What This Means To You

American Demographics, Sept 1, 2002

Byline: PAMELA PAUL

*Consumers want control over their children's education but don't want to take on excess responsibility ("That's the teacher's job!"). Parents might respond to messages showing them involved with their (smart and successful) children, but not burdened or stressed out by the demands that this makes on them. Think of ways to promote the idea of low-key parental involvement: entertainment and shopping experiences that offer creative or educational outlets for children, books and other media that educate as they entertain.

*A parent's ultimate fantasy is one of personalized, attentive care to his or her child's emotional, social and academic development. Perhaps more marketing messages could depict images of children succeeding in school, teachers providing individualized attention and schools proving to be a source of local pride.

*Parents are desperate to find creative solutions to the problems in public education. Companies and other organizations might want to stress what they're doing on a pro bono or charitable basis for their local schools or for school reform on a national level. Establishing targeted scholarship programs might be one way to do so.