MARKETING TO TEENS

By Liz Miller, WGSN, 12 July 2011

With teenagers exposed to a wider range of imagery online than any previous generation, some brands are using more extreme marketing to get noticed. Is this the most effective way to reach this consumer? WGSN explores the issues.

WGSN TAKEAWAYS
Brands that try too hard to attract this generation with extreme or provocative marketing might experience a cynical backlash from their own target audience Teens are brand-loyal and are more likely than the older section of the millennial segment to be open-minded about choosing different brands The full potential of smartphones is still untapped. They cater to the impatient, demanding and connected nature of millennials, and offer an excellent platform for a creative marketing approach Teens and millennials like to connect with people according to their ideas, rather than striking up friendships with those in close proximity Teens want to be able to share a marketing message or ad they like. If you get the content right, they will market it for you

Teens look to brands that can offer them a lifestyle and value set they can adhere to

Teens are immersed in multimedia technology, which opens possibilities for marketers

Teenagers today have grown up with raunchy music videos, easy access to online pornography and increasingly violent video games, but the effect of this on their attitudes is hard to quantify, according to Diana Caplinska, planner at advertising agency Euro RSCG. "Most teens are better than previous generations at drawing a firm line between showbusiness and real life. And while websites such as textsfromlastnight.com [heavily loaded with controversial American Apparel advertising] might be a significant indication of provocative behaviour becoming the norm, one should not forget that such content is generated by the select few, and is unlikely to be considered the norm by the majority," she says. When British fashion brand Jack Wills released the 2011 edition of The Spring Term Handbook earlier this year it featured images of semi-naked models on a beach, and was considered "overtly sexual" by UK regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). While the company responded that "their brand was targeted at university students aged 18 to 22" and stressed that consumers had to be over 18 to receive the catalogue, the ASA ruled that "younger teenagers could have both direct and indirect access" to the handbook and that it shouldnt appear again "in its current form". Caplinska says the problem for brands is that younger consumers will always gravitate towards labels aimed at an older target market: "It is impossible to talk about the teen market in isolation from the rest of the millennial audience [15 to 29 year olds], as the brands that claim to cater to those in their early twenties end up being perceived as aspirational by the younger millennials." She adds: "In the case of Jack Wills, the tension arises from the drastic differences within legal connotations between these two target groups."

WGSN ANALYSIS
Zoe Decool, planner at Euro RSCG, highlights three hot examples of marketing to teens and millennials: Diesels A Hundred Lovers campaign: "Brands playing with cultural referencing: Diesel and Goddard." Mangos Kate Moss and Terry

WGSN 2011

Richardson film: "Featuring the popular and controversial photographer Terry Richardson with Kate Moss, this film recreates a key scene from the movie Point Break." Burberry Acoustic: [Teens] are incredibly hungry for quality content. Looking for the new/the underground at a time when music, for instance, is so available."

One of the less risque ads from the Jack Wills spring/summer 2011 campaign

One of the less risque ads from the Jack Wills spring/summer 2011 campaign

Focusing on content over media channel

Another characteristic of the teen market is its total immersion in multimedia technology, which opens many possibilities for marketers, says Zoe Decool, also a planner at Euro RSCG. "This represents a great opportunity to offer richer and more stimulating content to a generation that has been used to digesting a lot of content ... they enjoy personalising it and playing with it," she says. However, this age group has a very short attention span, so your message has to stand out. The upside is that if you get it right, the audience will redistribute your marketing for you, according to Caplinska. "Millennials have grown up to be cynical about advertising, be it TV, print or online. They are also exceptionally good at cancelling out the commercial noise on Facebook, Twitter, and sponsorship claims. They like to be surprised, but advertising will only get you so far," she says. "So instead of the media, the focus should be on the right content that really excites the audience by being either exceptionally entertaining or useful. Millennials will make sure it reaches the right people themselves." Erin Bilezikjian-Johnson, group director of custom research and insight at media agency OMD, agrees. This age group is receptive to advertising, but on their own terms, she says. "The ad has to be entertaining and thought-provoking. They yearn for ads that they can show to their friends on YouTube, such as the Old Spice commercial." However, she adds that traditional media still plays a major role in teen purchasing decisions. A recent survey conducted by OMD on millennial attitudes and behaviours to shopping in the US found that within the 15- to 17-year-old segment, TV, followed by word of mouth from friends and family, have the biggest influence on awareness of products. When it comes to researching products and brands, however, this age group will go online and look for prices and reviews. "15- to 17-year-olds see themselves as life explorers. They are motivated by the idea of invention, and shopping is about exploring themselves," says BilezikjianJohnson. "The personal pay-offs are about experimenting with types of brands, and the social pay-off is about acceptance."
WGSN 2011

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idea of invention, and shopping is about exploring themselves," says BilezikjianJohnson. "The personal pay-offs are about experimenting with types of brands, and the social pay-off is about acceptance."

Brand affiliation through lifestyle and value set

Bilezikjian-Johnson identified four criteria that 15- to 17-year-olds feel are important in a brand: authenticity, meaning brands that are transparent and have personality, but are not trying too hard; quality; expression, meaning being up-todate with trends; and affordability. Decool agrees with the assertion that brands need to be authentic: "This [millennial] generation is not after a badge, but brands that can offer them a lifestyle and a value set they can adhere to." Bilezikjian-Johnson says this viewpoint is common because these teens are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever, so it follows that they also espouse liberal attitudes, self-expression and sociability. "This generation is all about inclusion. They are accepting and liberal and that extends to every part of their lives. For marketing, that means having talent and a message within ads that represents everyone." Despite their cynicism about advertising, if they like your product, teenagers will stick with you because they believe the right brand helps them build a sense of identity, according to Caplinska. "Teens can be brand-loyal, especially when it comes to lifestyle brands. Their choice of music, sport and - most importantly - peer group determines their identity, and the right brand can help them take more control over how they are being perceived."

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WGSN 2011