Pinning down the youth market

By SIMON HENDERY marketing writer

The Dream Chasers, The Conservative Crew, The Adrenalin Dudes, The Young and The Reckless.

No, this is not an afternoon television schedule, but a categorisation of young people from a youth study, said by its authors to provide a guide to marketing more effectively to the fickle, cynical and hard-to-reach 15-to-29 age group.

As reported last week, Auckland-based youth research company 18 Ltd surveyed 532 young people for its NZ Youth Study.

It also plumbed the findings of its 18 Tracker "Hit or Shit" online surveys, which have been running for more than a year, and came up with four distinct groups of young people.

Some marketers are tempted to lump all 15-to-24-year-olds into a single group, but they do so at their peril, the study warns.

As well as gender, there are significant differences in physical, emotional and intellectual development within the overall age group.

The study grouped youth into the four behavioural and attitudinal segments based on their responses to choices.

Spencer Willis of 18 said the aim was to "simplify the youth code of conduct and present it in a way that allows for a clear understanding of age and segmentation".

A lesson for marketers was that it was not spending behaviour that differentiated the groups but factors around their lifestyle, Willis said.

"From a marketing point of view the real value is bringing your brand into that model to see where it fits.

"Everything we do is based on choices. If we understand the choices we understand the person. Only when you understand the person can you then tailor the message to have a greater cut-through."

The Dream Chasers Who are they? They are generally more interested in friends than image, and are career-focused. They would rather have a good career with bad money than a lot of money for a hated job, and are less concerned about money than any other group.

How do you market to them? They are balanced people, excited by what is cool, but not obsessive over fashion. They are choosy and think longer term.

Brands with good underlying values will appeal far more than flashy items. Lee Jeans, for example, will appeal rather than Jeans West.

The Conservative Crew Who are they? They are the first to know about cool trends among their fairly small circle of friends and they can't live without their mobile phones. They are largely an honest bunch, but are more likely to be worried about how they look, bullying, family pressure and exams.

How do you market to them? They need the latest; they want news to bring to friends.

Magazines are hot because of all the gossip they contain. They love the TV shows that everyone talks about the next day, such as NZ Idol and Celebrity Treasure Island.

The Adrenalin Dudes Who are they? They live for now, and would rather have more money than a great job. They would like to be rich, but don't care much for the idea of fame.

They are more likely to do risky or potentially embarrassing activities (such as bungy-jumping or going on a reality TV show).

They are big fashion buyers, are into movies, snow sport, surfing and skateboarding, clubbing and games.

How do you market to them? They value friendships, but express this through shared experiences such as "last night at the club". They are also into the next big thing and marketers would do well to sell to that.

The Lynx brand meets the requirements of this group's members, as does any outdoor clothing brand offering an edgy element.

The Young and the Reckless Who are they? Most in this group say they can't live without their mobiles. Forty-two per cent would rather be famous than rich, and in general they are more likely to risk public humiliation. They are least worried about finding a job, but most worried about losing friends.

How do you market to them? They want security and they want to be liked. They are less sure of themselves and as a result are attracted to the latest fashion - "the sales assistant said I look good in this" - and judge others by their labels.

The full study costs $3800 plus GST.

Youth truths

A snapshot of what 15-to-29-year-olds are thinking.

* Too busy or too bored?

Too busy: 70% Too bored: 30%


* Looks or personality?

Looks: 21% Personality: 79%

* Coffee or energy drinks?

Coffee: 39% Energy drinks: 61%

* Pub or nightclub?

Pub: 60% Nightclub 40%

* Beer or vodka?

Beer: 37% Vodka: 63%

* Read a book or watch TV?

Book: 52% TV: 48%

* Single or taken?

Single: 50% Taken: 50%

* Lust or love?

Lust: 24% Love: 76%

* Going to church?

Hit: 50% Shit: 50%

Source: 18 Tracker "Hit or Shit" online surveys

18 Ltd

18 Tracker