Spotlight: Millennium Generation

illumination

inspiration

impact
Firefly Spotlight
Millennium Generation
Firefly Millward Brown is a global qualitative boutique agency represented in 52 countries
and specifically, 18 countries across the Africa and Asia Pacific region. In order to keep
a pulse on the latest trends, Firefly launches Spotlight — a series of observations based on
the geographical spread across the globe. In this series, some of our key Firefly talents pin
down some big trends and observations across the region. This report is based on larger
trends spotted across our analyses — with an intention to provide a regional overview to our clients.
This issue of Spotlight focuses on the millennial youth.
The generation born in the millennium across the Africa & Asia Pacific region has come
at the cusp of some very interesting economic and social changes, that have influenced
their outlook on life.
Like their global peers, they are far more connected, global in their outlook, confident
and desirous of multiple experiences. But, with great opportunities comes great conflict.
Add to that is their additional burden of navigating between the old
and the new world, Western ambitions and traditional values, their own choices vs.
inflated expectations. Whew! Co existence in the two worlds is a reality for young
people in Asia today.
Asian cultures are still driven by great importance on collectivism and “saving face”.
However, the youth are trying to both “adjust” themselves AND “find” themselves.
This results in the adoption of multiple personas — for me, for my friends, for my parents
and for society. In this era of ‘adjustable individuality’ it is important to understand
the nuances of their personality.
As a starting point, we decided to look inwards – we have been capturing the differentiating
insights across coffee tables, over drinks, on their couches, on the internet, at malls,
gaming parlours, and many more places!
Here, we bring to you a reflection of the youth work, with a special emphasis on the male youth.
Contributors
Chad Datu
Philippines
Muhammad Faried
Indonesia
Martina Ambiri
Nigeria
Efzuan
Malaysia
Hyoli Cho
South Korea
Kwesi Sakyi-Gyinae
Ghana
Dickson Lam
Hong Kong
Milcah Asamba
Kenya
Pierre Murata
Beijing
Aaron Chew
Singapore
Tim Wilson
Australia
Sitthichai Poonphol
Thailand
Kate Davidson
Kenya
Tegobo Rakubu
& Lerato Pitso
South Africa
Vishal Sampat
India
Michael Umogun
Nigeria
Alicia Orata
Kenya
Rakesh Kumar
Africa Middle East Asia Pacific
inspiration
impact
China
It’s not my fault for being spoiled;
you were just born too early
China
PASSION POINTS
The Chinese male youth at this stage in life is passionate about his future. He projects
how successful he will be by how much money he will be able to make, what type of
job he will hold and how will his friends help him to reach that goal.
This is not a pure materialist pursuit, because the Chinese male youth does not aspire for
wealth simply to afford luxury products. To him it is simply a sign of freedom and
independence, to be able to support himself and do what you want to do, without the
pressure of having to live up to anyone’s standards. In the rapidly growing Chinese
economy, the Chinese youth has seen people go from rags to riches, and achieving levels
of prosperity and wealth that their parents’ generation had never imagined of. In the
changing social landscape, wealth is not just a sign of success; it is also permission to be
yourself and not having to follow the rules parents and schools set down for you, since
you are doing well already.
To this end, at the stage of 18-21 years old the Chinese male youth is beginning to make
forecasts about his working future; how much should he be making, and how much
money should he be making in a few years’ time. He makes these judgments from
anecdotes about others in his social network that have begun making money, as well as
his opinion of the Chinese economy which is still largely positive and optimistic.
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
The hot topics of 2011 include sporting news such as the NBA labor dispute, the deadly
crashes of high speed trains and school buses in China and the death of Steve Jobs. The
NBA dispute is a naturally hot topic, since the Chinese male youth is passionate about
basketball, but the other topics became hot partly due to the way people passed the
stories on through social media, especially the Chinese microblog Weibo.
Money
NBA
success
China
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
While the world talked about Europe, with the brewing economic and social crisis in
Greece and approaching London Olympics, the Chinese male youth paid little attention
to these matters. He does not see how they affect his daily life, and there is no pressure
to look that far west. In addition, fears about price inflation and unaffordable housing
prices in China have not yet reached him.
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
The role of digital and social media for the Chinese male youth has begun its shift from
the pure leisure of the Farmvilles on social networks towards education as well as learning. This is most evident in the increasing use of microblogs (Weibo) in China by the
Chinese youth. He follows celebrities and grown ups to learn about what the adult world
is talking about, and passes on what he has learnt to his peers by retweeting the information. In addition, digital media is also branching out from being pure entertainment of
movies and sitcoms, but now also includes individual snippets of product demonstrations
and speeches, for the Chinese male youth to determine what to look for and expect in his
path towards adulthood and independence.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
In a break from the previous generation, the 18-21 year old Chinese male youth does
not see hard work as the only way to a good life in modern China. Examples of noveau
riche kids and princelings of government officials who are able to enjoy luxurious
lifestyles and riches speak louder than the lectures from parents and teachers about how
studying hard is the only way forward. This however does not mean that he does not put
importance on studying, but it is more about getting a good score for a good
university/job rather than looking to learn valuable knowledge along the way.
China
PREMATURE
The widespread broadband internet penetration and smartphone ownership gave the
Chinese male youth more exposure to the world than ever before. They are now able to
read about how millionaires are able to make a fortune despite never finishing high
school, and how people with PhD degrees do not succeed, despite following the path
endorsed by everyone. This influx of this reality check has made the Chinese male youth
more pragmatic about his expectations of the world, because he feels he is merely
following the examples of the adults already in the real world.
IDOLS: HAN HAN (CHINESE BLOGGER, RACECAR DRIVER), STEVE JOBS
Han Han continues to be a highly respected and admired celebrity for the Chinese male
youth. His outspoken style and frank discussions on the social woes of modern China
are a source of inspiration for youths in China, who are used to seeing people editing
their opinions for the sake of harmony or fear of offending the wrong people. In addition,
Han Han’s career achievements of being a bestselling author as well as a racecar driver
are also an inspiration that you can succeed just by being yourself. However, his popularity is being tested as Han Han began working as a spokesperson for Nescafé, which may
be seen as ‘selling out’.
Steve Jobs’ rise to being an idol for the Chinese male youth is due largely to his
death, which also triggered a series of discussions about his life and achievements.
Through the media exposure, the Chinese male youth has been able to meet the man
behind one of the most famous technology brands today. Steve Jobs’ determination to
realizing his visions with little compromise to great success is also inspirational to the
Chinese youth.
han-han
Pragmaticsteve jobs
Hong Kong
Optimistic, funloving, laid back Facebook-ing,
iPhone-ing, Whatsapp-ing, beer and buddies
Hong Kong
BEING PART OF THE POST 90’S
Society has labeled the generation as ‘post 90s’ (born between 1990 and 1999), generally
characterized by the media as being extremely confident, adventurous, always fun
seeking but also immature, irresponsible, self-centered and reckless. ‘But so what?
I don’t really care as long as I am happy and have loads of fun with friends.’
iWORLD IS HERE, ALWAYS TUNED IN
Apple products have been leading the trend. They are expensive, yet highly desirable
among the post 90’s. Of course, not everyone can afford an iPhone. Android phones are
the next best alternatives.
The increasing popularity of smartphones has changed media consumption habits of the
post 90’s. Young people are always busy texting, gaming, Facebook-ing, listening to music
and browsing info on-the-go. There tends to be a constant need to stay connected to
what’s happening in the social world. They like to have the latest information on hand
and refuse to be seen as off track (what we call ‘out’ in Hong Kong). News feeds in social
networking websites such as Facebook become handy.
Have you downloaded the app? Usage of mobile phone applications (referred to as
‘apps’) has becoming increasingly popular. Different types of apps are available for
download covering categories of instant messenger (e.g. WhatsApp, ICQ), social
networking (e.g. Facebook, Twitter), news (e.g. Apple Action News 蘋果動新聞), entertainment, games and more. Usage of mobile applications has become one of the emerging sources of entertainment amongst youth; new interesting applications have managed to generate buzz e.g. Line, ICQ.
EXPRESSION OF STRONG NEED TO BELONG IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
The social circle has gradually moved to the online space where it provides a handy
platform for giving and receiving updates, expression of feelings, socializing with friends
and even celebrities etc. Things like status updates, sometimes just checking in with
friends at some places, or say a few lines about feelings at a particular moment etc., have
become part of everyday life, while comments and likes are expected in return as an
indication of popularity.
apps
Hong Kong
FORMATION OF ‘NETIZEN’ SUBCULTURES
This ‘netizen’ subculture is all about being yourself, being brave and voicing out loud
one’s own thoughts against societal issues and phenomena in a creative, resonating or
hilarious way through text, images or other formats. Creative and gimmicky posts tend to
catch attention and be forwarded to friends, widely generating strong buzz and talking
points.
One of the most popular forums in Hong Kong, 高登 (www.forum.hk.golden.com),
netizens are famous for being innovative and humorous in expressing ideas beyond plain
text. Ideas could be expressed through re-writing lyrics of songs or photoshop-ing
pictures. New posts / topics are often fast, witty, instant and entertaining. This explains
the popularity of the forum among youth.
IDOLS / CELEBRITIES FROM TAIWAN, KOREA AND JAPAN ROCK!
Taiwan : Lollipop, F, FIR, May Day, Yoga Lin Korea : 2pm, Super Junior, 2ne1
Japan : AKB48 Hong Kong: Pakho Chau, Meg Lam
Netizens
Philippines
Kenya
Our turn to eat
Kenya
Image conscious through and through: While there is a growing middle class, there is an
even bigger ‘wannabe’ (lower- middle) class. Young men who will spend everything they
have to impress their friend and girlfriends. They will rent a smart car for the weekend
just to drive it around, or take out a loan to buy a plasma TV to show they have made it. It
doesn’t matter that they have huge debt; appearance is everything.
WHAT IS HOT
·
Conspicuous spending is big on clothes, gadgets, wine and lifestyle.
·
Scouring second hand clothing markets for designer items or distinctive pieces.
·
Living off “rich” women who are successful yet complaining about
the emasculation of their roles.
·
Talking to each other on the mobile is still more common than connecting via
Internet or texting because of cost and access. Smartphones are aspirational.
·
IT and small business start-ups are popular as they are seen as the way to make
it big quickly.
Digital Connectivity
·
Like everywhere else, mobile communication is their world; their oxygen. Being
connected, feeling like you belong is even more critical as the family ties and tribal
unit becomes less relevant — although still important.
·
Facebook is the common currency and twitter is on the rise.
Sport
·
Football is another kind of religion in Kenya — common language
for men and women; it is a way for them to express emotions and feelings
of togetherness, excitement, and in safety.
WHAT IS NOT HOT?
·
Discovering their feminine side — neither men nor the women like the idea of
new age man. Homosexuality is not out in the open or discussed.
·
Banking’s no longer an aspirational professional because it doesn’t pay well
and is seen to be boring and repetitive. A career in IT, media is what is now cool.
THEIR IDOLS
Anyone who has made it, e.g., rich, successful and well known. Their idols represent the
kind of life they would like to lead and they also draw inspiration from them.
Money
Big Spenders!
Kenya
PASSION POINTS
One word to describe them is Hungry; they feel it is their turn to reap the rewards and
riches of the country riding the wave of the African renaissance. They want success,
money, lifestyle and the freedom to do what they please and live the life they choose.
ASPIRATIONS AND VALUES
They want it all and believe they can have it all; they are materialistic, ambitious and
willing to do whatever it takes to get there:’ whoever has more toys wins”
As a country they are leading the East African renaissance and have always been the
more ‘developed’. This is evidenced in their proud exterior — Kenyan’s are cool, standoffish versus their other African counterparts. They like to put on a “proper exterior”. They
will adjust their sense of dress for the occasion and attend church every Sunday with their
families. Getting married and having kids is a mainstream aspiration and a way to be seen
to be more “grown up’ and more credible in the eyes of others.
Priest by day and Playboy by night — Compensatory behaviour: At the same time, at
night they will live it up indulging in booze, cigarettes and women with no moral or
internal dilemma or guilt. Others might see this as hypocrisy or living two lives — it is
what they believe to be normal and the way to get ahead. Sex is still taboo except when
mixing with “prostitutes” which is commonplace and accepted as men being men.
Education : Still highly valued as the best way to get ahead. Getting a “Masters or two” is
now the norm making those with only an undergraduate feel inferior. Valued more for the
credibility and respect it bestows on the student than from the value of learning for
learning’s sake.
Hussling. Money means everything : It is not uncommon for a young man to have an
office job and then to be selling a car or tickets on the side to make more money for him
to fund a better lifestyle. Money buys everything in Kenya. Access, privilege and the
lifestyle that follows so their passions are often whatever can make them money.
Money allows you to “get away with anything”. Credit use is on the rise although still very
small. M-Pesa is the mobile bank account of Kenya.
More Toys
Thailand
The best of the worst
Thailand
PASSION POINTS
They feel that today, education is important. They believe that good education will
lead to a secure well paying job and as a result a secure future. This is also why they strive
to match their parents’ expectations for honours & distinctions at school.
Money as a result is a driver too. They spend their time during the weekends trying to
come up with new business ideas or take vocational courses such as cooking courses that
may be useful for the future. Many have also attended MLM seminar as they are hoping
this would somehow add some extra money to their pocket.
A lot of youngsters wish their hobbies could become sources of income; such as taking a
Tae Kwan Do course to become a part of the national Tae Kwan Do team in SEA games, or
a guitar course and to become professional guitarist or football to become football
player playing in a decent club with good pay.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
A more western outlook in doing things is more acceptable at this age. Living-in is becoming more and more common. Also, they are getting more and more open about sex; having
sex with their girlfriends or even with strangers is no longer hushed or frowned up. This is a
big change from when they were in high school, where people kept such encounters under
wraps or were just plain scared of it.
The latest fashion in town is to look more like Koreans (Korea being the hub of trends for
the Thai youth) – it is permissible to undergo cosmetic surgeries for the same reasons.
Homosexuality is acceptable as long as friends are ‘forewarned‘. It is ok to be gay as
long as the straight guys in the friends circle are not hit on. Gay members are more
comfortable coming out nowadays and it is common to have at least one gay friend in
your friend circle.
footballNip-Tucks
Thailand
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
Prime Minister Yingluck : Country’s first lady Prime Minister. She has no experience in
politics but it’s exciting to have a young, good looking female as a country leader.
iPad 2 : Besides it’s classy look and better mobility with 3G, it has become a rage among
the youth
Planking, Pubbeab : taking photos of themselves lying down in many different place. It’s
awkward but cool. It catches people’s attention, especially among their friends.
AKB48 : A girl idol group from Japan. They are cute and extremely attractive.
Ukulele : it’s a Hawaiian guitar. It’s a small 4 stringed guitar that is cute and fashionable.
Many do not really play it but own it to attract the opposite sex.
Indie music – The taste of music has changed from something that’s very emo or
aggressive to something more soothing and relaxing e.g., Thaitanium, Clash, Kala,
Potato, Retrospect, Singular, Room 39, and 25 Hours.
Thailand Premier League : The rush of the game continues to grow as the competition
has become more exciting and dynamic. Many teams spent lots of money on international players, the highlights are players like Robbie Fowler, a former English Premier
League who is now with Muangthong United. Moreover, many big teams such as Burirum
PEA and Cholburi have transferred many skillful players and are now topping the table.
Mark Zuckerberg : Made more famous by the movie, the Social Network. The film has
inspired many to get rich quick.
WhatsApp : connecting with friends through whatsapp is much better as sms is now
cost effective and it works on popular platforms like blackberry and iOS.
AKB-48
Thailand
DSLR camera : the price of DSLR is much more affordable now. Photography is now a
popular hobby though most get into it to impress friends or the opposite sex.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
Wii : it’s no longer exciting to play with it. Wii is looked upon as a toy for little kids or older
people who need exercise. Also, there is no exciting game coming out from Wii.
Justin Bieber – Too much of him on the TV and on the internet, it’s boring and highly
irritating.
Chuwit Kamolvisit : Chuwit lost his popularity after he became the representative after
the elections. He is no longer fun and exciting to listen to and no longer carries the
determination to expose corruption.
Lomo Camera – it needs film and it’s expensive. It’s difficult to use and most photographers prefer photoshop and digital cameras over these nowadays
Thai national football team : for all the hype, they lost out in the very first round of the
championships. Though they now have qualified for the olympics, their form is well below
par
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
The youth use social media as the portal to connect with their close friends through
multiple devices. They use it as more like a meeting note or to discuss or express their
thought on the interests which their group have in common. In contrast, they do not
post about each individual but their whole group becasue social media is all about them
and their friends rather than themselves.
Thailand
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE THEM
They see themselves as the best of the worst. They appreciate what their parents have
done for them. However, there’s a fear that they may not be good enough to cope with all
the changes that came with the present economic uncertainity and increased competition. What’s important to them is, they are willing to improve themselves for it. On the
other hand, when they look at the next generation, they feel it is sad. The younger
generation are turning out in their opinion to be extremely lazy and markedly selfish.
THEIR IDOLS
Pe Aruk (Artist) as a change from Toon Bodyslam. Pe is a guitarist, an actor and a
composer. He is rather cool as described by most young women.
Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid coach) - Mourinho has been working hard to overhaul
Barcelona with fantastic results.
Tun Oishi (businessman) - the perception toward him has changed. In the past he was
known for his venture, Oishi Green Tea. Lately, they admire him because even as his
factory was flooded and cash was hard to come by, he donated money to help the flood
victims.
Mourinho
Pe Aruk
Ghana
Continuously seeking to be at
par with their Western counterparts
Call it trendy, fun or ecstatic, you are sure to find young male adults in Ghana
pump up their hands and shove their feet enthusiastically in ecstatic obedience
to the lyrics and rhythm of this song. Whichever way, it is apparent that life for the
young has changed-and perhaps has become more fun. From entertainment to
education and culture to career, life has evolved.
Ghana
THIS YEAR’S TALK-OF-THE-TOWN
Each new year is ushered in with great fanfare, ear-deafening fireworks, renewed hopes for
unmet ambitions, and for a few others, sanctimonious religious thanksgivings. The year 2011
was not different. Adam’s Apple, Sparrows Production’s eleven-tier series of movies has
certainly charmed movie fanatics, a segment largely populated by young male youth. Simarly,
the Azonto dance — a neo-generation kind of step-to-the-rhythm dance which evolved
around midyear inspired a lot of young people to hit back at the dance battleground. The
pubs, radio stations, night clubs, and golden beach resorts have not been able to resist this
overwhelming Azonto season.
Ghanaians are generally football lovers. That explains why the Champions league final
between Barcelona FC and Manchester United — two of the most popular football clubs in
Ghana-stirred such another thrilling season in the country. Although all Barca fans had the
last laugh after demolishing their English opponents, 3-1, it was a season where most young
male adults clad in their jerseys and trooped to various match centers to support their teams.
The belief in the assertion of a man providing the biological and physiological needs (as
categorized by Abraham Maslow) is very strong in Ghana. However, when growing up he finds
way(s) which will enable him to fulfill this. Undoubtedly, education is a key option to other
alternatives. It’s a good reason why Ghana’s new admission system was met with rave
appreciation. Also the large and multi-faceted shopping malls have become the social hub of
for many young male adults; their Fridays and Saturdays are usually spent hanging out there
with friends.
NOT SO THE TALK-OF-TOWN
Former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor was a joint-recipient of the 2011 World
Food Prize for his personal commitment and visionary leadership while serving as the president of Ghana. His policies helped alleviate hunger and poverty. Although the award was met
with national applause, the young male adult only blinked in response, rather looking forward
to better national opportunities the are looking towards personal prosperity.
A
new
admission
Ghana
“What a shock!”, “The Star-Spangled Banner”, and “We Are the Champions” were sang by
many after President Barrack Obama declared on May 2, 2011 that “justice has been
done.” This was in relation to the slain (by the U.S Forces) Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11 terror attacks that killed thousands of people in the
United States. To the Ghanaian male youth, whether Osama is dead or Obama is alive, he
cares less; perhaps he is waiting for events which will have immediate impact on his life.
Plus, the Ghanaian male youth was not so intrigued by the reading of the nation’s budget
for the next year by the Finance Minister on November 16, 2011.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY
Nowhere in history has young lives been so digitally interwoven around social media.
Whether it’s via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, or LinkedIn, the youth now have
endless and more exciting ways to express themselves. Facebook users in Ghana have
increased with nearly 100,000 new sign ups yearly since 2008 — a rise which is anticipated to soar considerably due to the influx of mobile applications for social media sites
vis-à-vis the flourishing country’s mobile penetration rate. At the heart of this drive are
the young male adults. They have become more IT-oriented, continuously seeking to be
at par with their Western counterparts in terms of information technology and
networking with colleagues from around the globe. This is also true for the virtual world.
Today, they spend most of their time on social media websites connecting with people,
chatting, sharing photos, passing on trendy videos, catching up with the latest celebrity
gossips, following the news as it breaks, reading blogs, contributing reviews, and so much
more.
INTERESTING CULTURAL & SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
With the influx of the western culture and societal change, the male Ghanaian youth
considers the long afro hair cut and wearing of baggy jeans “fit my thighs — and
leave my legs” old fashioned. Amazingly, some prefer to wear tight or “skinny jeans” —
an attire which was initially regarded not only as reserved for ladies, but also outmoded.
From “Fast-Track court”, through to “Fast Foods”, the Ghanaian youth has set for themselves a lifestyle tagged “Fast-Track”-and even their pop-culture rap music, Hiplife, has
this fast twist. They probably seem to care less about the antique ‘timing of God’ for
success in life.
Hiplife
Fa
Malaysia
Curious. The fuel of rebellious soul,
the vigor and spirit, the journey to find
their own identity.
Malaysia
INTERESTING CULTURAL & SOCIAL PASSION POINTS
Football, movies and music are the main form of self expression. Gadgets, MMORPG are
the talk of the town, so you need to be a part of it if you want to be in the circle.
Malaysian football industry is on the rise after several impressive performances
throughout the year. One of the highlights of the year was when Malaysia won against
Indonesia in football final SEA games 2011 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. Liverpool
visited Malaysia as part of their Asia Tour. There was one incident where one Manchester
supporter was spotted wearing a MU jersey during the match. Luckily Malaysians are still
in control. We lost to Liverpool but it was a good chance to see your favorite team.
Facebook and Twitter has replaced the text messaging system. It is a compulsory to have
these 2 accounts to communicate with your peers and friends as all are online 24/7.
So if you’re not with it then you’re out of the loop. And the youth are definitely the
expert users when it comes to social media and it can be proven that they are the largest
group using Facebook in Malaysia.
Khairul Famhi Che Mat : First Malaysia goal keeper, under-23 captain and emerged as
the national hero after a heroic performance in SEA games 2011. He has become a
pivotal figure behind the sticks and kept the sheet clean numerous times for Malaysia. In
the SEA game 2011 which is held in Indonesia, Khairul gave another outstanding performance by making numerous saves including 3 brilliant penalty saves. He was Malaysia's
heroes at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta at the SEA Game’s final match helping
the Malaysian Tigers retain their SEA Games football gold medal in a 4-3 penalty
shootout victory over hosts Indonesia.
football
Khairul
Malaysia
2011 WAS NOT HOT BECAUSE
Politics shakedown : The year 2011 witnessed a string of peculiar events such as the
capital lockdown on July 9th due to Bersih 2.0 rally.
In June 2011, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ordered the
blocking of several websites including The Pirate Bay and several file-hosting websites, as
well as peer-to-peer traffic. This led to the creation of a new Facebook page, "1M Malaysians Don't Want SKMM Block File Sharing Website" which gained many likes and
eventually there was an assault on government portals by hackers.
Simoncelli RIP : MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli died of injuries sustained in a crash
that resulted in the cancellation of the Malaysian MotoGP. This left a bitter taste for
MotoGP followers.
Chrome : Mozilla is yesterday’s news. Nowadays, we have Google chrome. Much lighter,
faster and user friendly. Nowadays, wedding invitations, organizing events, festive
e-cards are done online. It’s either you are in it, or you are out of the circle. To keep up
with the pace, social network websites have become a necessity. The smartphones
platform i.e. BB, iPhones are widely used for communication purposes not just “to look
cool”.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
The youth are exposed to human rights and now they are a voice to be reckoned with.
This can be seen from the buzz in social media after Bersih rally. It is also interesting to
note that the language being used in the daily communication has been influenced by
the social media language. Short-forms and acronyms become the language of today.
MOTOGP
Indonesia
No adult responisbility
They recieve news & thoughts,
digest it and spit it right back
Indonesia
PASSION POINTS
Twitter, blog, videogames, books, Indonesian pop culture & politics, Indonesian celebrities
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
Indonesian soccer : The national soccer team is youth’s new sweetheart. Also known as
“The Garuda Team”, repeated recent wins against foreign teams raised the team to a new
idol level. The team somehow instills a renewed pride of Indonesia, at the same time
uniting people of diverse backgrounds. Youth worship them like heroes.
Girlband : After a few years of Korean pop culture craze (in particular the boy/girlband
phenomenon), this year Indonesia starts their own boy/girlband trend. Started slowly
with a couple of “bands”, suddenly we see the mushrooming of new boybands and
girlbands. There is even a reality show now hunting for the next popular stars.
Fixie Bikes : Fixed gear bicycles (known as a “fixie”) gained popularity since last year.
Despite its dangerous design (fixies do not come with brakes), the minimalist yet colorful
look steals many a youth’s heart. Having (and flaunting) it on Sunday morning is a ticket
to the ‘cool crowd’.
Communities : Recent years have seen explosion of (youth) communities, many were
facilitated by social media like Twitter/Facebook. Communities encompass a wide array
of interests — from scooter, reading, to social/environmental issues (Gardening Jakarta is
a community of volunteers who turn idle lands into gardens).
Fixies
K-Pop
football
Indonesia
Indonesia Mengajar : (Teaching Indonesia) is a great initiative by Anies Baswedan (Rector
of Paramadina University). Realizing the lack of qualified teachers for remote areas in
Indonesia, Mr. Baswedan engaged top graduates from reputable universities for one-year
teaching enagagement in remote rural Indonesian areas. The temp teachers are wellpaid as incentive. This movement has received warm public reception.
Gadgets : The tablet is getting popular, along with smartphones (Android, BlackBerries,
iPhones). Thanks to the strengthening Rupiah currency, gadgets become more affordable. Even those who cannot afford popular brands can still get less expensive Chinesemade gadgets (not necessarily of lesser quality). Last Friday there was a not-so funny
incident when crowds trying to get the latest BlackBerry at half price (only for the first
1000 people) ended with 90 pass-outs and one broken-arm.
Stand-up comedy Indonesia : A few visionary youth try to create a new school of
comedy — stand-up comedy. From limited audience in cafés and lounges, it gets the
attention of major TV Studios and becomes a regular television show.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
Indonesia won in SEA Games, but lost in Soccer. Although Indonesia is the undisputed
winner in SEA Games, its victory was tarnished with the loss of the soccer finale to
Malaysia (by penalty shootouts). Since soccer is the biggest sport in Indonesia, losing it
means one’s victory is not ‘complete’.
The Notorious Jambul (Quiff) : Famous Indonesian singer Syahrini stole the limelight
when she became the only local celebrity to greet David Beckham in Indonesia. Which
then continued to dinner and a private party, to millions of Indonesian women’s irritation.
At the airport, she sported a humongous quaff — self-named ‘The Equatorial Quiff’
(Jambul). The quaff has been the butt of jokes of many Indonesians recently.
Mengajar
iPhone
Stand-up
Indonesia
Indonesian politicians, in general : The president, the people’s representatives, and
politicians in general have received a bad rap this year for endless scandals, corruptions,
and mismanagements of the country. Despite fantastic economic growth, many youth
feel there isn’t serious work on law and justice.
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Somebody will fall into a hole soon : Go to any major malls in Jakarta and other big
cities, and you will see many young people fixated on their mobile phones — even as they
WALK. Digital lifestyle is spreading fast in major cities, led by smartphones. In Indonesia,
the smartphone is not about productivity, but rather for connectivity. People enjoy the
BlackBerry Messenger to keep in touch with friends and share gossip. Facebook and
Twitter applications are also the most used apps.
Spreading trends/gossip : With the proliferation of social media, news travels at the
speed of light, and sometimes false rumors wreak damage before official sources can
clarify. Citizen journalism is also becoming powerful, with live witnesses reporting
incidents on social media before other media houses can catch-up.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
More connected through technology : Now internet-enabled and social media mobile
phones allow broader connectivity among strangers. This results in a completely new
ecology of minds, where new streams of ideas, thoughts, philosophies can invade one’s
mind through their mobile phones.
THEIR IDOLS
Irvan Bachdim and other National soccer team : The rise of the national soccer team
resulted in a new cohort of youth celebrities. Irvan Bachdim became the lead hero
(interesting because of full tattooed body is not yet acceptable by majority Muslim
society), and also other players receive the same limelight.
Anies Baswedan : Young, intelligent, rector of a reputable university, and the initiator of
Teach Indonesia, Anies Baswedan became popular among the students. Many say that he
could be a contender in the next presidential election, if not the one after.
talk to strangers
Philippines
Adventerous, restless
Philippines
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
Proud to be Filipino (Pinoy) The year 2011 sowed the seeds to a “Proud to be Pinoy
(Filipino)” mentality, which has become even more intensified for the year 2012. This is
marked by an upsurge in interest and pride in the achievements of Filipino international
celebrities, as well as the beautiful natural landscape / tourist spots in the Philippines.
This has been a huge paradigm shift. Philippines was colonized for a good 4 centuries
(1500s to late 1800s) by Western (Americans, Spanish) and Oriental (Japanese) world
powers — which has had the effect of practically wiping out traces of native culture in
pop culture and relegating it to archives/textbooks. Until recently, Filipinos consider
American culture as the “gold standard” for everything — from fashion to movies;
from education to lifestyle / dining. Some sociologists even have a label for this —
“Inferiority Complex”.
There are three (3) factors that drove this shift:
·
Global excellence — There are several Filipinos that have gained international
prominence in the fields of sports and singing — such as Manny Pacquiao (the only 8
division world champion in boxing history); Charice Pempengco (internationally
renowned singer discovered by Oprah and heavily promoted Ellen Degeneres); Apol D’
Yap who is part of the popular band Black Eyed Peas. This has the effect of raising the
hopes and esteem of Filipinos — that they too can achieve global renown and success if
they put their minds and hearts onto a certain goal
·
“It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign — The latter half of 2011 saw a
multi-awarded advertising agency guru head Department of Tourism, which eventually
led to the creation of the ”It’s more Fun in the Philippines” campaign. The campaign was
launched in various media and became one of the most talked-about in the social media
spheres (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube). Filipinos even created their own versions of this
campaign which they shared with their friends in Social Media — clearly, the campaign
has created a strong sense of pride in the natural beauty of the Philippines and led
Filipinos to strongly advocate foreign friends to visit the country.
Apol
Philippines
·
Social media — Filipinos are one of the early adopters of social media such as
Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, and this has given them a vehicle to be updated on
what’s happening (what’s hot, what’s not in the world of pop culture) and to discuss their
interests on local culture / politics on a massive scale — which is not possible with less
interactive media such as TV and radio. They now have a venue to share their national
pride with fellow Filipinos. During Manny Pacquiao fights, the world stops. Very few cars
are on the road, and everybody is on Twitter/Facebook sharing their pride, thoughts on
the fight, and showing their support for their ‘superstar’ countryman.
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Digital media has become the vehicle for Filipinos to share and express “repressed
national pride”, which had been kept latent with the “un-interactive” traditional media.
This is the first time that an ordinary “Pinoy” has the courage to express national pride
anonymously — without fear of being branded as “uncool” or “mushy”. Prior to the
digital age, he only played a passive role in the cultural formation — he was only on the
receiving end of the “culture” created and enforced by others. Without any exaggeration, Social media can be rightly called the “Great Equalizer”. Now, poor Filipinos who has
access to the internet (in internet cafes or via mobile phones) has an equal opportunity
to learn/be updated, create, and share views, with his richer countrymen.
Hence, the rise of digital creation or ‘co-creation’. Filipinos created their version of “It’s
more Fun in the Philippines” through Facebook and other social media sites — in their bid
to support the Department of tourism to promote Philippines as a tourist destination.
These online contributions bear the hallmarks of cultural Filipino penchant for fun /
laughs as well as swelling pride.
It has been a well-known fact that some Filipino celebrities have been discovered through
YouTube. Charice Pempengco is one example — she used the video-sharing site to
showcase her vocal prowess, and this eventually led to the discovery and promotion by
Oprah and Ellen Degeneres (famous American TV hosts).
twitter
k-pop
Philippines
Social media has also become a vehicle for showcasing talents in the global stage.
Charice has been singing in local and international competitions which have more
“limited” reach; and it is her YouTube “audition” which eventually led to her global
prominence.
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
2011 was the year of Self-Expression/Empowerment — which is possibly made more
pronounced / an effect of swelling national pride and ‘mass distributed’ via Social /
Digital Media. Therefore, things involved with Self-Expression are what’s hot:
·
Fashion experimentation try out different fashion accessories and right ‘color’ mixes.
Try to experiment using caps, shawls, layered dressing, colorful rubber shoes that suit
their mood for the moment. Some young adults also have big Korean influences in
everything — from fashion/haircut to dances/songs
·
Rich, multisensorial experience young adults are open to trying out interesting food
and beverages that offer exciting, multi-sensorial experience. This explains the surge in
popularity of bubble/milk tea which offers them rich taste and texture (through pearls
and jellies). They also go to more immersive movie experience through 3D and Imax. And
the preference is for ice cream that offer multi-sensorial experience (thick syrup; real
chunks of chocolate, fruits, almonds) has become a huge hit.
·
Korean invasion Young adults are increasingly riding the South Korean pop culture
with much gusto, and this is driven by love for Korean dramas / telenovelas and the
sudden popularity of Sandara Parks. Sandara is a South Korean who honed her acting /
singing skills in the Philippines and is now part of an extremely popular girl band. Sandara
made occasional reference to her good experiences in the Philippines — which swelled up
national pride even more.
·
Football fever again, this is an offshoot of Filipino pride. Filipinos used to have no
interest in football as this sport was not heavily promoted. Filipinos were more enamored
towards basketball and billiards which are American influences. However, some sports
officials created a heavily marketed / advertised team called the Azkals who performed
decently against regional heavyweights Indonesia and Vietnam.
Azkals
fashion
Philippines
Filipinos felt that they can compete well in Football and that the country had a good
chance of gaining regional prominence from this sport.
·
Rising political involvement — They hear government’s more aggressive ‘anti-
corruption’ stance and they now follow political events more keenly (more recently, the
impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice). Social media has a big role to play as they
can now follow the political events and comment anonymously — which is not possible
previously.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
·
Fanatic Americanism Not cool to be fanatical about USA, which also happened to
experience recession/financial crisis. Now, American movies and songs are competing for
attention against Korean and Filipino movies and songs. Filipinos realized that they can
also look for pop culture ‘inspiration’ elsewhere — most notably Koreans.
·
Basketball Following of professional basketball has declined and suffered as Filipinos
realized they have hopes of better excelling in other sports such as football and boxing.
They realized that Filipinos can’t compete well in basketball as they are much shorter
than Americans or even Chinese.
·
Corruption Filipinos now hear of corrupt politicians more quickly in various social
media. They have become more politicized and involved in the country’s state of affairs,
and it is very uncool now to see politicians flaunting their wealth — especially if it is
ill-gotten.
THEIR IDOLS
Filipinos hold high regard for people, especially Filipinos, who have succeeded in the
international arena against all odds. They have come to symbolize hope — that success
can be achieved by sheer hard work and determination, and Filipinos are not just a
passive observer but potentially a mover in the global stage:
·
Filipinos who made it big internationally: Manny Pacquiao, Charice, Apol D’Yap (a
member of the popular American band Black Eyed Peas); Phil Younghusband a
good-looking Filipino-British who popularized the sport of football
·
South Korean singers and bands such as Big Bang and Super Junior who have
achieved massive popularity globally
Sandara
CorruptionFootball
Nigeria
People at the crossroads of life
Nigeria
PASSION POINTS
The Nigerian youths account for over 60% of the population, specifically male youth age
18-24 constitute about 33% of the total population that is about 55 million people. By
virtue of their energy level they are expectedly very active, very visible and highly mobile.
They are called the people at the crossroad because a person’s future is a product of how
his critical youth years are managed.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
The attitude of the Nigerian (male) young lad is largely formed by a media-driven culture
and the result of the proliferation of film, television, other forms of media, as well as
information and communication technologies and the internet. The reality of this
emergent culture is evident in changing youth values, habits, preferences, attitudes,
worldviews and personal views.
The impact so far of the global youth culture on Nigerian male youths is most obvious in
their preferred fashion, movies and music. Youths even in rural areas are abandoning
traditional dress in favour of European and American fashion. Many also prefer American
movies and music. The local community with its communal lifestyle, and influence on an
individual’s identity, is gradually losing its grip on the male youth.
Aside from this development, the past few years have also witnessed a mini renaissance
in the love of popular trends in art, Naija rap and pop music with established and
emerging stars like 2face Idibia, 9ice, Ay, Wande Cole, Banky W and Whiz kid’s music
as their anthem , while movie stars like Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde,
Mercy Johnson , Bukky Wright , Jim Iyke, Bob Maanuel Udoukwu, Ramsey Noah are
their fashion reference or benchmark.
Naija Rap
2face Idibia
Banky
Nigeria
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
Most of the boyz are Premiership drunk, there are arguably more Manchester United
supporters in Nigeria then in the United Kingdom, The Blues (Chelsea Football Club)
Liverpool Football Club, Arsenal Football Club and lately Manchester City Football Club
can also boast of large following in the country. Barcelona , AC Milan , Inter Milan , Real
Madrid, etc., are more popular amongst the male adult 18-21 than the Super Eagles; The
National Nigeria team, which they have sarcastically dubbed the super chickens! Occasional fights amongst supporters of these clubs are a normal occurrence in the major
cities in Nigeria.
Socialization amongst the youths is no longer limited to traditional platforms such as
family, religion and school. Youth themselves are now agents of their own socialization.
They create and/or form part of online social communities and networks involving other
youths with whom they have varied or shared interests, values, and worldviews. This is
enhancing greater intercultural communication and dialogue, and consequently, narrowing gaps of understanding.
Majority of the 45 million Nigerians that use the internet daily are young Nigerian male
and females. Just like their peers globally they frequent facebook, YouTube, My Space,
Flicker, Linkedin and Twitter is becoming popular. The typical male youth 18-21 would like
to have at his beck and call the following techno toys like- The iPod, iPad, smartphone
with camera, video, heavy gigabytes, easy net connection and mobile TV service. His
phone is fast becoming a platform for the convergence of work, play, sporting, educational and other recreational activities. No wonder most can’t leave home without their
mobile phone.
THE YAHOO YAHOO BOYZ
Urban (male) youths in Nigeria are also growing in global consciousness. They have more
access to TV, radio, other communication and information devices and the internet than
their rural counterparts do. However, factors like poverty, poor power supply, expen-
Ma
nU
yahoo yahooiPad
sive and slow internet services, limit them.
Nigeria
Moreover, the mistrust on Nigerians due to bad image abroad, is a huge limitation to a
full participation of Nigerian youths in global discussions, webinars, etc as they are often
subject to rigorous probes, or denied access to certain networks and opportunities. The
young male adult 18-21 years are usually the major suspect. Some see correction as
disturbance since they have access to update information on most subjects, they would
like to do their own things and many, make a career out of what they love and crave, the
attention of others, by trying to stand out in the crowd. Most of them don’t understand
the concept of working under pressure and would generally like working at their own pace
even if this pace may have some negative implication. Finally some love being seen as
trendsetters by their peers and pals.
Nigerian Culture : An endangered species with high resilience. African (Nigerian)
cultures are, however, not likely to be completely replaced by the new global culture.
There appears to be a growing appreciation of certain aspects of local cultures and
traditions even among youths. The government, some organizations and individuals
promote things like native fashion, food, traditional medicine, native language, traditional entertainment, etc. Thus, despite their love for Western fashion, movies, and music
many Nigerian youths do appreciate and encourage the unique Nigerian popular music
(mostly in Nigerian pidgin English), and still follow fashion trends in native wears which
they prefer for religious and social occasions.
BOTTOM LINE
Though there is a growing global awareness among them, community and regional
outlook have the most influence on Nigerian male youths rather than global networks.
Moreover, religion still has a strong hold on them and still contributes in shaping their
morality. Thus, though the effect of the global youth culture is minimal compared to
youths of other societies, most Nigerian male youths would feel part of the new global
culture.
The real thing
South Korea
South Korea
PASSION POINTS
As of the first quarter of 2011, the OECD employment outlook of 2011 reported that the
Korean labor market has resurged and the employment rate has returned to the close
level before the great recession in 2008 and 2009. However, the employment rate of
young people was decreased by 5.4 percent. In addition, the dim job prospects for youth
and new graduates have pushed the youth into “the intense preparation for getting their
job from the early stage of youth”. Given this situation, seeking a job has became one of
the biggest concerns or things that college students would do passionately.
In preparation for getting their job, they tend to focus more on language and leadership
and mastering office related software skills, that can add to their competency in the job
market.
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
Smartphones have evolved so quickly and still the evolution continues. They are getting
more functional and now close to the function of a laptop PC or desktop PC.
Smartphones have started to replace MP3 players, television and digital cameras. In
addition, They are easy to carry. Among the many advantages that Smartphones
provide, the biggest appeal to youth is that they can enjoy their digital life even on the
go — beyond their static digital life via PC.
Digital devices have become important tools for the daily life of youth and smartphones
are helping them enjoy their necessary digital life more freely without the limitation
of space and time. They share their ideas every minute with their friends through social
networking sites such as Twitter or Kakao Talk chatting service. They search for information wherever they want and whenever.
Metrosexuals
South Korea
For example, young peope can get the schedule of public transportation to any place, and
at any time by using the Smartphone application. Smartphones are not optional accessories anymore among youth; they are a necessity.
NEW BALANCE SHOES
Three years ago, E-Land Group acquired the license of the sales rights for total sports
fashion brand New Balance. Since then, sales have been up and up each year. E-Land
marketing manager said they raised their sales goal from one hundred nine million
dollars to one hundred eighteen dollars last year and they set a sales goal twice higher
than actual sales for the last year. The E-Land manager emphasized that the rapid sales
growth was because of the popularity of the New Balance brand among youth.
The main driver for this success among youth seems that New Balance shoes understand young emotions very well. They are colorful, but sophisticated. They don’t look
just like sports shoes. They are well suited for semi-formal dress. The colorful and
sophisticated design also follows metrosexual trend, so the shoes seem to be appealing
especially to the young guys who do not think that masculinity no longer a virtue among
men. All of these reasons contributed to New Balance shoes becoming a hot item among
young males in 2011.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
Disappearing gender boundary : In 2011 gender-based products are getting less and
less popular. They tend to be replaced by cross-sexual products; the new male population
tends to take care of their skin and health. Even they tend to have interest in more
feminine hobbies. Actors who macho up are considered old fashioned and they tend to
be less popular among youth. For the youth, masculinity is not a virtue anymore in
Korea.
Smartphones
South Korea
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Production of ‘Tell-all Generation’ Digital and social media seem to be used as the
outlet for the youth to tell everything. In the past, hiding personal life was considered
being humble, but nowadays, especially among young youth, hiding their personal life is
not considered being humble any more. Rather, they are very passionate about showing
off their ideas and talking. For this, they are proactively utilizing the digital and social
media. Further, the things that they are showing and saying on Facebook tend to be
even emotional things beyond simple facts or ideas. Increasingly we are seeing the
youth open up and write about their private lives
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
In the past, in general, politics was not the object of interest among young males.
However, youth are interested in politics nowadays. This may have been caused by the
difficult job market. These interests tend to spread rapidly by the digital and social media
which are the main outlets for the communication among the youth. Interestingly, in
reflecting this trend, keen satire on politics is produced more than ever before and
getting more and more popular among young youth. For example, ‘I am sneaky’ created
by a publisher of an online newspaper, which satirizes the candidate of conservative
party, has become tremendously popular among young people.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE THEM AND WHY
Exploration; the youth are exploring their own life values continuously. Social norms in
Korea have been changed rapidly and have led to some confusion among youngsters in
terms of how to live a life, such as what values should they pursue in their life or what job
do they have to have?
Facebook
South Korea
That confusion seems to be getting worse together with the expected dark job
market. In addition, the speedy adoption of online media helped them to expand their
desire in various ways.
THEIR IDOLS
In the past, they blindly exuberated in superficial beauty and image that were made by
media and entertainment. Although girls with pretty faces and sharp performance skills
have dominated youth culture for many years and they are still popular among male
youth, things changed with the popular program “I am Singer”. The format of this TV
music program was quite different. Interestingly, lip sync or fake singing was not allowed
in this program at all. Rather, participants had to compete with each other using their
own singing abilities. In every competition, the audience evaluated the performance of
each participating singer and the one who got the poor score was supposed to be
replaced by other singers. This program actually became a social issue and made the new
stars, who are really good at singing, successful regardless of their appearance. In
addition, youngsters showed the tendency to continuously talk with each other about
the value of this program.
Jim&thezergstell all
Big dreams temporarily held back
by commitments to the nation
Singapore
Singapore
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
18-21 year old males in Singapore are generally in the midst of their two years of mandatory national service. Frustrated at being stuck in the military regimen but unable to
do anything about it, these youth find their release in two ways:
1. Talking about it. Every national serviceman has a story to tell. They are often
entertaining, and usually exaggerated.
2. Thinking about their future and planning for it.
Youths generally feel that national service has robbed them of two years of their
prime. They were meant to enter their college years but instead had to enlist. This
motivates them to work harder for their future.
The second point is further aided by the fact that 18 is the legal age for drinking, smoking and driving in Singapore. This is the time when the youth start to experiment with
lifestyle choices. Learning to drive, starting to drink alcohol makes them feel like adults.
The sense of responsibility that they feel, mixed with the sense of confinement in the
military lead to a feeling of exasperation. Youths generally come out of this phase highly
motivated to work hard to make up for what they deem lost time.
Research suggests that in their free time, Singaporean youths enjoy traveling, spending
time with family and friends, and surfing the Internet.
Smartphone
National Service
gaga
youth without youth
Singapore
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
Singapore generally follows American trends. Popular American acts like Lady Gaga and
LMFAO have all been very hot. At the same time, Korean pop acts like Girls’ Generation
have gained a big following in Singapore.
Singapore went through a general election and a presidential election in 2011 and a
portion of the youth were extremely politically charged, especially the 21 year-olds as
they were allowed to vote.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
Justin Bieber usually draws a polarizing reaction. It is likely that slamming Bieber is a
way of fanning the machismo of these young men.
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is highly intertwined in the lives of 18-21 year old males. They are on social
networks almost all the time. They use their computers and smartphones to access them
(Singapore has a smartphone penetration of 87%). Facebook is universal (48.9%
penetration overall, far higher among 18-21 year old males), Twitter is prevalent (16%
penetration overall — 10th highest worldwide), Foursquare is catching on, Tumblr is not
uncommon. They use social media to maintain friendships and make new friendships.
Interestingly, during the elections, the youth used social media to discuss and propagate
their political views.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
Described as politically apathetic in the past, youths are now politically charged and
unabashed at voicing their opinion — a relatively recent phenomenon.
highly
LMFAO
Politics
Philippines
South Africa
Being my own person
South Africa
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
·
Social media is used to keep them in touch and up to date with the latest
“boy talk” (news, sports, music and girls)
·
Social media networks like Facebook have grown in popularity because they make it
easy to keep in touch with friends and family and are a cheaper way of doing this as
opposed to sending sms’s and calling
·
Smartphone applications like WhatsApp and BBM have made it easier for
youths to access social media networks and instant messaging
IDOLS
·
Boys internalize( keep it to themselves) who they admire as they are very wary of
telling their peers about admiring others — might make them seem “less of a man”
·
Sports idols are preferred because they give off a positive image and do good for
their community
·
Their idols are more likely linked with their dreams i.e, becoming a famous
soccer / rugby/ cricket player
·
They also look up to those who portray a positive image and have never let
them down in the eyes of the media
·
They are more inclined to look up to international stars because these
celebrities portray an image of living the good life and having all that they want
WORDS TO DESCRIBE THEM
Hip: someone who is in tune with everything that is happening
Trendy: someone who dresses well and keeps up with the latest fashion styles
Cool: someone who is fun to hang around with
Sick/Epic: something or someone extra-ordinary
Boy-talk
BBM
Lil’ Wayne
South Africa
PASSION POINTS
Individual, a good education, a sense of achievement. The average South African young
adult also likes to have a social standing. This means being part of a group and be able to
separate between work and a social life effectively.
ASPIRATIONS AND VALUES
Brands that deliver a promise : Brands such as Apple, Nokia, Lamborghini, Facebook,
Mini Cooper have high levels of desirability.
In the 90’s, race and related traditions were often left behind, but today’s youngsters
value keeping these ‘differences’ alive as part of their cultural identity, e.g. although my
family now lives in the suburbs I go back to the township on weekends to socialise and go
clubbing
Males today are more body conscious than ever before — rivaling girls at the same age.
They look after their bodies well because they have a certain image to uphold, they want
to look good amongst their peers and catch girls’ attention
Not HOT IN 2011...
·
Young males are wary of anything that is fake “fonk- kong” — it shows that the person
could not afford the latest brand but more importantly is that they aren't being authentic
with themselves (trying too hard to fit in)
·
But high priced status brands are not the only option for them, e.g. a discount chain
(Mr Price) is considered cool and an acceptable brand of clothing because it allows
for individualism. Boys would rather mix brands, wear a Mr Price top and
Guess™ jeans, creating their own style and ensuring that they don’t run out of options
·
Celebrities who do not live up to the expectations of what people know of them
(e.g. Jub Jub, a South African celebrity involved in a car racing accident that killed
4 youngsters in 2010)
Brands
BodyDifferences
Australia
Technology plays an important role in my
life and allows me to be connected to
friends, family and work no matter the
time of day or my location. More impor-
Impatient
tantly, this desire to be mobile has seen
me adopt a smartphone and a tablet as my
primary computer – I’m no longer tethered
to the desk.
Being social is also an important aspect of
my life and there’s nothing I like more than
seeing a band or heading to a bar or the
beach with friends.
Australia
Privacy : 2011 was also the year when privacy started to make headlines in Australia.
While it was a hot topic in the press, the truth is that young males don’t care and the
need to share and be social overrides the desire to keep things private. Photos, posts and
check-ins are all available to whoever wants to see them and that’s the way youth like it.
The privacy debate continues to be discussed by an older generation out of touch with
the young male.
Smartphones : Young males live active lives and don’t like to feel constricted to one
place. Smartphones, in particular from from Apple and Google, have this year even
further diminished the need for the traditional desktop computer as they have become
more capable and complete.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011
The news : 2011 was the year male youth stopped caring about the world around them.
Immediate social issues trumped world events and Kim Kardashian is now able to hold a
longer news cycle than important political, social and economic issues. Newspapers saw
further declines in sales as they were unable to attract younger audiences. Young males
are now more self-centred than ever — they only care about their immediate world.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
End of school tradition : In the past to mark the end of their high school schooling,
young Australians would head to the north of Australia for a week long party filled with
socialising, music and dancing. It was a rite of passage into freedom and age appropriate
drinking. 2011 showed a different trend with many young Australian boys instead
heading overseas for something much more meaningful.
This rite of passage is shifting from being one of alcohol and meaningless experiences to
a time for young people to try and experience something outside their world.
smart
Privacyphones!
Australia
PASSION POINTS
Being social : 2011 was a year where doing something alone was no longer fulfilling.
Every activity had to be documented in social media through the use of check-ins,
status updates and photos. This behaviour had two main drivers; envy and validation.
Creating envy among your peers by showing them the great fun activity you are
engaged in and validation that this activity is cool and unique.
Standing out : Being seen as different, unique and possessing a skill or talent above
others has become ever more important. Technology is the easiest way to stand out;
acquiring new phones and gadgets became the quickest way for young males to differentiate themselves from their peers. Despite this, social and communication skills
(particularly with women) have become highly sought after. A large gap now exists
between those who can communicate face to face and those who are more comfortable
with online communication.
Sport : Sport continued to be a socially acceptable way for men to express their
emotions; happiness, anger and sadness are all acceptable expressions in the context of
sport.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
Facebook : Facebook remains as relevant and cool as it was 3 years ago. Its popularity
increased and it is now fast becoming the young male’s primary source of news (both
from friends and the outside world).
The concept of “checking-in” to a venue was embraced in 2011 as a way to highlight the
great time you’re having. Additionally, sharing on a social network is now preferred for
young males as it is less personal than face to face and there is a perception that it is
easier to communicate online.
sport
facebook
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Australia
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE THEM
IMPATIENT – Young males want everything now and don’t understand why they have
to wait; they feel entitled. This want spans their entire lives: work, education, money
and material items. They want to be youthful but also have all the benefits of time and
experience without putting in the effort to get there.
THEIR IDOLS
Young male’s idols have now shifted dramatically in 2011. Whereas before idols were
celebrities or sporting stars, the young males idol is now himself. Turning yourself into
someone who appears popular and successful is the ultimate goal; leading rather than
emulating.
impatient
Philippines
India
“Main Bhi Online”
I am online too!
India
PASSION POINTS
Movies and music as eternal interests get a fillip by the growing retail and digital
expanse. Telecom continues to grow — now in value terms as smartphones become
common and arrival of 3G makes VAS more meaningful.
INTERESTING CULTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGING PARADIGMS
The youth know they have the power to change things around them. Demonstrated by
the Anti Corruption Movement, society getting on the streets and at the same time an
online world in which they find it easy to connect and voice opinions.
It is OK to have your parents on your Facebook.
ROLE OF DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Technology has never been an as much of an enabler as it was in the past year.
Mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, music players, laptops, net-books, etc., not only
act as status enhancers but more as everyday enablers. Digital and social media powered
by better connectivity and now 3G, provide just the platform needed to explore and
share. Online shopping, matrimony search and travel assistance are the most popular
uses of the internet after email and social media networking.
Technology has become a common thing in the average Indian’s life — and family. Like
the latest Microsoft campaign says, “It’s a great time to be family.”
Anna Hazare A 72-year old ex-army man who has spent his entire life in service to the
nation, become a household name when we joined hands with other like-minded civil
society members to form a non-political civil alliance to introduce an Anti-Graft Bill in
the Indian Parliament. He received unanimous support from a nation otherwise
divided by language, history, ideologies and leaders. His indefinite fast was broken on the
12th day when Members of Parliament agreed to a speedy discussion on introduction of
the bill.
Billionaire
India
WHAT’S BEEN HOT IN 2011
India’s Anti-Corruption movement by members of civil society supporting a an
Anti-Graft bill sought support from the youth and had millions of people on the streets
and fasting along with the AIC leader Anna Hazare.
Airtel’s ‘Friends’ campaign launched with the ad ‘Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hai’ (Each
friend is important) and became an anthem overnight. Facebook continues to be the
youth’s favourite ‘adda’ (hangout). All brands must have a Facebook strategy.
India hosted her first ever Formula 1 racing event. India won a cricket world cup after
almost 20 years — with a close final in Mumbai (headquarters of the BCCI and home
ground of Sachin Tendulkar). The victory was called a tribute to Indian legend Sachin
Tendulkar’s 20+ years in international cricket, as it was expected to be his last world cup.
Kolaveri Di Internet’s latest ‘rage’ is the promotional music video of a Tamil movie.
‘Kolaveri Di’ means murderous rage and has instantly connected Tamil with the rest of
India if not the world. Its cocktail-ish language (Tamil and English) along with simple and
easy lyrics make it a democratic anthem. It is a musical template for poetry of any kind —
and has already seen many adaptations by people to express themselves.
Entrepreneurship, Stories of young turks who made it on their own by their own unique
business ideas are frequent and common. This further fuels hope and confidence.
WHAT’S NOT BEEN HOT IN 2011 Ra.One : Called India’s response to SFX movies and heavily promoted by superstar
Shahrukh Khan, the movie was a failure as it could not live up to expectations of an
audience that has seen better stories and graphics in Hollywood.
Corruption : More and more politicians and bureaucrats are being investigated and
arrested in corruption-related scandals. Shoe-throwing, slapping, candlelight marches
and protests are used to vent anger.
cricket world cup
airtel
For further queries
Rakesh Kumar
Chairman - Global Firefly Board
& Head of Firefly
AMAP (Africa Middle East Asia Pacific)
rakesh.kumar@fireflymb.com