EXPERT Insight
Teens Today, Young Adults in 2020 
Insights From the Teen Study
Nueno Iniesta, José Luis
Date: First Quarter 2011
Tags: teenagers, young adults, Creafutur, demographics, aging population
The future and sustainability of many companies will depend to a great extent on teenagers’ behavior and attitudes toward consumption. As such, getting to know this key group now will pay off in the long term when they become young adults. Based on the latest findings of an international study of teenagers across eight countries, the author anticipates some of the main consumption patterns that will affect the business world in 2020. In particular, he notes that the center of gravity for the global economy is shifting away from developed economies and toward emerging markets, where the new wealth being generated is giving rise to an aspirational middle class with very different demands and needs. He suggests some specific ways in which educators, public policy makers and companies alike can successfully manage the new business landscape.
Tools and Frameworks:
> “The Demographics of Growth” reveals that children and teens in emerging economies will be the drivers of the global economy when they gain adult employment.
> “From Teens to Young Adults” looks at teens today to predict how they might be in 10 years’ time, so that companies can begin to adapt their strategies accordingly.
> “Spending Habits of Young Adults in 2020” shows the switch in spending priorities between the rising middle class of emerging economies and the stagnation of developed economies.
Examples Cited:
Apple TV, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter
Research Basis:
Presents the results of the 2010 Creafutur global consumer research study on teenagers. The project consisted of a survey of 9,000 teens in eight countries (Brazil, China, France, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States) followed by research into their shopping patterns over more than six weeks.
About the Author:
José L. Nueno is a professor in the Marketing Department at IESE.
PREMIUM MATERIAL
To view this, you need to SUBSCRIBE or be an IESE ALUMNI MEMBER
