Meet The Parents January 2005 Meet The Parents

Meet The Parents January 2005 Meet The Parents (Canada) Paul Acerbi VP YC September 2004 1

Synovate YC : What we do Global youth agency focusing on the lives and aspirations of 12 -30 year olds We provide youth brands with strategy, insight and ideas: l l Insight § Qualitative research § Quantitative research § Client Immersions § Panels § Edge § Continuous study of the youth context Creates § Concept Development § Re-positioning Development § Brand Consultancy 2

Current Clients Synovate YC : Current Clients MTV Britvic BBC Radio 1 BBC 3 BBC Interactive Nestle Coors Absolut Burton’s Biscuits Unilever Bestfoods Rockport Allied Domecq Cadbury Masterfoods Coca Cola Lever Faberge Whitbread Diageo GB Princes Trust Jim Beam Brands Wrangler / Lee Halfords Hewlett Packard Sony XFM Etam Orange 3

Synovate YC: Client views "The complexities of researching the youth market are well documented. Synovate YC are one of the few specialists in this field that can draw a straight line through the issues. We are more than happy with their level of expertise and their insights have genuinely broadened our perspective". ‘ Graham Saxton, SVP Strategy – MTV Europe ‘“YC are one of our most important partners in helping us understand the dynamics of our young adult market - what matters, what doesn't; what's the present, what's the future. Critically for us, YC go far beyond the remit of a research agency, and act as a consultant and business partner in helping us anticipate our target consumers' motivations. ” John Hosking, Consumer Planning Director - Diageo GB 4

Meet the Parents Introduction Our research amongst youth throughout the world leads us to believe that parents have the biggest impact on young people’s lives 63% of Canadian families have children in the home. (2001 Census) Global societal trend of young people staying at home for longer than ever before: l 41% of 20 -24 year olds are living at home! (Source: 2001 Census) To understand why today’s youth behaves and responds as it does we need to understand the parents… Welcome to Meet the Parents Canada 5

How Do We Know This Stuff? What? l In-depth immersions with parents with children 12 -30 living in the home l Synovate Omnibus interviews of 500 parents across Canada l Teen. Nation Omnibus interviews of 500 young people across NA Who? l Married Couples l Single Parents l Step-parent & Biological Parent l Different ethnic groups l Experts in Canada, UK and US Where? l Vancouver l Regina l Toronto l Montreal 6

Agenda Adult Identity Crisis Factors influencing parenting style: l Parent’s childhood l Fear Why leave home? Parental spending blitz What does this mean for brands? Team exercise 7

The Adult Identity Crisis 8

The Adult Identity Crisis Parents often attribute their teen’s erratic behaviour, sloth like demeanour, and inability to take on any responsibility as an “identity crisis. ” l However, the tables have turned and now it is the parent who is searching for an ID. . . We live in a culture which is obsessed with the cult of youth l Media l Celebrity l Plastic surgery Being adult has never been less culturally desirable l Responsibility l Settled ways l Boring… 9

Adult Identity Crisis Few meaningful ‘rights of passage’ Adults are not becoming parents until later in life by choice: l Medically possible l Status anxiety l Reluctant to lose youth lifestyle l Celebrity cues Adults are trying hard to be young…. so what does this mean for being a parent? 10

Factors Influencing Parenting 11

Factors influencing Parenting Style Research identifies 4 dominant drivers of parenting style Cultural and religious background Family context Parent’s upbringing Fear 12

Factors influencing Parenting Style Parent’s Upbringing THEN Parents childhood = key driver of parenting style The Parents childhood: l Responsibility l Perceived safe community l Strict parents l Limited school pressures l Limited technology l Play outside l Job security l Less consumption l Working father and at-home mother Felt different to their parents Felt their parents didn’t understand them 13

Factors influencing Parenting Style Parent’s Upbringing NOW In response to parents have created a very different environment for their children: l l l They want their kids to like them Obsessed with cult of youth Lack of responsibility Fear of violence and crime Academic pressure Technology-obsessed culture Competitive job market Student debt Rife consumption Both parents in the workforce Working longer hours Try to be accepted by their kids Try to understand their kids 14

Factors influencing Parenting Style Parent’s Upbringing 43% North American parents want to be their child’s best friend 15

Factors influencing Parenting Style Parent’s Upbringing Parents believe that “kids are getting smarter these days” because they know about: l Technology l Education l Internet l Media Parents mistaking: l EXPERIENCE and WORLDLINESS for l INTELLIGENCE and KNOWLEDGE “Kids are becoming exposed to a far greater range of experiences that are distinct from their parents. . . The parents think, well I don’t understand this, so therefore they must be smarter than me. ” Frank Feradi, Professor of Sociology, University of Canterbury This contributes to the parent’s lack of confidence in themselves 16

Factors influencing Parenting Style Parents Upbringing: Pushover Parents A shift in power dynamic within household from adult to children Many parents are longing to regain control over their household and their children's lives l Parental frustration l Parental disappointment 17

Fear Factor 18

Factors influencing Parenting Style The Fear Factor: The Outside World All parents considered themselves worried about their children regardless of age 37% would prefer their kids at home at ALL times 19

Factors influencing Parenting Style The Fear Factor: Underachievement Youth have a myriad of distractions, have little sense of future plans …. and are notoriously lazy! Societal pressure for academic success Parents afraid that if they lack focus they won’t achieve If their children fail, they have failed as a parent 20

Factors influencing Parenting Style The Fear Factor: Therapy Future Middle class urban parents fear of damaging the child’s development Reluctance to discipline children 21

Factors influencing Parenting Style The Fear Factor The fear factors result in: l l Pity § Feel sorry for their kids having to grow up in such demanding and dangerous world Life Guarding § Create an excessively safe, comfortable and entertaining environment at home § So their kids never want to leave…. Parents are not afraid of what their kids may do in the outside world, but what the outside world may do to their kids 22

Why Leave Home? 23

Why Leave Home? 47% of North American teenagers intend to stay at home as long as they can Source: Synovate Teen. Nation 56% of North American Parents don’t want their children to ever leave home! Source: Synovate Tele. Nation 24

Why Leave Home? 29% of men between 25 and 29 live at home compared to 19% of women (2001 Census) More younger people are staying at home for longer Boomerang Generation = more are returning after they’ve left! l 73% of Parents will always welcome their children moving back home In previous generations, kids couldn’t wait to move out on their own to escape…. But now? They want to stay and parents don’t even want them to leave! 25

Why Leave Home? Kids are living at home for longer and longer because the parents want them to l Parent losing a best friend! l Parent losing the focus of their life! l Parent worried about being alone! l Parent worried about what might happen to them! Hence many parents create an environment that is “impossible to leave”: l No rent l No bills l No rules l All cooking and washing done l Toys – necessities not luxuries l Space dedicated to fun And they boomerang because real life is way too tough…. “I have always encouraged them to be at home, and that way I know what’s going on. ” (Single mother of four older boys) 26

Why Leave Home… Oh. My. God. 27

Why Leave Home Meet the Dumb 20 Somethings! A dynamic where parents: l Do everything for their child l Protect kids from life experiences l Encourage children to stay at home longer Result: 20 somethings with little grasp of how to manage adult life, (especially males) l How to cook? l How to get a job? l How to pay bills? “We get ever worsening applications for jobs. Spelling mistakes, cut n pasting, wrong names. It’s like they don’t think. One who we turned down for just for these reasons actually had their Dad call us to ask why!? ” HR Manager Synovate 28

Spending Blitz 29

Spending Blitz: Spoiled Rotten Families will spend a $15 billion this year on consumer products for their teens and young adults! Attitudes and behavior related to child spending are influenced not by how much money people have Its all about awareness of ‘spoiling’ l l Parents who refuse to spoil Parents who spoil: § Haven’t thought it through § Parenting style 30

Spending Blitz Rich Prince Makers Successful Drivers • Parents have high income • Often from a poor background • Refuse to ask children to do anything, provide everything for them • Children want for nothing and know the value of nothing • Parents highly successful • Understand the importance of hard work and education • Insist on chores being done • Children highly focused on achieving Unaware Of spoiling Aware Of spoiling Spoil Seekers Value Instillers • Parents small disposable income but spend heavily on children • Desire to ‘spoil’ their children • Spend to make themselves feel good • Spend to keep up with consumerist society • Shopping main hobby • Children want for nothing and know the value of nothing • Parents have small disposable income and kids understand • Children expect little • Children often focused on achieving Poor 31

Spending Blitz Need. States 2% 8% GUILT • Long working hours • Family breakdown • Arguments • Lack of connection TREND • Child – fits in • Parent-peace of mind • Parents want to be young and cool LOVE • Youth becoming less emotionally dependent 30% • Parent finds comfort in being the PROVIDER • Reaction-based FEAR • Keep kids at home • Stay safe 22% • Educational products EGO • Kids = fashion accessories • Kids=cool, parents are cool… 30% 32

Spending Blitz 71% of parental child purchases are made without any child request (Source: Synovate Tele. Nation) l l Best friend syndrome Mom does everything… Parents purchase based on what they know or think their child will like… Guess -ter Power In research, we came across no structured allowances – money provided as and when required l Older children often have parent funded credit cards 33

So, what do the kids think? 34

So, what do the kids think? Source: Synovate Teen. Nation 65% of teens believe their parents “try hard to be a friend" l l However, only 28% said they intend "to be a friend first" when they have kids Almost half of all teens claimed they "will be strict with kids about what they can and can't do” Only 10% of teens intend to buy their kids whatever they want 40% of teens indicated they would raise their own kids differently 35

What Does This Mean For Brands? 36

Paul Acerbi Synovate YC paul. acerbi@synovate. com www. synovate. com/edge 37