Teen tastes hard to define

By SIMON HENDERY

It was like school, but in reverse. Six teenagers sat in a semicircle of comfortable chairs answering questions from professional marketers sitting on the floor in front of them.

Those at yesterday's Youth Truths marketing conference in Auckland had already learned that the teenage market is an enigmatic one, but the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) focus group provided more evidence.

When these youngsters shop, sometimes branding and advertising is important, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes price is the driver, sometimes quality.

When it came to buying pizza, "quality is important because you only buy it occasionally".

But they bought the cheapest beer "because it all tastes the same".

One had bought a new milk snack drink because "I really like the ad, it's the best on TV", while another was puzzled why anyone would buy a brand just because it had celebrity endorsement.

"If it was there and I wanted to try it I would. It's just a brand."

The opinions of young people may be mixed but they are easy to come by.

Earlier, Jenene Crossan, managing director of youth marketing company 18, which organised the conference, said teenagers were always eager to participate in the company's focus groups.

One of her messages to the marketers at the conference: "Don't assume what they want, just ask."

She said there was a 3-H formula for working with youth brands: humour (being witty but not too clever), humility (not taking yourself too seriously) and happiness (having fun and seeing the bright side of life).

Saatchi & Saatchi senior planner Martin Yeoman said a Saatchi study from London had found that "the triumphs, trials and tribulations of approaching adulthood unite this market".

But the study also found that the same cultural influences that fragment the world's adult markets also affect the teen market.

Yeoman said teenagers now had unprecedented access to the global community, but they retained strong links to their home country, and marketers needed to appeal both to their global and national identities.

Consultant and research analyst Duncan Stuart said "viral marketing" was becoming increasingly important as traditional channels became more fragmented.

The internet and text-messaging meant people were more aware of the behaviour and product choices of their friends.

He used Listerine as an example. A show of hands revealed few of the teenagers in the room admitted to using the company's mouthwash, but almost all had tried its new PocketPaks oral strips, which come in a small packet and are easily passed around.

Colenso BBDO strategic planner Jason Lonsdale said marketers were faced with a generation who had developed strong filters through unprecedented exposure to marketing messages.

"They are used to being lied to."

In that environment, campaigns based on authenticity and honesty might work because they could be "quite disarming", he said.

An example was Sprite softdrink's "Image is Nothing. Thirst is Everything" campaign.

Lonsdale said that, as with all markets, those pitching to young people must "learn what your market likes".

If the experience of this FMCG focus group is to be believed, teens can still fall for a good promotion.

Asked if supermarket special offers worked on them, one female group member confessed they did.

"I bought four soaps for 99c last week," she said. "I don't even need soap. I use shower gel."