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Focuses on how brands can communicate that they are exactly what children want; they do this either by borrowing key symbols popular with the target groups, or by creating brand symbols which the target group will understand and like. Contrasts the attitudes to brand advertisements of younger children and older children/adults; whereas young children remember physical characteristics of brand image, older consumers realise the real nature of the brand. Discusses the importance of fads, ie using licences to sell products and brands, and explains why they are important to children; fads force brands to react to them but can also damage them in the longer term, and brands must keep their identity.

Examines why children choose certain brands over others. Relates this to the fact that desirable brands appeal to our needs, so that successful brands address children’s needs. Shows how children seek a balance between learning new things (exploration) and relying on a socially and emotionally stable home life (home), and also a balance between independence (intrinsic) and integration into family and peer group (extrinsic). Constructs a fourfold classification of children’s need states, based on these two oppositions, which will help in effective marketing of children’s products. Discusses these four states: Emotional Home, Social Home, Self‐improvement, and Re‐definition. Applies the four states to popular characters in children’s television, respectively Winnie the Pooh, Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter, while Tom & Jerry changes its appeal over time. Illustrates how a product like the mobile phone can be marketed to appeal to each of the four states, and gives general rules for developing brand strategies based on the four need state segments.

Shows how children often reject some products which aimed at them, and how marketers can avoid this by adopting a more schematic approach in communicating with children, since the consistency of children’s reactions points to a basic pattern or scheme in their evaluation of communications or products. Gives examples of products which are well or badly packaged from a child’s point of view, and emphasises the importance of stereotypes, colour and age fit, also the relevance of national differences: thus, a series of bear images, colours and typographies associated with a product (Schoko) is illustrated which shows differences between German and British children’s reactions, as well as preferences of different age groups.