BrandNews asked about its results Riz Badr, TRU's Global Director and a person who cited Yoda from “Star wars” in his official profile (pic.):
The TRU survey was carried in 15 countries. Are teens in different counties fond of same brands or there are some geographical and cultural features?
The common elements/threads for the success of any global (or local brands, for that matter) is the ability of its brand platform to emotionally connect brand attributes with fundamental youth need-states while understanding the importance of what TRU calls “The balancing act” across the spectrum of these need-states.
For instance, teens may revere independence but still respect their government and their parents. They value friends AND family. They enjoy acting wild and free, but they still plan for the future. To remind marketers of this tension between two competing mindsets, TRU advises clients to “Mind the Gap,” a reminder that oftentimes the most powerful youth positioning is one that manages to straddle need states.
That said - for the most part, the top 3 favorite brands across the 15 countries TRU surveyed are dominated by the top 3 global power brands:
Nike ,
Coca-Cola and
Adidas.
However, there are differences between the teens from emerging and Western (G12) countries. In the G12, teens tend to embrace global brands without even giving it a second thought.
Although young people in developing markets similar enthusiasm for global brands, teens in developing countries nonetheless display a greater affinity for their local brands, too. For example, although teens in China listed two major global brands as their favorites, they also selected Li-Ning - a local athletic-shoe and apparel brand.
Similarly, local brand Bata enjoys an extremely positive and loyal brand affiliation among Indian teens. Bata ranked as teens’ number-two favorite brand in India.
And lastly the Norwegian teens’ second-favorite brand is a local/regional dairy-products brand Tine! In fact Tine ranked ahead of such leading technology global brand as Sony Ericsson; impressive considering that Sony Ericsson (Ericsson) originated in Sweden, one of the fellow Nordic countries.
TRU made such surveys for many years. Is the list of world leaders in a teens’ world changing with time? Or – “Coca-Cola is forever?”
The powerhouse names like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Sony and Apple are among a handful of brands that have been consistently appearing among the list of leading teen brands around the world.
Will this be true in the next 15-20 years?
The data shows it's not going to be easy to retain the top spot, especially as local brands gain more savvy and begin adopting the methods that propelled global brands to the top.
We all know that it is very difficult to stay on top for a long time (both for people and brands). How do you think, is it more difficult for brands that want to be the first for teens? A teens’ world seems to be changing more quickly…
The established global brands cannot take their current leadership position for granted.
They face fierce competitive threats from local brands such as the aforementioned Li-Ning, which is not only aspiring to become a global brand but which is creating a brand platform essentially similar to that of category leader Nike. South Korean brands Samsung and LG are already recognized global brand names considered to be within the top 5 brands in their respective categories, which shows how ambitious upstart brands can succeed.
To retain brand leadership among global teens, brands must work harder to connect with young consumers on their terms. To do this, it’s important marketers concentrate on teens’ demand that they have it all, even when their expectations seem to work against each other (See: Mind the Gap).
What brands did you like when you were a teenager? Are you fond of them now? Or when youth passes it means saying “good bye” to some loved brands?
When I was a teenager I always had this fascination with the Porsche brand that holds true even to day. I would say that’s always been my most favorite brand ever.
For as long as I can remember, the brands that I used during my adolescent years are the brands I'm still consuming. Almost all of my personal hygiene products are the same brands I’ve been using since my teenage years.
What brands’ features are important for brands? Constant innovations? To be on trend? A joy? To be friendly?
In our experience, the brands that really resonate with teens offer a combination of the most important product attributes and functional benefits. Today’s teens are not easily impressed simply by “cool things”. The aesthetics must be matched with a higher level of quality and performance. Teens are too savvy to simply look “skin deep.”
How do you think, teens are not tired of all these active and dynamic products and ads that are offered them? May be, they also need some calm and “returning to nature” as we see in ads for adults?
For teens globally, meaningful and relevant connection is of the utmost importance. Marketers can not get global teens’ attention by just introducing dynamic products and advertising campaigns.
A case in point is Apple. There’s no doubt Apple is an extremely innovative “wow-factor” brand. Their advertising campaigns are extremely engaging! Despite Apple’s continued desire to garner a firm youth following for its brands, they haven’t been as successful globally as they have in the U.S. Apple only appeared within the top 5 favorite brands list in 3 countries.
What surprised you in this survey?
The most surprising discovery came from the answer to the long awaited question “Is there such a thing as a global teen profile?”
As it turns out, there are stark differences between what we call “a tale of two teens” – those that live in developed markets, and those that live in emerging economies. Teens from developed markets are less easily impressed and have a greater sense of entitlement. They’ve seen it all from a marketing point of view, and very little you can do will impress them. On the other hand, teens in emerging markets sometimes seem almost overwhelmed by the level of choices and freedoms they’re experiencing. It’s all new and everything seems very exciting to these teens.
* TRU Global Teen Study
March, 2009
