youthtopia overview updated jun 10
TRANSCRIPT
Where have we come from?
STRESSED FOR SUCCESS(MTV Wellbeing, 2006)
FUTURE PRESSURE REPLACES PEER PRESSURE (MTV Wellbeing, 2006)
THEY DON’T LOVE TECHNOLOGY ITSELF BUT WHAT IT CAN DO FOR THEM (MTV Circuits of Cool, 2007)
MORE AND CLOSER FRIENDSHIPS (MTV Circuits of Cool, 2007)
THE ‘IDEAL AGE’ IS 27(Golden Youth, 2008)
Where are we going?
YOUTH HAVE A CORE SET OF VALUES THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU
YOUTH SHARE MUCH IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER AROUND EUROPE ...AND WITH THEIR PARENTS
THEY HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THEIR FUTURE
How can this study help?
The most successful brands tap into our values & ambitions;
understanding what we want and how we want to be seen
But what’s important to young people in the world today,
and what do they want from brands?
How can your brand equity be ‘measured’ by youth?
Youthtopia wasn’t built in a day
Desk Research & Expert Consultation
Online Blogs & Community
7000 Online Surveys with Youth
100 young people across Europe (UK, Holland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece)
A diverse range of respondents from varying socio-economic backgrounds and with different interests
Over 800 hours spent with them, connecting via local online blogs and a European community
During a 3 month period they posted more than 2,500
blog entries and uploaded in excess of 200 videos
Followed by....
7,000 young people aged 16-34 surveyed across Europe (UK, Holland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece, Sweden)
They told us what was important to them in key areas of their life - both now and in an ideal world
They also answered on behalf of brands - 180 in total
The result is a vision of Youthtopia designed to young people’s specifications, and with brands rated on their terms
1. Defining a generation of youth
2. Individuals ambitions, hopes & dreams
3. Creating Youthtopia
Hopes and dreams
DEFINING A GENERATION OF YOUTH
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Defining Core Values
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
“The media coverage of terrorism caused only short term anxiety, once people realise it does not affect them, they revert back to feeling
secure” - Prof. Ronald Inglehart
They define what is considered to be ‘normal’
Formed early in childhood by social context & immediate
family conditions
Can only be changed by large scale, sustained change
Media can only change core values in the most
superficial of ways
The 10 Commandments of Youth
Have faith in yourself Be honestTake responsibility for your own lifeRespect your parentsKeep your promisesLive life to the fullBe happy & optimistic, even in adversityWork hard to succeedBe tolerant of others’ differencesCreate, don’t destroy (yourself, others, environment)
Differences by country
GR & PL: Aim high dream big
UK: Be individual
GR: Respect the environment
GR: Try to make as many good friends as you can
UK & DE: Have fun, but not to detriment of others
Racism
DishonestyBullyingGreedAdultery Anger
Envy
Sloth/laziness
Sexism
Gluttony
And their Deadly Sins?
GreedSlothLustWrathPrideEnvyGluttony
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Hopes and dreams
5 core values emerge…
IndividualityTraditionHonestyEffortPositivity
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Have faith in yourself
Take responsibility for your own life
Individuality1
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
“I've never really fit one scene. emo – I’ve got my skinny jeans and Atticus jackets ready, indie – I’m on the street promotions team for about 4 bands,
reggae - from mad professor and coco tea to Bob Marley” - Male UK
Autonomous individuals
Part of many crowds,
not limited to one
Respect your parents
Tradition2
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Parents = unlikely heroes of
youth today
Young people actively choose
a traditional family model
“One of the defining features of this generation compared to others is that their own and their parents’ values seem closer than ever”
Prof. Ronald Inglehart
Keep your promises
Honesty3
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Result of an individualistic
culture
Friendships take on a
heightened importance
Less societal pressure to stay
in line
“… it takes time to make a new friend…he has to prove it to me that he deserves to be called a friend. Only honest people are trustworthy, and
they would for sure stand by you when difficulties occur” - Male, Greece
Work hard to succeed but not to the detriment of others
Effort4
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Strong work ethic
Respect for those who work
hard and overcome adversity
“The two people I admire in my personal life are easy: My dad and my stepdad. They both work really hard so they can live the way they wanna live. These men are hard
working and good men with a heart of gold.” - Male, Holland
Live life to the full, be passionate
Be happy & optimistic, even in adversity
Positivity5
CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Positive outlook on life is
considered essential
Hedonism, with a seatbelt!
Unwilling to over commit and
damage future opportunities
“Fun – that’s how you can describe my life. I can however always stop, if having too much fun would
stop me from achieving things” – Male, Poland
Hopes and dreams AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
INDIVIDUALS HOPES & DREAMS
Core values define young people as a generation, but what defines them as individuals and TODAY are their
ambitions
Unlike core values, ambitions can change frequently, and ultimately drive youth attitudes and behaviour
A Generation versus the Individual
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
This year: • 32" sony bravia flatscreen tv• Xbox 360 (with games)• Vespa scooter• VW Polo g40• Lots of energy drink• PSP• iphone• Trip to Japan• Whole house of Sony electronics• Holiday to Dubai• Nike sb tre zoom skate shoes• Nikon SLR camera with fisheye lens• Driving lessons• Weekend in New York• Range Rover• 4 hole cherry red doc martens • Fred Perry polo shirts• UGGs• Blackberry• Mac Book• Audi• Sky TV
10 years’ time:• Porche gt3• Suzuki gsx-r750• BMW m5• Nice house • Swimming pool• Basketball courts • Recording studio• Personal cinema• Hot tub• New games consoles• Second home(s)• Aquarium• Audi TT - one for work (black) one for leisure (pink)• Snooker table• Dogs / cats• Speedboat • Gulfstream jet• Ferrari• Big Fridge• Mulberry handbags• Zoo• Football field
YOUTHTOPIA
Where do brands fit in?
Traditional values, modern pressure
92% of youth want to find the right someone and settle down - Highest among Dutch and Greek youth
85% of youth feel having a successful career is very important to them
Both are consistent across ALL demographics
Just 16% of youth say they don’t care what they do as long as they make a lot of money (but they are more likely to be male)
For women there’s a high level of conflict between career ambitions & family ambitions/pressures
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
We identified 10 key areas in life where youth had
ambitions – such as relationships, material goods, their career, home, society as whole, how they wanted to be seen by their peers etc.
Understanding ambitions
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
EthicsIdentity Society Home Education
WorkFamily Friends Travel Relationships
These 10 key areas became the foundations of Youthtopia:
The nature of these ambitions can be split into 4 different mindsets...
Collectivist‘Wanting to do good because it’s a good thing to do’Open, social involving, inclusive, more concerned with greater good of society, personal fulfilment, less materialistic
Aspirational‘Wanting to do good because it would make me look good’More materialistic, recognition, success, money, wanting the best, personal achievement
Pragmatist‘Willing to accept good enough’Sensible, family, realistic, practical, following safe path, rational
Outsider‘Challenges and asks what do you mean by good’Challenging, edgy, risk-taking, breaking the norm, more niche, innovative
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
Hopes and dreams YOUTHTOPIA
YOUTHTOPIA
Youthtopia before it’s populated
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
30
Plotting our audience on the map
E.g.
CAREER
C: I want to be in a position where I can help others as much as possible, the recognition is not so important
A: I want to be successful in whatever I do, being recognised for my achievements is important to me
P: I don’t really mind whether I am successful, so long as my job is fulfilling and I make enough money
O: As long as I make a lot of money, I don’t care that much about what I do
Where youth live today COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Where they want to be in an ideal world COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Youth RIGHT NOW
Education Society
Work
Relationships
Friends
FamilyEthics
Identity
Travel
Home
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
Youth in an IDEAL WORLD
Education
Society
Work
Relationships
Friends
Family
Ethics IdentityTravel
Home
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
YOUTHTOPIA
How are brands perceived by youth?
By asking young people to imagine brands a
person, we can see where a brand would ‘live’
in Youthtopia
And by evaluating the 10 key life areas we can
see what’s driving their perceptions
Where should a brand live?
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
In all countries there is a positive correlation between Aspirational ambtions and brand favourability
– and a negative correlation between Pragmatic ambitions and
favourability
Where do you want to be
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
If you want to be loved by everyone then Collectivism can
help: There is a positive correlation between Collectivism ambitions
and social responsibility
However, ‘challenger’ brands may need a strong element of Outsider
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
All brands in Youthtopia
Nikon in Youthtopia
MTV HELPING BRANDS
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Consumer Electronic brands in Youthtopia…
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Nikon by country
Holland
Greece
Italy
UK
Poland
GermanySweden
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Nikon by demo
16-1822-24
25-28Female
Male29-31 32-34
19-21
They are an ambitious individual – wanting to do well in life and be successful but they are focused on genuine achievement and personal fulfillment, as opposed to just making lots of money. They are not solely focused on their own personal success, believing that everyone should have equal opportunities and that you should help others who are less fortunate when you can.
Honesty and integrity is important to Nikon and even if no one recognises them for this, they are concerned with doing the ‘right’ thing.
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
If were a person…
Nikon is following a ‘safe’ path in life, confirming to traditional education, wanting to learn as much as possible but also recognising that doing well in education ensure a good career and success.
Travel for Nikon is about broadening horizons and learning about new cultures.
If Nikon were a person, their friends would describe them as a trusted and loyal mate. They aren’t the most popular person among their peers, but have a smaller circle of strong relationships.
AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
If were a person…
… Both are seen to be successful brands, and want to be recognised and rewarded for their achievements
… Nikon is the most likely of the two to look up to their parents for inspiration, while for Canon their friends are more important
… Canon believes in standing up for their own beliefs, while Nikon is more likely to be the one who follows the rules
… Nikon is looking for a passionate long term relationship, while Canon is seen to be more carefree right now
versus
… Nikon are seen as slightly more trusted and loyal as a friend, whereas Olympus is seen as slightly more self-sufficient
… Olympus are more likely to be thinking about their future in terms of getting married and settling down
… Olympus has more modest material aspirations, not minding so much about where they live or the holidays they take
… Nikon is the more ambitious of the two, and wants to be respected for their hard work
versus
MTV in Youthtopia
MTV HELPING BRANDS
MTV is fluid brand in Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
MTV is fluid brand in Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
GERMANY
GREECE
HO L LAND
I TALY
PO LANDSWED E N
UK
Family• I argue a lot with my parents and we’re not similar at all
Friends• I am a popular person with lots of friends who respect and even admire me
Relationships• I’m not looking for commitment right now, I’m happy to just have a bit of fun
Education• I don’t think a formal education is that important, life experience is more useful,
especially if you have other skills
Work• I want to be successful in whatever I do, being recognised for my achievements is
important to me
50
If MTV were a person...
Home• I want to live in a nice big house, after all, I have worked hard to achieve it• I’m not bothered where I live, I just want to be able to have the freedom to live
where I like
Travel• I love to travel, I want to go to the most exotic places, taste the best food and
experience the best hotels in the world
Identity• I’m not that interested in doing the ‘right’ thing, so long as me and my immediate
family are okay
Ethics• It’s okay to sometimes bend the rules - you need to if you want to get ahead in this
world
Society• I want to live in a world where I can live as I choose as long as it doesn't harm others
51
If MTV were a person...
MTV is fluid brand in Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
SUMMING UP
SIUMMING UP
Key Takeouts
SIUMMING UP
Youth are changing, and your perception of them
could be wrong
Youthtopia provides a real understanding of what
values youth hold dear and how this impacts on their
ambitions for the future
By knowing our brand ‘persona’ in Youthtopia, you can
understand how youth currently view you and gain a
clear direction for future communications
Appendix
Olympus by countryCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
Holland
Greece
Italy
UK
Poland
Germany
Sweden
Olympus by demoCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
16-1822-24 25-28Female
Male
29-31
32-34
19-21
Canon by countryCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL HollandGreece
Italy
UK
Poland
Germany
Sweden
Canon by demoCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
16-18
22-2425-28
Female
Male
29-31
32-34
19-21
Sony by countryCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
Holland
Greece
Italy
UK
Poland
GermanySweden
Sony by demoCOLLECTIVIST
OUTSIDER
PRAGMATISTASPIRATIONAL
16-18
22-2425-28
Female
Male
29-31 32-3419-21