Personalized books
are custom-made story books, usually given as gifts to children, in which the child's name and likeness is inserted into the story. The books employ pre-written storylines that focus on kid-friendly topics like sports, school and friendships. Storylines also vary by the child's gender, ethnic heritage, age and religion. Companies that produce personalized books market them to parents and grandparents as gifts for children as well as tools that will make reading and learning fun for kids.
Girls' themes
The best strategy for marketing personalized books for girls relies on employing characters in the books to which young girls can aspire and relate. Ballerinas, fairies, princesses and cartoon characters are popular role models. The plots often encourage girls' self-esteem and problem-solving skills.
Boys' themes
Marketers successfully sell personalized books for boys using themes related to sports, friends, games and character-building. Many books "star" the child as a superhero or famous athlete. The plots encourage boys to read and envision themselves as leaders.
Licensed characters
Many personalized books use characters from popular children's TV shows and cartoons, including Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Mother Goose, the Flintstones and Marvel comics superheroes. This marketing strategy relies on the idea that a child will enjoy reading about familiar characters and imagining himself as one of them.
Religion
Some companies offer personalized books with a religious, usually Christian, theme. The child becomes a character in Biblical scenes and "experiences" the activities of Jesus and other figures, which reinforce Christian principles in the child. These books are successfully marketed to families in which religion is already important part of the child's life.
Special events
Companies produce personalized books for common events in children's lives, including birthdays, school graduations, anniversaries and holidays. In this same vein, special occasion books are marketed to adults to celebrate weddings, anniversaries, Mother's and Father's Days and retirement.
Educational tools
Marketers claim that kids love to read about themselves in personalized books, and that they will more readily absorb valuable life skills if they are part of an educational story. Readers may learn manage sibling rivalry, make healthy choices, deal with peer pressure and stay safe.
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