Branding for 21st Century Teenagers

Abstract

Teenagers - kids from the age of 13 to 19 - currently spend $150 billion per year globally. Teens also influence an additional $150 billion per year globally with “pester power.” And they indirectly influence another $300 billion per year, for example, in situations in which a parent makes a purchase taking into account kids’ tastes. That’s a total purchasing/influencing power of $600 billion this year. In addition to the products that teens buy for themselves and/or consume themselves (food, entertainment, clothing, music, electronics, etc.), teens actually influence adults’ purchases of a large variety of products. Although earlier generations have grown up with computers and computer games, this is the first generation to have grown up with online chat and multiplayer online games as part of their milieu. This generation uses the Internet not just to find things out or to connect with friends from their neighborhoods or from school. This generation uses the Net to make new friends...