Allykatzz.com, the social network of tween girl research firm AK Tweens, is holding the National Tween Girl Summit on October 10, 2009 in Washington, D.C. It is free for girls 9-14; teen girls 15 and up can register to volunteer.
It would be easy to dismiss the Summit as a ploy to get valuable market research information from teen girls and shower them with goodies from sponsors. Indeed, the Summit is being sponsored by a variety of mega-brands, including Electric Arts, PBteen, Disney Book Group, Sephora USA, Inc., Popstar! Magazine, Fundex Games, Ltd., Daisy Rock Girl Guitars,
D’Addario Strings, and Chit Chat Beauty. Even the press release acknowledges that their motive is "giving tween girls a platform to share their thoughts and opinions on a range of subjects, and marketers, policy makers and parents a more thorough understanding of this enigmatic and highly influential demographic."
However, that's part of what makes the Summit so great. AK Tweens is forthcoming with their intentions, so participants (and their parents) are fully cognizant. They are also holding (sandwiched between Exhibit Hall trips and celebrity appearances) sessions that are relevant and informative to the tween demoraphic. Topics include "Get Empowered: Online and Off" and "Make Body Peace"- featuring Seventeen's Body Peace program advisor. Even Mrs. Obama has been invited.
Another point of interest is the use of social media. In one of the sessions, the girls will be filming a social activism video. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to upload photos and videos throughout the day. What will the teen volunteers be doing? According to the website, they will be registering girls, blogging, reporting, uploading photos and videos to AllyKatzz.com and Facebook, as well as assisting speakers, performers and press. And girls who cannot attend will be able to see updated information throughout the day on AllyKatzz.com.
The Summit's strategy is very cleverly thought out. Although not every company can afford celebrity guests and big name sponsors, everyone can find ways to make social media tools more accessible to their customers.
Showing posts with label tweens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tweens. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Girl Ambition Promotes Tweens' Self Esteem Online
Girl Ambition is the latest in a slew of virtual worlds targeting tween girls. But unlike Est. Today or Disney´s Pixie Hollow, Girl Ambition aims to do more than just entertain tweens. It offers a safe, parent-monitored community that teaches girls Internet safety and promotes self-esteem, philanthropy, and creativity.
Girl Ambition packs a variety of activities for its users. Like their competitors, the site offers games, IM, shopping, and caring for virtual pets. Girl Ambition also provides entertaining, age-appropriate content. They have a magazine and video content, as well as quizzes and craft ideas. Girls are encouraged to submit their own videos and craft ideas, and the sites seamlessly weaves in self-esteem building activities (such as creating a list of people they can depend on) with tips for creating homemade flower cards.
Additionally, there is a robust section for parents (both moms and dads.) The Parents´section offers information on cyber-safety, Internet bullying, self-esteem building activities, and hot tween topics. Parents also have extensive control of their daughters' use of the site, including their buddy list and emails. The site was started by three working moms, so the information for parents is on-target with the questions that many parents of tweens are asking.
Girl Ambition packs a variety of activities for its users. Like their competitors, the site offers games, IM, shopping, and caring for virtual pets. Girl Ambition also provides entertaining, age-appropriate content. They have a magazine and video content, as well as quizzes and craft ideas. Girls are encouraged to submit their own videos and craft ideas, and the sites seamlessly weaves in self-esteem building activities (such as creating a list of people they can depend on) with tips for creating homemade flower cards.
Additionally, there is a robust section for parents (both moms and dads.) The Parents´section offers information on cyber-safety, Internet bullying, self-esteem building activities, and hot tween topics. Parents also have extensive control of their daughters' use of the site, including their buddy list and emails. The site was started by three working moms, so the information for parents is on-target with the questions that many parents of tweens are asking.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Est. Today: Virtual Design Studio for Tweens
Est. Today is the latest virtual world targeted towards tween girls. The site was conceived by a husband and wife team that wanted to create an online fashion studio for their 12 year old daughter, and allows budding fashionistas to create, showcase, and purchase clothing and accessories designed by one another. The site provides three distinct offerings, each centered around fashion.
The community component is a virtual showroom, where users have avatars, chat, watch videos, answer polls, try on clothes, and shop for virtual items. The community section also offers a design contest, where tweens can vote on the winning design for a tee shirt. Finalists are displayed in the virtual showroom, and the winning design receives a $200 spending spree. The design studio is a fun, drag and drop tool with enough options to keep tween girls busy. Users can select backgrounds, designs, and accents, and logos. The designs can be saved and incorporated into a user’s virtual closet and even be put into production as a real clothing item. The site also offers a ready to wear shopping section where users can put buy stylish, age appropriate clothing.
The community component is a virtual showroom, where users have avatars, chat, watch videos, answer polls, try on clothes, and shop for virtual items. The community section also offers a design contest, where tweens can vote on the winning design for a tee shirt. Finalists are displayed in the virtual showroom, and the winning design receives a $200 spending spree. The design studio is a fun, drag and drop tool with enough options to keep tween girls busy. Users can select backgrounds, designs, and accents, and logos. The designs can be saved and incorporated into a user’s virtual closet and even be put into production as a real clothing item. The site also offers a ready to wear shopping section where users can put buy stylish, age appropriate clothing.
Est. Today is a fun, engaging site that will catch the eye of tween girls who have outgrown more juvenile sites such as Webkins and Pixie Hollow, and may even be able compete with the successful tween fashion virtual world Stardoll.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Disney Launches Pixie Hollow- Social Gaming for Girls
Disney’s Pixie Hollow is the latest social network and gaming site targeted towards girls and pre-teens. Pixie Hollow has a fairy theme featuring the popular Disney character Tinker Bell. On the site, girls can create and customize a fairy, chat with other fairies, play games, and undergo tasks to earn badges for their “Leaf Journal”. Coming attractions for Pixie Hollow include the ability to embark on quests and host “Pixie Parties”.
The risk involved in creating a social network for young girls is apparent when considering what could happen to Disney’s reputation if something went wrong. Moderation and parental controls are therefore at the center of the registration process. Disney offers parents the ability to control chat levels and permissions, as well as the type of content girls can upload. User chat, the most compromising of social networking tools from Disney’s perspective, is extremely restricted. Users can type their own phrases but only using words from the Disney dictionary, or select from a list of pre-approved questions and statements. It's obvious that Disney spent a lot of time working on moderation, both from their own ideas and by taking cues from other social gaming sites like Stardoll. The effort has definitely paid off; PixieHollow's moderation is flawless.
The risk involved in creating a social network for young girls is apparent when considering what could happen to Disney’s reputation if something went wrong. Moderation and parental controls are therefore at the center of the registration process. Disney offers parents the ability to control chat levels and permissions, as well as the type of content girls can upload. User chat, the most compromising of social networking tools from Disney’s perspective, is extremely restricted. Users can type their own phrases but only using words from the Disney dictionary, or select from a list of pre-approved questions and statements. It's obvious that Disney spent a lot of time working on moderation, both from their own ideas and by taking cues from other social gaming sites like Stardoll. The effort has definitely paid off; PixieHollow's moderation is flawless.
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