Your child an 'influential'?

"Social Networking: A Boost for Brand Buzz" in E-Commerce Times offers some insights into how marketers are viewing online kids. They are really interested in reaching "influentials," who are generally the starting points of viral marketing campaigns (if you can even call them "campaigns" anymore – "viral" and "campaign" being a bit of an oxymoron). The article distinguishes between "classic influentials" (a surprising 24% of all Net users) and "new influentials" (17%) and throws in a third "combination influential" (6%). The old kind is likened to Sherlock Holmes, the "recognized expert," and the new kind to Watson, who "spreads the buzz," tells everyone about his buddy Holmes. Of course, every marketer would love to influence a "combination influential." I think I'd like to meet one of those too.