JWT has teamed up with national youth magazine jmag to
explore the behavior and attitudes of Australia's youth.
The survey has busted a plethora of Gen Y stereotypes.
Gen Y Stereotype:
Frivolous with money
Whilst they are often labeled as the 'Bank of Mum and Dad,'
only 5% of respondents are in a lot of debt and 48% are saving up for something
special.
Gen Y Stereotype:
Bludgers who don't commit to jobs
85% of respondents in full time work are planning to stay
in their job for at least a couple of years.
Gen Y Stereotype: No
respect for their parents
They respect their parents above sports stars. 17% said the
most admire their parents vs 3% sports stars.
Gen Y Stereotype:
Selfish and apathetic
They have big hearts, 51% get involved in charity work.
Gen Y Stereotype:
Sleeping around
For these youths, it appears that traditionalism is well
and truly alive. When it comes to sex, 35% claimed to be holding off to meet
the right person and only 25% described their relationships as fleeting.
Gen Y Stereotype:
Doing drugs
Counter to media reports, they are a relatively straight
group when it comes to drug taking. 42% have never tried pot and 71% have never
tried ecstasy.
Gen Y Stereotype: Worry free
Bernard Salt (KPMG, demographer) says that Gen Y have "got it easy: rich parents, good economic
times, no commitments. Life doesn't get any better for this lot of layabouts."
However, when respondents were
asked "what do they want to get of their chest?" the most commonly expressed
concern was for the state of the world in the future. One GenYer said "I can't
stop thinking about how bad the world will be in 50 yrs - the environment,
government, war, economics."
So what does this
mean for brands?
Stereotypes are a convenient short cut to understanding
people. But shortcuts are dangerous because they are an oversimplification.
Clearly:
-
Not all retired people love
gardening
-
Not all women love shoes
-
Not all men love cars
Marketers need to be careful - when analysing consumer data
it is a natural human thing to focus on learnings that reinforce stereotypes,
because it seems to make sense. Being aware of that tendency and the dangerous
inaccuracies it can lead to is critical.
For example:
Marketers should remember that this is a generation often
characterised by opposing traits e.g. social responsibility and self-interest.
Whilst Gen Y might admire some of the most rebellious
celebrities, don't assume they are living the life of a rockstar! With so many
young people involved in charity work they clearly want to 'do good', and brands
can tap into this by making young people feel as if they are giving back to the world.
This survey suggests that many traditional values around
relationships appear to resonate with Gen Y, and brands should not discount
communicating these values to youth audiences.