No kid (probably) would willingly add a parent spying portal to their phone. But I also imagine many parents, although they might want to add a spy portal to their kids’ phone, would feel guilty (or ethically conflicted) doing so.
So, how do you sell this thing? Convince parents it’s within their rights and responsibility to spy on kids? Or, let parents know they’re actually not so crazy because: Look at how insane the mother in this commercial is; she’s way more anxious than you! There’s a fancy name for this sort of argument: “relative privation.” It doesn’t make sense when you think about it, but it can be fairly effective.
To be honest, I just learned about it, too. From a guy on YouTube who shames people for not returning their shopping carts after using them. The Internet is truly a place of wonder.
I have 3 teens. So that makes me an audience of 1 (3?). My kids would NEVER feed my neurosis by suggesting we use Life360. In fact they constantly try to disable Apple's Find My Phone (the only reason I've managed to use to convince them to keep it on is to actually find their phones, which, surprise, they lose).
My point: I would never use an app that fed my neurosis about something happening to my kids while they're out being kids/people. Truth is I don't actually have neurosis around that, fortunately (being married to a neuropsychologist might have something to do with it). I come from the 'Blessings of a Skinned Knee' parenting cohort.
Now if there was an app that could reassure me that they'll land on their feet and become well-adjusted, self-sustaining adults, now that I would use.
I think the Life360 ad worked until the slogan "family-proof your family" because that makes it sound like birth control.
I agree with Jonas that the intended audience was the youth, and that angle helped sell the product. It wouldn't have stood out as much if it took a more realistic, dramatic approach from the mother's point of view (like if we watch the mom worrying at home, dreaming up all of the dangerous scenarios while her daughter is gone). That would just remind me of an insurance commercial.
It also is more convincing coming from a youth's perspective, because it shows that sacrificing your privacy to make your parent stop worrying is worth it. Otherwise, the tracker tech is just kind of creepy and annoying. Their website lists plans that include crash detection and roadside assistance (which is pretty nice) but also driver reports and 30 days of location history (?). IDK seems like it could just reinforce parents' worrying if they can obtain that much information about their young adult.
"family-proof your family" is such a great birth control tagline.
The selling to the teen angle is so interesting - I wonder what message would resonate with a teenager such that they would suggest to their parents that they get Life360? "At least you'll know where I'm getting pregnant"?
I think the Life360 ad worked, but that it wasn't focused on getting the parent to buy. I think, and I'm going to make a bunch of jumps of intuition, that Life360 thinks that one of the paths to a sale goes through older kids. So, they're trying to sell older kids on the product as a solution to their problem (i.e. my parents are always worrying about me and hounding me so I can't ever do the things I want to do. Give me something that will stop them from worrying so I can live my life). That's why the child is the hero of the story–they recommended the app to their parents.
That's a really good point - it's possible they're trying to get to the parents through the kids. Except - what kid wants their parents to get an app that will let them know they're not where they said they'd be?
Except except - there might be some 4 dimensional chess here where they're not selling to the kids, they're selling to the parents and the message is -- this is the app your kids would want you to get so you stop worrying about them.
Or the message is you look like a psycho to your kids cause you’re afraid a bear is going to get them on the metro, but if you get life 360 you can spy on them instead of revealing how deep your fear-based neurosis go to your children (who will then look down on you even more than they already do) .
How deep did their research go to reveal this was the problem they needed to solve?
It’s a challenging product to market.
No kid (probably) would willingly add a parent spying portal to their phone. But I also imagine many parents, although they might want to add a spy portal to their kids’ phone, would feel guilty (or ethically conflicted) doing so.
So, how do you sell this thing? Convince parents it’s within their rights and responsibility to spy on kids? Or, let parents know they’re actually not so crazy because: Look at how insane the mother in this commercial is; she’s way more anxious than you! There’s a fancy name for this sort of argument: “relative privation.” It doesn’t make sense when you think about it, but it can be fairly effective.
How have I never heard of "relative privation" before???? That's what's going on here! Learn something new every day :)
To be honest, I just learned about it, too. From a guy on YouTube who shames people for not returning their shopping carts after using them. The Internet is truly a place of wonder.
Always take credit for ideas!!!!! :)
I have 3 teens. So that makes me an audience of 1 (3?). My kids would NEVER feed my neurosis by suggesting we use Life360. In fact they constantly try to disable Apple's Find My Phone (the only reason I've managed to use to convince them to keep it on is to actually find their phones, which, surprise, they lose).
My point: I would never use an app that fed my neurosis about something happening to my kids while they're out being kids/people. Truth is I don't actually have neurosis around that, fortunately (being married to a neuropsychologist might have something to do with it). I come from the 'Blessings of a Skinned Knee' parenting cohort.
Now if there was an app that could reassure me that they'll land on their feet and become well-adjusted, self-sustaining adults, now that I would use.
You mean LinkedIn? :)
I think the Life360 ad worked until the slogan "family-proof your family" because that makes it sound like birth control.
I agree with Jonas that the intended audience was the youth, and that angle helped sell the product. It wouldn't have stood out as much if it took a more realistic, dramatic approach from the mother's point of view (like if we watch the mom worrying at home, dreaming up all of the dangerous scenarios while her daughter is gone). That would just remind me of an insurance commercial.
It also is more convincing coming from a youth's perspective, because it shows that sacrificing your privacy to make your parent stop worrying is worth it. Otherwise, the tracker tech is just kind of creepy and annoying. Their website lists plans that include crash detection and roadside assistance (which is pretty nice) but also driver reports and 30 days of location history (?). IDK seems like it could just reinforce parents' worrying if they can obtain that much information about their young adult.
"family-proof your family" is such a great birth control tagline.
The selling to the teen angle is so interesting - I wonder what message would resonate with a teenager such that they would suggest to their parents that they get Life360? "At least you'll know where I'm getting pregnant"?
I think the Life360 ad worked, but that it wasn't focused on getting the parent to buy. I think, and I'm going to make a bunch of jumps of intuition, that Life360 thinks that one of the paths to a sale goes through older kids. So, they're trying to sell older kids on the product as a solution to their problem (i.e. my parents are always worrying about me and hounding me so I can't ever do the things I want to do. Give me something that will stop them from worrying so I can live my life). That's why the child is the hero of the story–they recommended the app to their parents.
That's a really good point - it's possible they're trying to get to the parents through the kids. Except - what kid wants their parents to get an app that will let them know they're not where they said they'd be?
Except except - there might be some 4 dimensional chess here where they're not selling to the kids, they're selling to the parents and the message is -- this is the app your kids would want you to get so you stop worrying about them.
Maybe?
Or the message is you look like a psycho to your kids cause you’re afraid a bear is going to get them on the metro, but if you get life 360 you can spy on them instead of revealing how deep your fear-based neurosis go to your children (who will then look down on you even more than they already do) .
How deep did their research go to reveal this was the problem they needed to solve?
I would have LOVED to be in those focus groups.
Also, the amount your kids think you are psycho is unrelated to the amount that you are psycho.