This summer vacation, Amazon wants kids to ditch the screens

Amazon has announced an integrated campaign, ‘No Screen Summer with Alexa’, to advocate on the importance of reducing screen time amongst kids during summer holidays. The campaign brings to light one of the pertinent concerns of parents around kids spending excessive screen time during vacations, and suggests alternate ways to engage kids during this period. It further elucidates that using Alexa at home can help kids learn and grow – while having fun along the way.

The new ad campaign has been envisaged by Amazon Alexa’s in-house team and produced by AutoEdit productions. The theme, ‘No Screen Summer’, has been conceptualised around findings from a survey conducted by Kantar for Amazon’s Alexa. The survey indicates that more than 90% surveyed parents feel that using Alexa at home has helped reduce screen time amongst kids, along with helping them stay mentally active, learn new things, and become more independent. Blending the survey findings together with common worries of parents into a multi-channel campaign, the brand has released short digital films across its social media pages.

The main film opens with a kid shutting screens of different devices while saying “Saare screens off off” and asks Alexa, “Alexa, make a horse sound” after which she is seen playing with her parents. The video ends with a message to encourage children to enjoy a screen free summer with Alexa. In another film, titled ‘Alexa Light - No Screen Summer with Alexa’, a child is dressed in a wizard cape, wearing round glasses. In a playful mood, the kid in a deep voice is seen casting a spell through the crystal ball as he says, “Alexa, turn lights red” –changing the lighting in the room to red. The parent watching the act joins the kid in celebrating the moment. In the other film, ‘Alexa Trivia’, the child artist is seen dressed as a rocket and just before taking off asks Alexa, “Alexa, how far is Mars?”.

With a heartwarming yet compelling narrative, the films help communicate different ways kids can learn, have fun and stay engaged with devices such as Alexa smart speakers. The films emphasise that using Alexa at home can help improve vocabulary, nurture curiosity, boost creativity, and more in children.

The integrated campaign is also being amplified through multiple customer touch points. From influencers, parenting community engagement, WhatsApp promotions, social media activations, digital ads to branding on Amazon delivery packages, press communications, etc., the brand aims to inspire parents to pledge for a ‘No Screen Summer’ for their kids.