Consumer Buying Behavior of Teenagers & How to Market to Them

Base from Johnston (n), teenagers has an immense knowledge in terms of buying power.

Their purchase decisions have a huge impact on what becomes popular, and they influence how

families spend money. Marketing to the teenage demographic can be a powerful part of your

business strategy as they serve as the trendsetters and primary adopters of technology.

Driving teen egos--and buying--through 'branding'

According to American Psychology Association Volume 35 (2004), there has a glut of

marketing messages encourages teens to tie brand choices to their personal identity. Teens are

encouraged to tie with brand choices with their personal identity through glut of marketing

messages. Base from the psychologist Allen Kanner, PhD (2004), identity and image of brands are

significant in marketing which the teens are overwhelmed, In addition it also changed the way how

they socialize with each other, interact with adults and their perspective in themselves and the

world. Kanner (2004) explains that purchasing the right products having the most profound effect

can solve all of life’s problems. In the new millennium, marketing executives are implying their

brands into the frame of children’s lives. They wanted to use industry terms ‘cradle to grave’ brand

loyalty and to ‘own’ children.

Teens of today, consumers of tomorrow

Due to in-depth research and sympathetic use of digital channels, determining the important

market of brands for teenagers are now not out of reach. According to Marketing Week (2009),

teenagers have a considerable amount of spending power both in terms of independent purchases
and influence over the family spending. And frequently, teens are the ones who are less sensitive

to financial crises than adults.

In addition, Marketing Week (2009) also states that teenage years is the time when they decide to

build their brand loyalty and perception though they can be inconsistent when it comes to consumer

brands. Priorities in brand perception are obviously affected by gender and age. Teens are well

aware with brand speak but that doesn’t mean they will automatically reject any marketing effort

but subsequently to that, they have a high tolerance for advertising and love their favorite

commercials, but at the same time they’ve grown up in a spam-heavy environment and their mental

“delete finger” is always contracting. Teens have always been naturally inquisitive and creative,

and adverts are just more raw material for that creativity. Reward their marketing literacy, give

them something they can use – information, digital freebies, opportunities to collaborate, or just

something they can take the mickey out of – and you’ll keep their attention.