Editor’s note: Ole Christensen is director of GfK Denmark A/S, a Frederiksberg, Denmark, research firm. Carl Rohde is director of Signs of the Time, a Netherlands research firm.
The world of children and teenagers has changed a great deal over the last decade. The variety and number of products targeted directly at young people have developed incredibly, from toys and clothes to music, magazines, TV channels and entertainment such as sports and electronic interactive media. Many companies focusing on children have realized that there is a need for redefining the generally accepted definition of childhood.
As the saying goes, “Children are getting older younger,” not least due to the dramatic advances in technology. But there are other aspects that make this target group even more important – also for manufacturers of products traditionally targeted at adults.
Young people have an increasing influence on what their families purchase and there are two main reasons for this. The American futurologist Watts Wacker has said: “One of the most important factors regarding the millennium is that we have the first generations where children from 14 years in many aspects are more knowledgeable than their parents” – not least concerning technologically-based products like PCs, mobile phones, TVs etc., where they tend to take a position as advisors or consultants for their parents.
There is a trend in Europe for young people to leave their home at a later stage in their lives than previously – meaning more influence on what the family purchases over a longer time span.
In order to get a better understanding of how young people are currently handling and evaluating all the influences and alternatives they are constantly confronted with, as well as their hopes and fears and expectations for the future, GfK Europe Ad hoc Research has established a continuous tracking survey entitled “Hopes and Fears: Young European Opinion Leaders.”
Methodology
The first part of this study included 16 European countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic. In each country four extended groups were carried out (one with girls 14-16 years old, one with boys 14-16 years old, one with girls 17-20 years and one with boys 17-20 years old), each lasting approximately five hours and with seven to 10 participants.
All groups took place either in the capital or one of the major cities in the 16 countries and a total of 523 young persons participated. The fieldwork took place from May to October 1997. The second part was carried out in nine of the previously-surveyed countries (Denmark, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic).
In each country four extended groups, each lasting approximately four hours, were carried out with between seven and 10 participants and with a split between girls and boys and those aged 14-16 years and 17-19 years. A total of 305 young persons participated. The fieldwork took place from April to May 1999.
In connection with the recruitment of these groups in early spring 1999, a panel of 80 teenagers was established in each of these nine countries forming a pan-European youth panel of 720 persons.
In the first study, in 1997, all 523 participants filled in self-completion questionnaires about their relations to nearly 200 international brands and about their favorite sports, actors, TV programs, bands, etc.
In the 1999 follow-up project, the panel members received a similar questionnaire plus an additional one with questions about their usage of mobile phones, the Internet and other media. They also received a diary where all their activities over a full week were registered.
This quantitative part of the project took place in May/June 1999 and 675 of the panel members returned the questionnaire.
Objectives
This research design is aimed at collecting and interpreting data on a continuous basis focusing on new trends, youth culture and language for strategic decision making. It allows us to stay close to this important target group and it forms a basis for a better understanding of how to involve them via advertising, events, promotion activities, etc. but also to bring inspiration and ideas for new product development.
The value of such data for marketers depends on the extent to which the data are able to indicate trends that will have an impact on the target group’s attitudes and behavior in the near future instead of just describing the actual status.
To meet the above needs, we decided to base this project on the following conditions:
1. Continuity and similarity in the data collection.
Every six months a qualitative stage is carried out based on between 18 and 36 extended groups in nine countries. The same qualitative techniques and guidelines are employed in order to compare the results across the countries. Twice a year the 700 panel members are involved in tracking of attitudes, activities etc. so as to follow relevant changes over time.
2. Selectivity of the respondents.
All participants are carefully selected to represent opinion leaders within each of the age groups. They are chosen on the basis of numerous interviews in schools, clubs, etc. where we ask for the names of young people who are perceived by their friends to be the most active, most knowledgeable or trendy in relation to sports, fashion, music, technology, etc.
Young persons who are mentioned by several of their schoolmates, club members, etc. are contacted and interviewed by trained interviewers to ensure that the right type is invited. We define these young people as “mainstream opinion leaders” who act as gatekeepers for the majority of other young people. The trends, products, attitudes etc., that the opinion leaders adopt will most likely be mainstream at a later stage.
3. Involvement of the respondents.
When dealing with opinion leaders it is crucial that they describe their lives, their values, beliefs etc., in their own way, without being too influenced or biased by questions which tend to be reflections of what clients and researchers believe is important and relevant to them. It is our experience that it is extremely rewarding to ask them to illustrate their lives via collecting different materials before the group meetings.
At the initial interview after the screening, all participants were given a disposable camera and a brief telling them to take photographs of their families, closest friends, own rooms and houses to obtain an impression of their world.
They were also asked to take photographs of whatever makes them happy or gives them a kick and also what makes them angry or sad. The participants brought these with them to the groups where they were used as a basis for the discussions, together with collages they were asked to prepare to illustrate their way of life.
In the follow-up project, we invited them to bring examples of advertisements which they found especially appealing and to take photos of attractive shopping areas, pictures of industrial design (mobile phones, cars, PCs, TVs, etc.) they especially liked, individuals they admire, etc.
4. Involving experts in youth culture.
From the start of this project we decided to involve experts who specialize in researching trends among the young generation. We chose to cooperate with Signs of the Time, a European-based strategic trend research institute.
Together with the team of psychologists and consultants from GfK Europe, who interpreted the data and wrote the country reports, the team from Signs of the Time prepared additional reports. Here they described which trends could be foreseen and the implications they would have for companies who target their products or services at this young segment.
The following findings are from the first qualitative survey in 1997 based on 64 extended groups.
No belief in politics – or in big companies
In concordance with the postmodern disillusion expressed by the Generation Next respondents is a strong distrust of politicians, who do not deliver what they promise. This is a truth for Generation Next in the past, present and future.
Also big companies are perceived with cynicism and distrust. The respondents believe that the companies show a friendly face, and some of them know how to use good advertising, but the firms are simply in it for the money – and nothing else – and they pollute the environment. It is true that Generation Next is not very involved in the environmental issue, but in their opinion, companies should be.
The generalized home
Home has always been of great importance and the contemporary culture of divorce even adds to its importance. Home comes to stand for a heaven in a heavenless world. It is both a symbol for coziness, warmth and belonging and the actual place where these basic values should be found.
In most countries, however, the mother is out working as well, which makes home a more empty place than the ideal one. All over Europe, Generation Nexters are saying that they do not see much of their parents because apart from the weekends, they work.
As a result of this more or less empty home, “home” is extended to other places as well. Friends for instance mean “home” at least as much as the place shared with their parents. All over Europe Generation Next makes it clear that the importance of friends cannot be over-estimated. Gathering, for instance, with friends at McDonald’s even makes McDonald’s “home” – in spite of the fact that not all like the food very much.
This is the generalization of home. Of course, home means where they live with their parents. But home, on a more symbolic level, also means where they gather with their friends.
This trend is deepening with Generation Next. In the central region of Europe, we see trendsetters now avoiding crowded and anonymous house parties. They prefer partying with smaller groups of their intimate friends and the friends of those friends.
Friends are there for life or at least, Generation Next is prepared to make an effort to realize this. Sharing problems is mentioned everywhere as the unique thing you can do with friends – less with your parents and not with other people, which means that home is where your friends are.
Characteristics of identity formation
Both the lack of consistent direction and Generation Next’s dislike of authority means that the construction of identity is not an easy thing for Generation Next.
Generation Next is a highly social generation. They all have a great capacity to communicate with each other – and they miss no opportunity to do so. Part of all the communication has to do, of course, with creating a proper peer group which you can really feel part of. For Generation Next, however, this is only half the story. Communication is equally meant to make clear to the peer group that you are your own kind of person – that you are not simply part of the group, but also an individual.
This is called the social individualism of Generation Next. It is all about forming a peer group identity on one hand, but continuing to have a clear sense of your own individuality at the same time. Friends play the most important role in both sides of this identity formation process. Generation Nexters want to be unique or at least want to have a sense of uniqueness from time to time. But they want to be unique in a safe group, a safe group of friends who recognize and respect their uniqueness. That is what friends are for.
The new ambitiousness
One of the factors that unites Generation Next all over Europe is their ambitiousness. This ambitiousness works out differently in the eastern region than in the well-to-do west and north of Europe.
In the well-to-do regions of Europe, Generation Nexters simply expect that their high standard of living will stay with them in the future. Looking beyond that for Generation Next means looking for the immaterial values in life. It is important to interpret this disdain correctly. It hardly has anything to do with the wish to refrain from material richness. Material richness is simply a value taken for granted. As with all things taken for granted, it might get a bit boring.
In the eastern region the situation is different. Ambition here means working hard in order to achieve the material things that Generation Nexters elsewhere take for granted.
In the well-to-do regions of Europe, school irritates Generation Next a lot. Authoritarian teachers especially cause anger – besides the boredom that goes along with school in general. In the eastern regions, however, school means the possibility to realize one’s ambitions, and also here school generates a lot of irritation. But here it circles around the injustice that many a Generation Nexter does not have the financial means to get admittance to the proper schools.
Work and the need for impression management
While in some countries the economy is booming, job opportunities are not so good in other countries. In all cases it is not easy to get a good job. Generation Next realizes this and understands that it does not have the power to change the conditions. So, everywhere Generation Next is prepared to adapt to it.
This social and communicative generation knows that making a good impression is a vital strategy to force success to come your way. Ambitious brands fit perfectly in this picture.
The shape of stress society
Generation Nexters’ lives are filled with stress, and the stress is here to stay. A complex series of multi-leveled factors play a role here.
First of all, living under postmodern conditions is not really easy. It offers freedom and experiences, but also the eternal necessity to reflect on what things mean to you.
Also Generation Next’s distrust of society in general and the political world in particular does not make life easy for them. A united Europe does not provoke much interest or emotion among Generation Next. A slight fear that a new and mighty power will intrude on their national and personal lives is expressed in the northern and continental regions. Things might change in a united Europe. The mix of disinterest and slight fear adds to a sense of stress in Generation Next’s lives.
Decline of the national welfare state
On a more pragmatic level, the decline of the national welfare state makes life harsher everywhere. The era when the state took care of you from cradle to grave is over. Generation Next understands this completely. They know that they have to live up to new, more competitive conditions.
It is true that in eastern regions, but also in Italy and Spain, there never was a full-blown welfare state. Here life simply stays harsh and competitive as it was before. However, because the aspiration level of Generation Next has run high in these countries, the fact that you are out there on your own adds even more stress.
No one to blame but yourself
Last but not least, stress is mounting because of the fact that Generation Next believes that if you fail, you have no one else to blame but yourself. Generation Next is a self-centered generation. They do not intend to change the world, but rather intend to change their own lives for the better.
As a generation, they do not feel they are the architects of future society. To compensate for this, they aim to become the creators of their own destiny. However, if you fail under these conditions, the consequences are not only yours personally, you can also blame yourself exclusively. Chances are there for everyone. Only losers do not pick them up.
Strategies to overcome stress
Which strategies does Generation Next use to overcome the multi-leveled stress in their lives? If one asks Generation Next about their favorite activities, paradoxically enough, doing nothing rates very high. Being alone from time to time seems to be a life-saving necessity, though the anxiety of missing out should not be underestimated.
Doing nothing with friends, just hanging around with them is also highly valued. Of course, this is not completely about doing nothing. There is a lot of talking and fun involved as well.
Thrill me
The desire for fun and pleasure from new kicks is also a strong feature of Generation Next. Of course, these desires are found in every generation, but especially for Generation Next they are colored by their need to compensate for all the stress.
Thrills and pleasures not only construct a welcome resort for Generation Next but also deliver an intense sense of being alive – fitting into the identity formation need of Generation Next.
Shopping also functions as a therapy against stress, especially for girls. For them shopping is an important exercise in female bonding. All over Europe shopping areas have become temples for consuming, for gathering, for experiences.
Brands and communication
In the extended group discussions in the 16 European countries a lot was said about appropriate branding and communicating towards Generation Next. The following points are an attempt to summarize these inputs into recommendations.
1. First of all, Generation Next is not that easy to fool. They know the ways of the marketing world. Keeping a distance comes naturally to Generation Next. Therefore, showing them that you understand their need and desire for distance is very important. In a lot of popular advertising – Levi’s, Diesel, CK – youth show faces and body gestures that clearly suggest the distance Generation Next wants and appreciates.
However, keeping a distance is not enough. An especially cynical Generation Next should be persuaded that this particular brand, but also this particular company behind the brand, can be trusted. After all, “consumer terrorism” is a phrase they use. Therefore, in order to appeal to Generation Next, companies should behave like good citizens. Company strategies for social responsibility appeal to Generation Next. This trend will deepen, because of the new decency which is evolving as a part of Generation Next’s overall mentality.
2. Everyone who communicates with Generation Next must respect his or her visual literacy. More than any generation, they can see through what a commercial wants from them. And they demand high standards. Advertising filled with clichés provokes an irritated “don’t give me that crap” reaction in all of Generation Next. For that reason stereotypical lifestyle ingredients in advertising are no longer liked by Generation Next. They think the trick is too cheap. The Eastern region, however, seems to be an exception to this rule.
3. One of the outcomes of this study is the immense importance of the (generalized) home for Generation Next. Socializing with friends at home and doing nothing is especially very, very dear to the heart of Generation Next everywhere. Branding and communication should not overlook that atmosphere. Sticking to what is emotionally important is a big trend among Generation Next.
4. The anti-authoritarian inclinations of Generation Next are also important for branding and communicating. No brand communication is in a position to prescribe to them what they should do. Respecting their fickle buying behavior is better than trying to convince them that they really need you.
“Don’t define us. We’ll define ourselves.” That is the credo of Generation Next. Any company, any brand that wants to communicate with them should take this credo very seriously.
5. This research also shows that beautiful things radiating rest and even a silent authority are appreciated by Generation Next in their stress-filled society. This is an important insight with regard to designing for Generation Next.
6. And, of course, everything that thrills them, that gives them an experience, a laugh, an interactive moment, is appreciated. Exciting retail experiences also fit into this.
7. Retro is important to Generation Next, both in terms of design and to give the right kind of authority to many of their preferred brands. If a brand has proven its existence over time, it must be good. It is one of the reasons why Levi’s (“the original”) Coca-Cola (“the real thing”), and Nivea, etc. continue to be liked very much.
8. The new ambitiousness of Generation Next is an issue to consider. Everywhere, Generation Next is keen on making a good impression. This social and communicative generation knows that making a good impression is vital for success, both in a professional setting and in attracting the other sex. Brands that recognize this – ambitious brands themselves – fit completely into this picture.