A new study from Viacom’s MTV Networks International finds, somewhat unsurprisingly, that television is the most effective way to market to young people 12-24 and has the greatest impact of any channel in shaping their purchasing decisions.
The study, titled “A Beta life Youth,” found that one in four respondents ages 12-24 reported that they first see or hear about brands, products or services from TV ads. Sixty percent of those polled said TV ads play a role in their brand choices.
Showing up on TV can elevate a brand’s status and give it a quality aura among young viewers, the MTV report discovered.
But it’s not all about the box for young viewers. The survey found that while brand image may be created on TV, information and purchase validation are better served online. Seventy-one percent of those polled agreed that the Internet makes choosing a brand easier.
Blogs, review sites and social networks are growing in stature as sources for buying advice. Respondents cited Web site reviews as the fourth most influential factor in choosing whether or not to see a movie (behind friends’ recommendations, TV spots and in-cinema ads.)
Informal reviews are also as impactful to 12-to-24 year-olds as official brand Web sites when it comes to choosing electronics purchases.
Other findings from the MTVI “Beta Life” branding survey:
- One third of the youth age group in the U.S. says that TV ads have an important effect on their fashion-buying decisions.
- But only one in five among U.S. 12-to-24s says celebrity endorsement of a fashion is important to them.
- One in three 12-to-24-year-olds in the U.S. claims to talk about brands “a lot,” while only one in four of that age group does so in the U.K. and Germany.
- Sixty-two percent of respondents globally say they watch more of a TV channel if that channel has a Web site that lets them catch up on show episodes.
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