NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As it has every U.S. presidential election year since 1988, Nickelodeon will amplify kids’ voices and opinions with its 2016 Kids Pick the President campaign, launching today with the release of findings from the network’s nationally representative research study of kids ages 8-13, fielded in three waves this summer. Top findings include:
- A majority 67% of kids ages 8-13 report they are interested in this year’s U.S. presidential election.
- Kids said the top three sources from which they are getting information about the 2016 presidential election are TV (73%); their mom (61%); and their dad (51%).
- 32% of kids cite war/terrorism as the top issue the next president of the U.S. should care about, followed by equal rights (29%) and crime/violence (26%). From the study’s first wave (June) to the third (August), equal rights grew seven percentage points, crime/violence grew six percentage points, and war/terrorism held steady as the number-one issue.
- The top three qualities kids say are “very important” for a good president to have are: honesty (90%); being trustworthy (89%); and being respectful of others (85%). The three least cited qualities are being tough (49%); religious (23%); and rich (10%).
- “Believes in equality for everyone” also ranked high, with (82%) of kids feeling it is a “very important” attribute for a president. Among African-American kids, 87% rate “believes in equality for everyone” as “very important.” 85% of Hispanic kids and 80% of Caucasian kids rank “believes in equality for everyone” as a “very important” attribute.
- When asked how interested they are in being the president of the United States when they grow up, the majority of kids (56%) said they were interested, though interest is lower among older kids. Among kids ages 12-13, only 50% say they are interested in being president, as opposed to 58% of kids ages 8-11.
“Kids and their families today are more closely aligned than ever before, with no generation gap, which makes this research a potential crystal ball into the POV of the entire household’s voting and non-voting members,” said Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Viacom Kids and Family Group. “With almost 7 out of every 10 kids in the country citing high interest in this year’s election, we want our Kids Pick the President campaign to keep them informed, so we can help sustain their interest in the political system as they come of age and take their place as the country’s next electorate.”
Nickelodeon’s Kids Pick the President cross-platform campaign is informed by its research findings, and is designed to answer kids’ questions, keep them informed about the issues they care about and let their voices be heard. As an educational and fun resource for kids, the campaign features a fully interactive website allowing kids to weigh in on the election process and the race’s issues in real time; on-air interstitials that guide kids through the electoral process; and a prime-time TV special in October offering profiles of each candidate.
Nick’s renowned bellwether Kids’ Vote will be held Oct. 28 through Nov. 5, when kids will cast their online ballot for their choice for the next president of the United States. The Kids’ Vote results will be announced live on Nickelodeon on Saturday, Nov. 5.
This year marks Nickelodeon’s eighth Kids Pick the President campaign and vote. Since 1988, kids have correctly chosen the next U.S. president for six out of the last seven presidential elections (having chosen Kerry over Bush in 2004).
Nickelodeon’s 2016 Kids Pick the President Campaign Elements:
Today, Nickelodeon has launched a dedicated website (www.kidspickthepresident.com) with an immersive experience that includes:
- Kids’ Vote–Oct. 28 marks the start of the Kids’ Vote, where kids can cast their virtual ballot online, at www.kidspickthepresident.com, through Saturday, Nov. 5, when their choice for the next U.S. president will be announced live on Nickelodeon.
- Heat Map–Kids will have an opportunity each week leading up to the Kids’ Vote to voice their opinions using the Kids Pick the President Heat Map, which will let kids respond to questions posted about real-time news, issues and information stemming from the campaign trail, with responses showing what kids in each U.S. state think.
- Word Clouds–As kids respond to posted questions about the campaign and share their opinions, the key ideas and phrases will be aggregated into word clouds each week, allowing for an easy review of what is top of mind with the nation’s kids this election.
- The website will also include additional, fun features like: If You Were President for a Day, an interactive game allowing kids to take a personality quiz to determine what they would do if they were president for the day, and receive a custom newspaper-style, downloadable keepsake; and Ask the Candidates cards, letting kids submit and share questions they would like answered.
Nickelodeon’s Kids Pick the President Research Methodology:
From June to August 2016, Nickelodeon fielded a nationally representative study to track kids’ (ages 8-13) awareness of U.S. presidential candidates, their interest in the overall election and the issues they care about most during the race to November. Research was conducted through online surveys, with approximately 2,400 participants in total, to date. Participants represent an even split based on gender and age, and were balanced by region, ethnicity and household income.
Nickelodeon, now in its 37th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIAB).
