Windows Phone UK advertisement highlights Kid's Corner to keep the kids occupied

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Everyone has witnessed a slightly irritating child in the public (or perhaps you're the parent of one?), but an advertisement published on the Windows Phone UK YouTube account shows exactly how to handle such a situation. The point of the video? When handed a Windows Phone, said child soon hushes and gets on with firing some birds at pigs and all the rest.

The main feature highlighted in this advert is the Kid's Corner, which enables parents and / or guardians to create a sandbox where restrictions can be put in place to limit what the child can do on the smartphone. At the end of the video, the Windows Phone team asks viewers to share #ThingsKidsSay on Twitter.

Source: YouTube

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

57 Comments
  • We need more advertising to show the uniqueness of Windows Phone! Highlighting these great features will bring more customers.
  • +920
  • Windows biggest mistake was 7.5/7.8 and the fact like other brands is a dead OS version. I do like the phone, but not the idea they've basically shafted all those who took their brand to where it us now.
  • Windows biggest mistake was 7.5/7.8 and the fact like other brands is a dead OS version. I do like the phone, but not the idea they've basically shafted all those who took their brand to where it us now. They have a great brand that could be successful. How long until win9 comes out and ver8 users regret getting that version.
  • Then don't buy it. Its that simple.
  • WP8 phones are said to be upgradeable to WP9, which makes your point invalid. MS learnedd from their mistake..
  • Are we still banging on about this!
    When the Lumia range came out, it was fairly well rumoured that WP7 would not be getting the full WP8 experience.
  • umm, damn android fail to in this case? cos bloody android 2.1 cannot n will never be upgraded to 4.1? even if you root n install rom yourself it will still crash n lag n basically can dump into the bin.
     
    oh wait did 2007 iphone get to upgrade to IOS 5 or 6?
    what century are you in? every year new phones come out, its either you buy new n dump the old one or you stick to the old one and quit complaining additional to your complain on wp 7, it is release in 2010 n 2011 mango7.5 update came n 2012 7.8 came. its a 3 year old phone and you want it to be forever updated?
  • I do not feel shafted in the slightest.
  • the boy's  teeth are scary
  • To paraphrase Professor Ian Duncan, British dentistry is not the topic of discussion here!
  • The child is 7 they lose there baby teeth around that age! Don't be nasty he's great thank you very much!
  • That boy has too many awful questions. He needs to change school. Also, more than colourful phone could have helped. Kids corner is there but ad doesn't show how he cant/can go to internet to find "What spank is/Why his mum's bottom is wobbly"
  • Them teeth though
  • Hahaha what are stretch marks!
  • I know this is a crazy suggestion, but the parents could also just TALK with the kid.
    This advertisement is really scary.
    Give the kid the phone, so he shuts up. Great!
  • I was signing in to say the same thing.  The "give my kid a tablet/phone/TV show to shut them up" mentality among parents is just lazy and, unfortunately, all too prevalent in today's world.
    I do like Kid's Corner, and look forward to seeing how it can be used with my children appropriately, but this ad just.. annoys me.
    That said, some of the questions he asks are friggen hilarious.
  • Yeah brilliant idea. Kids need s phone, but certainly a 500£ one.
  • I'm pretty sure they answered the first one million questions but ever now and then you just need a quiet time or break. I understand your point but don't read too much into this ad. Its cute.
  • the boy is cute.
    The reasoning, mindset and strategies behind this ad are not cute.
    I think this is an important difference.
  • Lol, I signed in to say the same thing. Kids corner could have been advertised a heck of a lot better, and not in just a "Shut up kid. Here, look at a screen for a few hours and leave mummy alone". I find it useful when my (much younger) cousins and stuff want to play games. I can give my phone over and not have to worry about it at all.
  • That was my first thought as well. Really, really dumb ad
  • Still better than the J-lo thing whatever that was...
  • Ummmm lol that is a really bad suggestion for parents to do
  • Have they fixed requiring the lock password for kids corner?
  • Shut up kid
  • #nothingPleases this group
  • Now if only you could password lock one and not both...
  • I have only my main screen locked.
  • How have you managed that?
    It doesn't seem possible on my Lumia 620 (with latest firmware/OS).
  • Everybody please read the instructions for kids corner...
    In this case, "you're using it wrong", is actually correct... ;)
  • ...and I quote from the Microsodt Kid's Corner FAQ page: "If your phone is set to lock itself automatically after a period of inactivity, you might need to unlock it with your password before your child can open Kid's Corner. If you'd like to give your child freer access to Kid's Corner, you can set a longer password time limit (up to 30 minutes) in your lock screen settings."
    So: you can only enable pin-code-free access to Kid's Corner only as far as the time period extent to which you're comfortable (or allowed by your company) leaving your phone unsecured.
  • Yes, Kids Corner locks up after a time period without use.
    Everyone who seeks an open (not secure) phone can skip lock code and sim code... Or get an Android ;)
  • But then you're stuck with Android.  No thanks!
  • That's a problem, yes... ;)
  • "Have the phone and shut up". Is that awful parenting? Yes. 
    But is it conected to reality and the way parents "educate" nowadays? Yes.
    Since the point is to sell the phone to the parents, I think they did a great job showing that they can create a way to let the kid have the phone and just shut up.
  • I use Kids Corner as an MP3 player. Just pin your favorite albums and bam,quick access. Zune HD style
  • Great idea
  • Better idea is simply pinning nokia music to the kids corner.. :P
  • Wow, how wrong is this advert. They need to pull this one quick before it backfires.
  • I think the ad is terrific. My two little girls ask me tons of questions and I answer them every time. Sometimes as a parent you want that 10-15 minutes where you can just relax while keeping the kid in your sights. Great ad and one that will hit home.
  • Thank you.  That is the point of the ad.  Good grief, some of these people need to lighten up.
  • agree with someof these comments but were our parents really much better? i doubt an ad with "shut up or i'll give you something to talk about" would be better received.
  • Re: "shut up or i'll give you something to talk about"
    HAHAHA - i remember those days all too well LOL
     
    I let my kids play on my phone on occasion and can't wait to be able to upgrade to a WP8 (or Blue ;) ) phone with this option. Now the big question: is Kids Corner available on Win8 tablets? That's where it's needed ;)
     
    Techiedude
  • It is a really cute ad ha
  • What are you two doing? why is mom's bottom wobbly? Kinda suggestive dontcha think?
  • Dad... why was the plumber playing doctor with mum?  #thingsyouhopeyourkidsneversay
    Nifty commercial though.  
  • They could show the strength of WP by having the parent smacking the brat around the head with it -  "That will learn you!" 
  • This is the best way to raise a child , stupid add.
  • I don't like it... Why should you silence your kids and don't let them just be kids!
  • Horrible add, and unfortunatly also a horrible truth. This is what I see on a daily basis. Other parents just handing over whatever iphone/ipad they have to shut the kids up. Instead of talking to them they just let them play mindless games.
  • Should have been called guest mode.
  • I let my kids play on my phone and having this feature is great
  • I let my kids play on my phone and having this feature is great
  • I hate what this represents. If you can't handle your kid, give them the phone to shut them up.
  • i think the people who dont have kids have a problem with this ad, its not a terrible ad. for those who hate must lock their kids if they have any in a dungeon full of books and learning material. im not going to keep my kids doing learning material all day until they eyes fall out, there are some questions are hard to answer. a child cant play all day cause they get tired and there nothing wrong with occasionally giving your child a game to play. the ad is representing diff days and diff times of the day so you cant just think the ad is saying to "shut your kid up give them your phone" some parents do far worse then just give them a phone to play with. i personally is represents quiet time, some kids are so active and when playing outside and doing learning material or reading books has finish a game on your phone can grab their attention so they can sit still and be quiet, its that simple. an alternative when all else has failed and remember not all question are easy to answer , kids have short attention span so a game can be perfect.
  • Amazing cute ad with adorable child :-) people need to lighten up and stop taking commercials so god dam seriously! It's just a bit of fun, advertising the kids corner app! Any body with any intelligence would know not to give a child there phone 24/7 but it just suggests that some parents like a 5-10 min break! That's not a bad thing is it! If it bothers you then don't watch it! Simple really! Lovely commercial captureing a minute of family life :-) well done windows :-) well done to the child for doing such a cute job :-) love it!