3. Where have we come from?
STRESSED FOR SUCCESS (MTV Wellbeing, 2006)
THE ‘IDEAL AGE’ IS 27 (Golden Youth, 2008)
THEY DON’T LOVE TECHNOLOGY ITSELF BUT WHAT IT
CAN DO FOR THEM (MTV Circuits of Cool, 2007)
FUTURE PRESSURE REPLACES PEER PRESSURE (MTV Wellbeing, 2006)
MORE AND CLOSER FRIENDSHIPS (MTV Circuits of Cool, 2007)
4. Where are we going?
YOUTH HAVE A CORE SET OF VALUES THAT MAY
SURPRISE YOU
THEY HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH HOPES AND DREAMS
FOR THEIR FUTURE
YOUTH SHARE MUCH IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER
AROUND EUROPE ...AND WITH THEIR PARENTS
5. How can this study help?
The most successful brands tap into our values & ambitions;
understanding what we want and how we want to be seen
But what’s important to young people in the world today,
and what do they want from brands?
How can your brand equity be ‘measured’ by youth?
6. Youthtopia wasn’t built in a day
Desk Research & Expert Consultation
Online Blogs & Community
7000 Online Surveys with Youth
7. 100 young people across Europe
(UK, Holland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece)
A diverse range of respondents from varying socio-
economic backgrounds and with different interests
Over 800 hours spent with them, connecting via local online
blogs and a European community
During a 3
month period they posted more than 2,500
blog entries and uploaded in excess of 200 videos
8. Followed by....
7,000 young people aged 16-34 surveyed across Europe
(UK, Holland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece, Sweden)
They told us what was important to them in key areas of their
life - both now and in an ideal world
They also answered on behalf of brands - 180 in total
The result is a vision of Youthtopia designed to young
people’s specifications, and with brands rated on their terms
9. 1. Defining a generation of youth
2. Individuals ambitions, hopes &
dreams
3. Creating Youthtopia
11. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
Defining Core Values
They define what is considered to be ‘normal’
Formed early in childhood by social context & immediate
family conditions
Can only be changed by large scale, sustained change
Media can only change core values in the most
superficial of ways
“The media coverage of terrorism caused only short term anxiety, once
people realise it does not affect them, they revert back to feeling
secure” - Prof. Ronald Inglehart
12. The 10 Commandments of Youth
Have faith in yourself
Be honest
Take responsibility for your own life
Respect your parents
Keep your promises
Live life to the full
Be happy & optimistic, even in adversity
Work hard to succeed
Be tolerant of others’ differences
Create, don’t destroy (yourself, others, environment)
13. Differences by country
GR & PL: Aim high dream big
UK: Be individual
GR: Respect the environment
GR: Try to make as many good friends as you can
UK & DE: Have fun, but not to detriment of others
14. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
And their Deadly Sins?
Greed Racism
Sloth Dishonesty
Lust
Bullying
Wrath
Greed
Pride
Envy Adultery
Gluttony Anger
Envy
Sloth/laziness
Sexism
Gluttony
16. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
1 Individuality
Have faith in yourself
Take responsibility for
your own life
Autonomous individuals
Part of many crowds,
not limited to one
“I've never really fit one scene. emo – I’ve got my skinny jeans and Atticus
jackets ready, indie – I’m on the street promotions team for about 4 bands,
reggae - from mad professor and coco tea to Bob Marley” - Male UK
17. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
2 Tradition
Respect your parents
Parents = unlikely heroes of
youth today
Young people actively choose
a traditional family model
“One of the defining features of this
generation compared to others is
that their own and their parents’
values seem closer than ever”
Prof. Ronald Inglehart
18. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
3 Honesty
Keep your promises
Result of an individualistic
culture
Friendships take on a
heightened importance
Less societal pressure to stay
in line
“… it takes time to make a new friend…he has to prove it to me that he
deserves to be called a friend. Only honest people are trustworthy, and
they would for sure stand by you when difficulties occur” - Male, Greece
19. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
4 Effort
Work hard to succeed but not
to the detriment of others
Strong work ethic
Respect for those who work
hard and overcome adversity
“The two people I admire in my
personal life are easy: My dad and
my stepdad. They both work really
hard so they can live the way they
wanna live. These men are hard
working and good men with a heart
of gold.” - Male, Holland
20. CONTEMPORARY YOUTH VALUES
5 Positivity
Live life to the full, be passionate
Be happy & optimistic, even in adversity
Positive outlook on life is
considered essential
Hedonism, with a seatbelt!
Unwilling to over commit and
damage future opportunities
“Fun – that’s how you can describe my life. I can
however always stop, if having too much fun would
stop me from achieving things” – Male, Poland
22. AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
A Generation versus the Individual
Core values define young people as a generation, but what
defines them as individuals and TODAY are their
ambitions
Unlike core values, ambitions can change frequently,
and ultimately drive youth attitudes and behaviour
23. YOUTHTOPIA
Where do brands fit in?
This year: 10 years’ time:
• 32" sony bravia flatscreen tv • Porche gt3
• Xbox 360 (with games) • Suzuki gsx-r750
• Vespa scooter • BMW m5
• VW Polo g40 • Nice house
• Lots of energy drink • Swimming pool
• PSP • Basketball courts
• iphone • Recording studio
• Trip to Japan • Personal cinema
• Whole house of Sony electronics • Hot tub
• Holiday to Dubai • New games consoles
• Nike sb tre zoom skate shoes • Second home(s)
• Nikon SLR camera with fisheye lens • Aquarium
• Driving lessons • Audi TT - one for work (black) one for leisure (pink)
• Weekend in New York • Snooker table
• Range Rover • Dogs / cats
• 4 hole cherry red doc martens • Speedboat
• Fred Perry polo shirts • Gulfstream jet
• UGGs • Ferrari
• Blackberry • Big Fridge
• Mac Book • Mulberry handbags
• Audi • Zoo
• Sky TV • Football field
24. Traditional values, modern pressure
92% of youth want to find the right someone and settle down - Highest
among Dutch and Greek youth
85% of youth feel having a successful career is very important to them
Both are consistent across ALL demographics
Just 16% of youth say they don’t care what they do as long as they
make a lot of money (but they are more likely to be male)
For women there’s a high level of conflict between career ambitions
& family ambitions/pressures
26. AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
Understanding ambitions
We identified 10 key areas in life where youth had
ambitions – such as relationships, material goods, their
career, home, society as whole, how they wanted to be seen
by their peers etc.
These 10 key areas became the foundations of Youthtopia:
Family Friends Work Travel Relationships
Identity Society Home Education Ethics
The nature of these ambitions can be split into
4 different mindsets...
27. AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
Collectivist
‘Wanting to do good because Aspirational
it’s a good thing to do’
‘Wanting to do good because it
Open, social involving,
would make me look good’
inclusive, more concerned with
More materialistic, recognition,
greater good of society,
success, money, wanting the
personal fulfilment, less
best, personal achievement
materialistic
Pragmatist Outsider
‘Challenges and asks what do
‘Willing to accept good enough’
you mean by good’
Sensible, family, realistic,
Challenging, edgy, risk-taking,
practical, following safe path,
breaking the norm, more niche,
rational
innovative
30. Plotting our audience on the map
E.g.
CAREER
C: I want to be in a position where I can help others as much as possible, the
recognition is not so important
A: I want to be successful in whatever I do, being recognised for my achievements is
important to me
P: I don’t really mind whether I am successful, so long as my job is fulfilling and I
make enough money
O: As long as I make a lot of money, I don’t care that much about what I do
30
32. Where they want to be
in an ideal world COLLECTIVIST
ASPIRATIONAL PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
33. Youth RIGHT NOW
COLLECTIVIST
Relationships
Travel
Society Friends
Education
Ethics Home
Family
ASPIRATIONAL Work Identity
PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
34. Youth in an
IDEAL WORLD COLLECTIVIST
Society
Education Family
Travel Relationships
Ethics Identity
Friends
Home
Work
ASPIRATIONAL PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
35. YOUTHTOPIA
How are brands perceived by youth?
By asking young people to imagine brands a
person, we can see where a brand would ‘live’
in Youthtopia
And by evaluating the 10 key life areas we can
see what’s driving their perceptions
36. Where should a brand
live?
COLLECTIVIST
In all countries there is a positive
correlation between Aspirational
ambtions and brand favourability
– and a negative correlation
between Pragmatic ambitions and
favourability
PRAGMATIST
ASPIRATIONAL
OUTSIDER
37. Where do you want
to be
COLLECTIVIST
If you want to be loved by
everyone then Collectivism can
help: There is a positive correlation
between Collectivism ambitions
and social responsibility
ASPIRATIONAL PRAGMATIST
However, ‘challenger’ brands may
need a strong element of Outsider
OUTSIDER
41. Nikon by country
COLLECTIVIST
Greece
Italy Poland
Holland
UK
Germany
Sweden
ASPIRATIONAL PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
42. Nikon by demo
COLLECTIVIST
22-24
25-28
16-18
Female
29-31 32-34
Male
19-21
ASPIRATIONAL PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
43. AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
If were a person…
They are an ambitious individual – wanting to do well in life and be
successful but they are focused on genuine achievement and personal
fulfillment, as opposed to just making lots of money. They are not solely
focused on their own personal success, believing that everyone should
have equal opportunities and that you should help others who are less
fortunate when you can.
Honesty and integrity is important to Nikon and even if no one
recognises them for this, they are concerned with doing the ‘right’
thing.
44. AMBITIONS & BEHAVIOUR
If were a person…
Nikon is following a ‘safe’ path in life, confirming to traditional
education, wanting to learn as much as possible but also recognising
that doing well in education ensure a good career and success.
Travel for Nikon is about broadening horizons and learning about new
cultures.
If Nikon were a person, their friends would describe them as a trusted
and loyal mate. They aren’t the most popular person among their peers,
but have a smaller circle of strong relationships.
45. versus
… Both are seen to be successful brands, and want to be
recognised and rewarded for their achievements
… Nikon is the most likely of the two to look up to their parents
for inspiration, while for Canon their friends are more important
… Canon believes in standing up for their own beliefs, while
Nikon is more likely to be the one who follows the rules
… Nikon is looking for a passionate long term relationship, while
Canon is seen to be more carefree right now
46. versus
… Nikon are seen as slightly more trusted and loyal as a friend,
whereas Olympus is seen as slightly more self-sufficient
… Olympus are more likely to be thinking about their future in
terms of getting married and settling down
… Olympus has more modest material aspirations, not minding
so much about where they live or the holidays they take
… Nikon is the more ambitious of the two, and wants to be
respected for their hard work
48. MTV is fluid brand in
Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
ASPIRATIONAL
PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
49. MTV is fluid brand in
Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
ITALY
ASPIRATIONAL
PRAGMATIST
GREECE UK
POLAND
SWEDEN
GERMANY
HOLLAND
OUTSIDER
50. If MTV were a person...
Family
• I argue a lot with my parents and we’re not similar at all
Friends
• I am a popular person with lots of friends who respect and even admire me
Relationships
• I’m not looking for commitment right now, I’m happy to just have a bit of fun
Education
• I don’t think a formal education is that important, life experience is more useful,
especially if you have other skills
Work
• I want to be successful in whatever I do, being recognised for my achievements is
important to me
50
51. If MTV were a person...
Home
• I want to live in a nice big house, after all, I have worked hard to achieve it
• I’m not bothered where I live, I just want to be able to have the freedom to live
where I like
Travel
• I love to travel, I want to go to the most exotic places, taste the best food and
experience the best hotels in the world
Identity
• I’m not that interested in doing the ‘right’ thing, so long as me and my immediate
family are okay
Ethics
• It’s okay to sometimes bend the rules - you need to if you want to get ahead in this
world
Society
• I want to live in a world where I can live as I choose as long as it doesn't harm others
51
52. MTV is fluid brand in
Youthtopia
COLLECTIVIST
ASPIRATIONAL
PRAGMATIST
OUTSIDER
54. SIUMMING UP
Key Takeouts
Youth are changing, and your perception of them
could be wrong
Youthtopia provides a real understanding of what
values youth hold dear and how this impacts on their
ambitions for the future
By knowing our brand ‘persona’ in Youthtopia, you can
understand how youth currently view you and gain a
clear direction for future communications
