RESEARCH PROJECT

ON

The Effect of Advertising on Buying

Behaviour of Teenagers

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULLFILMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE
OF
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: SUBMITTED BY:

MRS. SANJANA MITTAL JAIN GARIMA SINGH
Reg. No - 1311007170

M.B.A (MARKETING) IV SEM

SIKKIM MANIPAL UNIVERSITY

Directorate of Distance Education 5th Mile, Tadong, Sikkim-737102.
INDIA
 STUDENT DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project titled” The Effect of Advertising on

Buying Behaviour of Teenagers “is an original piece of research work
carried out by me under the guidance and supervision of Ms. NEHA
KANSAL. The information has been collected from genuine & authentic
sources. The work has been submitted in partial fulfillment of Master of
Business Administration of Sikkim Manipal University, India, is my original
work and not submitted for award of any other degree, diploma,
fellowship, or other similar titles projects.

PLACE: AGRA GARIMA SINGH

DATE: Reg. No - 1311007170

M.B.A (MARKETING) IV SEM

 EXAMIER’S CERTIFICATE

The project report of Garima Singh on “The Effect of Advertising on

Buying Behaviour of Teenagers” is approved and is acceptable quality and

form.

Seal Examiner External

Examiner
CONTENTS

1. Introduction
(i) Acknowledgement
(ii) Executive Summary
(iii) Objective of the Study
(iv) Scope of the Study
(v) Research Methodology

2. Consumer Buying Behaviour

(i) Stages in Consumer Buying Process
(ii) Types of Consumer Buying Behaviour

3. Consumer Behaviour Approaches

4. Consumer Socialization
(i) Parents as the Primary Socialization Agent
(ii) Peers as a Socialization Agent
(iii) Mass Media as a Socialization Agent
(iv) Retailers as a Socialization Agent
(v) Brands as a Socialization Agent

5. Market Profile of teenagers

6. Lifecycle, Attitudes and Behaviour of Teenagers

 (i) Teen Attitudes
(ii) Financial Products & Teens
(iii) Teen as an Influencer
(iv) Gender Differences on Buying Behaviour
(v) Brand Loyalty

7. Advertisement
(i) Introduction
(ii) Advertisement & Teens
(iii) Teen Magazines & Media
(iv) Teen Influences Purchase
8. Branding for 21st Century Teenagers

9. Factors Finding
(i) Findings
(ii) Conclusions
(iii) Data Analysis
10.References
 AKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the outset, let us express my thankfulness to the person with whom we

have interacted and have been provided with the background for
accomplishment of our present task. The significant contributions have
made my project completed.
To begin with, I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. NEHA
KANSAL
(faculty of retail), for giving me an opportunity to work out my project
report on “The Effect of Advertising on Buying Behavior of Teenagers”.
I deeply acknowledge with thanks the help and guidance received from my
mentor, Ms. NEHA KANSAL (faculty of retail) without his support I
would not have been in a position to complete my report.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The investigator to fulfill some basic purpose has carried out the
present project report. The first purpose of this report is the partial
fulfillment of MBA degree of Pondicherry University.
The second purpose of this dissertation report is to have in –depth
study about one of the very important Ps of Marketing Mix that “The
Effect of Advertising on the Buying Behaviour of Teenagers”
(Promotion).
Advertising plays a vital role in the buying Behaviour of the
consumer. It is advertising which influence the customer’s decisions to buy
a product or a service. So, every marketers should take care about there
promotional mix or integrated marketing communication mix. Advertising
is one of the tools of communication mix. It has been seen in the trends
that teenagers and children can be easily influenced by the advertisement.
Marketers either use print media, electronic media or any other
media to advertise their projects. They heavily make expenses on the
advertisement of their products. In this report I am going to discuss how
advertisement influences the purchase decision of the teenagers.
 INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

To find out how the 21st century teenagers are redefining the
marketing landscape. This thesis will make us understand better the tastes
and preferences of teenagers, what stimulates teenagers to buy a product,
why do they buy a particular product, what do they buy and how do
endorsements and brand ambassadors affect their buying behaviour.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Scope of this thesis is to understand how marketers today are

focusing more on teenagers because reaching out today’s teens is a tough
exercise. Today, individualism is in vogue. This research will peep into the
complex psyche of teen consumers; will also take into consideration issues
related to their personal psyche, social context and the general
environment around them. This will analyze that how celebrity
endorsements, choice of a particular brand ambassador and targeted
advertising in teen oriented media affects the buying behavior of teens
today. The focus of the thesis will be totally on today’s generation (youth),
to understand their perception towards a product which lets them buy the
same.
 Kids and teens are a valuable market to advertisers. Helping them
become more critical of marketing messages can help protect them from
exploitation.

Why do marketers love teens?

They have money to burn, and the items they buy are largely
“luxury” items, like clothing, electronics, and music. They make many, if
not most, of their purchasing decisions independently. And they have
significant influence on family purchases. Perhaps most importantly,
companies know that once they have “branded” a child, he or she is likely
to be a customer for life, or from “cradle to grave.”

How do they reach kids?

Everywhere. Advertising is in magazines, movies, TV shows, and on
the internet. Licensed products, in the form of clothing, toys, and
accessories, abound. Schools make deals with soda companies and sell
naming rights to their gyms to the highest bidder. Companies glean
important demographic info about kids spending habits from seemingly
innocuous internet “quizzes” and “surveys”. Marketing comes at kids from
all directions, twenty-four seven.

How do marketers do it?

They know how to capitalize on important teenage issues and
anxieties, like body image, peer acceptance, coolness, and a need for
power. They use these themes repeatedly in advertising geared towards
children and teenagers. Marketers also often hone in on themes and
attitudes that parents might find inappropriate or offensive, like sex or
alcohol and drug use, further escalating the “coolness factor” of the
product.

Why is advertising so effective?

Advertising works best when it creates insecurity about something,
such as appearance. A successful ad convinces the viewer that they have a
problem that needs fixing, and then proposes to offer the solution, which
just happens to be the product they are selling. The message is that teens
aren’t good enough the way they are. Many kids unwittingly buy into that
message, and as a result, end up being hypercritical of them because we
don’t fit a certain “image” that they believe is necessary for their
happiness.

What's wrong with this picture?

This generation of kids is growing up in what is perhaps the most
materialistic society we have ever had. They are surrounded by images of
excess and the idea that buying “things” will bring them satisfaction. They
are given things easily and rarely have to delay gratification. Worst of all,
many of the things that are advertised to teens do not promote healthy
development.

How can you help?

Teens need to become more critical viewers of advertising. Help
them recognize what’s behind the hard sell. Ask them to identify the
themes the advertiser is using to try to connect with them.
JUSTIFICATION OF CHOOSING THIS TOPIC:

Teens today are targeted by almost every company; there is a mad

rush among marketers to target this very lucrative and exciting segment.
Marketers are harnessing all the resources at their command to fire up the
imagination of teenagers and storm their way into their impressionable
minds. Today, marketers have to wander through many individual tastes
and preferences. Today’s generation of teenagers are also smart, hyper-
stimulated media hungry and techno-literate. Today teens are intelligent;
they have street smartness and can also take best advantage of the market.
One of the reasons for choosing this topic is also that today they influence
their parents on both big and small purchases. They shape and impact new
fashion and lifestyle trends. They hold a mirror to our society. They are the
ones who provide us with an insight into the current status of society and
how it is likely to unfold in the future. Hence, a lot of hype is centered on
teen marketing today.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

“Research is a careful investigation or the inquiry through search for

the facts in any branch of knowledge”. Research Methodology refers to the
methods, technique that are used for the activities involved in performing
the research operations such as making observation, recording data etc.

Research Design:
The research is a Descriptive Research; it is designed to describe
the, effects of advertisement on teenagers. How advertisement proved to an
effective tool for the marketers to have an impact on the buying behavior
of the teenagers. In this case our problem is not fully defined; we have to
know the effect that is advertisement really effects the purchasing decision
of teenagers.

Sample Technique:
No data or information is manipulated or changed or used to prove
anything all of them are used to support the research in their as it is form to
keep the transparency in the report and extract the best possible result or
information from research. We will use Random Sampling method.

Sample Size:
For, check out that Advertising effecting the buying behaviour of the
teenagers, we took 1000 people as the target population where as our
sample size were 200.
Area of Operation:
The area of operation is Delhi & NCR

Data Collections:
Primary Data
Original data compiled and studied for a specific purpose. For
example, a structured survey might be conducted for the purpose of
discovering current attitudes on a particular topic; raw survey responses
would be primary data.
Primary data is collected either through observations or through
direct communication with the respondents in the form of questionnaires,
interviews or personal interaction etc.
So, here the primary data is collected through Questionnaire and
Personal Interaction. The questionnaire which was drafted was a
structured questionnaire in which the questions asked were predetermined.
Secondary Data
It is the data which is collected by someone else or for some other
purpose and which have already been passed through statistical process.
The sources of secondary data which are used:
· Internet
· Marketing Books
· Magazines
· Journals
· Collage Library

Method of Data collection

 The method of data collected will be a Qualitative Data where the
emphasis will be on understanding of the common people. The approach
will be rational and interpretation will be based on observation and
measurement based on natural setting and hence the data will be subjective
with an insider-view and have closeness to the data.

Tools of Data collection

The data collected will be through questionnaire and through
personal interaction with the common public of Delhi/NCR.

Analysis of Data
The data collected will first be cleaned to sort out relevant data from
the irrelevant data and then the data will be analyzed with the help of
computer software program SPSS and also the use of Microsoft Excel to
inspect data for errors and various statistical tests will be done to arrive at a
result.
 CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR:

Buying Behavior is the decision processes and acts of people
involved in buying and using products. Consumer behaviour research is
the scientific study of the processes consumers use to select, secure, use
and dispose of products and services that satisfy their needs. Firms can
satisfy those needs only to the extent that they understand their customers.
We need to understand:
· Why consumers make the purchases that they make?
· What factors influence consumer purchases?
· The changing factors in our society.
· Consumer Buying Behavior refers to the buying behavior of the
ultimate consumer. A firm needs to analyze buying behavior for:
· Buyer’s reactions to a firms marketing strategy has a great impact on
the firm’s success.
· The marketing concept stresses that a firm should create a
Marketing Mix (MM) that satisfies (gives utility to) customers,
therefore need to analyze the what, where, when and how consumers
buy.
· Marketers can better predict how consumers will respond to
marketing strategies.
Stages of the Consumer Buying Process:

There are six Stages to the Consumer Buying Decision Process (For
complex decisions). Actual purchasing is only one stage of the process.
Not all decision processes lead to a purchase. All consumer decisions do
not always include all 6 stages, determined by the degree of complexity.
The 6 stages are:

(i) Problem Recognition- This is also known as awareness of need.

It is basically difference between the desired state and the actual
condition. Deficit in assortment of products. For e.g.; Hunger--
Food. Hunger stimulates your need to eat. It can be stimulated by
the marketer through product information. They do not know you
were deficient? That is, see a commercial for a new pair of shoes,
stimulates your recognition that you need a new pair of shoes.
(ii) Information search- Internal search, memory. External search if
you need more information. Friends and relatives (word of
mouth). Marketer dominated sources; comparison shopping;
public sources etc.
(iii) Evaluation of Alternatives- Need to establish criteria for
evaluation features the buyer wants or does not want.
Rank/weight alternatives or resume search. May decide that you
want to eat something spicy, Indian gets highest rank etc. If not
satisfied with your choice then returns to the search phase. Can
you think of another restaurant? Look in the yellow pages etc.
Information from different sources may be treated differently.
Marketers try to influence by "framing" alternatives.
 (iv) Purchase decision- Choose buying alternative, includes product,
package, store, method of purchase etc.
(v) Purchase- May differ from decision, time lapse between 4 & 5,
product availability.
(vi) Post-Purchase Evaluation- Outcome: Satisfaction or
Dissatisfaction.
(vii) Cognitive Dissonance- Have you made the right decision. This
can be reduced by warranties, after sales communication etc.
After eating an Indian meal, may think that really you wanted a
Chinese meal instead.

Types of Consumer Buying Behavior:

Types of consumer buying behavior are determined by:
· Level of Involvement in purchase decision. Importance and intensity
of interest in a product in a particular situation.
· Buyer’s level of involvement determines why he/she is motivated to
seek information about a certain products and brands but virtually
ignores others.
High involvement purchases--Honda Motorbike, high priced goods,
products visible to others, and the higher the risk the higher the
involvement.

Types of risks are-

· Personal risk
· Social risk
 · Economical risk
The four type of consumer buying behavior are:
(i) Routine Response/Programmed Behavior- Buying low
involvement frequently purchased low cost items; need
very little search and decision effort; purchased almost
automatically. Examples include soft drinks, snack foods,
milk etc.
(ii) Limited Decision Making- Buying product occasionally.
When you need to obtain information about unfamiliar
brand in a familiar product category, perhaps. Requires a
moderate amount of time for information gathering.
Examples include Clothes--know product class but not the
brand.
(iii) Extensive Decision Making- Complex high involvement,
unfamiliar, expensive and/or infrequently bought products.
High degree of economic/performance/psychological risk.
Examples include cars, homes, computers, education.
Spend alot of time seeking information and deciding.
Information from the companies MM; friends and
relatives, store personnel etc. Go through all six stages of
the buying process.
(iv) Impulse buying- No conscious planning.
The purchase of the same product does not always elicit the same
buying behavior. Product can shift from one category to the next. For
example: Going out for dinner for one person may be extensive decision
making (for someone that does not go out often at all), but limited decision
making for someone else. The reason for the dinner, whether it is an
anniversary celebration, or a meal with a couple of friends will also
determine the extent of the decision making.

The classical learning theory, which has evolved to Social cognitive theory
(Bandura 1986), Socio- cognitive view of addiction (Bandura, 1999), self-
regulation mechanism (Bandura, 1991) explains buying behaviour as a
response to a stimuli. The factors of stimuli are in the form of the product,
retail environment, emotional responses, and satisfaction of needs,
pleasure and excitement. These factors are classified into socio-cultural,
psychological, psychiatric and theological domains. The factors can be
further divided into external and internal.
 COSUMER BEHAVIOUR APPROACHES

Consumer behaviour research is the scientific study of the processes

consumers use to select, secure, use and dispose of products and services
that satisfy their needs. Knowledge of consumer behaviour directly affects
marketing strategy (Anderson et al, 2005). This is because of the
marketing concept, i. e., the idea that firms exist to satisfy customer needs
(Winer, 2000). Firms can satisfy those needs only to the extent that they
understand their customers. For this reason, marketing strategies must
incorporate knowledge of consumer behaviour into every facet of a
strategic marketing plan (Solomon, 2002). …The human behaviour is
complex, replete with controversies and contradictions and comes as no
surprise to marketing academicians as well as practioners. There is a
widespread recognition that consumer behaviour is the key to
contemporary marketing success (Hawkins et al., 2003). Consumer
behaviour has been legitimized in marketing for it provides the conceptual
framework and strategic thinking for carrying out successful segmentation
of markets (Schiffman and Kanuk 2000).
There have been a number of debates between positivistic and
interpretive consumer researchers (Hudson and Ozanne 1988). In this way,
the field of consumer behaviour has been characterized by diversity of
viewpoints; as a result, the entire field now is based on an interdisciplinary
science (Kassarjian 1995). The understanding of consumer behaviour
appeals to a set of different areas of knowledge/factors: psychological,
cultural social psychological, physio-pyschological, genetics anthropology.
One of them is the psychology since consumer behaviour deals with
emotions, beliefs and attitudes. Research on emotions within marketing
has evolved three approaches: the categories approach, the dimensions
approach and the cognitive appraisals approach (Watson and Spence,
2007). The categories approach groups emotions around exemplars and
considers their different effects on consumption related behaviour.
The dimensions approach uses the affective dimensions of valence
and level of arousal to distinguish between emotions and the effects they
have on consumer behaviour. The cognitive appraisals approach has used
emotions’ underlying motivational and evaluative roots to explain their
influences on consumption related behaviors. This approach supposes that
underlying evaluations of a situation n (e.g. its desirability, certainty, etc.)
combine to elicit specific emotions. This approach may be used to explain
how an extensive range of emotions, including those with similar valence
and arousal levels, are elicited and how they lead to different behavioral
responses. The cognitive approach has been considered relevant for
understanding the emotional responses of consumers in the marketplace
(Johnson and Stewart, 2005: 3). Bagozzi et al. (1999) propose that the
cognitive appraisals approach offers a more complete explanation of
consumers’ behavioral responses to emotions than other one.
What is apparent from the new learning, however,
is that we potentially miss those beliefs and attitudes held at the
unconscious or implicit level that can be crucial to determining consumer
behaviour. Also the memory that people hold on their consumer
experiences will drive both aversion and preference towards products.
Aversion behaviour is our avoidance of certain things (brands or marketing
offers) made to us as consumers. The importance of the implicit memory in
terms of its capacity to process and store information cannot be
understated. The implicit memory registers vast amounts of input from our
surrounding environment as we move through life. Millions of experiences
that we have had throughout our entire lives are stored away in a particular
part of our memory system and can be instantly accessed to help us
develop an intuitive 'feeling' about what we should, or should not do. The
critical issue, however, is that most of the associations that drive intuition
reside in the unconscious part of our brain. They are brought into play
automatically, and are not the subject of conscious awareness. We can't
normally articulate the basis of our intuitions. So consumers often make
brand choices intuitively, and cannot tell why they made that choice.
Fishbein's (1967) attitudinal model has also been widely used in the
marketing context (Lilien et al., 1992), and this paradigm provides
researchers with a useful lens for examining the factors explaining
consumer purchasing intention and adoption. According to this model,
behaviour is predominantly determined by intention. Other factors like
attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control also are
shown to be related to an appropriate set of salient behavioral, normative,
and control beliefs about the behaviour. However, Fishbein's model stops
at the adoption level and does not capture other important factors that
explain and predict consumer continuance behaviour (repurchase). The
expectation-confirmation model (Oliver, 1980), on the other hand, focuses
on the post-purchase behaviour. It is a widely used model in the consumer
behaviour literature, particularly in explaining consumer satisfaction and
repeat purchase. Satisfaction is the central notion of this model, which is
formed by the gap between expectation and perceived performance. The
expectation confirmation theory suggests that if the perceived performance
meets one's expectation, confirmation is formed, and consumers are
satisfied. Bhattacherjee (2001) stated that satisfied users are more likely to
continue purchasing the same products.
As regards cultural it is the main external factors that shape human
behavior. It represents living style, which came into being after
adjustments to the environment, people, and things through
generations. The effect of culture on people's life is so great that it will
even affect the motives choices when consuming or shopping (Chang,
2005). Otts (1989) defined culture as "All technologies, beliefs, knowledge
and fruits that people share and transfer to next generations." Taylor (1958)
believed that culture was everything that an individual learns in society. It
is a combination of knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and
any other capabilities and customs. Culture is one of the main factors to
determine behavior. The two external factors (culture and physical
environment) and two internal factors (physiological and psychological
factors) interact and form the basic factors to determine human behaviour.
Culture also includes three parts, namely culture, subculture, and social
class.
Culture is the most basic deciding factor of human desire and
behaviour. Everyone is included in many smaller subculture groups, which
provide a clearer sense of identification and social process. Basically,
subculture can be divided into four types: nationality groups, religious
groups, racial groups, and geographical regions. Many subcultures can
form some important market segments, and provide the decision reference
on product designs and marketing campaigns for marketing personnel to
serve the demands of consumers (Jen, 1990).
Through the interactions of the group, different people's experience
and individual characteristics were combined. During the combination
process, individuals would seek someone highly matched to him in order
to form a subgroup or small group together. Schein (1985) believed the
subgroup could form a common history through a certain time
development, by sharing experiences, attitudes, communication methods,
and individual personalities, and, in doing so, give birth to subculture. The
individual life style is affected by the interaction of internal factors such as
value and personality characteristics, and external factors such as society
and culture, and also reflects on daily life activities. According to the
paradox of personality in marketing, we all have a personality, but we do
not know how it is systematically related to our consumer behaviour
(Albanese, 1989).
Social psychology is another knowledge field that helps to
understand consumer behaviour. The social psychology focus on the
understanding of individual’s behaviour in the presence of other
individuals or groups. Concepts such as social perceptions, social
influence, social rewards, peer pressure, social cues, social sanctions, etc.
all shed light on the mysteries of consumer behaviour. Approaches to
understanding consumer behaviour have emphasized external influences
on consumption-related acts. The whole idea behind this reasoning is that
consumer behaviour takes14
 place within the context of groups and other individuals' presence
which influences consumer's processing of information and decision
making (Engel et al. 1968).
Another area of knowledge that has been used to a better
understanding of consumer behaviour is the physio-pyschological one.
Physiological psychology is the study of the interaction of the body with
the mind. It is the study of the extent to which behaviour is caused by
physical and chemical phenomena in the body (Morris 1996). Kroeber-Riel
(1980) pointed out that cognitive and psychological processes originate
from physiological ones. This field holds many promises for explaining
consumer behaviour. For instance, the hypothalamus is that center of the
brain which mainly controls consumption (Zimbardo and Gerrig 1996).
The chemical changes due to the use/eat of the first product results in a
blood borne input to the brain to activate further consumption. Thus, the
individual would order one more product to use/eat. Such behaviour is
explained based on the research findings on the functions of the
hypothalamus and other related areas of the brain (Valenstein, et al., 1970;
Zhang et al. 1994). Physio-psychology provides fascinating ways to help
understand consumer behaviour without looking into the consumer's
"black box" for hypothetically based variable explanations.
To explain consumer behaviour further, new frontiers in
science were introduced such as genetics and anthropology (Demirdjian,
and Senguder, 2004). According to genetics approach our genes direct our
consumption behaviour. Perhaps humans are all programmed to act in
certain ways in their consumptive and consumer-related behaviour. Is the
presence of certain genes that compel us to consume certain kind of
products? Genetic science may very well come up with definite findings to
explain consumer behaviour and thus we may strike a vein of truth in
finding explanations and laws of consumer behaviour (Feder, 1977).
Business anthropology and its implementation in consumer behaviour
studies have demonstrated to the business world that anthropological
approach as new perspective will bring a new era for the consumer
science. The applied anthropologists will become the hottest candidates for
business related research jobs given the fact that anthropological methods
are becoming more widely acceptable in the business world in general and
in consumer studies particular (Demirdjian and Senguder, 2004).

CONSUMER SOCIALIZATION

The response (buying) is rationalized using the self –regulation

mechanism .The potential buyer goes through the process of self
observation, judgment, self reaction and self regulation. The self
observation is monitoring ones action to provide diagnostic information
about the impact of behaviour and attainment of goals. In the judgment
process the personal standards, social comparisons with associates,
reference group norms and prior behaviour or collective comparisons are
done. The self-reaction process involves when behaviour is observed and
judged to deviate from personal or social standards of conduct.
Unregulated buying may reflect ineffective self-reactive control. Previous
research shows that forty percent of respondents admit that they are
impulsive in nature, the reason being their self-control mechanisms not
working and in reality more than ninety percent of buyers are impulsive.
 The impulsive behaviour when repeated continuously
becomes compulsive buying and when in a very higher degree is called
addictive buying. In consumer literature compulsive buying is described as
chronic ,repetitive, excessive purchasing that becomes a primary response
to negative life events, inner deficiencies or negative feelings and hence
carries a strong components1 (O’Guinn & Faber 1989,Scherhorn,Reisch
& Raab 1990). Compulsive buying can harm not only the individual but
his/her family and society (Faber, 2000, p. 29; Faber & O’Guinn, 1992, p.
467) and can result in overspending, extreme indebtedness, and bankruptcy
(McElroy, Satlin, Pope, Keck, & Hudson, 1991). Substantial research
further suggests that people highly oriented toward the acquisition of
wealth and possessions report relatively low levels of well-being.
( Belk,1985: Carver & Baird,1998;Kasser & Ryan,1993,1996,2001:
Mick,1996;Richins & Dawson,1992:Sirgy,1998:Wright and Larsen,1993).
Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to experience, Agreeableness,
Conscientiousness. (Personality traits) on consumption. Hermann
Brandstatter, Werner Guth (2000).
Richins and Rudimin (1994) - have reviewed how
materialistic tendencies are associated with individual’s identities, use of
money, motivation for work, and social behaviour. Substantial research
further suggests that people highly oriented toward the acquisition of
wealth and possessions report relatively low levels of well-being.
(Belk,1985: Carver & Baird,1998;Kasser & Ryan,1993,1996,2001:
Mick,1996;Richins & Dawson,1992:Sirgy,1998:Wright and Larsen,1993).
Consumers who use credit cards spend more than those who use other
means of payment (Tokunga 1993) (somar 2001). Behavioral,
psychological, demographic variables can predict consumers who use
consumer credit effectively (Tokunaga, 1983).
With easier access to malls, a sea of products available, and little or
no social stigma attached to constant shopping (which formerly had been
considered an indication of moral or spiritual decay), (Hirschman 1992),
compulsive shoppers encounter temptations daily. Shopping is changing in
nature (Cambell, 2004). The focus is shifting from the purchase of
provisions to satisfy the physical needs of oneself towards the use of
consumer goods as a distinctive means of acquiring and expressing a sense
of self identity.( Dittmar & Beatty 1998),regulatory emotions ( Elliott
1994) or gaining social status ( McCracken 1990). Changes have enhanced
the complexity of consumption (Mick, Broniarczyk & Haidt, 2004) and
created an atmosphere that has turned out to be more favorable for the risk
of compulsive behaviour than before. The belief that consumer goods are
an important route towards success, identity and happiness (Dittmar 2000)
are core values of consumer society.
CONSUMER SOCIALIZATION & AGENTS:

Integrating Piaget’s (1970) stage theory of intellectual development

and Selman’s (1980) stage theory of social development, John (1999)
proposes a model of consumer socialization in which children learning to
be consumers are theorized to undergo a developmental process in three
stages: from the perceptual stage through to the analytical stage, followed
by the reflective stage as they mature into adult consumers. Ward et al.
(1977, p.56) utilized the learning theory to explain consumer socialization
and postulated “a basic component of children’s learning about the
marketplace is knowledge of sources of information about products.”
Socialization agents are the influential sources that convey norms,
attitudes, motivations, and behaviors to the learner (McLeod and O’Keefe,
1972). Much evidence shows that parents, peers, mass media, stores,
schools, brands, and products themselves and their packages are all sources
of information, namely socialization agents (Ward, 1974; Moschis and
Churchill, 1978; Moschis and Moore, 1979; Moschis, 1987; Dotson and
Hyatt, 2005). Mascarenhas and Higby (1993) classified sources of
influence upon teen’s shopping into person and situation factors, such as
opinions and attitudes towards product, brand and store, market advice and
purchase values and norms available from parents, peers and the media.
Parents as the Primary Socialization Agent:
Parents are considered as the primary socialization agents for
children, and most aspects of parental influence continue well into
adulthood (Ward et al., 1977). Among all the social entities from which
children might learn, parents appear to be the most instrumental in
teaching their children consumer behaviour. The influence of family on
consumer socialization appears to produce effects more through the subtle
social interactions between parents and their children than purposive
education efforts carried out by parents (Ward, 1974). During the processes
of direct communication between parents and children, parents influence
their children’s interactions with other consumer influence sources, and
play a role to modify the effects of other socialization agents upon their
children, such as mass media and peers groups (Mochas, 1985, 1987).
Parents play the most important role in providing Chinese children
with information about school-related products; while parents and TV play
an almost equal role in Chinese children’s learning about personal care
products.

Peers as Socialization Agent:18

Like parents, peers can affect child consumer socialization
directly or indirectly. Peers appear to be an important socialization agent,
contributing to the learning of the expressive elements of consumption.
Several earlier studies have speculated that children learn “expressive
elements of consumption” (i.e. materialistic values and social motivations)
or “affective consumption” (i.e. styles and moods of consumption) from
their peers and the findings also supported such speculations (Parsons et
al., 1953; David and Roseboroug, 1955; Moschis and Churchill, 1978;
Moschis and Moore, 1982). It seems clear that both parents and peers are
important facilitators of children’s learning of socialization as consumers;
parents contribute greatly to the formation of children’s consumer
behaviour in the earlier phases of a child’s growth, and the peers’
socializing influence increases with age as the parental influence wanes
(Moschis and Churchill, 1978; Ward, 1974).

Mass-Media as Socialization Agent:

While parents are considered the primary socialization agents
of children, “no other agent of consumer socialization has received more
attention (in the literature) than the mass media” (Moschis, 1987, p.121).
There are mainly two dimensions of media that confers influence upon
children, namely advertising and editorial/programming content, which
specifically intend to inform young people about products and encourage
them to purchase (O’Guinn and Shrum, 1997). Nowadays, children are in
the environment of the omnipresence of television in which programmes
and commercials are used with persuasive intentions. Considerable
evidence has shown that the more children interact with the mass media,
the more consumer behaviour learned by children and the more consumer
socialization occurs (Moschis and Churchill, 1978; Moschis and Moore,
1982; O’Guinn and Shrum, 1997). A study to determine new product
information sources for Chinese children shows that television is
considered the most important information source for learning about new
products, and the perceived importance of television as an information
source of new products increases significantly with the age of children
(McNeal and Ji, 1999).

Retailer as Socialization Agent:

Retailers can be logically expected to be significant consumer
socialization agents, also, because of the regular and frequent store visits
by children and the interactions between the two parties (McNeal and Ji,
1999, p.347). Research shows that the average ten-year-old child goes
shopping 250 times per year, or approximately five times per week
(Dotson and Hyatt, 1994). The more often parents take their children
shopping, the more conscious the children become of the 19
information about products such as price and brands (Shim et al.,
1995). Shopping was listed by children as their second favorite after-
school activity after watching TV (Schulman and Clancy, 1992).

Brands as socialization agent:

Brands are another potentially strong influence on children’s
marketplace behaviour. Brand awareness and preference among children is
heightened at their earlier ages by the increased presence of brands
(Dotson and Hyatt, 2005). Brand name is a highly salient attribute in
children’s purchase requests across a variety of food types that they often
use and enjoy. Brand knowledge is differentially affected by product,
relevance and amount of advertising, and brand knowledge for each
product increases with age. Among the children who make requests for a
specific product brand, it is an important attribute considered by children
during their decision-making. In the case of cereals, brand is a much more
dominant attribute (Ward et al., 1977). Additionally, the increased level of
influence of popular brands on children arise from “peer pressure” and are
accompanied by celebrity endorsements associated with their favourite
sports, music and entertainment stars pitching well-known brand named
products (Dotson and Hyatt, 2005).

MARKET PROFILE OF TEENAGERS

Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Teens ages 12 to 19 soared
to 32 million, an increase of nearly 4.5 million. Their 17 percent growth
rate far outpaced the growth of the rest of the population. Needless to say,
the country is facing a massive population shift. With this large number of
Teens on the cusp of becoming young adults, the behaviors and attitudes
they exhibit now are important to marketers in the present and in the years
to come.
The current Teen market represents the most multicultural
population the United States has seen. It differs from previous generations
in other distinctive ways as well. While today’s Teens exhibit a strong need
for individuality in their self-expression, they also display a deep
attachment and respect for family. In addition, they marry an interest in
fashions of the moment with a sincere desire to purchase products from
companies that have a social conscience. This Teen Market Profile is
designed to help marketers understand and connect with Teens effectively.
It includes a Teen market overview, an examination of the media habits of
Teens, and evidence about how magazines reach, connect, and influence
Teens and their purchase decisions.
Why focus on Teenagers?
Like never before, this market has the most power to make or break
brands. No other generation has ever been confronted with a greater
opportunity to reshape marketing. Three major factors affecting the way
this group acts. The first is technology. Teens do not see technology as an
innovation; instead, it is considered fundamentally an extension of their
consciousness. While marketers may taut innovation, teens see it as a mere
fact of life. The second factor is the economy. The middle class is
shrinking and teens recognize only two groups: the affluent and the poor.
They perceive no middle between theses extremes. The third factor is
aging. Since this generation may see people live to be 150 years old, they
have no sense of the age-related process of growing up. In an ageless
world, it's hard to know when growing up begins and when being a child
really stops.
Freedom is at the core of the teen belief system. They want the
freedom to go wherever they want and to be whoever they want to be.
They challenge old environments, such as that of the workplace. They
collectively formulate ideas about the world and believe in only what they
agree upon. They value the freedom to build their own sense of style, often
influenced by the entertainment industry. The era of passive consumerism
is over. Only 25 percent of teens are considered passive consumers. This
generation is opinionated and takes action. They have been trained as
shoppers since their early childhood and influence billions of dollars in
spending.
There are five major changes that face the millennial generation
(i) Unprecedented financial risk is a powerful force. This generation
is $10 trillion dollars in debt. They feel that they are in the midst
of World War III and that the war concerns their ability to live in
relative peace. This perceived war clashes with teen desires for
freedom. As a result, there is increasing anxiety among teens who
assume a "predator and prey" posture. For example, they have a
prey response against marketing -- they see themselves as victims
and the older generation as unable to manage financial risk.
(ii) For teens, the most effective role models exist within the family.
The love of family is pervasive within their lives and the
teen/parent relationship is strong. The mother has emerged as the
strongest role in the family. There is still angst among teenagers,
but at the end of the day the relationship holds. For example, the
mother/daughter relationship on the WB's "Gilmore Girls"
demonstrates a high level of love occasionally disrupted by
miscommunication. Teens have learned how to change nagging
into negotiating: "C'mon, Mom. I know we don't need a new car,
but don't you think you'd look great driving that new X5 around
town?" What does this mean for marketers? Popular brands are
those that prove to be safety nets, not necessarily fashion
statements. Brands should allow people to make their own
decisions.
(iii) Interpersonal Communications trump Media. The information
space has changed. A teen spends on average nine hours a week
on direct phone communication. Networking never stops. The
 Ryze Blog Tribe shows that opinion leaders control the flow of
information. One person in this tribe has over 400 IM
relationships. The distribution of opinion depends on the strength
of the agreement or disagreement with the message. The
implication for marketers is that more companies should follow
eBay's strategy of offering a peer-to-peer connection. eBay works
because it enables a transaction in which a person makes a one-
to-one purchasing connection with someone who shares a
common interest, with eBay merely facilitating that connection.
(iv) Everybody is somebody's leader. Leadership tends toward
specific categories, that is, handbags in particular rather than
fashion in general. Teens look to certain knowledgeable teens for
influence in a specific category. For teens, it's not so much that
because someone is an expert she will be offered her own
television show. Instead, a person is considered an expert because
she already has a television show. Celebrities can be self-
professed and their credibility can be self-generated. How should
brand marketers respond? Successful brands today let teens lead.
Reverse the marketing process from aiming for awareness to
achieving shared network respect. Let teens have an influence in
shaping your brand's identity.
(v) Teens create their own worlds. Their reality is under their control
-- the line between reality and non-reality has dissolved. They
prefer simple, linear stories -- ones that have beginnings, middles
and ends. Teens love the Geico ads because they are simple and
linear, but still entertaining and educational despite its existence
 in a boring industry. Brand advertising should engage teens in
linear and entertaining stories.
With these changes in mind, effective marketing requires brands to
demonstrate authenticity (voice brand opinions and stories and do not
stray from it), be bold (make a statement that offers them something
new), connect consistently (responses to messages in all media should
be consistent or you'll lose their interest and trust), build relationships
over time and learn to speak in the teen's own idiom. The chapter
focuses on marketing targeted to children and teenagers. Children and
teenagers are being exposed to commercial messages in numerous
places and through various media channels e.g. television, the Internet,
mobile phones etc. Children have more money to spend, they are
massive consumers of media and new ways to market product and
services are developed continuously. Parents try to help their children to
understand commercial communication. However, many parents are not
familiar with the many new ways to do marketing. This chapter
examines the quantity of advertisements, commercials and other types
of marketing initiatives that children are facing in their everyday lives.
Does marketing influence children’s consumption? Furthermore, the
chapter focuses on how the parents tackle advertising in relation to their
children.
Beyond the growth in the Teen population, marketers cannot afford
to ignore Teens for numerous other reasons. This growing powerbase
of spenders and influencers are important because they:-
· Have significant discretionary income
 · Spend family money as well as influence their parents’ spending
on both large and small household purchases
· Establish and affect fashion, lifestyle, and overall trends
· Provide a “window” into our society — a view of how it is now,
and what it is likely to become.
Today’s teenage customers have emerged as big-time spenders, who not
only have a good amount of pocket money but also know how to
supplement the same by means of internships, summer jobs, part-time jobs.
This coupled with an increased awareness of all things (thanks
to internet) and a voice which speaks out what they want, makes this
segment a most desirable one from the marketer’s point of view.

LIFECYCLE, ATTITUDES & BEHAVIOUR OF TEENAGERS

Today’s Teens live in a time of sweeping technological advances,

relative affluence and a flattening divorce rate. Consequently, their
attitudes and cultural awareness exhibit a number of distinguishing
characteristics.
For example they are:-
· Are realistic and optimistic with a strong sense of individualism,
but not with the fierce independence of the previous generation
 · Like to be in control and are “hip to hype,” but not to the point of
cynicism
· Want and expect to have control over their media experiences
· Have access to evolving and new technologies — such as DVRs,
instant messaging, and wireless phones.
Many Teens feel that “most grownups are really stressed out,” and
they don’t want to follow this example. “Being really good at your job”
and having “control in your life” are important components of Teens’
definition of success. But, they also value relationships
famiimportantthem, and a good marriage is a sign of success. Teens today
understand the need to be able to turn on a dime because they live with
short-term change and volatility on a day-to-day basis. Unlike previous
eras, Teens also live with paradox, realizing that their choices are filled
with a mix of good and bad. Even so, they have a strong sense of
empowerment and believe that they can conquer any challenge, actively
seeking out causes to support. They are self assured, with three-quarters or
more of them agreeing with the statements “I trust my own judgment a lot”
and “I have a very clear idea of my objectives and goals in life.”

TEEN ATTITUDES:
 Teens are a powerful force in the U.S. market — 12- to 17-year-olds
spent $112.5 billion in 2003 alone. Income varies greatly within the Teen
market as the population matures. Sixteen- to 17-yearolds have more than
four times the amount of earned income as compared to that of 12- to
yearolds. The median spending money per week for all Teens ranges from
$12.20 for 12- to 13-year-olds to $20.10 for 16- to 17-year-olds.

Financial Products and Teens:

With a significant amount of income at their discretion, Teens
display a surprising level of financial sophistication — a significant
proportion has access to financial products and services to manage their
money. Nearly four out of ten Teens have a savings or checking account in
their own name.

Source: 2003 MRI Teenmark weighted by population

* In own or parent’s name ** In own name
What Teens Purchase and Plan to Purchase with Their Own Money-
Teens spend in a wide variety of categories, from durable products
such as clothing, CDs, video games, and jewelry to non-durables, such as
food, soda, snacks, and ice-cream. Some specific observations about Teen
behavior and purchase intent include:
· Clothing topped the list of both what Teens planned to buy and
what they actually purchased.
· Entertainment items, such as video games, CDs, and magazines,
figured prominently on Teens’ planned purchases and what they
actually bought.
· Food, candy, and soda were the most common items recently
bought.
· Magazines were on Teens’ top 10 lists for both items they plan to
buy and what they recently purchased.
· Teen males and females’ spending habits vary in a few significant
ways, such as:
· Twice as many Teen females bought clothes last time they made
a purchase and projected purchases compared to Teen males.
· Three times as many male Teens bought and planned to buy
video games than female Teens.
· More females tend to consume food and beverages, including
candy, soda, snacks, lunch, and ice cream.
· Twice as many males plan to buy a car or car parts as females.
TEENS AS AN INFLUENCER:

The teenagers therefore, become a lucrative market because of

certain characteristics which are not to be found in any other target
segment. These can be classified as:
· Search for an identity
 · Improved cognitive power
· Changing sexuality
· Growing importance of self-esteem
· Higher mobility
· Gender differences
· Increasing need for independence
· Increasing buying power
· Increasing pester power.
Where Teen Shops?
With “mall rat” officially part of the present urban India’s
vernacular, it’s not surprising that shopping malls top the list of where both
female and male Teens shop. Teens also shop in numerous other venues,
including discount stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, and more. As
the age goes up, so does the percentage of Teens who shop in any/all
locations measured. Overall, girls shop more frequently than boys at nearly
every shopping venue studied. After shopping malls, apparel and discount
stores are girls’ most frequented venues. After shopping malls, boys most
often shop at electronics and convenience stores.
GENDER DIFFERENCE:
Gender is also a major differentiator in the amount spent and the
pattern of spending. It was found on comparing the typical spending by a
teenage customer, that females spent almost 22% more than males. It was
also found in the same research that the items rated at top three were very
different amongst male and female teenage customers.

Teen Spending Patterns: Boys Vs Girls

All teens are not alike, and grouping them together could be a
roadmap for disaster. Take, for example, a typical eighth grader compared
with a college student. While Disney’s “High School Musical” is all the
rage for one, the other is much more engaged by the latest drama on
MTV’s “The Real World.” And don’t discount the hugely important gender
differences. Anybody with kids knows how different boys are from girls.
Therefore, when analyzing teens, boys and girls need to be viewed
separately. For example, girls believe that they are more grown-up than
boys, and spend their money on very different things, such as jewelry and
clothing, while boys’ interests trend toward games and electronics.
However, both spend money on music and movies, which increases as kids
shift from the 12–14 age brackets to the 15–17 one. It is also important to
realize that “what’s hot” can be polarizing, because for each teen fad with
adoring fans, there is a subset of teens who simply hate it. Finding a teen
idol as a spokesperson for a brand could divide an audience. For each loyal
fan of Justin Timberlake, there is another teen who simply abhors him.
Interestingly, this love/hate relationship seems to be more common with
the “beautiful people” than with stars like John Heder or Jack Black, who
garner more universal appeal.
Several such differences have made marketers understand that
preferences among male and female teenage customers are likely to be
very disparate. Now that we have seen the factors which influence and
effect the decision of the teenage customer, let us look at what lessons a
marketer can learn from these for branding a product successfully to the
teenage customer. As we have seen above, some of major components of
brand equity that a marketer needs to keep in mind for creating the right
mix in the mind of the teenage customer.
Starting with women, and analyzing what she buys, we chose to
display a piece of clothing, varying it according to its design, brand, price
and composition, so that we could better understand the buying decision
process. Analyzing the consumer buying behaviour concerning “where” he
goes shopping, we see that there are differences between men and women
when choosing the stores where they prefer to go shopping. In this way,
women prefer to go to stores whose more advantageous factors are low
prices, followed by product quality, and product variety; men appreciate
the same criteria but on a different order, standing the quality of the
product in the first place, followed by price and, thirdly, variety. It is
worthy of mention the fact that both genders appreciate the store
atmosphere in the fourth place. Other considered aspect to the consumer
buying behaviour analysis was how frequently (when) the consumer goes
shopping during the regular season and during the sales season. Results
show that, during the regular season, both men and women mostly go
shopping once a month, being that much more evident among men (63%)
than women (57%). Yet, we also notice that also a great part (16,3%) of
women go shopping more than three times a week.

Aspects that the consumer appreciates when he goes to a store

As for “how one buys”, women go shopping mostly by impulse and

bring someone, while men do it by necessity and almost always alone.
Respecting the question “where one buys”, he prefers to buy his pieces of
clothing in stores that display an appealing and pleasant atmosphere, where
prices, quality and variety low are highlighted both by women and men,
although in a different order. In terms of “when one buys” (how frequently
one goes shopping), we may infer that women buy more often and that
both genders choose to buy mostly during sales season. There are some
restrictions that may be pointed out in this study, namely the fact of not
having been highlighted a stricter age rank within the population and the
sample’s dimension is somehow reduced. In terms of future threads of
investigation, it would be interesting to cross the gender variable with age,
income level, and professional occupation and also to expand the same
study to more than a country.
The effect of perception on Indian urban female consumer buying
behaviour
Products Convey different meanings to different people, consumers
form differing attachments to them. Unique consumer-product
relationships develop specific to the individual and the situation, but the
nature of the product is also highly relevant. The meaning of products may
ultimately depend more on the nature of consumers rather than the nature
of products (Martin, 1998; Rochberg- Halton, 1981). Understanding how
involved consumers become in their apparel - that is, their attachments to
them- provides a deeper understanding of the dynamics of consumer
behavior and the nature and role of the product category of fashion
(Martin, 1998). Evard and Aurier (1996) found that involvement is placed
at the heart of the “person-object relationship” and the relational variable
most predictive of purchase behavior (Martin, 1998). Contemporary
fashion experts indicate that consumers are often distributed across a wide
range of fashion consciousness and behaviors. Contemporary fashion
experts indicate that consumers are often distributed across a wide range of
fashion consciousness and behaviors. The highly fashion involved
consumers are seen as the drivers, influential’s, and legitimists of the
fashion adoption process (O’Cass, 2000). It is important to investigate
fashion involvement to understand consumer purchase behavior and to
develop improved marketing strategies.
Khan et. al. (1992) indicated that variables such as age, education,
race, and self consciousness were related to media usage. A significant
positive relationship was found between media usage and fashion
involvement in affluent female consumers. This indicated that media usage
was a predictor of fashion involvement. The media analyzed in this study
were movies, television, magazines, catalogs, and the Internet. Perhaps
affluent female consumers are most concerned with these types of media.
Belleau et. al. (2001) found fashion leaders to be less cost conscious
and less practical than fashion followers. The results of this study indicated
that the respondents made judgments about the relationship between the
price of a product and the quality of that product, although the relationship
between higher price and better quality was not very strong. The results
indicated that respondents were concerned with the prestige associated
with higher priced products. Perhaps because the respondents had incomes
ofRs.100,000 or more, they were more willing to pay for the prestige
associated with higher priced products. Goldsmith et. al. (1999) found that
fashion leaders have a unique self-image and opinion leadership was
associated with heavy clothing purchases. While the literature indicates
that people with higher fashion involvement tend to be more self-
confident, the present study revealed that respondents were not highly
fashion involved, but displayed high levels of self confidence and
moderate levels of public self consciousness.

Increasing need for Independence

The beginning of the teens also marks a significant increase in the
need to be independent. This need for independence may be exhibited in
the form of taking decisions without the inputs (or inference) from parents
and other adults. This is usually displayed by the teenager in the form of
going for shopping on their own or more likely with their own peer group,
which gives them the feeling of lack of pressure and hence greater
independence.

Increasing Buying Power

The amount of money available to teenagers today is much more
than what was available a decade or so ago. Today, the population of
teenagers is shrinking whereas the population in the age group 20-49 is
rapidly increasing. This means that there will be fewer teenagers per adult
in the age group 20-49 years. This translates into a direct increase in the
amount of money available to a teenager. Teenagers are also increasingly
open to taking up short term project and summer projects. This provides
them with additional sources of income, which again translates into extra
spending.

Increasing Pester Power

The teenagers today are quite vocal about what they like and dislike what
they want and don’t want. The 80’s were marked by the teenager
accepting, to a very large extent, the final decision made by the parents.
However, today, they not only speak their mind, but increasingly adopt
pressure tactics to get things their way. This is what is meant by “pester
power”. Pester power is one of the powerful considerations that a
marketers need to understand and leverage. Teenagers are not unknown to
putting pressure on their parents through constant reminders, even to the
extent of irritating or pestering them. This pester power, usually, does not
take into consideration what could be possible constraints on the part of
parents. It may sometimes even take the shape of “so what if you did it for
me” type of attitude.

BRAND LOYALTY:

By creating an identity for the product which fits in with the identity
that the teenager is trying to create for him/herself. The brand loyalty must
also allow the teenage customer to peg his individuality on it, so that the
association becomes a long-time association. Loyalty created in such a
manner will definitely help the marketer reap future benefits, because the
teenage customer of today will most likely be the loyal adult customer of
tomorrow.
 ADVERTISMENT

Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade an audience

(viewers, readers or listeners) to purchase or take some action upon
products, ideas, or services. It includes the name of a product or service
and how that product or service could benefit the consumer, to persuade a
target market to purchase or to consume that particular brand. These
messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various media.
Advertising can also serve to communicate an idea to a large number of
people in an attempt to convince them to take a certain action.

Commercial advertisers often seek to generate increased consumption of

their products or services through branding, which involves the repetition
of an image or product name in an effort to associate related qualities with
the brand in the minds of consumers. Non-commercial advertisers who
spend money to advertise items other than a consumer product or service
include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and
governmental agencies. Non-Profit Organization may rely on free modes
of persuasion, such as a public-service announcement.

Modern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late
19th and early 20th centuries. Mass Media can be defined as any media
meant to reach a mass amount of people. Different types of media can be
used to deliver these messages, including traditional media such as
newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor or direct mail; or new
media such as websites and text messages.
In 2010, spending on advertising was estimated at more than $300 billion
in the United States and $500 billion worldwide.

Internationally, the largest ("big four") advertising conglomerates are

Interpublic, Omnicpm, Publicis & WPP.

ADVERTISMENT & TEENS:

They know how to capitalize on important teenage issues and anxieties,

like body image, peer acceptance, coolness, and a need for power. They
use these themes repeatedly in advertising geared towards children and
teenagers. Marketers also often hone in on themes and attitudes that
parents might find inappropriate or offensive, like sex or alcohol and drug
use, further escalating the “coolness factor” of the product.
A successful ad convinces the viewer that they have a problem that
needs fixing, and then proposes to offer the solution, which just happens to
be the product they are selling. The message is that teens aren’t good
enough the way they are. Many kids unwittingly buy into that message,
and as a result, end up being hypercritical of themselves because we don’t
fit a certain “image” that they believe is necessary for their happiness.
This generation of kids is growing up in what is perhaps the most
materialistic society we have ever had. They are surrounded by images of
excess and the idea that buying “things” will bring them satisfaction. They
are given things easily and rarely have to delay gratification. Worst of all,
many of the things that are advertised to teens do not promote healthy
development.
 Teens need to become more critical viewers of advertising. Help
them recognize what’s behind the hard sell. Ask them to identify the
themes the advertiser is using to try to connect with them. Ask them to
point out what “need” is being projected that the product can supposedly
“fill”. Is the product really going to have the impact that the ad implies?
Marketers advertise for the most part in the categories where
Teens spend money, such as clothing, cosmetics, and entertainment. Many
of the top categories advertised to Teens reflect their influence on
household purchases, such as hair products, cosmetics, and sporting goods.
When compared to all Teens, Teens who are heavy magazine readers
are also more likely to be brand loyal across a variety of product
categories. For example, they are:
· 21% more likely to be loyal to their brand of sneakers/athletic shoes
· 25% more likely to be loyal to their brand of shampoo
· 21% more likely to be loyal to their brand of disposable razors
Of heavy magazine readers, older Teens are more likely to be brand
loyal than younger Teens to a variety of products, including jeans, eyeliner,
eye shadow, mascara, facial cleanser, body soap, disposable razors,
toothpaste, sanitary napkins/pads, and tampons. Younger Teens are more
brands loyal to salty snacks and cookies.
Teens read a wide variety of magazines, especially those or including
those that are targeted to their own particular interests, life stage, and
gender. When examining the titles that Teens read, whether it is by
circulation or by percentage of audience, a few distinctive features emerge,
such as:
 · Teens read a variety of magazine types, ranging from fashion to
automotive to electronic games.
· Teens read about their leisure pursuits. Many of the titles that are
popular among Teens are enthusiast titles.
· Gender is a major driver of magazine title selection.
Advertising Makes a Huge Impact - but so do Parents and Friends
The chapter argues that the consumption of children and teenagers to
some extent is influenced by marketing. 50 per cent of the children and
teenagers often wish for products they have seen advertised, and 25 per
cent often buy/get products they have seen in an advertisement.

Children are not only influenced by commercials targeted to children. By

the age of eight, children are being exposed to more advertising directed to
adults than to children. Peer groups and parents have a large influence on
which products will be preferred and prevail. As substantial sums are spent
on marketing initiatives, it seems fair to presume that commercial
communication influence the choice of consumption
TEEN MAGAZINES & MEDIA:
Magazines appeal to Teens, with eight out of ten Teens
reading magazines. That translates into 19.3 million readers today who
strongly influence fashion and purchasing trends for the rest of society. In
addition, more Teens trust magazine advertising than advertising in other
media, and they do not tend to spend time with other media when reading
magazines.
Teens Trust Magazines the Most
In an era when skepticism is a common reaction to media
messaging, magazine advertising has been and continues to be the
advertising medium that Teens like other market segments — trust the
most.

Though the perception may be that Teens are geared toward

television, the reality is that magazines offer high reach to Teens. Initiative
recently released a cross media comparison (a report that adds up the
ratings of each of the top 25 vehicles in both media) and found that the top
25 magazines lead against the top 25 prime-time TV programs in reaching
Teens 12 to 17.
 Media fragmentation affects Teens, as it does other groups.
However, Teens are least likely to multitask media when reading
magazines.
Teens and Multitasking Media

TEEN INFLUENCE ON PURCHASES:

The role of Teens in influencing household purchases is growing as
parents rely on Teens’ advanced computer skills to research products
online. However, Teens who read magazines, especially heavy magazine
readers, are even more influential in the household purchases than the
average Teen. In addition to everyday household items such as food and
personal care items, these Teens who are heavy magazine readers have
considerable influence on high-end items such as CD players, computers,
and video games when compared with average Teens.
 · Older Teens have more influence than younger Teens on
household purchases of personal computers, cell phones, and
deodorant.
· Older Teens have about the same influence as younger Teens on
purchases of fast food, soft drinks, toothpaste, chewing gum,
potato chips, and sunscreen products.
Younger Teens have more influence than older Teens on video games, ice
cream, candy, pretzels, and vacation travel.
Since family decisions are dynamic and interrelated, Douglas
(1983) and Mangleburg (1990) suggested that the decision making process
should be studied across decisions rather than in relation to a given
decision independently.
Szybillo and Sosanie (1977), while examining family decision
making processes, observed that all members of the family (husband, wife,
and children) were greatly involved in all three decision stages (problem
recognition, search for information and final selection), when considering
a fast food restaurant and a family trip (that is, for products that affect the
entire family). The wife/child dyad was very important in initiating a
purchase and providing information. Other researchers have also observed
that children exert considerable influence during the problem recognition
and search stages and the least influence in the final decision stage (Belch
et al, 1985; Filiatrault and Ritchie, 1980; Hempel, 1974) for family
activities such as choice of vacations and restaurants and consumer
durables. However, Holdert and Antonides (1997) reported that children’s
influence was higher in the later stages of the decision making process;
that is, at the time of alternative evaluation, choice, and purchase for four
purchases (holidays, adult and child clothing, and sandwich filling).
Recently, Belch et al. (2005) proposed that since teenagers are high users
of the Internet, they have greater access to market information which could
impact their influence in family decision making. They found that teens
who perceive themselves to be ‘Internet mavens’ (individuals who are
relied upon more for providing information from the virtual marketplace),
as well as their parents, believed that teens were more influential in all
stages—initiation and information search, and alternative evaluation and
final decision stages. However, their influence was higher in the initiation
and information search stages as compared to alternative evaluation and
final decision stages.
Children were not seen to have a large impact on instrumental
decisions such as how much to spend (Belch et al., 1985; Jenkins, 1979;
Szybillo and Sosanie, 1977), but do have on expressive decisions such as
color, model, brand, shape and time of purchase (Belch et al.,1985; Darley
and Lim, 1986). However, Williams and Veeck (1998) reported that in
China, where most families have a single child, the child exerted
considerable influence during all stages while buying products for family
use. Beatty and Talpade (1994) suggested that teens’ knowledge affects
their perceived influence in the search for information in the decision
process for some products such as the family stereo. The teens’ financial
clout seems to allow them greater say in initiating self-purchases, but not
in family purchases. Parents’ dual income status allows adolescents greater
influence in some family durable purchases, but this does not affect self
purchases where their influence is already substantial. These effects are
pronounced for products that teens care for (e.g., stereo) and use often
(e.g., telephone).
While studying Indian families, Singh (1992) noted that families
differed with respect to their roles in making purchase sub decisions. The
“when to purchase” decision was generally syncratic (decided by the
husband and wife jointly) and also influenced by children. Hundal (2001)
noted that brand selection decisions were also made jointly by the couple
but were importantly influenced by children in the family. The store where
the durables were purchased as well as the making of the actual purchase
decision was also decided jointly or by the husband individually (for three
durables, but not for air coolers). However, children also “went to buy,”
that is accompanied their parents at the time of buying televisions, washing
machines, and refrigerators. Kapoor (2001) collected information from
families in Delhi in regard to their roles across stages of purchase decision-
making for six durables—televisions, refrigerators, washing machines,
personal computers, audio systems, and cars. She found that individual
members were associated with multiple roles. The initiator for purchase in
a family was typically a young female member, who was likely to be the
wife or one of the children. She illustrated that the need for an audio
system, personal computer, and television was likely to be first expressed
by the children in the family. As influencers, younger members, especially
children, were found to affect purchase of a personal computer, audio
system, and television. The final purchases were found to be decided upon
after consultation with other family members, mainly the husband.
Children have not been observed to have a large impact on instrumental
decisions such as how much to spend (Kaur, 2003; Singh and Kaur, 2004;
Verma, 1982), but rather play a role while making expressive decisions
such as color, model, brand, shape, and time of purchase (Sen Gupta and
Verma, 2000; Singh, 1992; Singh and Kaur, 2003; Synovate, 2004) as
validated in the West as well. Kaur and Singh (2004) observed that
children are individually active in initiating the idea to purchase a durable.
In other stages of the decision making process, they exhibit joint influence
along with other members of the family. This implies that they provide
support to the member exerting influence to increase pressure but do not
wield much influence individually. Chadha (1995) concluded that in the
older age group household’s sons and daughters emerge as key persons to
introduce new products in the house.
Attention to commercials has also been found to be directly related
to the perceived truthfulness of advertising. Children who perceive
commercials to be mostly true pay more attention to them than those who
suspect them (Chan, 2001). Mizerski (1995) found that adults-oriented
product trade characters were also readily recognized by children as young
as three years of age. Gorn and Florsheim (1985) examined the effect of
commercials for adult products on children and found that such exposure
does have an effect but that it is mainly a function of the product category
advertised. In general, exposure to commercials led to only a small change
in response. Mizerski (1995) concluded that recognition, or the ability to
match a cartoon trade character and product, is positively related to age.
Along with this, the level of recognition and a favorable attitude towards
the product were also found to be positively associated with age. Jensen
(1995) also found that purchase requests by children are strongly
stimulated by commercials or by friends who have purchased the product.
Mallalieu et al. (2005) reported that children born in the 1990s appear to
have developed these cognitive abilities (for example, to differentiate
between a programme and a commercial or to understand the purpose and
intent of advertising) to a far greater extent than children reported in earlier
studies (Goldberg et al., 1978; Boush et al., 1994).
The impact of television advertising on preschool and elementary
school-aged children occurs at multiple levels, including the relatively
immediate product-persuasion effects intended by the advertiser, as well as
broader and/or more cumulative types of influences that accrue from
exposure to large numbers of commercials over time. For example, a cereal
ad may have the immediate effect of generating product-purchase requests
and increasing product consumption, but it may also contribute to
outcomes such as misperceptions about proper nutritional habits (Kunkel
et al., 2004). Celebrities and cartoon characters are commonly used by
marketers, as children’s views of advertising appeals are largely influenced
by them. The practice is largely witnessed in restaurants giving small toys
as a token of remembrance to children such as McDonalds (Williams and
Veeck, 1998), or associating a cartoon character with a cereal.

MAGAZINES INFLUENCE TEEN BUYING BEHAVIOR:

Magazines are an influential force on Teen spending. More than

28% of Teens’ purchases have been directly influenced by magazine
advertising for music, games, makeup, and clothes. When it comes to
entertainment, magazines have even more impact, directly influencing
34% of Teens to see a movie in the theater and 35% to buy a video or
DVD.
 Which of the following have you ever purchased because of seeing a
magazine ad about it?

· Teens fund most of their own clothing, entertainment, and

music/CD purchases. Their parents are more likely to pay for
items such as Internet access and cell phones.
· Teens want to be responsible with their cash.
o More than half of all Teens believe “credit cards are
dangerous,” with only 12% agreeing with the statement
“credit cards are the greatest thing.”
o Nearly half of all Teens try hard to save money, though
38% of Teens confess that they “usually spend most of my
money.”
Teens who read magazines are more likely to make purchases than the
general population in a wide number of categories, including health and
beauty, leisure, electronics/technology, apparel, and food. In fact, the more
Teens read magazines, the more likely they are to spend or own products in
these categories. Teens who are heavy magazine readers also spend more
money in convenience and grocery stores than the general population.
Attitude towards advertisement
This study implies that most teenagers, whether high or low self-monitors,
are not more likely to buy a fashion product even a celebrity is featured in
the advertisement. On the other hand, it seems that the information given
by the advertisement can attract the attention of teenagers to the fashion
product. Furthermore, the low self-monitors find it easier to have
confidence and to buy the fashion product because of the information
given by the advertisement. On the other hand, high self-monitors are more
concerned about the attractiveness of the advertisement than the
information contained in it. High self-monitors react more positively to
image-oriented advertisements
BUILDING BRAND FOR 21ST CENTURY
Compulsive buying and the Indian consumers:
The post globalized economy offers the consumers with countless
brands in the product –market. The credit market is equally poised to co-
exist to the increasing demand, as consumers are on a shopping spree. The
economy is growing at an average rate of 6% every year, for the last 12
years. The employment opportunities are on the rise leading to increasing
disposable income. According to the National Council of Applied
Economic Research, the Indian middle class has increased on the back of
the economic boom, growing by some 10 to 12 percent per year, and
estimates its size to reach 300 million people. As an outcome of
consumerism, the money that could have spent on social capital like
education, nutrition is spent on dubious items that give no social return.
There is an endless quest to purchase newer products and the life is
focused on the imaginary world of the unattainable. As a consequence of
spending to exhibit wealth, now major life events like weddings and births
are transformed into consumer events. The increasing buying frequency is
leading families to a path of huge debts traps. The point of concern here,
are defaults accumulating as an outcome of a phenomenon called
consumerism?
In the post-modern consumerist economies, the Maslow’s hierarchy
of needs is circumvented at a faster pace. The product life cycle is shorter
and buying urges are intensifying amongst consumers in India, due to
personal, socio-cultural and the emerging trends in the market place and its
offerings. As a result of the impact of globalization and the forces of post-
modern consumerism, the hierarchy of needs of individual is moving
unnaturally, not exactly in the same order as Maslow predicted in the
continuum (natural). The marketers of the present steer in a lot of
mesmerizing effect, particularly using the “persuasive advertisements ”.
The availability of easy and plenty of credit product offerings to the
consumers aggravates the situation. The compulsive buying which is rising
in stature and is recognized as a ‘behavioral anomaly’. The firm that spend
(invest) a lot of money on socially non-viable projects create more of
social costs or no social returns. This anomaly makes both the firm and
individual spending model non-sustainable in the long run. For an
individual, buying beyond one’s need/ability is a leading indicator to a path
of high personal debt. As per the Basel committee norms on banking, there
is a growing importance for the non-financial credibility of the potential
borrowers, over and above his/her financial credibility. This argument falls
in line with sustainable borrowing and spending as the urges of
consumerism are growing stronger, faster and getting deep rooted in our
value and belief systems.
Buying Behaviour in the Apparel Segment
Opinions considered when buying clothes
For both high and low self-monitors, most pay attention to the opinions of
their friends when buying clothes. Thus, the influence of peers has a great
influence on the buying behaviour of teenagers. However, apart from the
opinions of their friends, high and low self-monitors consider the opinions
of other people. High self-monitors will observe what passersby are
wearing, while low self-monitors will consider their siblings’ opinions.
Further, when they select the style and colour of their clothes, most
teenagers follow their personal preferences first. Apart from personal
preference, high self-monitors make their decision by following the trend,
and low self-monitors base their choice on the opinions of their family
members.
Classification of consumers when selecting apparel
For the Self-Monitoring Scale, subjects were identified as high and
low self-monitoring groups. However, a cluster analysis analyzed the data
in groups. By using the results of association and structures of data from
the cluster analysis, it is possible to determine whether there is a high
degree of association in the same self-monitoring group and whether
different behaviours exist between different groups. Important variables for
consumers in selecting apparel include style, fitness, colour, price, brand,
quality and fabric. Thus, these were the variables used in conducting the
cluster analysis to determine the classification.
MANAGEMENT OF PARENT-CHILDREN CONFLICT OVER
PURCHASE DECISIONS:

Although serious conflicts in family purchase decisions are rare, some

form of family conflict is highly probable, because forming joint
preferences requires combining individual preferences of family members
(Lee and Collins, 1999). When various alternatives are being considered,
each member attempts to influence the other towards his/her preferred
decision. A variety of influence techniques are used depending upon the
nature of purchase, the characteristics of individuals participating in the
purchase discussion, and its importance to the individual. These situations,
during negotiation, may result in a preference agreement or a compromise.
Nevertheless, differences in the desirability of a purchase outcome may
lead to disagreement or conflict. Such situations mean that there will be
attempts either to accommodate or resolve the conflict before a joint
decision outcome occurs. Sheath (1974) suggests that family members’
attempts to resolve conflict(s) are tactically different and varied in
appropriateness, depending upon the cause of the conflict.
 FINDINGS

Materialistic Values
 Teens, on the other hand, spent time and money collecting brand
names.
 Well known brands last longer, match what one’s friends are
wearing, look modern, affluent.
 Today teenagers dress up more, try to follow fashions closely, and
dare to express themselves. "They are braver today" said a higher
school teacher.
Influences
 Fashion center – US.
 Influenced by TV, Actors/Actresses, Sportsman, Pop singers, Model,
etc.
 A lot of people study abroad, and bring back influences
Changes
 Higher standard of living
 More educational options available with private colleges
 New techniques in education. Scientific approach/beliefs more
effective
 Don’t just believe what you are told, but value the truth. Believe
what we see and hear
 Now more variety of occupations
 Housework easier - more facilities, washing machine, micro-wave,
can buy readymade food
  More working women, don’t care to rely on husband, have their own
salary, own budget for spending
 Now in marriage, women don’t just want to please their husband,
but also want to be themselves
Changing Attitudes
 Take care of health, and body. Care about food intake, make up
(women)
 More travel, tourism, to the beaches, forests, mountains, nature
 Not afraid of sinning
 Problems, concerns, worries shared with friends, not family
 People more ambitious now.
 Both parents work, less time spent with kids, more tension at home
 Mothers compensate by giving their children money or buy them
things
 Material things substitute for love
 Things are easy to buy, so many shopping malls nowadays
 Kids don’t know the concept of saving
 Parents feel if they are too strict, there will be too much pressure on
the kids, affecting their education / mind, etc
 May have to accept changes - can’t control them, only guide them,
otherwise will do something and not tell you
 Children hide things from their parents- pack clothes and change
after class.
 They copy friends, can’t live without the acceptance of friends
 Talk for a long on the telephone, even after midnight
 Dress a certain way - to be accepted by the group
  Used to live in large extended families with grandparents - now
more and more people are living as nuclear families
 10 years ago, people were more gentle, more respectful. Now they
are more aggressive now, more self involved, think only of
themselves

Today's Heroes
 Today’s teens want to be popular, like a Actors/Actress, Sports
Personality, Pop-Star, Models; someone who is creative, confident.
 Sachin Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai, Katrina, Dhoni, Nicole, etc. are a
very important symbol for the creative teenager.
 Radio DJ important source for problem solving - someone to talk
to.
2010: Men vs. Women
 Women will be working more, more efficient and capable than men
 Men and women will be more equal
 Thai ladies will be leaders in decision making
 People will live alone more, won’t marry too soon; will want to be
independent first.
 Live together and have many partners to try out.
2010: Morals and Values
 Teenagers too bold, will like to shock people.
 Preserve the forests, no animal testing.
 Hope that people will be judged by their ability, not by their looks
or personality
2010: Education
 Lots more competition, kids will study harder
 Education will be open to all, not just those with money
2010: Fashion
 Outrageous fashions, people will do a double take
 Unisex, want look at each other
 Men will wear lip gloss
2010: Eating Out
 No restaurants, get food from vending machines
 No waitresses. A screen will come up, just order what you want
 Chilled drinks without refrigeration
 Unusual foods, don’t gain weight
 Concentrated nutrition so you don’t have to eat a lot
 More natural foods, will get into your bloodstream faster
2010: Health Care
 Surgery - so you don’t have to look old any more
 1 medicine for all diseases
 See the results immediately, especially skin treatment
 Wont need doctors anymore, will have medicines with no side
effects
 Genetically modified products
 DATA ANALYSIS

Bio-Profile of the Respondents:-

(i) 22 percent of the officials belong to the age group of 35 and 50

(ii) 58 percent of the officials belong to the age group of 25 to 34
(iii) 20 percent of the officials belong to the age group of above 50
(iv) 69 percent are male officials & 31 percent are female officials
(v) 72 percent are graduates and above & 16 percent are
undergraduates.
(vi) 12 percent are those who are having technical and professional
qualifications
(vii) 55 percent are those who are associated with the field
(viii) 25 percent are those who are in the managerial and
administrative posts.
(ix) 20 percent belongs to the others category

QUESTIONNAIRE:
Q1. How many times do you go out for shopping?
(i) Once a month --------------------------------- 38 per cent
(ii) Quarterly --------------------------------------- 20 per cent
(iii) Half Yearly ------------------------------------ 17 per cent
(iv) Occasion Based ------------------------------- 25 per cent
Analysis: As regards the marketing pattern of the consumers, the study has
found that most of the consumers go to shops either on monthly basis or
when an occasion demands. This we can see correlates with the middle
class spending pattern of the urban Indians.
Q2. Which type of shopping outlet you prefer for your purchase?
(i) Single Brand Outlet ------------------------------------- 20 per
cent
(ii) Multi Brand Outlet --------------------------------------- 74 per
cent
(iii) Do not know/ Can not say ------------------------------ 06 per
cent
Analysis: The growth of mall culture has changed the marketing outlook
of the consumers. Seventy four percent of the respondents preferred to go
to multi brand shopping centers against 20 per cent of the respondents
who would go to single brand outlets.
Q3. Does Accessibility attracts you most to purchase from these outlet?
Rank on the scale (1: most…..5: least)
(i) 1 ------------------------------------------- 26 percent
(ii) 2 ----------------------------------------- 35 per cent
(iii) 3 ------------------------------------------- 20 per cent
(iv) 4 ------------------------------------------ 12 per cent
(v) 5 ------------------------------------------ 07 per cent
Analysis: Accessibility is an important criteria which determines the
purchasing decision of the consumers.
4. Does Affordability attracts you most to purchase from these
outlet? Rank on the scale (1: most…..5: least)
(i) 1 ------------------------------------------- 35 percent
(ii) 2 ----------------------------------------- 30 per cent
(iii) 3 ------------------------------------------- 20 per cent
(iv) 4 ------------------------------------------ 10 per cent
 (v) 5 ------------------------------------------ 05 per cent
Analysis: Affordability is an important criteria which what and where a
consumer will spend his/ her money.
5. Does the Location attracts you most to purchase from these
outlet? Rank on the scale (1: most…..5: least)
(i) 1 ------------------------------------------- 27 percent
(ii) 2 ----------------------------------------- 33 per cent
(iii) 3 ------------------------------------------- 10 per cent
(iv) 4 ------------------------------------------ 15 per cent
(v) 5 ------------------------------------------ 15 per cent
Analysis: Location has been perceived as an important factor determining
the consumer behaviour among the teenagers but it is ranked below
affordability and accessibility.
6. Do Discounts and offers attract you most to purchase from these
outlet? Rank on the scale (1: most…..5: least)
(i) 1 ------------------------------------------- 40 percent
(ii) 2 ----------------------------------------- 30 per cent
(iii) 3 ------------------------------------------- 15 per cent
(iv) 4 ------------------------------------------ 12 per cent
(v) 5 ------------------------------------------ 08 per cent
Analysis: Discounts does attract the teenagers when they decide on
matters relating purchasing of consumer products.
7. Who influences your purchasing behaviour as regards to buying
consumer products like apparels?
(i) Yourself ------------------------------------------- 36 per cent
(ii) Parents --------------------------------------------- 26 per cent
 (iii) Peers ------------------------------------------------- 30 per cent
(iv) Others ------------------------------------------------ 08 per cent
Analysis: The consumer behaviour of the teenagers is influenced by
multiple factors. They themselves take decisions as regards what to buy.
But their parents and friends do play an important role in determining the
purchasing behaviour of the teenagers.
8. Does your buying behaviour get influenced by advertisements/
media?
(i) Strongly Influenced --------------------------------- 30 per cent
(ii) Influenced -------------------------------------------- 42 per cent
(iii) Not influenced -------------------------------------- 16 per cent
(iv) Do not know/ Can not say -------------------------- 12 per
cent
Analysis: The teenagers buying behaviour is strongly influenced by
media and advertisement.
9. Do you agree that financial independence of the teenagers has
significantly changed the consumer behaviour of the teenagers?
(i) Strongly Agree ------------------------------ 45 per cent
(ii) Agree ------------------------------------------ 40 per cent
(iii) Disagree --------------------------------------- 10 per cent
(iv) Strongly Disagree ---------------------------- 02 per cent
(v) Do not know/ Can not say ------------------- 03 per cent
Analysis: With the liberalization of the market economy, there was a
trend towards financial independence of the teenagers and that has
changed the consumer behaviour and the spending pattern among them.
 10. Do you agree that there is gender difference in the consumer
behaviour of the teenagers?
(vi) Strongly Agree ------------------------------ 45 per cent
(vii) Agree ------------------------------------------ 40 per cent
(viii) Disagree --------------------------------------- 10 per cent
(ix) Strongly Disagree ---------------------------- 02 per cent
(x) Do not know/ Can not say ------------------- 03 per cent
Analysis: Gender is also a major differentiator in the amount spent
and the pattern of spending. Some of major components of brand equity
that a marketer needs to keep in mind for creating the right mix in the
mind of the teenage customer.
 CONCLUSION
The teenage years are a period of transition from childhood to
adulthood. This study showed that high and low self-monitors exhibit
different buying behaviours and attitudes. In this age group, the influence
of peers strongly affects the buying behaviour of teenagers because both
high and low self-monitors also consider the opinions of friends when
buying clothes. The results of cluster analysis as well as the cross-
tabulation results of cluster analysis and self-monitoring showed that
teenage respondents can be classified into three groups instead of two.
Thos who are practical, who are also low self-monitors, place a very high
value on quality, fit and fabric; this confirmed the findings of previous
studies that low self-monitors are more conscious of quality.
Teenagers - kids from the age of 13 to 19 - currently spend $150
billion per year globally. Teens also influence an additional $150 billion
per year globally with “pester power.” And they indirectly influence
another $300 billion per year, for example, in situations in which a parent
makes a purchase taking into account kids’ tastes. That’s a total
purchasing/influencing power of $600 billion this year. In addition to the
products that teens buy for themselves and/or consume themselves (food,
entertainment, clothing, music, electronics, etc.), teens actually influence
adults’ purchases of a large variety of products. Although earlier
generations have grown up with computers and computer games, this is the
first generation to have grown up with online chat and multiplayer online
games as part of their milieu. This generation uses the Internet not just to
find things out or to connect with friends from their neighborhoods or from
school. This generation uses the Net to make new friends from all over the
world, to compete with them for mastery of their virtual worlds, and to co-
create new communities and planets. Today’s teens are also masters of
multitasking. They are able to do their homework, talk on the phone with
friends, watch TV, surf the Net, chat online, and listen to music - all at the
same time. Historically, teenagers have been the change agent in every
society, powerful and influential as ever in almost all areas. Most
companies have tried to harness this power of the teen market- very few
have succeeded in harvesting the rewards of teenage brand-loyalty.
Teens are a moving target. They were born and raised during a
digitized age where change happens rapidly. Born into the MTV generation
where the rally cry was “I want my MTV”, they have learned that what
they want, they get. In their world, everything is immediate. From instant
messaging to microwave meals, instant gratification is their mantra.
Millennials are the first generation of true multi-taskers, easily balancing
e-mail, text messaging, music downloads, homework and a strict schedule
of sporting and other activities, simultaneously. This generation is more
adept at communications than any of its predecessors. The wireless
Internet is their central nervous system, and simply put, they just don’t
need much else. If they’re that connected, then connecting with teens
should be simple, right? Not necessarily. While it may seem easy to
develop a systematic marketing plan (if teens = computers, then website
advertising = success), connecting in the right places at the right time to
the right audience is a challenge at best.
Children constitute an important target market segment and merit
attention from a marketing perspective. The role that children play in
making decisions concerning the entire family unit has prompted
researchers to direct attention to the study of influence of children. The
amount of influence exerted by children varies by product category and
stage of the decision making process. For some products, they are active
initiators, information seekers, and buyers; whereas for other product
categories, they influence purchases made by the parents. The purchasing
act is governed by how they have been socialized to act as consumers.
Family, peers, and media are key socializing agents for children wherein
family-specific characteristics such as parental style, family’s Sex Role
Orientation (SRO), and patterns of communication play key roles. More
so, changes taking place in the socio-cultural environment in India (such as
emergence of dual-career, single parent families) entail that dimensions of
children’s influence in family purchase decision making be investigated in
a specific context. Indian society vastly differs from the West in terms of
family composition and structure, values, norms, and behavior, which
affect the role that children play in purchase decision making in families.

Emotional stable extroverts tend to have a steady spending

behaviour (‘moderately agree’ to high ECCS) and external influences do
not impact much, is true in this descriptive study also. This is indicated by
‘rarely’ compulsive buying, ’neither agree nor disagree’ to materialism and
‘disagree’ to high credit card financing behaviour. The emergence of
repetitive relationship in some cases is as supported by literature from
previous studies, but at the same time poses a challenge before the
researcher to take up complicated models (like structural equation
modeling) to possibly explore a new direction to the nature of
relationships. A longitudinal study or a multi cross sectional study
hopefully will throw more light into the complex nature of relations. The
study would be of immense use to marketers of products and services,
particularly financial in nature.
The research has a number of implications for marketers targeting
children. Gender can be a major variable used to reach children using
media strategies. It might be
more effective to target girls using strategies that stimulate word-of-mouth
and other methods of social interaction. On the other hand, it might be
more effective to target boys using commercial sources, such as television
commercials. In other words, marketers could target gender-based
segments more effectively in order to reach children’s market.
Marketers can benefit from this information by developing pricing
and promotional tactics to appeal to this market. Retailers can also benefit
from this study by knowing what to consider when pricing products and
promoting to affluent consumers. Educators can use this research as a basis
for developing new studies examining affluent females. By knowing how
involved this market is in fashion and which variables might aid in
predicting fashion involvement, new strategies can be developed in terms
of design, development, and selling. The results of this study add to the
knowledge of fashion involvement in the purchase process. However the
other variables such as self-image, family status, lifestyle, spending
behavior, or leisure interests and activities can also be considered for
investigating fashion involvement.
 BIBILOGRAPHY

· References Alexander, A., & Hanson, J. (1993).

· Berkowitz, H., & Evangelista, E. (1999)
· From Electric Library database from: http://www.elibrary.com
Folkerts, J. (1996)
· Electric Library database on the World Wide Web:
http://www.elibrary.com Gay, K. (1992)
· Retrieved February 29, 2000 from the:
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/initfact.htm Tully, S., & Shonfield, E.
(1994)
· Google.com
· Wikipedia.com
· Academy of Marketing Science Review Volume 2006 – No. 8
Available: http://www.amsreview.org/article/kaur08-2006.pdf
· Kapoor, N. and D.P.S. Verma. 2005. “Children’s Understanding of
TV Advertisements: Influence of Age, Sex and Parents,” Vision, 9
(1), 21-36.