In the US, 26% of the population represents the youth segment. This figure is projected to grow to more than 40% in the next 10 years. Just how important are they to the world of marketing? Going beyond size, this market also possesses a strong purchasing power with spending amounting to $1.8 billion a year. With their influence on the purchasing decision of other age segments (such as their parents), you can easily increase their spending impact to ten times that amount. And finally, this market's longevity is also one of its major strengths. Once they reach the prime of their earning and spending life cycles, they would be in control of the consumer market.
What's a marketer to do?

Tame it, of course.

While this has been the dream of many in the marketing world, most are still unable to penetrate this much coveted segment. Their failure is rooted to two major factors. First, the tried and tested marketing strategies are no longer providing the desired results when applied to this difficult young audience. Second, this market segment is far less expressive than the adults in conveying their opinions, thus, advertisers and marketers are often left groping in the dark in terms of understanding and measuring the needs and wants of this age bracket.

They are what they are. They are rebellious to the fads and to the very concept of conformity, which makes predicting trends all the more difficult. Yet, what our failure to grab their attention and to come up with blitzkrieg marketing strategies is our own weakness. What they lack in communication skills, we should make up for in creative assessment. One of the common mistakes in marketing is that we insist on generalizing the youth segment. We claim to be listening to what they want but in reality, what we are doing is making the decisions for them. It is important at this point to think outside of your constrictive generalizations. Do not assume that just because you were young once that you still understand what they want.
Connecting with the younger segment

Here are some effective ways to connect with this age bracket:

1. Learn to listen – They're dying to be heard. Though you may not find the right answers in the usual way, try to find out what they're saying through alternative means. Focus groups and surveys may be out of the question, but if you look at the rest of the media spectrum you're bound to pick up something. The youth continually express their individuality not just in words but in almost any form of medium imaginable.

2. Help them express themselves - Traditional advertising that tells them how cool and intelligent they are no longer works. They already know this. What they want to hear are new ways and ideas on how they can express themselves. Thus, the most effective way in reaching this notoriously difficult market segment is to provide them an avenue for communicating their individuality.

Read more at Reaching the Youth through Customizable T-Shirts 2.

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