Welcome to the world of the consumer! As part of an ongoing, global initiative, executives at McCann-Erickson meet with groups of consumers every month.

Findings from these group discussions form the basis of brand strategy and creative selling ideas.

In this month's issue we share snippets of information on:

Emerging Trends Among Malaysian Teens

• Books & reading are emerging in popularity, especially with the girls. Reading is a more important and involving activity for them, than it either was, or is, for their mothers.

• Chatting with friends takes precedence over watching TV

  "...Only when I am too lazy to chat, or when I'm bored, do I watch TV..."

• The personal computer is the latest status symbol. Teens find it real cool to have a PC in their home, and parents, especially working mothers, look upon a PC as a priority purchase.

• Teens are not satisfied with current levels of parent-child communication and have almost unanimously shared a desire for more openness and ease of sharing.

• "Coffee" is emerging as an important lifestyle product category, symbolizing everything that is modern, young, trendy, desirable. Café's like Coffee Bean, and now Starbucks, are emerging as desirable brands in their own right.

• Part-time work is considered cool, with more teens desirous of working and earning pocket money. While parents are not always happy about this trend, the trend will continue to grow, as it meets a financial and emotional need.

• Home is cool! The home is once again emerging as a rather cool place to hang out with friends and family - why not enjoy a place that is always available, free and convenient, and generally welcoming! Our teens are discovering that their parents and other adults in the home are actually quite pleasant to talk to and be around!

Dr Deenaz Damania,
Director of Consumer Research & Training
E-mail: deenaz_damania@mccann.com
Fax: 603 230 5598