No Toys For These Tots - trends with teenagers - Brief Article

Brandweek, Nov 29, 1999

While we're on the subject of oh-so-soulful group 98[degrees], the juvenile jukebox jury has deliberated and here's their ruling: Your days are numbered, fellas. Better start enrolling in vocational school pronto, because according to The Zandl Group's Holiday Gifts 1999: Tweens' Wish List, 36% of the 8-12 year-olds surveyed gave a resounding no way! when the boy band's CD was proposed as a potential gift item. Other big losers: Piano lessons (65% don't want them), Star Wars toys (59%), a little brother or sister (48%) and the latest Harry Potter book (31%). Hey even we trendmeisters didn't know those Timetouted titles were already so passe.

What does the New York-based trends research firm think these oh-so-trendy tweens will covet this season? They responded favorably to big ticket items for their bedrooms (big-screen TV: 90%; Coke machine: 76%), high-tech gadgets (cell phone: 85%; iBook: 81%) and fantasy vacations (a cruise to Hawaii: 87%; a family trip to Disneyworld: 81%). If they had their way, desires to be slothful and starstruck would to be equally sated: 74% of the tweens said they would like to have backstage passes to a Britney Spears concert, the same percentage who would like a personal maid to clean their room.