Poll reveals secrets of teen market

By SIMON HENDERY marketing writer

Aloof, non-conformist but relatively affluent - teenagers have always been a headache for marketers.

But a study by Neilsen Media Research suggests that although teenagers behave differently from the rest of the population, they may not be as hard to communicate with as some marketers fear.

That, says Neilsen's Panorama NZ Teen ID report, is because the 575,000 New Zealanders aged between 10 and 19 are relatively heavy users of mass media.

The report surveyed more than 1500 teenagers, combining Neilsen's PeopleMeter data, its National Readership Survey and product usage information gathered through face-to-face interviews.

It found 22 per cent of males aged 15 to 19 - and 11 per cent of females - had personal incomes above $10,000 a year.

Findings on behaviour and attitude trends included:

* 10-year-olds to 14-year-olds are reasonably inward-focused. Their world still largely revolving around their family and home. Peer group pressure is not a significant influence.

* Males in that age group are more child-like than teenage-like in terms of the television they watch, the shops they visit and the entertainment they enjoy.

* In contrast, 15-year-olds to 19-year-olds are moving away from the family unit as their primary focus as socialising with friends becomes more important.

* Females in that age group are health and image conscious but also indulge heavily in snack foods, fast food, alcohol and smoking.

* Younger males are good at eating breakfast every day while older females are not - possibly explaining their indulgence in fast food and snack foods.

The survey found television and magazines were the media most used by teenagers. The older group were heavy listeners to radio with 15 to 19-year-old males also high users of the internet.

TV2 was the most preferred channel for teenagers, followed by Sky and TV3.

Teenagers, particularly 15-year-olds to 19-year-olds, are much more likely than the general population to have gone to the cinema two or more times in the past month.

Almost all teenagers have access to the internet. The younger group say key activities they use it for are sending and receiving email, and playing individual and multi-player games.

Older teenagers listed email, listening to music and general surfing. Males in the older group also listed downloading music and playing individual and multi-player games.

Few teenagers said they made purchases over the internet.

Teen scene

Panorama NZ Teen ID - a report on the behaviour and attitudes of New Zealanders aged 10 to 19.

10 to 14-year-old males

* Activities tend to focus on the home and include watching television, electronic games and spending time on the internet.

* Fairly high consumers of snack food.

* Favourite magazines TV Guide, Skywatch.

* A difficult age group to market to because they are not large consumers of many products or services, although they seem to be passionate about those things that interest them.

10 to 14-year-old females

* Still family oriented. While peer pressure is starting to become a factor, it is not likely to be significant. More independent and grown-up than their male counterparts.

* Heavy consumers of snack foods, especially enjoying potato chips and ice cream.

* Favourite magazines: NZ Girlfriend, Dolly, TV Guide.

* Difficult to target as they are in a transitional time of life.

15 to 19-year-old males

* Conform to a macho stereotype - heavily interested in rugby, cars and electronic entertainment.

* Likely to consume "macho" food and drink including red meat, fast food, Moro Bars, Snickers, Coke, beer and bourbon.

* Favourite magazines: Skywatch, NZ Performance Car, Ralph, TV Guide, FHM, Tearaway.

* High consumers of many products or services. Reasonably high disposable income, making them a valuable segment of the teenage market and theoretically easy to target.

15 to 19-year-old females

* High consumers of many products and services. Socialising and friends are of prime importance. Image conscious.

* Heavily indulge in snack foods, fast food, alcohol and smoking.

* Favourite magazines: Woman's Day, NZ Woman's Weekly, NZ Girlfriend, Dolly, TV Guide, Tearaway, Cleo.

* Living in the "now" and spending up on products, services and activities that help them to enjoy life and portray their desired image of the world.

Source: Nielsen Media Research

AC Nielsen