Understanding Arab Youth -the young and the stressless

Recently the Dubai office of TNS completed an exhaustive study of the minds of Arab youth – a segment that comprises over 50% of the region’s population.  This study delved into their worlds and took an unbiased and in-depth look at how they are living, what they think and what brands are connecting with them and how.  It used a much more natural approach, by meeting with them in their natural environment, amongst their friends and allowing them to video regular moments in their daily lives.  The results were unbelievable…and below are just a few highlights

They are ALL-ABOUT fun, action, connecting, originality, guiltless spending and luxury brands.  Luxury is the standard and they don’t see it as a splurge.  It is simply the way it is…a guiltless purchase.  The word Kashka is used to describe luxury, but it really means luxury and cool…which shows just how luxury is viewed.

They like:

·         flirting and being naughty (still within reason under the cultural norms in the region)

·         cheeky brands that use humor

·         brands that connect with local role models –people they can connect with

It is all about connecting:

·         They use and buy and do things that allow them to better connect and communicate with others; facebook, n-series phones (snap a pic and send)

·         They are building networks more around common interests that vicinity and family, as was the tradition

Comments

[Amy]

The prevelance of luxury brands in children/teenagers mystifies me. Even in the US, I see this increasing. Designer handbags, designer clothes... all worn by children who have mostly failed to earn one cent to date or make any contribution to society. Who are the parents that believe its in any way beneficial to children to carry $1000 handbags to highschool? If parents have so much money, they should consider investing in a charitable cause to help the environment or society at large. Giving children products such as this is doing nothing but promoting entitlement and a sense of "more more more" among their children. Wont life surely disappoint in comparison? Do they intend to bankroll them for life?

Luxury brands used to be cool because they were rare and they signfified that the owner had achieved a certain something in life (perhaps marrying well in the worst case). But with kids running around with them, luxry is devalued in my opinion. Poor poor and wearing second hand jeans might be the new "unique" "it" factor- or at least one can hope.

[Erin]

Yes, the adoption of luxury brands at such a young age seems to be a newer phenomena. Many blame the tabloids and movie stars for bringing these images into everyone's households and making them seem like a mainstream necessity, rather than a valued achievement.

Luxury brands also have their work cut out for them. As the masses adopt their brands, they are losing their 'exclusivity' and without exclusivity, status brands can no longer be...well...a status symbol. The bittersweet popularity of these brands could turn out to be their greatest threat, if they don't carefully manage the balance of their popularity, while still maintaining their luxury image.