YOUTH SURVEY 2016
SURVEY FOREWORD HELLO, The purpose of this report is to equip brands with the insight needed to shape a targeted 2016 youth marketing plan. Young people are bombarded with marketing material constantly throughout the year, making it difficult to stand out and really make an impression on them. In order to build genuine engagement with these young people, brands must go further than customer satisfaction; they must exceed consumer needs and expectations better than their competitors. The research reveals quantitative and qualitative findings based upon the answers provided by 2,000 18-24 year olds who answered The National Student survey requesting insight into their attitudes and beliefs towards work and play. The respondents were made up of 56% of males and 44% females from across the UK. We ve broken the research down in some sections to encourage brands not to target millennials as a whole and to think more carefully about the age, gender and interests of your target market. The National Student, powered by BigChoice Group, first revealed the research at the Youth Trends Breakfast Briefing 2016 together with Radiator Communications, held at Generator Hostel. Hosting an array of brands looking to target 18-24 year olds, the briefing revealed insights on the shifting cultural, business and political trends of young people. Throughout the briefing, speakers advised brands how the new trends should affect 2016 s youth marketing strategies. We hope you find the report useful when it comes to shaping your 2016 youth marketing plan. Enjoy! SIMON ANDREWS CEO, The National Student GABY JESSON OWNER, RADIATOR COMMUNICATIONS
CONTENT PAGE CONTENTS PAGE 4 PLAY PAGE 8 WORK PAGE12 IN THEIR OWN WORDS PAGE 13 MOST POPULAR TRAVEL & FASHION BRANDS PAGE 14 MOST POPULAR PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE PAGE 15 PLANNING STUDENT MARKETING ACTIVITY FOR 2016 PAGE 17 ABOUT US
PLAY Half of young people say they have a 40% 50:50 75% WORK 25% PLAY life balance. estimated that they have a work &life balance. These figures reflect how important decisions on social life are for young people as they do not have a large amount of time to make use of. 87% of young people would like to be involved in charity projects. Young people voted going on HOLIDAY with friends or partnersas the BEST EXPERIENCE in terms of their social life, with a UK FESTIVAL being voted as the SECOND most popular choice. Most young people would rate their life a 7 out of 10 on a scale of how happy they are.
PLAY How important were the following to young people in their spare time? TRAVELLING BOOKS SPORTS/FITNESS MUSIC FILM SOCIAL MEDIA ARTS THEATRE PARTIES DRUGS ALCOHOL FANCY DRESS These survey results show students place a large importance on social activities that add something to their lives -moving away from an old fashioned view of partying and excess.
PLAY What social media channels are most important to young people? FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER SNAPCHAT PERISCOPE How do young people shop online? 60% DESKTOP / LAPTOP 17% IPAD 14% SMART PHONE 1% I DON T BUY ONLINE 8% OTHER 2/3 of young people think they spend too much time on their phones. Brands need to work on aiding young people to get away from their technology this can also be linked to the desire to carry out charity work and travel.
PLAY Most popular methods for young people to find out about news/current affairs? 1 st 2 nd 3 rd TABLOID NEWS WEBSITE NEWSPAPERS FACEBOOK 62% of young people do not think this government has improved their life or prospects.
PLAY How are young people currently preparing themselves for their careers? 74% UNIVERSITY DEGREE 20% APPRENTICESHIP 6% ADDITIONAL COURSES (AFTER SCHOOL) What do young people strive for in their careers? OWN BOSS WORK/LIFE BALANCE CAREER AS AN EMPLOYEE OTHER THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN A CAREER RIGHT NOW
WORK Industries rated in order of attractiveness: GIRLS BOYS TOP 3 Fashion Technology Travel & Tourism TOP 3 Fashion Technology Travel & Tourism LEAST INTERESTED Accountancy & Finance Banking Engineering LEAST INTERESTED Accountancy & Finance Banking Engineering
WORK Did young people think the following factors had improved or declined in the workplace over the last five years? SALARY FLEXIBLE WORKING TRAINING CSR STAFF WELFARE Declined Improved Improved Improved Improved 60% 83% of respondents felt they would have to work for a free period of time in order to get into their chosen career. Girls were much more likely than boys to work for free in order to gain work experience. felt that it was expected of them by employers to work longer and more unsociable hours. However, 82% felt there will be more of an opportunity to work from home or remotely in the future and 86% welcomed the idea.
WORK 42% of respondents said that they don t think they will ever be able to afford to buy a property. However, of the respondents who felt confident that they WOULD be able to afford to BUY a property in the future, 46% planned on doing it in 5-10 YEARS time. BOYS were more CONFIDENT that they d be able to buy a house quicker than the majority of girls.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS What do young people consider to be more important than a career right now? Spending time with loved ones, having a supportive family, and my personal values -such as love, good health, and loyalty. I think it s important to have strong values and a support system as a foundation to prepare you for a successful career because it is part of who you are as an individual. Spending time with friends before we all move away from university and get jobs. I want to ensure I still have valuable experiences before launching into a career, for example seeing the world, getting qualifications and experience to put me ahead of potential candidates for a job. My hobbies and friendships. Taking time to try new things and develop new skills in a fun way whilst developing relationships with people. Finishing my degree with a first, ensuring that I get the most out of my last months at university. Gaining experience worldwide with different types of people, organisations, companies etc. Friends, family, anything that makes me happy, especially travel.
MOST POPULAR Travel & Fashion Brands TRAVEL TRAVEL
MOST POPULAR People in the Public Eye VOTED BY GIRLS Emma Watson J.K. Rowling BOYS Jeremy Corbyn Barack Obama VOTED BY
STUDENT TIMELINE The National Student has got to know the student calendar pretty well over the years. That s why we ve gathered all the essential information and important university events for 2016 and collated them into one place. This means you can market your brand to students at the right time and at the right place. WHAT S INCLUDED: 45 key opportunities to market to students University social events Term times and reading weeks Student loan instalment dates The best time periods to carry out oncampus marketing activity.
STUDENT TIMELINE
ABOUT US The National Student is the go-to place for student media. Managed by a team of editorial experts, we offer an epic digital network and the best opportunities for young people who want to get into the media. Radiator is an award winning youth communications agency with client brand experience including Nike, Relentless Energy Drinks, Club 18-30 & Swatch to name a few