In their annual survey of 8,100+ children from North America, consultancy firm Smarty Pants has rated popular brands. Digital juggernaut YouTube is the most popular brand for children aged 6-12 with a "Kidfinity" score of 917 out of a possible 1,000.
The survey called "Brand Love" discovered that digital content was chipping away at traditional creativity and play, with beloved Crayola and LEGO brands losing 20 and 15 points, respectively. Among the 350 brands in the study, FORTNITE, posted the largest year-on-year gain (+66 points) to become #89.
This finding is not unique.
A survey of 1,500 people in North America by the National Research Group discovered that Fornite is offering brands access to young audiences who watch less traditional TV. Fortnite is changing the way consumers and brands interact.
It is opening up new opportunities for live experiences. They found that two in three tweens say they are playing more Fortnite this year than they did last year. "Our research deconstructs the Fortnite phenomenon - a universe full of interesting paradoxes: it's a competitive game that fosters deep community; it's an immersive experience centered around lasting social connection; it's a playground to be anybody, yet it is where we can be our true authentic selves. With polarization and divisiveness seemingly defining our culture, Fortnite presents a more hopeful meta-verse where community, inclusivity, creativity, and authentic relationships can thrive,†says Jon Penn, CEO, NRG.
Putting A Rocket Under Fortnite
Not surprisingly Fortnite is a brand force to be reckoned with.
In 2018, the Fortnite brand's debut in the "Brand Love" study pegged it at #199. The video game was particularly popular among boys. It was number #76 with boys in its first year.
In the 2019 report, Fortnite posted the largest annual gain. Fortnite moved up 113 places rising to #86. And it has continued its popularity among boys rising to an impressive #33.
The study has several attributes that they rate brands on. One of these attributes is "social". Fortnite is one of the top-rating brands on this metric.
"The way the kids are playing Fortnite in duos, quads, and squads they are connected with friends while they play. They are virtually connected because they are not actually in the same room, even in the same city, necessarily," said Michelle Poris from Smarty Pants.
"All of that has really fed into the Fortnite craze. What's happened is that kids, with or without their families, spend time doing Fortnite instead of the other things they have traditionally spent their time doing. The more time they spend on Fortnite, the less time they spend watching TV, playing board games, or watching movies. So that time away from more historical activities is really impacting how we need to communicate with kids," said Ms. Poris.
Marketing to Mums expert, Katrina McCarter agrees: "Fortnite is a video game that is very very popular for boys aged 9 through to 16. When my son is not actually playing the game, he is watching YouTube videos on how to play it better."
Fortnite & Marketing Opportunities
The rise and rise of the popularity of Fortnite have created new marketing opportunities.
Hasbro has just launched a new collection of NERF Fortnite guns. This new wave of foam blasters and weapons has been inspired by Epic Games video games including targeting sets and a harvesting tool like the ones players use in the digital world. You can even get Llama targets!
Battlefield Sports has created a live game that is inspired by the famous video game Fortnite where the gaming area shrinks over time and the players can access in-game perks at supply crates. To learn more about this live game "Battle Royale" click here.
The research group surveyed a total of 16,363 children and parents during their May to June 2019 assessment of 350 consumer brands. The Smarty Pants group syndicates research talks about trends, and shares opinions about the child, tween, teen and family marketing, and youth culture. Kidfinity is a composite measure that aggregates kids' brand awareness, love, and popularity.
The research team has discovered the growing influence children have in family decision-making. They found the line between entertainment and shopping in the minds of kids has blurred.
For laser tag marketers the influence of Fortnite and other virtual games will continue to impact the industry.
