which is fighting to

end slavery across the globe.

August 28, 2012

August 16, 2012

ENERGY

PREDICTION

desire to raise awarenessyoung activistpetitiongreen movement+8 more

ENERGY

PREDICTION

taking a standkids speaking upfundraisingraise awarenessmoral imperative+9 more

A Conversation With My 12-Year-Old Self

Filmmaker Jeremiah McDonald dug

up a recording he made at the age

of 12 when he had a conversation

with his “future self”, and edited it

into a clever video that went viral.

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ENERGY

PREDICTION

clever childplanned experiment convergence of past & presenttime machinechildhood dreams+8 more

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Talented KidsEnergy: 5/5

Kidult Topic Clusters

ENERGY

PREDICTION

DNA

CONTENT NETWORK

TOPIC CLUSTER

EXAMPLE

nostalgiaimmature adultsocial commentaryclever childchildhood dreams+21 more

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Phillip Lim’s Comic Book Is a Story of ‘Love and Betrayal,’

Among Other ThingsDate: 8/17/12

9-year-old Girl Blogs About

Unhealthy School Lunch

Date: 6/15/12

12- and 8-year-old sisters Lennon and

Maisy sing their version of Robyn/Erato “Call

Your Girlfriend”Date: 5/29/12

Awesome HD Slinky Slow-Mo

Date: 6/13/12

Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old App Developer

Wins AwardDate: 11/16/2011

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10-year-old Girl Petition Convinces Jamba Juice to

Stop Using Styrofoam Date: 8/22/12

13-year-old Carly Rose Sonenclar Wows Judges

on X FactorDate: 9/13/12

Kids Speak Up

Energy: 4/5

8-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Makes A Stand

Against SlaveryDate: 8/16/12

12-year-old Steers Car to Safety After Dad Has

Seizure on HighwayDate: 9/9/12

Kid GeniusEnergy: 3/5

Brittany Wenger (17) Wins Google Science Fair Grand Prize for Breast Cancer Diagnosis App

Date: 7/25/12

Mister Rogers Remixed

Date: 6/7/12

The Simpsons: “Homer Votes 2012”

Date: 9/20/12

‘Random Kid,’ Huge Impact: Teenager Authors Book

Date: 10/4/12

Underage CEO

Energy: 3/5

Bricen Chitty: The 8-Year-Old CEODate: 8/15/12

ADULT as KID

KID as ADULT

Perfume Stores Make Scents Inspired By Children's Books

Date: 8/21/12

Energy: 3/5

Role Reversal

Lego Recreation of Breaking Bad Meth Lab

Date: 7/10/12

Drivers to Race on Giant Hotwheels Track

Date: 6/21/12

Adult CartoonsEnergy: 5/5

Adult Nostalgia

Energy: 5/5

Inspirations From

ChildhoodEnergy: 4/5

Energy: 3/5

Toys for Grown-Ups

KIDULT

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INFLUENCERS NATURAL LANGUAGE

TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS

Current2011

Mapping The Kidult Content Network

Seth MacFarlane Joss Whedon Tavi Gevinson Thomas Suarez

Erich Origen Gan Golan Talia Y. Leman Adora Svitak

LEGO Seth Rogen TEDxTeen Aelita Andre

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Oh Sit!

2014

Mean Girls byRachel Crow

Brave

MOMA: Century of the Child

Rookie Yearbook One

BrickFair LEGO Convention

A Random Book About the Power

of a Kid

Written by a Kid

Comic ConHunger GamesMovie

3/23/12 6/11/12 6/22/12

Ted

6/29/12 7/18/12 7/29/12 8/15/12

BrickleberryOscars: Seth MacFarlane

Hosts

TedxTeen

9/4/12 9/25/12 10/2/12 10/11/12 1/19/13 2/24/13

Hunger Games: Catching Fire Movie

3/16/13 9/10/13

ADULT as KID

KID as ADULT

Adult as Kid Kid as Adult

+ 53 more

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Implications

• More children will create sophisticated works of culture that are recognized by adults for their quality, character and maturity.

• The success of young innovators like Mark Zuckerberg, Lena Dunham and Tavi Gevinson will inspire confidence among investors to support the work of emerging young entrepreneurs.

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Innovation Driven by KidsImage Credit: Martin Barber on Flickr

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Implications

More Social Change Initiated by Kids

• The children of the Kidult Content Network exhibit maturity beyond their years as they take matters into their own hands and spearhead social change.

• It will become harder and harder to ignore social movements and protests organized by the underage population.

• As extraordinary children are being recognized, more youth will seek to have their voices heard on social issues.

Image Credit: Takver on Flickr

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Implications

Immature Humor No Longer a Sideshow

• For adults facing the worries, insecurity and ambient anxiety that underlie so much of American life today, an explosion of mainstream Kidult content will offer an escape that connects them with their inner child and appeals to their juvenile sensibility.

• Immature humor will no longer be looked down upon and will be embraced by the establishment, as evidenced by the selection of Kidult poster child Seth MacFarlane as Oscar host.

Image Credit: Tobyotter on Flickr

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Implications

Re-imagined Products From Our Youth

• Kidults looking to reconnect with less complicated times embrace not just the entertainment of childhood, but also food and fashion traditionally associated with children.

• Mac and cheese has become an upscale treat; this is just the beginning. There will be a slew of products beyond entertainment that leverage nostalgia to target adults, such as adult-only amusement parks and the reintroduction of popular kids' favorites like alphabet soup.

Image Credit: WomansDay.com

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With knowledge of the dichotomous Kidult trend permeating culture, brands and businesses can produce culturally relevant strategic thinking and creative output to engage in more relevant conversations with their customers. A different language can be employed and alternate conversation channels can be explored. The line between adult-targeted and child-targeted products can be blurred given a new sense of audience flexibility.

If the Kidult Content Network is critical to your business, then please contact us to explore deeper insights, additional reports and real-time approaches to help synchronize your brand with the latest high energy shifts in culture.

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