Girls' Interest In Electronics Fades

Despite all the media talk about technology's overwhelming appeal to today's kids, it would seem that a closer look at that perception shows the reality of today's market to be not quite as clear-cut as children's product pundits would have you believe. According to an annual survey conducted by kids' marketing and design firm Funosophy Inc. in conjunction with its partner KidzEyes, girls' interest, in particular, in most electronic products is decidedly on the decline. That leaves marketers wondering, as the latest and greatest electronics achieve increased penetration, which will remain at the top of girls' wish lists this holiday season?

In this survey, nearly 500 girls ages 6 to 11 were asked about their current interest in receiving various types of electronics as gifts, versus their interest in receiving the same products a year ago. Last year's most-wanted electronic product was a cell phone, with 54 percent of girls indicating they'd like to receive one. This year, the cell phone tied video game systems as the holiday season's most-wanted electronic product, but lost 8 percentage points in comparison to last year.

In fact, no electronic product included in the survey gained points with girls versus a year ago. Only one product maintained its appeal year-over-year—video game systems—which tied in points to last year's interest scores among girls.

Among the 46 percent of girls ages 6 to 11 who would like to receive a cell phone this holiday season, the biggest decrease in cell phone interest comes from younger girls, ages 6 to 8. Increasing penetration seems to be a factor in older girls' changing interest.

Traditional consumer electronics like television sets, CD players and DVD players experienced the biggest drops in interest, down from levels in the mid-30s last year to the low 20s this year, perhaps as a result of having already achieved high penetration levels and from losing points to newer digital entertainment options like cell phones, MP3 players and digital cameras. The appeal of some other high-tech products forecasted for sales gains, specifically pen-top computers (with only 15 percent interest, down from 21) and TiVo and other DVR devices (9 percent interest, down from 10) also dropped compared to 2006.

Of particular note is the decrease in interest in video games themselves (versus the desire for new game consoles), considering it's a market that is constantly refreshing its content and therefore does not have penetration issues. Again, the largest decrease in interest is among younger girls (6 to 8), but interest among older girls (ages 9 to 11) has decreased as well. Could this decline be attributed to a lack of innovative, girl-relevant content?

Interest in many of the top electronic products is also declining among girls ages 6 to 11, highlighting an opportunity for a new generation of latest and greatest electronic products to sweep girls off their feet. What that next must-have product for girls will be remains to be seen. What's not in doubt is that there will surely be something that strikes their fancy, en masse, eventually.