Reaching the Tween Audience

For my Audience Research class I was assigned two articles to read and analysize. The first article I read was called "Buzz Focus: Cracking the Fickle Tween Code" from OMMA. This article was very concise and to the point. It did not touch on how to reach tweens through every medium, but it did clearly point out the key ways to reach that target market. The article made four distinct points on the best ways to market to the tween audience. The first point is that tweens do like advertisements, especially for introducing new products. Tweens also like to see a celebrity using a product on their own, rather then endorse it. Email is not an ideal medium to reach tweens. Email is a way to connect to friends for tweens. Finally tweens like to try products before they buy them. They love to get samples.

I really felt like I could relate to this article. As a 20 year old, I can still remember how I made my purchasing decisions in my "tween" years. I agree with this article that tweens are not fooled by sponorships. The example the article gives is that Jessica Simpson has probably created more of a buzz about True Religion jeans than she did when as the spokesperson for Proactiv. I know that I did not base my buying decisions of how advertisers used in their commercials. Instead I read my gossip magazines which snapped pictures of my favorite celebrities and usually commented on what brands they were wearing.