THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GEN Y 16-24

RESEARCH & INSIGHTS 2009 | AUSTRALIA

ADSHEL / THE ESSENTIAL GUIdE To GEN Y 16-24

ESSENTIAL TO GEN Y 16-24

Whatever you want to call them, weve come to know them well.
Much has been written and spoken about the subject of the youth market. Branded as Gen Y, terms like ad literate and media savvy are used to describe them, but how much do we really understand about them? For advertisers, attracting consumers to their brand at an early age can lead to a long and prosperous relationship. This makes the increasingly mobile and independent Gen Y 16-24 audience a vital target for marketers. Adshels Essential Guide to Gen Y 16-24 explores the lives, attitudes, and aspirations of the 16-24 year old youth demographic to provide advertisers with a deeper understanding of their brand choices and media habits. The findings demonstrate how Adshel can play a key role in assisting advertisers to reach and engage a demographic that is increasingly challenging to target in a fragmented media environment. Access the full research report via the Client Area on our website.

HIGH MAINTENANCE PRACTICAL SMART AMBITIOUS MEDIA SAVVY INDEPENDENT BRASH

THE ObjEcTIvES
Explore the world of the Gen Y 16-24 demographic to understand: Their lives, attitudes and aspirations and how these change as they move through this demographic The influences on brand preferences, choices and purchase decisions

ADSHEL / THE ESSENTIAL GUIdE To GEN Y 16-24

How they consume different media and the role that advertising can play Their perceptions of out of home and street furniture and how it is consumed in the broader context of their lives

THE ApprOAcH
Six focus group sessions were held in Sydney and Melbourne, split by age. Respondent recruitment criteria included: Age sub-groups: 16-17 year old male and female school age students 18-21 year old male and female university students in or starting their first job 22-24 year old male and female career focused students who are undertaking extended studies ender: Both male and female G Location: Both Sydney and Melbourne Homework activity included a photo diary of a two week window into their life. In addition to the photo diary, respondents were asked to bring a favourite brand or visual reference to the group to illustrate the statement My favourite brand is. The research was conducted by The Seed, an independent research and strategy company with wide ranging experience in both qualitative research and media.

ADSHEL / THE ESSENTIAL GUIdE To GEN Y 16-24

A SNApSHOT OF THE FINDINGS

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Each respondent was asked to bring an example of their favourite brand with them. They were asked to explain why they identified with these brands, and their answers provide insight into how different brands can resonate with this audience.

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PArt of my DAiLy LifE Brands that play a role in enhancing everyday life scored well I live in these shoes

rEcognition of tHE brAnDS LongEvity Reputation over time encourages trust a sense of it being here for the long haul Ill stick with the same brands in the future, but probably have different styles

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AcknoWLEDgE tHEir journEy Be part of the life-changing landmarks they are going through

THE ESSENTIAL

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tAP into tHE PoWEr of SociAL nEtWorkS Find ways to become part of the dialogue between groups

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bEcomE PArt of tHEir tHirD PLAcE Be seen in the places where they spend most of their spare time

The research generates various insights into the world of 16-24 year olds. The following themes and their implications for brand, creative and media strategy are important for any marketer in reaching and engaging the Gen Y 16-24 audience.

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HELP tHEm to DiScovEr Help satisfy their curiosity to uncover new experiences

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EncourAgE tHEm to SPrEAD tHEir WingS Help them find ways to explore their world, both near and far

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iDEntificAtion WitH brAnD vALuES They feel comfortable with brands that have a clear and acceptable brand image I love the whole vibe, everything that it stands for, the energy that it stands for

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HigH quALity, rELiAbLE ProDuctS Quality and reliability are fundamental I like these mixers because the brand has a reputation for high quality sound and reliability

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nEW brAnDS gEnErALLy DiScovErED viA SEvErAL kEy SourcES Word of mouth is key to discovering new brands, while advertising and the internet also play an important role When a friend tells you about it, it gives that stamp of approval

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givE tHEm confiDEncE to fit in Help minimise the risk of them standing out from the crowd

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ALLoW tHEm to ExPrESS tHEmSELvES Give them the tools to demonstrate their emerging individuality

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rEcogniSE tHE vALuE of monEy to tHEm Find ways to help them stretch their budget further

HELp YOUr brAND STAND Up AND bE cOUNTED

As 16-24 year olds move through this demographic, they enjoy the benefits of greater mobility, widening social groups and more money. Conventional ideas on targeting this audience are continually challenged. This study identifies ways in which advertisers can use Adshel to maximise the increasing opportunity to reach the youth audience in the out of home environment. TArGETING prINcIpLES connect with the gen y audience: Gen Y have an established relationship with the outdoor medium and have been exposed to the growth of street furniture like no other age group. target the third Place: There is home, school/work/uni and the Third Place where they meet friends, socialise and spend much of their time. From cafes and pubs to fast food outlets and parks, these places are connected with a fun time with friends and positive mood states. reinforce brand recognition and credibility: Reinforcing external cues for reassurance in brand preferences and decisions, familiarity and credibility is critical to connecting with this audience. tap into new technology: Growing up with the internet, mobiles, SMS and instant messaging to keep up to date means that technology is a natural extension of their lives.

ADSHEL / THE ESSENTIAL GUIdE To GEN Y 16-24

HOW ADSHEL cAN HELp Adshel leverages this connection by providing a platform to cut-through and engage Gen Y as relevance of other traditional broadcast media has decreased.

The Audience Solutions approach, unique to Adshel, uses proximity data to target these Third Place environments and maximise media content.

Through frequency and density of site locations, Adshel builds brand recognition and establishes credibility by validating cues from friends and popular culture in the out of home space.

In addition to acting as a key driver to online media channels, Adshel gives brands the opportunity to leverage this alignment with technology and Gen Ys desire to search out new information by offering interactive options in the out of home environment.

ADSHEL / THE ESSENTIAL GUIdE To GEN Y 16-24

rEAcHING GEN Y cAN bE EASY

92% of gen y live in Adshel areas*
Adshels Audience Solutions approach to campaign planning uses key learnings from our Research and Insights Program to tap into the attitudes and behaviours of the Gen Y demographic. Weve done the work, so that you can plan an effective and targeted Youth package with minimum fuss. tArgEtED rEcOMMENDED ADSHEL pAcKAGES GEN Y broADcASt Ideal for gaining wide coverage for product launches or keeping existing products top of mind. Broadcast Packages are designed to provide wide exposure with the option of street ownership through heavy weights and multiple executions. Coverage includes CBd, inner city and suburban sites across Australia. youth Adshel takes learnings from the Essential Guide to Gen Y 16-24 and applies proximity analysis and demographic profiling to capture this market in places where they live and hang out with friends. This package can be split to target the 14-17 and 18-24 year old sub-segments. The Adshel Create Portfolio provides innovative advertising solutions to target the younger demographics, delivering added impact and engagement. Leverage Adshels Retail Package and get your brand on the shopping list. Panels are strategically located to influence receptive consumers in a spending frame of mind close to points of purchase.

crEAtE

rEtAiL

* Source: Pathfinder Solutions (Based on place of residence, ABS 2006 Census), 16-24 year olds in 5 metro cities.

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Access the full research report via our website.

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