How is the web influencing the youth market?

The study, from MTV Networks International (MTVNI), looked at into youth attitudes towards digital technology and media consumption, and provides new insight into their relationships with brands and purchase decisions.  

The study, A Beta Life Youth, was conducted on behalf of MTV Networks International, Nokia, 20^th Century Fox, Fox Mobile Group and Channel 4, in five markets -- the UK, US, Germany, India and Japan -- amongst technology-embracing 12-24 year olds.

TV is still the most effective medium to reach youth

Despite the number of advertising platforms that youth are exposed to, 1 in 4 young people still claim they first see or hear of brands or products through TV adverts. 

Furthermore, apart from coming across brands in shops and through friends’ recommendations, A Beta Life Youth demonstrates that TV advertising is the most efficient medium at introducing youth to brands and helping shape decisions around purchasing.  6 in 10 claim that TV advertising plays a role in their brand decisions.

This is most prevalent for youth when buying technology items, especially electronic goods like games consoles. However, TV advertising also has an impact on the purchase decision around clothes and fashion items (50% agree) where TV adverts endorse the brand’s position and image.

For youth, a brand appearing on TV elevates its status and gives it an image of quality.  Young people also hold TV channels in high esteem regarding trust and the majority of youth say they have a favourite channel that they always tune into (80% in US, 73% in UK, 70% in Germany and 88% in India). Japanese youth have much less affiliation to particular TV channels (38%).   

The true importance of the internet

TV is also one of the most dominant ways of directing youth online, with the two mediums becoming increasingly interrelated. Both contribute to the pathway to purchase, where brand image matters most on TV and information and validation matter online.

The research shows that the online world is playing a bigger part in the brand decision process, with 71% agreeing that the internet makes choosing a brand easier, while blogs, review sites and social networking sites are increasingly important in affecting brand decisions. 

For example, website reviews are the 4^th most important factor for movie decisions behind friends, TV and cinema ads and they play an equally important part as official websites when youth are looking to purchase electronic items.

Jules Robinson SVP, Viacom Brand Solutions International commented, “A Beta Life Youth has improved and updated our knowledge on the importance of technology and media to youth since previous MTV studies such as Circuits of Cool.  It is interesting to note that, despite the economic climate and challenging circumstances for advertisers, we still see a proven ability for TV advertising to reach the target youth audience in the most direct, impactful way.  It is also significant that we’re registering the rise of the influence of blogs and internet research to inform purchasing decisions amongst these consumers.  This highlights the real importance of online reputation management for brands seeing their names increasingly widespread and the associated need to engage in comprehensive 360 degree campaigns.

He continues, “These studies allow us to understand our core audience more deeply –in turn enabling us to provide better solutions for our advertising partners who are focussed on reaching this influential audience.” 

A mature approach to brand decisions

The research shows that young people have surprisingly mature values when it comes to their brand choices.

Overall, across all markets, the vast majority of young people (69%) now research all purchases before buying anything.  This reaches a peak of 63% in the UK, 80% in Germany and 87% in India Practical considerations rank highest when determining what makes a brand desirable.

12-24 year-olds deem quality, history and trust as the most important attributes a brand can possess, 18-24s are much more concerned with a brand’s history and 51% say that, “knowing a brand has been good for a long time”, makes it desirable.   

What do youth understand by ‘brands’ and how influential are they?

Brands mean different things to different people and youth are most likely to see a brand as a company, name, label or logo. 1 in 2 think a brand is an image and most so in Germany (56% agree). Indian youth are much more likely to associate a brand as a trend and ‘a way of belonging’ (1 in 4 agrees).

Across all markets, less than 4% say they pay no attention at all to brands.  Japanese youth are the most cynical, with 1 in 3 saying that brands are not something they pay attention to. The study also demonstrates that young people are most likely to favour certain brands and have favourites but the majority are open to others.  

International highlights 

German and Japanese youth are less driven by a brand name and say they prefer to purchase whatever seems good (31% in Germany and 37% in Japan).  However, this figure is much lower in the US (19%) and the UK and India (22%).

German youth are most concerned with a brand’s history with 64% stating that this makes a brand desirable compared to the global average of 46%.

87% of youth in India research purchases before they buy, as do 80% of young people in Germany.  2 in 3 do so in the UK and US.

Reading about products in blogs and social networks plays a part in the decision process for 1 in 3 young people in India when looking to buy consumer electronics such as an MP3 player or mobile phone.

1 in 3 young people in the US say that TV ads are important for their decisions on fashion whereas only 1 in 5 say that agree celebrity endorsement plays a part.

1 in 3 12-24 year –olds in the US claim they talk about brands ‘a lot’, whereas 1 in 4 do so in the UK and Germany.

Indian youth are the most likely to talk about brands (2 in 3 say they do so ‘a lot’).

62% of the respondents across the 5 markets agree that they watch more of a TV channel if the channel has a website that allows them to catch up on shows.  This is most prevalent in India and the UK (74% and 66% respectively).

62% of the respondents across all markets agree that when they watch a show online they prefer to see it from a TV channels website.  This is also most prevalent in India and the UK (72% and 73% respectively).

Source: http://www.mtvnetworks.co.uk/

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