Some Surprising Statistics

2011-09-06

What motivates the world’s youth? What makes us different from everyone else? McCann Worldwide, a world-renown marketing organization, recently set out to find the answers to these questions. When I read their findings, some of the statistics surprised me; others did not. Overall, the report was extremely engaging and interesting.

McCann Worldwide discovered that there are three main factors that motivate teens: commune, justice, and authenticity.

Commune, the number one motivation among youth, “is the need for connection, relationships, and community.” A survey done as part of this study demonstrates the high value teens place on commune. When asked “How would you like to be remembered?” 27% of teens said, “as a person loved by many.” The next leading answer was “as someone who looked after friends and family,” which garnered 21% of the responses. Only 6% of teens said they wanted to be remember for being “powerful,” and only 2% wanted their legacy to be based on “attractiveness.” As these stats demonstrate, teens place an extremely high value on their relationships with others.

The second highest motivation among youth is justice. In this case, justice means “valuing the need for social and personal rights, doing what’s right, and being an activist.” Of the three motivations, this is the most interesting. Due to technology, teens’ perception of “right” and “wrong” has been skewed. Many teens illegally download music or games off the Internet. Technically, this is stealing, but many do not view as such. Also, many teens frequently stare at their phone or text when in the presence of a guest. In reality, this is rude, but again, many don’t view it as such. Although we value “justice,” the line between “right” and “wrong” has been blurred for our generation.

Authenticity, “the need to see things as they are,” is the third highest motivation among teens. In a survey, teens stated the quality they most value in a friend is “truthfulness.” This trait was ranked well above all others, including genuineness, maturity, and outgoingness. Why are truthfulness and authenticity valued so much? Simply stated, with all of the information available to us (via the Internet, TV, magazines, etc), being able to distinguish what is actually factual can prove to be extremely difficult. Knowing this, we must always think critically about the information we gather.

We, as young adults, are different than those that came before us, and we have the opportunity to change the world in a positive way. Together, we can make this change happen and cement our place in history.

To read the McCann Worldwide’s full report, go to http://www.iab.net/media/file/TheTruthAboutYouthMcCannWorldgroup.pdf.

DECA Wishes,

Micah Melling

Central Region Vice President