Tapping into the Teenage Mind
What do today's teenagers like? Where do they like to shop/eat/hang out? What do they think about?
In order to delve deeper into the teenage psyche, I decided to participate in a teenage consumer marketing panel to unlock the secret behind today's teenager...
The results were interesting.
Myth #1: Teenagers spend without regard to money.
Reality: Today's teenagers are quite attuned to rising food costs, high gas prices, and the slowing economy. Many have made conscious efforts to consolidate trips, save money, and buckle down on discretionary spending.
Myth #2: Teenagers are vain and are not aware of current events.
Reality: The teenagers I spoke with had plenty to say about everything from economics/politics to the environment to the local dating scene.
Myth #3: Teenagers love shopping online (after all, everything is going digital!)
Reality: Teenagers are adverse to the idea of shopping online. Shopping is an experience - they like going to the mall to try on outfits, touch the fabric, and see what they're buying. Many had horror stories to tell about shopping online (wrong sizes, wrong items, etc.) and in many cases, some indicated the trade-off between shipping costs and gas mileage was negligible.
Myth #4: Teenagers care about brands.
Reality: Teenagers care more about fashion trends than brands (this is a different mindset from the teenager of years past). Teenagers of today want a certain fashion style, but are not willing to pay and an "arm and a leg" to get it. The girls we spoke to all cited Forever 21 as their favorite store (Forever 21 is similar to H&M, and sells name brand knock-offs for less). One girl criticized her friend for wearing Coach sneakers at gym (how obnoxious, she quipped!)
Myth #5: Teenagers care more about quality v. quantity.
Reality: Teenagers want more for their money. They are OK with clothes that only last a few weeks - they are constantly refreshing their wardrobe. They would rather have a trendy outfit that lasts a few days than a well-made item that lasts for years.
Myth #6: Teenagers hang out all the time.
Reality: With rising gas prices, teenagers have spent less time wandering the malls, watching movies, and dining out. Where do they spend their time, you ask? Well, they've gone back to basics - visiting friend's houses, going to the beach, hiking, and sitting at home (twiddling their thumbs).
In order to delve deeper into the teenage psyche, I decided to participate in a teenage consumer marketing panel to unlock the secret behind today's teenager...
The results were interesting.
Myth #1: Teenagers spend without regard to money.
Reality: Today's teenagers are quite attuned to rising food costs, high gas prices, and the slowing economy. Many have made conscious efforts to consolidate trips, save money, and buckle down on discretionary spending.
Myth #2: Teenagers are vain and are not aware of current events.
Reality: The teenagers I spoke with had plenty to say about everything from economics/politics to the environment to the local dating scene.
Myth #3: Teenagers love shopping online (after all, everything is going digital!)
Reality: Teenagers are adverse to the idea of shopping online. Shopping is an experience - they like going to the mall to try on outfits, touch the fabric, and see what they're buying. Many had horror stories to tell about shopping online (wrong sizes, wrong items, etc.) and in many cases, some indicated the trade-off between shipping costs and gas mileage was negligible.
Myth #4: Teenagers care about brands.
Reality: Teenagers care more about fashion trends than brands (this is a different mindset from the teenager of years past). Teenagers of today want a certain fashion style, but are not willing to pay and an "arm and a leg" to get it. The girls we spoke to all cited Forever 21 as their favorite store (Forever 21 is similar to H&M, and sells name brand knock-offs for less). One girl criticized her friend for wearing Coach sneakers at gym (how obnoxious, she quipped!)
Myth #5: Teenagers care more about quality v. quantity.
Reality: Teenagers want more for their money. They are OK with clothes that only last a few weeks - they are constantly refreshing their wardrobe. They would rather have a trendy outfit that lasts a few days than a well-made item that lasts for years.
Myth #6: Teenagers hang out all the time.
Reality: With rising gas prices, teenagers have spent less time wandering the malls, watching movies, and dining out. Where do they spend their time, you ask? Well, they've gone back to basics - visiting friend's houses, going to the beach, hiking, and sitting at home (twiddling their thumbs).
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