Young people's familiarity with entertainment tech like YouTube doesn't mean they know how to use technology for learning. This misconception leads educators to assume digital skills that students don't possess, creating significant problems when tech is introduced into the classroom.

In every family, technology choices are driven by a younger person, typically aged 8-25. Cred's marketing targets this 'Chief Technology Officer' of the house. Even if they aren't the end user, their endorsement influences the adoption decisions of the entire family.

Instead of chasing a new audience, a kids' brand was advised to add features for the parents who are already customers. This "Pixar" model—having content for adults—leverages the existing customer base for word-of-mouth growth into the new segment.

For a print magazine aimed at kids, marketing shouldn't focus on the magazine itself. Instead, use digital channels to show the outcome parents crave: their children happily and thoughtfully engaged away from screens. This sells the solution, not just the product, tapping into parental anxieties about screen time.

Parents concerned about overstimulation from modern YouTube content are turning to 1990s TV shows like Barney. The slower pace, lack of jump cuts, and absence of algorithm-driven retention engineering provide a less addictive and potentially healthier viewing experience for young children's developing brains.

When selling to teens where parents are the buyers, the core marketing message should be fear-based education for parents. Highlight the dangers of alternatives to create an imperative for them to purchase your safer product.

The value of purely educational content is declining as AI and Google can provide answers to almost any question. To build a loyal audience, creators must shift their focus from 'what' they are teaching to 'how' they are presenting it. Content must be entertaining, inspiring, or motivating first; education becomes a secondary benefit.

Entrepreneurs often see the kids' market as less crowded and thus easier to enter. The reality is the opposite: it's less crowded because it's significantly more complex, with far more laws and regulations (like COPPA) that founders must navigate successfully to survive.

PBS CEO Paula Kerger argues that major streaming services, outside of Disney, have little financial incentive to produce high-quality, educational children's content. This market failure pushes kids toward algorithm-driven, often inappropriate YouTube content, strengthening the case for a public service alternative focused on child development rather than subscription growth.