Mistaking Brands for Tween Identity

Abstract

In the last decade, a new age cohort of 8 to 14 year olds has emerged and been deemed the newest and most vulnerable target audience for advertisers. Advertisers work to create brand loyalty amongst tweens via clever marketing and increasingly interactive branding strategies. In this paper, it is argued that the concept of a ‘tween’ was constructed and defined for the purposes of profit via selling brands, ideas, and products. An analysis of advertising in education, the tween influence on family spending and the integration of branding into popular culture and gaming indicates a strong trend toward increasing market share and profit by reaching out to young adolescents.