Influential youth are more about face time than Facebook
A survey of 10- to 18-year-olds who say they influence their friends’ decisions about clothes and music shows 73% prefer to spend time hanging out with friends compared to 58% who interact with friends on sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
The survey, conducted by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and Penn Schoen and Berland Associates, a political polling company, was based on online interviews with 310 10 to 18 year-olds last December. The influential youth comprise 11% of survey respondents.
Almost all of the most influential, dubbed “youth-fluentials,” believe they affect their friends’ decisions about clothes and music, and more than 80% think they hold sway over their parents’ buying decisions regarding key product areas including electronics and food.
Overall, 10 to 18 year-olds spend their time engaged in a variety of media: 81% are spending time with friends while only 39% spend time on MySpace or Facebook web sites; magazines (76%), TV (71%), and radio (70%) remain the primary sources for information and entertainment for this age group. Not surprisingly, this audience will use all these media in a single day, often simultaneously.
The influential youth also are impressionable. 82% are more likely to respond positively to a brand when that brand is showcased through community events, such as an athletic event or concert. These events are more motivating than magazine (79%), television (77%), newspaper (71%) or online advertising (65%), the survey found.
“While ‘youth-fluentials’ hold a vast amount of influence over the spending decisions that their peers and family make, the research shows that they are also an extremely impressionable group,” says Ame Wadler, chief strategic officer at Burson-Marsteller, “They are striving for independence and impact over others, but also are highly impacted by parents, educators, and their own peers.”
89% of the young influencers say their friends affect their day-to-day decisions, compared to 61% of overall respondents, while 86% say their parents influence their day-to-day life decisions.
In addition to the role they play in others’ purchasing decisions, the young influentials group has purchasing power. About 75% spend their own money on magazines, DVDs, clothes, and shoes, as well as pricier items such as cell phones, electronics, and concert tickets.
As consumers, all the young and influential see affordability as the most important factor when shopping for clothing or electronics. They cite affordability as critical when shopping for lower-cost items as well, including beverages (97%) and fast food (90%). And 88% are more likely to pay attention to a brand or product if sent a coupon, the survey found.
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