Insights
Kids and family research, free to read.
The latest thinking on kids, teens and parents, across the generational cohorts and the topics that shape them, from sport and gaming to shopping and social.
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Every hub pulls together our latest thinking on that audience, from articles and reports to webinars.
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Gen Alpha
The under-14s redrawing play, media and pester power.
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Teens
The youngest Gen Z'ers shaping culture and identity.
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Young adults
The next generation earning and spending on their own terms.
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Topic hub
Parents
The millennials holding the purse, and how kids sway them.
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TrendLens Live: Americas & Middle East
Kids & family expert Adam Woodgate shares what stood out from this month’s wave of TrendLens reports across the Americas and Middle East: th
TrendLens Live: Asia Pacific
So much of what shapes kids’ culture worldwide starts in Asia Pacific. Kids & family expert Adam Woodgate shares what stood out from this mo
How a global media network planned two toy launches on live family evidence.
A global media network was building fall and holiday plans for two toy-brand clients. It needed more than adult-centric tools could give, so
How a global toy brand made the case to reinvest in preschool.
A global toy brand had stepped back from preschool years earlier. Re-entering meant a costly commitment with no recent sales to justify it.
How a children’s audio brand found where listening fits in a child’s day.
A children’s audio brand wanted to understand reading and listening as part of a whole day, rather than as a category measured in isolation.
Anderson Entertainment needed more than a great pitch.
Anderson Entertainment was securing investment and broadcast partners for a series the late Gerry Anderson was developing at the time of his
How Formula 1® grew its next generation of fans.
Formula 1® set out to understand an audience it had never systematically measured: kids. Working with The Insights Family from 2019, it buil
WildBrain aligned five teams behind one read on the IP.
WildBrain holds nearly 13,000 half-hours of content and franchises including Peanuts and Teletubbies, with production, distribution and lice
Walker Books Group read the digital signals, then acted offline.
One of the world’s leading independent children’s publishers wanted a clearer view of how this generation behaves, to place its advertising
The building blocks under every Havas Entertainment campaign.
Havas Entertainment turns potential consumers into fans through media, creativity and PR. Doing that for young audiences means knowing not j
SuperAwesome proved a campaign worked, not just that it ran.
SuperAwesome powers the kids digital media ecosystem, with kidtech built for total digital privacy. It needed to show clients what their cam
Redan Publishing built an insight-led culture in print.
Redan is the leading independent publisher in the preschool magazine sector, from single-character titles to multi-character magazines. Its
pocket.watch turned creator audiences into global franchises.
pocket.watch turns children’s YouTube entertainment into global franchises for Generation Alpha. That business only works if you can tell wh
Paramount Global launched a franchise market by market.
Paramount Global operates over 170 networks and reaches roughly 700 million subscribers across 180 countries. At that scale the risk is not
How a global agency network filled the digital gap in a national kids study.
A global agency network was building a definitive report on children’s lives in a single European market, for planners across its agencies.
Golden Bear Toys found the real bullseye age for every licence.
Golden Bear Toys is a family-owned UK toy company with global reach through a distributor network. It held a roster of preschool licences an
Disney refines its media plan every week, not every quarter.
Disney wanted to be more precise in reaching its core target audience of girls aged eight to eleven, and to keep a live read on how well its
Complete Control tracked a new show from the day it launched.
Complete Control has spent nearly two decades building digital content for young audiences, for clients including the BBC, Cartoon Network,
BrandLoyalty proved retailer relevance with trend lines.
BrandLoyalty designs loyalty solutions that change consumer behaviour for some of the world’s most successful retailers. Every concept it pr
Finsbury Food Group chose the right licence for the cake aisle.
Finsbury Food Group is one of the leading producers of licensed cakes and biscuits. Its commercial decisions turn on which characters and pr
Warner Bros. Discovery answered it in the meeting, not after it.
Warner Bros. Discovery needed the boy/girl split for a particular property to set the targeting strategy for a product still in development.
Warner Bros. Discovery turned fan data into retail listings.
Warner Bros. Discovery wanted to move faster and build a more compelling licensing ecosystem. The gap was not creative or commercial; it was
How a global entertainment studio won over a reluctant retailer with proof.
A global entertainment studio needed to convince a major European retailer that a flagship franchise would sell in markets where it had no t
How a global toy manufacturer spotted the next big IP before the market agreed.
One of the world’s largest toy manufacturers needed a consistent global view of kids’ lives to plan content, product and marketing years ahe
How a major professional sports league answered: player first, or fan first?
A major professional sports league wanted to reach children earlier. Before it could build the plan, it had to settle a question nobody inte
How a global toy manufacturer profiled a fanbase before the film landed.
A global toy manufacturer held the master toy licence for an animated action franchise with a feature film on the way. A release date create
How a multinational food and beverage business made the case for nostalgia over novelty.
A multinational food and beverage business was under pressure to justify every licensing bet: tighter marketing budgets, greater scrutiny, a
How a global children’s publisher saw what the platform’s own data would not show it.
A global children’s publisher needed to understand how young audiences read, listen and watch. The channel that mattered most to its audienc
How a global attractions operator chose one IP for nine very different markets.
A global attractions operator was evaluating which partnerships would work best across its parks worldwide. The difficulty is that appeal do
The self-care generation
Kids in the UK settle their beauty loyalties before secondary school, and the brands they grow up with are still the ones young adults buy m
Before you finalise your Black Friday and Christmas campaigns, read this
Summer is here and your plans for Black Friday and the holiday season are taking shape. Creative briefs, media bookings, products going into
If trends move faster than ever, how can licensing businesses keep up?
It was a real question from the audience at one of our recent TrendLens webinars, and it is one the whole industry is asking. The answer is
The game is not the point: how kids in the UK really game in 2026
Eight in ten kids in the UK play video games. But "play" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
Kids have their say: the What Kids Love award 2026 finalists
The What Kids Love award is back for 2026, presented at The Licensing Awards in partnership with Max Publishing. Now in its sixth year, it r
During the FIFA World Cup: how kids and teens across the host nations lived the tournament
Before the FIFA World Cup kicked off, the three host nations shared just one similarity: around one in five kids in Canada, Mexico and the U
TrendLens Live: 29 July 2026, Europe & South Africa
Join our experts for a live read on the standout signals from this month’s wave of TrendLens reports across Europe & South Africa, where we’
What football fandom tells us about Gen Alpha across North America
The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off today, and with it comes a once-in-a-generation opportunity for North America to observe how Gen Alpha eng
Backing the right kids IP at Licensing Expo
Licensing Expo is where big opportunities surface quickly. And it's here, 19–21 May.
Kids buy with a little help from their friends
Peer influence continues to be the dominant force in brand discovery, becoming a significant driver of brand awareness. Within this landscap
The licensing industry has run on yesterday’s data for decades. That changes now.
For too long, shelf space has been allocated based on what sold last season. Licensing deals have been signed on the strength of a pitch dec
From East to West and Everywhere
Asian IP is exploding with kids in Europe. A forecast of where content, fandom and licensing go next, and what ’relatable’ really means to t
TrendLens Live: our new monthly webinar series
Every day, something shifts in the world of kids and families. A character rises. A play pattern changes. A platform starts eating into time
How a Generation Raised on Screens Is Rewriting the Rules of Play
To appreciate how children today play, you first need to understand the forces that shaped them. The Insights Family’s framework identifies
TrendLens Live: May 2026, Americas & Middle East
From Brazil's creator-obsessed teens to Turkey's self-improvement focused kids, the Americas and Middle East are telling a fascinating and c
TrendLens Live: April 2026, Europe & South Africa
In this first TrendLens Live webinar, The Insights Family’s VP of Research, Adam Woodgate, shares the latest 90-day read on the European and
Beyond Entertainment
From Toy Fair University New York: a framework for what modern play demands.
Rewind culture: why nostalgia is driving kids’ toy choices
Why Gen Alpha is drawn to toys and characters that predate them.
Rewind Culture: why nostalgia is driving kids’ toy choices
Why Gen Alpha is embracing brands from before they were born.
Meet The Insights Family at Key Industry Events in 2026
We’re excited to connect with leaders from across the kids and family landscape at events around the world. From London and Nuremberg to New
2026: the year of intention, where play earns its place for UK parents
UK parents are recalibrating how, why and what they buy for their kids.
From East to Everywhere: what kids want from global and local IP
Why anime, K-pop and character-led franchises now travel globally.
LEGO named winner of the 2025 What Parents Love Award
The Insights Family presented LEGO with the 2025 What Parents Love Award at the Progressive Preschool Awards ceremony, held last night (Tues
Navigating toy trends and tomorrow’s audiences
In partnership with the US Toy Association: how shifting economics, evolving play behaviours and cultural trends are reshaping the global to
Finalists named for the 2025 What Parents Love award
The Insights Family, in partnership with Max Publishing, has announced the finalists for the 2025 What Parents Love award, which will be pre
Nostalgia Isn’t Just a Millennial Thing, Gen Alpha Wants Retro Too
Given that they were born well after the dial-up buzz of the ’90s and the glittery excesses of the ’00s, Gen Alpha kids are making entertain
Today’s parents of under-twos
How digital-first parents are redefining baby and toddler brand expectations.
Cocomelon takes the crown for the What Kids Love Award at The Licensing Awards 2025
A rapid climb takes the crown at The Licensing Awards 2025.
The Insights Family Named Finalist for Quirk’s Media Marketing Research Supplier of the Year Award
Shortlisted at the Quirk’s Media awards.
The Lucky Seven: the prime-time window for capturing kids’ attention
Kids have seven hours of free time a day. Here’s how to win a share of it.
How kids are using AI daily in 2025
In just a few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has crept into everyday life and kids have quickly realised the opportunities it brings, w
Kids have their say: the What Kids Love award 2025 finalists
We’re excited to share the finalists for the What Kids Love award presented at The Licensing Awards 2025, in partnership with Max Publishing
AI and kids: the latest disruptor in children’s media
How 6–15s really feel about and use AI, and the choices the industry faces.
Top IPs and licensed products Gen Alpha and Gen Z care about
In our latest webinar, “Top IPs and Licensed Products Gen Alpha and Gen Z Care About,” The Insights Family’s VP of Research Solutions Adam W
Why winning Gen Alpha sports fans is a revenue strategy, not just a marketing tactic
Kids are choosing their favourite sports teams much earlier than many brands realise, and fandom formed in childhood is sticky, emotional an
How today’s digital-first parents are redefining brand expectations
Understanding today’s parents is as crucial as knowing what their children want. Rising cost-of-living pressures, evolving media habits and
Power Moves in Licensing
Global insights into the fastest-growing IPs, emerging consumer behaviours and licensed product demand among kids aged 3–18.
The Insights Family recognised in MarTech 50 for fourth consecutive year
The Insights Family has been named in the MarTech 50 ranking for 2025, marking its fourth consecutive year on the list and reaffirming its p
Where kids go, IP follows
The future of content expansion and brand growth: why the next big kids’ IP could emerge from anywhere kids spend their time.
The Insights Family Shortlisted for the British Data Awards 2025
The Insights Family is proud to be named a finalist for SME of the Year at the British Data Awards 2025, recognised for excellence in innova
Toy Fair Trends 2025: key takeaways from the show floor
Five trends from London, Nuremberg and New York.
Going Global, Staying Local
Capturing hearts and market share in the toy industry, presented at Toy Fair 2025.
Unpacking Future Forecast 2025
Our research team unpacks the six trends set to shape the kids and family industry, with real-world examples and practical advice throughout
What does TV even mean to touchscreen natives?
How 6–9s across the Americas really use screens, and what it means for TV.
Future Forecast 2025
Six data-backed trends set to shape the kids and family industry, with real-world examples and practical advice on how brands can capitalise
The allure of animation: why 3-6 year olds love cartoons
Almost two in three preschoolers in Japan like anime. Animation dominates.
The Insights Family launches Future Forecast 2025
The Insights Family has released its flagship report, Future Forecast 2025. Now in its eighth edition, the free report provides foresight on
The business of anime: exploring opportunities in media and licensing
How anime engages kids across ages and genders, and what it means for licensing.
The Anime Playbook
Opportunities for kids and young adult audiences: global anime trends, fanbase attitudes and purchasing behaviours, drawn from over 800,000
Disney honoured with the What Parents Love Award at the 2024 Progressive Preschool Awards
Presented at the Progressive Preschool Awards.
The Voyage From Childhood Fun to Adult Collectibles
It is fascinating to see how childhood passions endure, evolve, and sometimes transform entirely as kids grow into adults. Beloved character
Toys and games in the age of screens
In partnership with the US Toy Association: how kids born after 2010 balance toys and video games, and how their preferences shift as they g
How UK parents shop for kids’ gifts and prioritise play
As holiday ads hit screens and shopping begins, parents are preparing for a season of record-breaking gift spending, with a growing desire t
The Evolution of Brand Loyalty
How fandom, media and gaming preferences evolve from ages three to thirty.
Jack Day appointed Global Strategic Account Director
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Jack Day as our new Global Strategic Account Director. Jack joins from Kids Know Best, where h
What Parents Love Award 2024 finalists announced
The Insights Family, in partnership with Max Publishing, is delighted to announce the finalists for the What Parents Love Award, set to be p
Gaming’s role in shaping tomorrow’s IP landscape
How ’touchscreen natives’, kids born after 2010, discover and engage with their favourite IPs through gaming, and what it means for brands.
The Insights Family to track the next generation of consumers, with first-of-its-kind product launch of NextGen Insights
Extending real-time data on kids and teens to track young adults.
Q&A with Adam Woodgate, VP of Research Solutions
Adam Woodgate recently joined The Insights Family as VP of Research Solutions, bringing more than three decades of media experience to the r
Gotta catch them kids’ hearts: Pokémon crowned winner of the What Kids Love Award
Crowned at The Licensing Awards 2024.
The Insights Family strengthens Manchester operations with key hires and innovation focus
Four new VPs, backed by BGF investment.
Innovative AI Research Presented at IMP 2024 Sheds Light on Belief-Based Customer Segments
An AI-driven segmentation paper co-authored with Manchester Metropolitan University.
Brand Licensing Europe 2024: Meet The Insights Family
A Main Theatre session on Gen Alpha and gaming, plus the opening keynote.
Empowered spenders: how Gen Alpha is shaping the market
There is a unique opportunity for brands to build strategies that speak to the hearts and minds of Gen Alpha, a generation characterised by
Crunchyroll and Roald Dahl join the client roster as The Insights Family grows in London and New York
As the company grows its London and New York teams.
Your FAQs answered by experts
Our 2024 Industry Impact Report provides valuable insights into the evolving kids, teens, parents and family landscape across key business d
The enduring allure of board games
In a world dominated by digital distractions, board games have carved out a special place as a cornerstone of family life, offering both con
Industry Impact 2024
The industry’s own read on the kids’ and family markets: its current state, its challenges and where the opportunities sit.
Finalists revealed for the What Kids Love Award at The Licensing Awards 2024
The 'What Kids Love' award, developed by The Insights Family in collaboration with Max Publishing, honours the brands that have won the hear
The Insights Family unveils Industry Impact 2024 Report, illuminating dynamics within the kids' and family markets
Budget pressure, youth empowerment and media fragmentation.
Industry Impact 2024: Illuminating Dynamics within the Kids’ and Family Markets
Five themes shaping the kids and family markets, unpacked by industry experts.
The Insights Family Set For Significant Global Growth
Manchester-based The Insights Family, a global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence, has announced a significant £5.6 mil
Future Forecast 2024
Ten data-backed predictions for how kids, tweens, teens and parents will shape the market, from influencer-owned brands to the rise of mixed
The Insights Family launches Future Forecast 2024
The Insights Family has announced the launch of its annual Future Forecast report, setting out ten predictions for the year ahead. Now in it
The Insights Family Finds That Aldi Has Overtaken Asda to Become the 2nd Favourite Supermarket Among UK Parents
Aldi’s popularity is up 27% since Q1 2022, taking second place.
How can brands successfully reach teen consumers?
Our latest research, featured in The Drum, looks at how brands can successfully reach teen consumers in a digitally fragmented world.
New research reveals kids’ favourite streaming services
Our latest research featured on The Drum uses recent data to explore kids’ favourite streaming services, why this is, and how brands can res
Gen Z and the rise of social shopping
Our latest research, featured in Toy News, takes a closer look at Gen Z’s spending habits and what they might mean for brands.
Why kids hold the key to household decision making
Our latest research, featured in Preschool News, highlights how decision-making power is shifting within the family dynamic.
Kids, toys and money: the spending power reshaping the toy market
The toy industry's problem was never that kids stopped wanting things. It was that the number of things competing for a child's own money gr
Top IPs and licensed products Gen Alpha and Gen Z care about
The cross-regional shifts reshaping the kids' licensing landscape, from heritage IP dominance to how local hits travel globally.
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Common questions
Kids and family research, explained.
What is kids and family market research?
Kids and family market research is the study of how children, young adults and parents think, feel and behave as consumers: the toys, media, games, food, sport, brands and platforms they engage with, and how children influence household decisions. We run it continuously across 22 markets rather than as one-off studies, so the picture reflects what families are doing right now.
What is the family economy?
The family economy is the combined spending and influence of kids, young adults and the parents around them. Children increasingly shape household decisions well beyond toys, from groceries and holidays to subscriptions, which is why we track kids, teens, young adults and parents together.
What is the difference between Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
Gen Z are today’s teenagers and young adults, while Gen Alpha are the under-12s born from the early 2010s onward. We track both continuously so you can see how attitudes and behaviours shift as one generation grows into the next.
How much do kids influence family spending?
Children shape far more household spending than toys alone, from groceries and holidays to subscriptions and days out. We measure that influence directly by surveying kids and their parents, so brands can see where it is strongest and how it is changing.
How often is the data updated?
We survey kids, teens, young adults and parents every day across 22 markets, so our data is real-time rather than an annual snapshot. When you need an answer, it reflects what families think and do right now.
Which markets and age groups does the data cover?
We cover 22 markets across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our audiences span kids and young adults from ages 3 to 30, plus the parents of children aged 1 to 16, so you get a full view of the household.
How is children’s data collected and protected?
We are an independent research company and every data point is first-party, collected with appropriate consent and in line with COPPA, GDPR and GDPR-K and age-appropriate research standards. We do not scrape and we do not use synthetic modelling.
Are these insights free to read?
Our articles and the Behind the Lines newsletter are free. In-depth reports and the full underlying dataset are available to subscribers, and our team can build custom research around a specific question.
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Our CEO's perspective on the signals shaping the family economy.