[9-12 BENCHMARKS]
BRANDS
toys, games, video, film, tv, etc that are memorable
- http://www.piperjaffray.com/3col.aspx?id=4359 Piper Jaffray interviews around 9,000 teens twice a year to get an idea of what teens are spending money on.
- Brand loyalty is still very big and teens care about what they own.
- Apple is an important company with 76% of teens owning an iPhone.
- Snapchat is huge among teens, they like that it is fast and convenient to use but also not permanent so it feels safer.
- Not popular anymore is Facebook with teens saying its boring and only old people use it.
AESTHETICS (EMOTION)
toys, games, video, film, tv, etc that are emotional
- Athletic wear and 90s fashion are big among teens right now.
- Leggings, chokers, converse, and chunky jewelry are big for teen girls.
- Snapchat filters and sharing everyday activities are how teens connect with each other and share what they're doing.
- Technology is also important to teens, name brands and having the latest tech is at the top of the list for teen wants.
- Big fashion brands include: Forever 21, H&M, Adidas, American Eagle
- Teens spend more on food than on clothing with Starbucks and Chick-fil-A topping the list.
FUNCTION
toys, games, video, film, tv, etc that perform a social function like education, moral stories, etc.
- Fast, Visual, and Private are biggest wants of teens.
- https://www.modolabs.com/blog-post/social-media-use-among-college-students-and-teens-whats-in-whats-out-and-why/ - covers some stats on teen social media use
- http://www.businessinsider.com/teens-favorite-apps-in-2016-2016-1 - interviewed teens on favorite apps (13-17)
- https://investorplace.com/2017/04/top-trends-for-teenagers/#.WcAioa3MyfU - article talking about where teens spend their money
Technology
Teens are technology focused using it to communicate more than they do face-to-face often. To be appealing to teens the apps they use have to be visual as well as fast, convenient, and feel safe. Bullying is a problem and so is privacy and today's teens are conscious of both of those issues.
Teens don't like to talk about how much time they spend on their phones but research from interviews points to roughly about 6 hours of use a day.
Brand loyalty is important for high schoolers who want newness. 76% of teens own an iPhone and 92% of teens say they go online daily.
Apps
Social media is big among teens but certain apps are more relevant than others for high school students. Social media trends differ slightly depending on household income though. A recent survey shows that 81% of teens use Snapchat at least once a month.
Apps that teens like:
- Snapchat (the most popular among teens)
- Spotify (music app of choice)
Uncool apps:
- Google+