The Necessity of Strategy in Marketing to the Youth

Annotated bibliography

Chan, Kara, Tommy Tse, Daisy Tam, and Anqi Huang. “Perception of Healthy and Unhealthy Food among Chinese Adolescents.” Young Consumers 17.1 (2016): 474-490. Print.

The journal article presents the findings of the research on the perception regarding healthy and unhealthy foods among the Chinese adolescents. The type of foods presented in the market receives differing opinions and judgment from the young consumers. The advertising of products, the appearance of the goods, and the image of producers contribute to the perception held by the Chinese adolescents about healthy and unhealthy foods. The research paper puts a focus on exploring the snacking behavior. Moreover, it investigates the perceptions among the mainland Chinese adolescents regarding healthy and unhealthy food choices.

The paper receives an adequate design through the qualitative approach whereby four focus group interviews were conducted. The research involved 24 participants that were recruited in the city of Changsha in China through a convenience sampling procedure. The researchers assessed the consumer behaviors regarding snacking through question-answer report. Thus, the focus groups leaders recorded the commentary on factors affecting food choices. The research paper reported that snacking was prevalent among the participants selected for interviewing. The evaluation section of the report reassures that the healthiness of the foods bases on the nutritional values that have a direct effect on growth and body weight. The choice of food among mainland adolescents in China is driven by taste, image, convenience, and the health consciousness of the young consumers.

The research article fits in the informative essay, since the essay explores the necessity to have a strategy in order to consolidate the young food consumer market. Social marketers should understand the consumption behavior of adolescents to promote healthy snacking. Thus, the marketing should include the image of associating the snacks with fun and high taste.

Lee, Joonwhan David, Angelica Bahl, Gregory Black, Darrin Duber-Smoth, and Nicole Vowles. “Sustainable and Non-Sustainable Consumer Behavior in Young Adults.” Young Consumers 17.1 (2016): 1-40. Print.

The article concerns the research on the sustainable and non-sustainable behavioral patterns among the young adults in a market setting. Marketing to young adults requires a comprehensive strategy given the vast availability of knowledge and abundance of products that penetrate the modern markets. The alternative strategies adopted by firms should base on the thorough research and inspection to ensure a sustainable market share for a given product. The journal article carries out the sole purpose of defining the sustainable and non-sustainable young consumers’ behavior. The research paper identifies the vital elements of the phenomenon. The study clearly distinguishes between spirituality and religiosity as an influence in marketing to the youth through the development of a testable research model.

The initial paragraphs of the study provide details through an elaborate literature review of theories by different authors that offer a foundation for the topic of consumer behavior of young adults. The literature on the sustainable business practices is a vital component in the research for identification of behavioral elements. The hypothesis followed the data collection to measure previous consumer behaviors. The data for the study was collected from 116 undergraduates in the marketing classes at a renowned university in the United States.

Evaluation of the article leads to the conclusion that it is a credible source to use for demonstrating the impact of strategy on marketing to the youths. The results obtained from the research indicate that the level of consumers’ spirituality influences the sustainability of consumer behavior in a given market of goods. The religiosity of young consumers has no effect on the non-sustainability of consumer behavior. The claim received verification from the obtained research results.

In summary, the research article emphasized the importance of conducting sustainable business practices. Application of the article suits the informative essay, as it adds information on strategizing for targeting the young consumer markets.

Scully, Kirsten, and Miguel Moital. “Peer Influence Strategies in the Collectively Consumed Products (Events & Festivals): An Exploratory Study among University Students.” Young Consumers 17.1 (2016): 1-24. Print.

The authors carried out the research on marketing for the young consumers, and presented the findings in the international journal of advertising and commercialization. The collective consumption of products in events and festivals varies. Thus, the article targets the university students that correspond to the majority of the young consumers. It is critical to comprehend consumer behavior before launching a product in a given market targeting the youths. The paper emphasizes the examination of peer influence on the purchase patterns of the collectively consumed products. Notably, the article puts a focus on the strategies that university students use for the persuasion to attend the school events and festivals.

The methodology design of the journal article addresses the approaches to marketing to the young consumers in an elaborate manner. The research considered information from five university females and three males that were studying at a university in the United Kingdom. The random choice of the university students ensured that the differences in the consumer behavior of the young students are revealed. The independent analysis of interview transcripts alongside other factors that influence strategy in success resulted in the identification of persuasion and resistance strategies. The findings of the research indicate that persuasion and resistance strategies are used through the specific language techniques. Also, peer influence contributes to the control of the youthful marketing.

Evaluation of the research article leads to the extended insight on the examination of peer influence regarding the consumed products. The study provides original ideas in the illustration of the types of strategies employed by peers when attending events, especially in a closed social system. The article applies to the informative essay, since it offers a conceptual framework for the expected consumer behavior in a closed environment like the one experienced at a university.

Informative essay

Consumer behavior is a critical area of concern in the marketing study, since it directly influences the opportunities for selling. Any successful marketer needs to carry out a thorough analysis of the target audience to understand the short and long-term needs to be addressed by a product (Gailewicz). The understanding of how young population thinks, acts and makes purchases is necessary for finding the market opportunities and engage the consumers. There is the large market of the millennial generation, since they correspond to the highest population percentage in the current society. The purchasing power of the Millennials continues to surge, thereby driving consumer demand to greater heights (Gailewicz). The reevaluation of the young consumer’s needs and development of engagement strategies is necessary for successful marketing to achieve sales and market growth goals in the young population segment.

The impact of each generation on the society is crucial. The values propagated by the young consumers influence the social, cultural, and economic aspects of the society. The perception associated with a given product borrows from the values of the society. Various organizations put in effort and measures that aim at understanding of the actual needs of the young consumers. Basic statistics dictate that the baby boom generation has a significant influence on the purchasing power and the political environment of a nation (Gailewicz). The significant size of the population of young consumers enables the large corporations to implement strategies aimed at grabbing the attention of their target consumers. Development of an elaborate marketing approach is vital through the extensive research on the social practices of the youths. Globalization has brought about a shift in social and cultural definitions of youths from different backgrounds. Moreover, the correct setup of the society shapes the ideals of the consumers. The millennial population possesses a behavioral tendency that shows responsibility for the environment, tolerance and acceptance of others, as well as the drive to make a difference. When developing a strategy for marketing to the youths, the understanding of the ideals held in the current society should be given a priority. The knowledge of the young consumers contributes to the increased market capitalization. The norms that govern the principles of people living together should be a strategic factor in the marketing process.

Various case studies have been propelled by youth marketing strategy conferences that develop means of engaging the young people. The product engagement should observe the consumers’ long-held values and lifestyles through the utilization of mass media. In fact, the most researched demographic group in the world is the youths. Marketing professionals have made enormous investments for years in the studying of how to make their advertisements relevant to the young audience, which requires the understanding of their lifestyles, habits, and attitudes. The young consumers are the target of marketers, since their contribution to mobile, fashion, technology, alcohol, and snack foods industries are tremendous. The young audience spends more on the aforementioned goods, and their contribution to the economy need not to be neglected (Mitchell). According to Mitchell, the average student purchases an estimated $2000 of belongings while going to university; the items include laptops, tablets, smart phones, toiletries, clothing, and recreation items. Successful marketing of a product to the young population requires a thorough analysis of the social patterns to capture their interests. Building the relationship with the market may result in their lifetime commitments to a given product. The traditional push approaches should change to adopt the modern strategies that emphasize the relevance of transparency and shared conversation pursued.

The young people are heavy users of social media. The statistics shows that the usage of Facebook and Twitter among the youths makes part of their lifestyle. Little information exists regarding what young people demand from brand marketers on social media platforms. Engagement of the young people in the company social media should become a strategy for the convenience of quick answer and timely communication (Mitchell). Young people follow online brands with demand for material gain or entertainment, and the approach to address the actual marketing needs should get strengthened on the Internet.

The creation of supportive communication environment immensely contributes to the targeting approaches in the young consumers market. The use of a diverse multimedia and quality animation creates a virtual environment that triggers the youth to purchase certain products. The implementation of immersive marketing techniques makes the integration of advertising easy to follow since the two strategies integrate. The emotional relationship fostered through the seamless incorporation of consumer brands and entertainment creates success in the youth market easy (Montgomery). The immersive strategy should have a design that circumvents the conscience of the user through evaluation of product attributes.

In conclusion, marketing to young consumers requires adequate strategy measures as discussed in the above paragraphs. The habits and attitudes towards the societal values that influence their behavioral patterns define the youth market. The social behavior of the youth should strategically change their purchasing power, hence leading to marketing success.