Amazon, Google, Facebook and YouTube are amongst the top 12 brands favoured by the UK’s ‘Generation Y’ of 16 to 34 year olds, according to a new survey.
The report “Generation Y and Brand Loyalty” from w00t! Media, looks at the changing relationships Britons have with brands as they age from 16 to 34.
The results indicate technology – internet, mobile, software, hardware and games – account for 21 of the 100 most liked brands amongst UK 16-34 year olds.
Amazon is the most liked technology brand (liked by 78%) and the second most liked, overall, behind Cadbury (82%).
The other three internet brands amongst the 12 most liked, overall, are Google (73%, ranked 6th) Facebook (70%, 10th) and YouTube (68%, 12th).
Dan McDevitt, w00t! Media’s joint managing director says: “The prevalence of tech brands in the top 100 and the dominance of the internet in the top 12 shows the impact the sector has on the lives and minds of Generation Y – alongside more traditionally loved items such as chocolate and crisps.”
Most liked tech brands by sector
There are 10 mobile/hardware/software brands in the top 100, seven internet and four games brands.
Apple is the most liked hardware/mobile brand (liked by 61%) but ranks joint 19th overall, alongside confectionary brand Mars. Microsoft is the 7th most liked tech brand and the 29th overall. Nintendo is the leading games brand (37%).
Why brands appeal
Quality (cited by 72%) and how the product performs versus the competition (67%) are the major reasons why brands appeal to 16-34 year olds. Six in 10 say it’s because the brand fits their own personality while ‘what the company represents appeals’ and the ‘price being fair’ are both cited by half of 16-34 year olds.
McDevitt says: “Regardless of age, two common denominators emerged about why brands appeal to Generation Y – the product’s perceived quality and performance. These ‘functional’ reasons run counter-intuitive to those who believe young adults are preoccupied with simply jumping onto the next big thing.”
How brand preferences change from 16 to 34
The report identifies three life-stages within Generation Y and how brand preferences change. The ‘all about me’ stage are typically 16-21 years and only need to consider brands for themselves, not having to buy for partners or kids; the internet – along with snacks and fashion – dominate their most liked brands.
The ‘all about us’ stage are typically 21-30 and becoming independent – moving into their first home, moving in with a partner or stepping onto the career ladder. The most liked brands here start to include more alcohol, retail and household grocery brands, although web brands, HTC, O2 and Dell all feature.
The ‘all about them’ stage are 25-34 years old and are accountable to other considerations such as a partner, children or a mortgage – which trump initial personal preferences. The most liked tech brands here are all hardware – Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung and Canon.
McDevitt concludes: “Despite being subject to the biggest life changes, no other age group is treated as such a homogenised unit by advertisers and the media as 16-34s. The study reveals how Generation Y’s relationships with brands change considerably as they move through these very different life stages.”
View the full infographic from wOOt! Media outlining the survey findings below:
Methodology
The w00t! Media “Generation Y and Brand Loyalty” report encompassed both a quantitative and semi-ethnographic approach. A nationally representative sample of 1,000 UK 16-34 year olds was surveyed by Dubit Limited, about the brands they liked, used and would recommend to others. Eighteen respondents were also recruited to become Brand Bloggers, creating secure Tumblr accounts and completing a number of activities over a two-week period. These included capturing all the marketing that caught their eye during the day and interviewing their friends about brands and advertising.
Source: wOOt! Media
