Instilling Confidence in Tweens Hinges on Parent Communication

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Unilever – the leading manufacturer of deodorant and antiperspirants and the maker of Degree® Men, Degree® Women, Degree® Girl, Dove® and Suave® – announced the findings of the Tween Confidence Index,* and the results are clear: tween confidence is short-lived, yet can be safe-guarded by maintaining strong communication between tweens and their parents.  In fact, the majority (69 percent) of tweens surveyed found talks with their parents to be "very helpful," and there was a measurable relationship between tweens' confidence levels and the value they placed on these talks.

"The Unilever Tween Confidence Index reveals just how critical parent communication is to help tweens transition into competent, confident teenagers," said Rosalind Wiseman, internationally recognized educator and author of New York Times Best Seller, "Queen Bees and Wannabes."  "By keeping the lines of communication open, parents can minimize the decline in self-esteem that we know begins around age 12 or 13.(1)"

To provide parents with the tools they need to help build their tweens' confidence during these critical years, Unilever has aligned with community partners, assembled a panel of experts and developed the educational Web site, DontFretTheSweat.com. The Web site is filled with expert tips, tools, money-saving offers and real-life stories about how parents are communicating and transitioning their tweens into confident and self-reliant young adults.

"We know tweens look to their parents for guidance, but we also know parents often feel overwhelmed and are not sure how to navigate the many challenges their tweens face," said Jay Mathew, marketing director for deodorants at Unilever and father of a tween. "Through these partnerships and our educational Web site, DontFretTheSweat.com, we hope to assist parents in helping their tweens face new challenges and opportunities with confidence."

Tweens, Their Moms and Their Lives:  A Look Inside

The Unilever Tween Confidence Index, conducted by KRC Research, surveyed more than 1,200 moms and tweens through random telephone interviews to provide a comprehensive snapshot of confidence levels among tween girls and boys, age eight to 12 years old, and their mothers' perceptions and concerns about their lives.  Here is a look at some of the results:

• Three in four moms (77 percent) feel there are more challenges for tweens growing up today than when they were that age, such as: being overly exposed to sex and violence (86 percent), facing more pressure to grow up faster (75 percent), not doing well in school (60 percent), being challenged to eat healthy (55 percent), or not safely using the internet (55 percent).
• A majority of tweens (69 percent) find talks with their parents to be "very helpful" in dealing with the pressures and challenges they face.
• Tweens are most stressed about hearing rumors about themselves or friends (68 percent), getting good grades (61 percent), dealing with hard teachers (68 percent) and their first kiss (51 percent).

No Need to Sweat It

In addition to facing more challenges and pressures, supporting research shows that kids are also entering puberty and experiencing biological milestones – including producing body odor – at an earlier age.(2,3)  As the leading manufacturer of deodorant and antiperspirants, Unilever has a variety of products that help tweens stay dry and confident:

• Degree® Girl antiperspirant /deodorant is dermatologist-tested and body-responsive. With great 24-hour protection, Degree Girl gets girls through every OMG moment with confidence – and has now added another bold scent to its lineup – new Degree Girl Friends Forever.
• New Degree® Women Natureffects deodorant provides highly effective odor protection, with a fragrance inspired by natural ingredients like honeysuckle and tea tree oil.
• Dove® Ultimate go fresh antiperspirant/deodorant is uniquely formulated to respond to a girl's body.  It offers effective 24-hour odor and wetness protection that keeps girls confident all day. For an added burst of freshness, try the matching body mists. Both are available in the deodorant aisle.
• Dove® Ultimate Sensitive Care gently cares for a girl's sensitive skin. It's hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, so she'll get non-irritating protection and care for her skin.
• Suave 24-Hour Protection is an invisible solid that gives girls the 24-hour protection they need at a price tag parents will appreciate.
• Degree® Men, available in four fragrances, guarantees odor protection and is the first deodorant with Silver Ion Technology.  Silver Ions are high-tech odor fighters so effective that they are used by sports brands, the military and even space agencies to fight odor in their performance apparel.  

For more information about Unilever products, the Unilever Tween Confidence Index and articles about how to navigate the tween years, visit www.DontFretTheSweat.com.

About Unilever North America

Unilever works to create a better future every day.  We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.  Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Omo, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

*About the Tween Confidence Index

In the initial study, KRC Research conducted 1,202 random telephone interviews with U.S. households (including an interview with a mother and a tween between the ages of 8 and 12 in each household), between November 17 and 30, 2009.  In a follow up study, KRC Research conducted 501 random telephone interviews with U.S. households (including an interview with a tween between the ages of 8 and 12), between January 28 and February 5, 2010.

About KRC Research

KRC Research is a full-service market research firm.  A unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), KRC Research offers the quality and custom service of a small firm along with the reach of a global organization. For over 30 years, we have worked on behalf of corporations, governments, not-for-profits and the communications firms that represent them. Staffed with market research professionals from the worlds of political campaigns, consumer marketing, journalism and academia, we are flexible, practical, creative, knowledgeable and fast, combining sophisticated research tools with real-world communications experience. To learn more, please visit www.krcresearch.com.

(1) Robins, Richard W, & Trzesniewski, K H. (2005). Self-esteem development across the lifespan. UC Davis.

(2) Marcia E. Herman-Giddens, Eric J. Slora, Richard C. Wasserman, Carlos J. Bourdony, Manju V. Bhapkar, Gary G. Koch, and Cynthia M. Hasemeier.  Secondary Sexual Characteristics and Menses in Young Girls Seen in Office Practice: A Study from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network; Pediatrics, Apr 1997; 99: 505 - 512.

(3) University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill (2001, September 18). Research: U.S. Boys Also Reaching Puberty Earlier Than In Past.

SOURCE Unilever