Teenage Consumers Essay Research Paper As the — страница 3

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power? (AP 42). In order for teenagers and their families to understand the ways that they can combat the sales pitches thrown at them at a constant basis, they need to understand the ways that advertisers target them. First of all, advertisers know that teenagers hate to have adults condescend upon them. Advertisers know not to talk down to teens and avoid slang. Using slang is dangerous because it is short-lived and can be misinterpreted or misunderstood (Zollo 260). Teens hate products with the word teen or teenage in the name, and prefer to be called young men or women. Room should be left for creativity and imagination as 84 percent of teenagers think it is cool to be smart (Fransisco 120). Psychologist Michael Schudson, believes that teens have a ?floating, unformed sense

of who they are.? He also agrees with the fact that they try on several selves for size and are open to all and any suggestions from surrounding people or media. Schudson says, ?[Teens] devour advertising, and may be more susceptible to it while their identities are in flux? (Farrington 6). Teenagers need to be cautious that they form their own identities, away from those that are supplied by the trials of daily life. Teens need to establish themselves without the noise made by the media and their peers. It is common that the most successful advertisements are those in which teens can see themselves. Teen consumers need to be aware of this trap, and know that they cannot be encapsulated by a single advertisement or product (Zollo 262). Teens are avidly influenced by their peers.

The most effective advertisement seems to be word of mouth and the direct popularity of certain products in the life of the buyer. Marketers like Kevin Umeh are wising up to the inner thoughts of teenagers. Through his 50,000 interviews with teenagers that his company executes per month, he has learned that ?People have been marketing to teens for years, but treating them like intelligent consumers is a new concept? (AP 7H). Teens need to follow the example of advertisers who have become smarter and more efficient regarding their teenage audience and begin to gain insight on the sales pitches that are directed toward them. Steve Goldstein, the vice president of marketing and research at Levi Strauss and Co, sees the impact of the media on teens today; ?These kids are extremely

media-savvy. We have to understand what motivates teens and makes them buy? (Parr 65). Today?s media is a huge part of every teenager?s life. Teens will spend a year and a half of their lives watching television commercials (Kilbourne 6). In order to become smarter consumers, teens need to realize that they cannot believe everything they see. Marketers are increasingly coming up with ways to reach teens like never before. Teenagers need to see that they can overlook the fast balls the are constantly thrown at them. Teen power is most apparent in the entertainment industry. Teens obviously love to watch TV and movies, and have extreme impacts on a production. For instance, the movie Titanic earned 1.8 billion dollars worldwide, much of which is due to teenage girls seeing it five

or six times because of their idol Leonardo DiCaprio (AP 43). When a teen relaxes in front of the television, they are contributing to the 11.5 hours watched on average per week. Another popular medium, the radio, is listened to on average of 10.3 hours per week (Zollo 89). D Smith notices the importance of advertising through the media when targeting teens, ?Many teens look for situations (in movies or TV) in which they?d like to see themselves. They may choose to copy clothes, language, or other aspects of that situation. Other times they like to create their own look. Teens today are not a flock of sheep, they are very media-savvy (6). Eighty-five percent of teens say that the most effective way to reach them is through the radio. In this case, the inborn teenage love for

music shines as an outlet for advertisers. Because increasing numbers of advertisers are selling products over the radio waves, teenagers need to beware and understand this method. Companies will fight to be affiliated with a local or nationwide concert so that their name will be associated with popularity (AP 7H). Also, because today?s teenagers are the first generation that has grown up with computer and internet technology, they are totally comfortable with it. This has proved to be the newest medium used by advertisers to reach their teenage consumers. A massive 19 million teens own computers, and 71 percent use the internet on a constant basis (Parr 65). Teenagers should also beware the advertisements that idolize celebrities. Teens need to remember that just because their