Marketing to Gen Alpha, a generation raised by AI

Every generation inherits one defining technology that shapes how they see the world. For Gen X, it was television. Millennials grew up with computers. Gen Z came of age with mobile phones and the internet. Now, Gen Alpha is being raised by artificial intelligence, social media, and a digital ecosystem that doesn't just deliver information but invites participation.

These technologies don't merely change how children consume content. They are altering their attitudes, aspirations, and sense of self. Where previous generations dreamed of becoming doctors or engineers, today's children are asking different questions entirely. Not "what will I be when I grow up?" but "what can I create right now?"

This shift is clear in how brands now position technology. In 2024, Dell’s films ‘Lamps’ and ‘Mountains’ showcased students using tech to solve real problems — one group builds solar lamps for a school without electricity, while another creates ‘Summit Savers’, a microsite and campaign driving a mountain cleanup.

Kids today use technology widely for their passions and pursuits that bring them happiness. 

Digital access feeds their need for creativity

The behavioural differences between today's children and those from just a decade ago are striking. In India, a study found that six out of ten children aged 9 to 17 spend over three hours daily on social media or gaming platforms.

Geetika Singh, Country Lead, IUU (Qualitative Research) at Ipsos India, explains that most children now face attention deficits due to far more stimuli than kids of the 1990s or early 2000s experienced. "Being digitally connected is actually impacting their attention to learn and retain. Plus, there is a natural feeling that information is easily available, need not be retained," she notes. Communication has shifted from talking to texting, and with digital tools readily accessible, project-based learning has become central, allowing children to create and showcase work using technology.

The nature of play has transformed as well. While outdoor activities still exist, there's a growing trend toward indoor gaming and screen-based entertainment, driven partly by urbanisation and reduced access to outdoor spaces. Sleepovers have become popular, which gives rise to online gaming sessions and virtual socialising platforms. 

Pranati Mitra, Head Mistress at Swami Vivekanand High School & Junior College, emphasises that children are gaining access to digital devices at increasingly younger ages, but require proper guidance on digital citizenship, online safety, and responsible technology use. Parents and teachers are learning to balance protection with independence, helping children navigate digital boundaries safely.

What's changed most profoundly is how children define aspiration itself. She continues, “They are more flexible and open to change, prioritising their passions and interests over merely seeking a stable job. While parents still influence their choices, children now have access to information and resources that help them make informed decisions about their future.”

Singh observes that newer careers like entrepreneurship, fighter pilots, or aerospace engineers are worth exploring. “Tech-driven choices such as coding, gaming, or social media influencing are on the rise, as is the path of environmental evangelism. Social media platforms heavily influence these aspirations, as does the easy availability of education loans.”

Children are also more accepting of their bodies today, with even younger kids resorting to dressy outfits and gym routines to gain confidence. Kids' makeup brands are growing, especially among girls. For example, brands like Renee Cosmetics in India offer products catering to children.

Melanie Joe, Executive Creative Director, Copywriting at TheSmallBigIdea, observes, "What's fascinating about Gen Alpha is, unlike previous generations, they've moved away from a distant, vague 'what I want to be when I grow up' space to a more present, assertive 'who am I today?' mindset. And the ecosystem they're growing up in opens up a vast world of possibilities. A gaming console or a ring light is as aspirational for them as a stethoscope was for previous generations."

This cultural shift extends beyond career choices into identity formation itself. When Barbie released in 2023, Mattel simultaneously launched a diverse range of dolls representing different body types, skin tones, abilities, and professions, including a doll with Down syndrome in April 2023, and simultaneously a Black Barbie doll with Down syndrome in July 2024. Children today expect to see themselves reflected in the products and media they consume, and brands are steadily attempting to connect with them.

Stories where children lead, not follow

This evolving sense of self has implications for how brands create narratives around childhood. Priya M Vasat, Senior Content Supervisor at AGENCY09, notes that children today demonstrate a very fluid sense of aspiration. Earlier, ambition was limited to familiar career labels like doctor or engineer. Now, it's defined by what a child can explore, design, or express. This shift has inspired storytelling where children are not positioned as decorative elements but as thinkers with unique viewpoints.

When creating campaigns featuring children as creators or problem-solvers, the approach is anchored in real insights. "They respond to communication that recognises their independence and respects their intelligence. We craft situations that allow them to resolve challenges using their imagination rather than scripted perfection," Vasat explains. Communication is designed to be emotionally aware, with parents as trusted partners in the journey. Vasat notes that these narratives succeed when children are treated as capable participants whose world blends creativity, community, and technology.

Joe's team created the 'Naye Nazariye Ki Udan' campaign for HSBC Mutual Fund, where the child in the film is not a spectator but a thinker, someone who leads the way to a solution. "That choice was intentional. It signals how we believe children should be depicted in advertising: ingenious problem-solvers and active participants in culture," she says.

Globally, few brands like LEGO have captured this shift effectively. The brand's ‘Rebuild the World’ platform reimagines children as confident problem-solvers, with adults entering their imaginative logic rather than directing it.

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A key extension is the 2025 initiative ‘She Built That’ with TIME, highlighting female builders and addressing the representation gap. It spotlights girls whose talent and ambition shape real worlds of design and innovation, challenging outdated gender signals and making “building” a natural identity for them.

Harsh Mishra, Sr. Director of Marketing at Hopscotch, has observed similar patterns firsthand. Thanks to new-age parenting techniques used by Gen X and millennial parents, Gen Alpha has been raised to be independent thinkers.

"They have also been raised to be way more confident and comfortable in their own skin. This also reflects how comfortable Gen Alpha is with social media. They don't shy away from the camera anymore as they have seen it since they were born," Mishra explains. He recalls that just a few years ago, finding kids comfortable in front of a camera or able to deliver verbally was a struggle. That's no longer a concern.

Hopscotch’s recent ‘Soul Street’ campaign, in collaboration with a renowned choreographer, featured his 5–6-year-old students, showcasing real young performers and how Korean and K-pop music have captured kids’ imaginations today.

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But it is important to be responsible when it comes to interacting with children. Sourabh Kumar, Founder & CEO of PunToon Kids, emphasises, "It's extremely important because what children watch leaves a lasting impact. They tend to observe, absorb, and imitate what they see. That makes brands like us even more responsible for the kind of content we create," he says. His brand keeps a close watch on global trends, evolving curriculum, and the changing aspirations of both kids and parents. 

“Through our events and online-offline interactions, we constantly observe what engages and inspires children, and we strive to maintain a thoughtful balance between fun, learning, and values in everything we produce.”

Short, interactive, and always on

The formats and platforms through which children consume content have transformed just as dramatically as the content itself. A study revealed that over 80% of parents of children under 12 say their kids watch YouTube, with the platform serving as a primary source of entertainment and learning. Short-form content on YouTube Shorts has seen exponential growth, with the format generating over 200 billion daily views in 2025, according to Neal Mohan.

Hopscotch’s ‘Get Ready With Me’ campaign tapped into another emerging behaviour. He says, “Instagram doesn’t allow kids to use the app. But this has pushed YouTube usage through the roof for the Gen Alpha generation, because of which they have ended up consuming so much vlogging content—this is a hugely popular content type for Gen Alpha.”

Many kids today aspire to be influencers, and Hopscotch decided not to impose its own parameters of success. Mishra acknowledges that the brand doesn't target kids directly and all communications are aimed at mothers specifically. However, purchases today are extremely informed by kids as well. "Moms very frequently sit with their children, and we keep hearing all the time from moms that as early as 3, 4, 5 years old, they sit with their kids, and when they're ordering from our app, they first show it to their kids to get their perspective on whether they like it or not," he says.

Singh notes that children today are digitally connected all the time, across multiple apps. Many kids have their own social media accounts, albeit on their parents' phones. 

According to her, “Brands need to be available on social media and engage with influencers of their choice, whether rappers or young fitness influencers. The messaging needs to be directed at them, catering to their individuality without necessarily being rebellious in nature.”

Mitra observes that kids use smartphones and tablets frequently to watch short videos and play engaging games. "Most of their screen time happens after school, 3 to 6 p.m., and before bedtime, 7 to 9 p.m. They enjoy short, interactive, and entertaining content," she notes. Brands can connect better by creating mobile-friendly, interactive experiences that are authentic, positive, and aligned with kids' interests.

The media planning should also be active and interactive. Vasat explains, “They move fluidly across YouTube, shorts-first video formats, gaming worlds, and school-linked digital ecosystems. Formats that mirror their natural media habits tend to be most effective. Short-form films, modular narratives, and creator-supported stories spark curiosity because they allow children to enter and exit content intuitively," she says. Each asset is shaped to communicate emotional clarity in concise moments while still encouraging exploration.

Since parents continue to guide digital engagement, planning also considers spaces where children and families can experience content together. Co-viewing environments strengthen trust and make storytelling feel shared rather than isolated. Vasat notes that a learn-play-share rhythm works well, as children observe, participate, interpret, and express. 

Kumar adds that kids love stories they can relate to or ones that let them experience something new, formats that satisfy their natural curiosity. "They don't enjoy anything too preachy. They connect better with content that's fun, engaging, and subtly meaningful," he explains. At PunToon Kids, the focus is on creating entertaining stories that teach without feeling like lessons, where learning happens naturally through humour, imagination, and adventure.

Participation over persuasion

Looking ahead, the consensus among marketers and educators is clear: brands need to enable rather than convince. Joe articulates, "One, it's imperative to give them agency and playfulness in equal measure, and two, children's unique vulnerabilities must be recognised and addressed.”

Vasat envisions marketing for children evolving toward participation, not persuasion. As digital fluency grows, children will expect stories that invite them to create, test, and express, instead of being spoken to. "Technology will play a supportive role rather than a spectacle. AI, interactive platforms, and safe digital spaces will help children personalise their learning and play experiences.” 

Mitra emphasises, “Students should be engaged with more interactive content such as games, augmented reality, authentic influencers, and educational experiences.” 

PunToon Kids is preparing for this shift by developing more interactive, story-led, and curiosity-based formats that blend learning with entertainment, focusing on building meaningful engagement that keeps kids excited while reassuring parents that screen time adds real value, says Kumar.

Mishra believes that brands need to stay at the forefront of technology as it evolves. Hopscotch has already leveraged AI across all functions, from designing campaigns and shoots to storyboarding, photoshoots, and cataloguing. 

As Children's Day is observed this year, it's worth reflecting that today's children aren't waiting for adulthood to make their mark. They are building, creating, and expressing themselves now. Brands need to meet them where they already are: confident, curious, and ready to participate in shaping the world around them.