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Teens to Marketers: Get RealFebruary 03, 2006http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001956951 NEW YORK - Today's marketers will have their work cut out for them in trying to reach tomorrow's major consumers: teenagers. That's the finding of the GenWorld Teen Study just released by Energy BBDO, Chicago. The study, conducted in 13 countries, found a worldwide generation is being guided by one ethical code: authenticity. According to study author Chip Walker, evp and planning director at Energy BBDO, "The drive to be yourself, establish your own personal image, and connect with like-minded peers is behind many of the trends we see with this generation, from blogging, personal Web sites, personal networks and personal media creation, where teens create and publish their own poetry, music and movies online." One group of teens leading the way in this new generation is called Creatives. Unlike cool kids of the past, they don't worry about external appearances (only 9% value looking good) and a vast majority are highly apathetic about brands (only 37% percent say they "like wearing brand logos." Some 64% believe there is "too much advertising and marketing in the world"). But unlike the Gen-Xers that preceded them, this new generation believes there are causes worth supporting, with 70% agreeing with the statement, "I would fight for a cause I believe in." So what does this means for brands? In a statement, Walker said, "The days of a Nike-style mega brand that dominates an entire generation may be over, but so is the enclave-ization of the teen world into stereotypical Skaters, Goths, Geeks and Cool Kids. Welcome to a world with as many different definitions of cool as there are individuals." A complete PDF copy of the report can be seen HERE --Staff Report |