Today’s Youth – Omnipotent Technology Generation

Writing on the theme of youth & technology, we saw how technology is making them connected cocoons. We noted that the MTV generation doesn't have fixed values, so they are more open to new technologies. Wi-Fi access to Nintendo gamers ia an important related development. This phenomenon is creating pressures for a variety of industries - The toy industry is responding to age compression,wherein kids are getting older younger – and is creating a revolution in the toy industry. Realizing that today's kids are sophisticated and tech-savvy,they are fighting fire with fire by building their own lines of "youth electronics." No doubt as we covered earlier, mobility has created revolutionalry sort of changes- already, governments have fallen, youth subcultures have blossomed from Asia to Scandinavia, new industries have been born and older industries have launched furious counterattacks and increasingly technology and mobility shall certainly act as the most dramatic change agent in the society. Well,from a Nice-to-have to a Critical- must – That’s the role of technology in the hearts and minds of young people today. There’s been a lot of speculation about the breadth and depth of technology use among young people. This data,part of the forrester finding begins to codify that discussion.Young consumers are using more technology at a younger age to connect with more people than ever before. 87% of 15-year-olds use instant messaging, while nearly half of 12- to 14-year-olds have a mobile phone. The survey focused on young consumers regarding their use of various devices, gaming, online activities, music downloads and file sharing, communication technologies, and attitudes toward media and advertising. Among the highlights:
- Young people are communication junkies. Eighty-three percent use IM versus just 32 percent of online adults. More than three out of four young consumers have a mobile phone.
- MP3 players top the device wish list. Twenty-five percent of young consumers said they plan to purchase an MP3 player in the next 12 months.
- Entertainment grabs their online time. Young consumers spend almost 11 hours per week online, while nearly one in five of the youngest of this group (ages 12 to 17) spend 20 hours or more per week online.
- Youth & game. Eighty-eight percent of boys ages 12 to 17 own a game console, compared with 63 percent of girls the same age. Fifty-five percent of boys would rather play games than watch TV.
- Young consumers represent the social marketing ecosystem . Fifty-two percent say they rely on recommendations from friends or family when making a purchase, compared with just 34 percent of adults.(only 6% believe that ads tell the truth!) so marketers need to reach young consumers on their terms. As they have grown up to be more self-reliant in a digital environment, they have confidence in their ability to distinguish between the two.