In this episode of the DMI podcast, host Will Francis speaks with Maurice Wheeler, CEO of We Are Family, a specialist agency focused on research, strategy, and creative work for brands that market to children, teens, and families. Maurice shares how his agency helps household-name brands like Nickelodeon, Hasbro, and Moonbug understand rapidly shifting youth trends – from meme culture to Roblox – while staying legally compliant and ethically sound.
This episode digs into how marketing to under-18s must balance creativity with a deep understanding of cognitive development, parental expectations, and platform dynamics. Maurice also explains how his agency conducts global research with thousands of children annually and why “marketing without manipulation” is their north star.
What You’ll Learn:
Why audience insight matters more than ever in youth marketing
How to ethically and legally engage under-18s
The importance of cognitive development in content design
What platforms kids really use – and how
Why screen time post-COVID is evolving again
How to balance messaging across kids, parents, and platforms
Where influencer marketing fits – and where it doesn’t
Why creativity must thrive inside tight guardrails
Top 3 Tips from Maurice:
Talk to kids constantly: Research can't be replaced by reports. Direct conversations reveal the truth.
Learn the rules: Global youth marketing demands obsessive knowledge of local legal and ethical guidelines.
Immerse yourself in their world: Play Roblox, scroll YouTube Shorts, and understand meme culture. You can’t market what you don’t experience.
Timestamps
01:00 – How brands stay in touch with kids’ realities
02:30 – Meme trends, masculinity, and parenting shifts post-COVID
05:15 – How brands act on research and insights
07:44 – The challenge of ethical creativity in marketing to kids
11:30 – Why guardrails make for better creativity
13:49 – Breaking down under-18s into real audience cohorts
16:38 – Running global research with very young children
19:14 – Sharing vs. owning insights: what gets published
20:50 – Developmental personas vs. traditional marketing personas
23:00 – The Venn diagram of kids, parents, and platforms
26:43 – Creating immersive brand experiences in Roblox
30:07 – Influencer marketing and where to draw the line
32:10 – Marketing ethics in YouTube content for kids
34:04 – How Maurice parented with a marketer’s mindset
36:25 – What metrics really matter in this space
39:48 – The rise of co-viewing and why it’s good news
41:55 – Maurice’s early career from Leo Burnett to Disney
47:51 – What’s changed most in 20+ years of marketing
53:39 – AI in research and creativity: risks and realities