Online influencers ‘more influential’ than celebrities in children’s fashion market

What is ‘in vogue’ in children’s fashion is now being led by trend setting online influencers and the children of celebrities, according to new research.

The study, from Rakuten Marketing, explores the factors that influence children’s fashion purchases.

In a UK-wide study of 2,000 parents with children under the age of 12, Rakuten Marketing found that mums and dads are increasingly swayed by the influence of bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers such as Smudgetikka, Circle of Moms, and Kid Style Junkie.

Almost a third (30%) of parents are willing to spend more on an item of clothing for their child if it has been endorsed by an online influencer, while almost a quarter (23%) trust online influencers most highly.

Further points from the research include:

• Typically, parents spend £567 keeping their offspring suited and booted in an average year per child
• Facebook is the most influential platform in terms of guiding parent’s fashion purchase decisions
• A quarter (27%) of parents have bought an item after seeing a celebrity’s child wearing it

Rakuten Marketing found that the children of celebrities are playing a key role in purchase decisions. With brands like Burberry partnering with influential youngsters such as Romeo Beckham, to target the youth market, Rakuten Marketing found that a quarter (27%) of parents have bought an item after seeing a celebrity’s child wearing it, while one in 10 (7%) parents trust famous ambassadors most.

Nick Fletcher, director of multichannel at Rakuten Marketing says: “As the influence of bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers grows, and plays an increasingly important role in the decision making purchase of parents, children’s fashion brands are increasingly partnering with these influential users to front marketing campaigns and promote products or exclusive content. Our research shows that parents are willing to spend more in order to emulate the styles of these trusted voices. For brands looking to target this audience, harnessing the influence of social media stars and endorsements by the children of celebrities cannot be underrated. In 2016 and beyond, brands must build partnerships with influencers, through affiliate and other marketing channels, to raise brand awareness and drive sales.”

Mums and Dads spend a fifth more on childrenswear than their own clothes

Rakuten Marketing found that mums and dads spend nearly a fifth more (16%) on children’s clothes versus their own clothing each year on average. Typically, parents spend £567 keeping their offspring suited and booted in an average year per child, compared to just £490.20 on themselves individually.

At the upper end of the scale, over a quarter (29%) of partners are spending more than £50 a month on children’s clothes with one in ten (10%) spending above £100 per child, proving exactly how important children’s fashion is to parents and what they are willing to spend.

One in four parents prefer Facebook when choosing children’s fashion

Rakuten Marketing’s research shows that Facebook is the most influential platform in terms of guiding parent’s fashion purchase decisions. Almost a quarter (23%) of parents use this social network most when looking for inspiration on children’s fashion.

Instagram and YouTube are the next most influential platforms, with one in ten (11%) mums and dads respectively using the video sharing site to look for inspiration. Twitter comes out as the fifth most influential platform, with only 8% of parents choosing this option to search for children fashion muses.

Nick Fletcher adds: “With our research suggesting that parents are increasingly consulting social media before making a purchase, childrenswear retailers have an excellent opportunity to engage potential shoppers at the very moment when parents are looking for inspiration. Visual ad formats, designed for mobile and optimised around consumer behaviour, like Facebook Canvas and Instagram Advertising, can provide a particularly powerful platform for brands to showcase apparel to targeted audiences.”

About the research/methodology

Rakuten Marketing commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 2,000 parents with children under 12 in the UK from 18th – 25th February 2016.