Search »

‘Schizophrenic’ Teens Claim Loyalty, Switch Brands

Even the most brand-loyal teens will quickly switch brands if they become bored with their current choice or if that choice becomes too popular.

That’s according to a new report by Viacom’s The N Channel, created in conjunction with Open Mind Research. The report found that, while 46 percent of teens surveyed tend to stick with a few of the brands they really like, they are also aware that they are being marketed to and feel (to the tune of 52 percent) that brands are created by marketers “just to get more money,” writes Brandweek.

A third of teens surveyed believe that if there were no brands, the world would be a better place, but 29 percent said that having cool brands “makes me feel cool.” This means that marketers must walk a fine line when creating advertising campaigns. “Overt marketing techniques are not going to work,” says Rahda Subramanyam, vp of research and planning for MTV Networks’ kids and family group.

Today’s teen is different from other generations in that they rely more on parents to influence their purchase decisions. “Parents can be the biggest influencer, especially when it comes to big-ticket items,” says Subramanyam. Magazines and TV are still the media with the most influence.

MarketingCharts offers additional findings from the report.