Understanding the value of licensing in kids’ personal care
Growth
objectives
A leading oral care brand sought to refresh its kids’ toothbrush portfolio to better appeal to both parents and children. The goal was to improve product appeal and drive healthier brushing habits, while also evaluating the cost-benefit of using licensed characters—an investment that could significantly impact margins.
Challenge
Getting kids to use personal care products regularly and properly often depends on the product’s ability to engage them. Licensed characters can enhance appeal but come with high costs. The client needed to determine whether licensed characters were essential to purchase intent, and how other product attributes might influence parent decision-making.
Key questions
How important are licensed characters in encouraging healthy habits among kids?
Do preferences vary based on age, gender, or purchase channel?
What product and packaging attributes matter most to parents?
Is there a way to drive appeal without relying on expensive licensing?
How we did it
Astrea used its Product Profiler solution, a conjoint-based research approach designed to isolate the impact of each product attribute. Parents of children across multiple age groups were interviewed, with additional segmentation by gender and shopping channel (online vs. in-store). Each respondent reviewed a series of toothbrush options—varying in product features, packaging, and presence or absence of licensed characters—and selected their most appealing option in each scenario.
Key learnings
The findings showed that licensed characters play a critical role in encouraging enthusiasm and consistent use among children. However, character effectiveness depends on alignment with the child’s age and interests, meaning a diversified character strategy is necessary. While packaging functionality was less important to parents, physical product features that helped kids follow instructions and develop good habits were highly valued.
Outcome
The research helped the client refine their go-to-market strategy by confirming the value of licensed characters—when carefully matched to the target age group—and identifying product features that promote healthy use. These insights supported the development of a more effective, engaging, and efficient kids’ portfolio.
