The majority of kids in Latin America have been looking forward to the Olympics, and brands would do well to tap into children’s sports interest, according to Argentinian research firm Kids Corp.
The company conducted online surveys of more than 40,000 preschoolers, kids, teens and their parents in 2023 and found that seven out of 10 kids were anticipating watching the Paris 2024 Olympics.
According to the data, 55% of the kids reported that they planned to watch the Olympics on social media (including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch and X), followed by free TV channels (42%) and YouTube (35%). European football (soccer) was their most-anticipated sport by a wide margin, followed by artistic gymnastics, swimming, volleyball and basketball.
Kids’ interest in sports extends beyond the Olympics and continues to grow as they get older. Soccer remains their favorite sport to watch. It is also boys’ favorite sport to play, and the second pick of girls after swimming.
More than one-quarter of kids (28%) and teens (27%) participate in extracurricular sports clubs, and most kids (six out of 10) watch sports. This love of sports also includes sports-related product brands, with Nike and Adidas claiming the top and runner-up spots as teens’ favorite brands, and both companies sitting among the top 10 brands preferred by kids and preschoolers under 12.
Kids Corp’s analysis found that most brands target adult sports and Olympic fans but neglect opportunities to market to kids, leaving room for kidcos to create branded sports videos and video games that tap into kids’ love of soccer and other sports.
Photo courtesy of Debra Brewster via Unsplash