Let's get political

With the vote for the new UK Prime Minister in full swing and the never-ending Republican vs. Democratic divide in the US, it’s fair to say political talk has dominated news outlets, social media and dinner table chatter.

Its ubiquitous nature has made it impossible for any of us to ignore... and that includes kids!

So, we decided to take a kids’ eye view of the world, using our longitudinal panel of Beano Trendspotters coupled with our unique Beano Brain Omnibus. We surveyed kids in the UK and US on leadership and who THEY would like to see take charge and it’s not good news for politicians...

VOTERS IN THE MAKING

Our panel made it crystal clear that if they could vote, they would. Why? Because they want to be heard, feel valued and most importantly, make a difference.

"I would vote because I'd want my vote to count. I think it's important because one vote could make all the difference." - Gabi, Age 11

GIVING IS GOOD

MrBeast hasn’t just topped the kids’ choice for PM, he’s also recently surpassed 100M subscribers and has an estimated net worth of $56 million, making him one of the biggest YouTubers today. But it isn’t his wealth or power that’s considered leadership-worthy by kids. MrBeast’s content features charity work (e.g., donating 1 million meals to families in need), huge giveaways (e.g., a private island after hitting 100M) and awareness around important issues like homelessness and poverty. He’s managed to stay extremely relatable through his gaming and insane challenge content, but has also become a role model for kids – and one they could trust to run the country!

Which of these people would YOU choose to be the next Prime Minister of the UK?

(effective sample 1,157 kids age 7 – 14 in the UK)

ROCKING POWER

It has been rumoured that Dwane Johnson has been flirting with the idea of a Presidential run and looking at our charts, if he does take a tilt for the top in 2028 or beyond, it looks like he has a generation ready to turn out in support.

Which of these would YOU choose to be the next President of the United States?

(effective sample 2,707 kids age 7 – 14 in the UK & US)

THE LEADERSHIP CV

Kids in the UK and US are also clear about the qualities they expect in a leader. The top quality at 68% was respectful, followed by trustworthy, kind and fair all coming in at 64%. These were followed by calm at 56%.

PARENTS IN POWER

It’s clear kids want someone in power they know, understand and can trust to lead the way. And they clearly think when it comes to leadership their parents have it nailed.

“I'd vote for my Dad because he's kind and nice to everyone. I think it would take him a while to get used to it but I reckon he could get the economy back up after Covid." - Tyler, Age 12

"I would vote for someone really smart and eco-friendly and fair - like my parents - or my Dad! He's fair most of the time and has some great qualities as a person." - Fatimah, Age 11

WHAT DO THE NEXT GENERATION OF VOTERS VALUE?

• Role models and respect: It’s clear that the current political systems simply won’t wash with incoming voters. The only politician to achieve a thumbs up is Barack Obama – 6 years out of office.

• Representation: the data clearly shows that girls are more inclined to vote for female leaders and yet they are under-represented

• A shared outlook: Preferences amongst kids in the US and UK are remarkably similar

These kids won’t be stepping into a polling booth anytime soon, but it doesn’t mean their voices shouldn’t be heard. This is a generation that will live with the consequences of today’s decisions longer than the rest of any of us. And although a world with MrBeast in charge may be a little strange, perhaps those in running for the next UK Prime Minister or US President should consider what kids believe to be the perfect leader.

If you'd like to garner more of kids and teens opinions using our proprietary insight tools than please get in touch and use our brain. We're here to help.