Last Word
Star Struck Fast
By Joanne F. Schell

	Singer Aaron Carter enjoys life as a teen idol PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCHON

Our culture is enamored of fame. And children are no exception. Today's children have media options such as Elle Girl, Teen People, and CosmoGirl, and they have several television stations with 24-hour programming devoted just to them. With this influx of media comes a new appreciation for, and recognition of, child stars. Actors such as Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, are some of the most visible people in the lives of children. Is it any wonder that these are the people that young kids choose to emulate? From music to fashionable eyewear, kids want what celebrities have.

"When kids think a celebrity is hot and cool, it affects them the same way it affects adults," says Karen Koslow, managing partner, Think 360, Inc., in Tarrytown, N.Y.

Kids get their cues about who's the "in" celebrity, not by direct advertising, but by how that person is present in their day-to-day activities. "You have to show up on MTV, you have to be on a Website, you have to be touching them in different places in their lifestyles," she says. Add those faces to your in-store displays and you have a strong kids' marketing message.

How old children are directly relates to their interest in different types of celebrity. According to Koslow, animated characters heavily influence children under nine, and kids between ages nine to 13 identify more with sports figures, music stars, and non-animated celebrities, such as television and movie actors.

What's most important is that the stars in your marketing items are within 10 years of target patients' age, says Koslow. "Kids might think Jim Carrey is cool and funny, but they wouldn't be interested in what he's wearing."

"To become a celebrity is to become a brand name."

-- Phillip Roth