Getting At the 'Why' of Gen Y, Part 2

Selling to Kids, Jan 26, 2000

Throw out everything you've always believed about teens and start from scratch. This was the major finding in a collaborative study of 7,000 kids and teens by Porter Novelli and Just Kid Inc., a market research and product development firm.

The study focuses on the emotional needs that trigger kids' behavior. Following are a few of the misconceptions the survey uncovered , along with a look at what you can do to take advantage of the reality.

Myth #1: Teens are a tribe apart.

Reality: If theirs is a different tribe, we'd all be better off in it. Teens' perceptions of themselves paint the picture of an overwhelmingly open and upbeat group.

A vast majority of teens view themselves as friendly (91%) and caring (88%). Laziness, loneliness and depression were distant lasts on teens' list.

Marketers can make the most of teens' positive values by incorporating them in a central protagonist in their advertising, suggests Purnima Chawla, associate director for research and strategic planning at PN. "It's not something that needs to be fed explicitly into the message If it's something that resonates with their values, [the whole ad] will catch [teens'] attention."

For example, in anti-drug PSAs, the character who resists drugs is shown as friendly and responsible, feeding kids' values of friendship and avoiding their distaste for loneliness, Chawla says.

Myth #2: Teens feel alienated from school.

Reality: The majority feel very much a part of their schools. Seventy-one percent said they're getting a good education and 69% feel their teachers want to help them.

"We still have the image of the rebellious teen, but for the current generation, authority is not something they rebel against," Chawla says. "Pro-social and pro-authority [tendencies] are more common."

That's validation for in-school marketers, says Mindelle Ziff, managing director of Kaleidoscope Marketing Group, an in-school marketing firm in Atlanta. "School is cool. It might not be cool because they're in English class, but their friends are there and their extracurriculars are there. Their lives are school."

Myth #3: Friends are a more important influence than family.

Reality: Friends are important, but family is central. Family edged past friends, with 45% of teens saying their families were the most significant people in their lives and 44% reporting family and friends played an equal role. Only 7% gave friends top honors.

In another coup for authority figures, two-thirds of teens say they not only accept but agree with the ideals and values of their parents.

Myth #4: Teens who smoke are disaffected loners.

Reality: Guess again. Those who smoke are up to twice as likely to aspire to a career in the helping professions, like environmentalist, psychologist, clergy, social worker, veterinarian or scientist.

That's all the more reason not to make an anti-smoking PSA or cause-marketing campaign into a soapbox event - while teens may be more receptive to authority, they don't want to be labeled as foolish or listen to a lecture.

The most successful anti-smoking PSAs "are very careful not to stigmatize teens who are smokers," says Danny McGolderick, director of research for Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Instead, McGolderick suggests tapping into kids' caring by showing them real-life examples of the results of smoking. Or, acknowledge their intelligence and honesty by showing how tobacco companies have manipulated them.

(Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids: Danny McGolderick 202/296-5469; Just Kid Inc.: George Carey 203/358-2126, Allison Meyler 203/358-2103; Kaleidoscope Marketing Group: Mindelle Ziff 843/853-6023; Porter Novelli: Purnima Chawla 202/973-5600, Eric Zook 202/973-3623)

What Makes A Real Teen Tick

For Matt, 13, ads go in one ear . and stick, for better or worse.

"The key to TV commercials is music," he reports. "Gap commercials have been noticed. Every time someone has Goldfish, people start singing the song. Another commercial everyone talked about was the 'Sister, Sister' Old Navy commercial - probably because it was so dumb."

Matt points out a medium that hasn't gotten much attention recently, but provides a powerful vehicle for reaching teens. "Everyone notices radio ads because there is nothing else to do [in the car]."

He has a little advice for companies running their ads on the Web: "All Internet advertisements are a pain and a nuisance. I ignore them. They are a waste of money."

Most Common Teen Self-Attributes
91%        Friendly
88%        Caring/Kind
85%        Loyal
84%        Honest
81%        Responsible

Least Common Teen Self-Attributes
44%        Quick-tempered
44%        Popular
31%        Lazy
15%        Lonely
14%        Sad/depressed
Porter Novelli:  Eric Zook 202/973-3623