Made in Japan

Jul 7, 2007 09:33 GMT  ·  By

We live in a world in which everything goes faster and if we used to play with toy cars, now kids can grab the wheel of a toy SUV. And before learning how to read, they master a cell phone. They are assaulted with information and offers from all sides.

"There is this focus on a more savvy, more informed, more inclusive kid today," said Paul Kurnit of KidShop Youth Marketing Company.

As they see more, they ask more and adults are affected by "age compression", the idea that kids could be getting older younger and demanding adult products. Today's kids want to emulate their parents more than ever before.

That's why companies trade with more adult-like products, the version of "adult" products for kids: even beer (minus the alcohol, of course). A non-alcoholic Japanese beer called "Kids' Beer" has the slogan "Even kids can't stand life unless they have a drink."

"If you get this drink ready on such occasions as events and celebrations attended by kids, it would make the occasions even more entertaining" said Satoshi Tomoda, president of the beverage maker.

Kids' Beer ("kodomo biiru" in Japanese) is a non-alcoholic drink, sold in brown glass bottles and has a frothy, lager-like head when poured. It contains guarana, a South American herb with stimulant properties and was created by Yuichi Asaba, a restaurant manager.

Kids aged between 8 and 13 represent a big buying power, spending $33 billion annually in US. That's why marketers are aggressively hinting to the younger elementary school category with adult-like products.

"Our parents worried about comic books and The Three Stooges. We have to worry about so much more" said Beth Curren, a Rockville, Md. mother of a 9 years old boy.

But changes in kids are triggered also by changes in the parents.

"Today's parents are hip. Today's parents wear jeans and listen to cool music. Years ago, the baby boomer kids were children who should be seen and not heard. Today's kids are very much seen and very much heard." said Kurnit.

But psychologists warn that treating children like adults is wrong for both parents and children.

"One of the most common mistakes made in parenting is to think that the child is a miniature adult," said Prof. Lou Aynard, a psychologist with the Family Outreach Network.

Many see the Kid's Beer "dangerous" and "inappropriate", as it could encourage under-age drinking of the real stuff.