Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Why youth audiences increasingly choose feelings, vibes and identity over genres, and what it means for the future of kids’ media.
Children’s media has traditionally been built around genres, demographics and broad appeal. But today’s children are making choices differently.
Across fandoms, games, social platforms and emerging IP, we’re seeing kids gravitate towards worlds that make them feel something: cosy, mysterious, chaotic, comforting, exciting. These emotion-led worlds create meaning, fuel identity and inspire deeper engagement than traditional audience-segmented approaches.
In this session, Kids Industries explores why children’s media is shifting from a battle for attention to a battle for meaning. Drawing on new audience insight, fandom thinking, expert perspectives and real-world examples, we’ll unpack the emotional worlds children are choosing to enter, why distinctive experiences are outperforming safer creative choices, and what creators, commissioners and brands can learn from the fandoms thriving at the edges.
If the old rules were about reaching everyone, the new challenge may be creating something that means everything to someone.
Why youth audiences increasingly choose feelings, vibes and identity over genres, and what it means for the future of kids’ media.
Children’s media has traditionally been built around genres, demographics and broad appeal. But today’s children are making choices differently.
Across fandoms, games, social platforms and emerging IP, we’re seeing kids gravitate towards worlds that make them feel something: cosy, mysterious, chaotic, comforting, exciting. These emotion-led worlds create meaning, fuel identity and inspire deeper engagement than traditional audience-segmented approaches.
In this session, Kids Industries explores why children’s media is shifting from a battle for attention to a battle for meaning. Drawing on new audience insight, fandom thinking, expert perspectives and real-world examples, we’ll unpack the emotional worlds children are choosing to enter, why distinctive experiences are outperforming safer creative choices, and what creators, commissioners and brands can learn from the fandoms thriving at the edges.
If the old rules were about reaching everyone, the new challenge may be creating something that means everything to someone.
