Tagging the digital socialites

Media News

Mumbai, May 2, 2011

The youth today is a social animal in both the real and virtual worlds. Tweet, poke, hash tag, sexting, torrent, tag, BBM - these common words in their vocabulary today didn't exist five years ago. 85 per cent of the youth connect to social media more than once a day. More than 75 per cent of the youth get on the internet to email, use multimedia and surf for personal interest at least once every day. No surprises why MTV calls this generation - Digital Socialites. MTV and TNS recently conducted a study to understand the lives of this generation that compulsively lives on the internet. Social media, we found, is a favourite across all age groups. 26-29 year olds are high on emailing with 92% per cent saying they send emails throughout the day while only 42 per cent of 15-24 year olds email on a daily basis. Multimedia usage and downloads loses its appeal for the older audience.

What's the brouhaha with social media? Why is the Youth addicted? It's simple. Social media allows them respite from the prying eyes of the society and their parents. They can say what they feel without any inhibitions, share their ideas and opinions and even stalk others without getting caught. The www universe allows anonymity, opportunity and hangout. The social media not only provides fun, it also allows them to explore new relationships, know more about the world and lends them a voice to speak out with no parental control. It is a dream world for the young people who c r a v e for freedom of expression and exploration. So, what do they do on social media? It's the easiest way to keep in touch with their friends, they say. They share everything from the most insignificant to the most intimate detail of their life there. They also live vicariously through their friends' updates. The most important thing is to keep in touch with friends and get updates from them. Social media is an easy way out; Secondly, social media drives awareness by letting them stay on top of what's happening in the world around them; Video sharing is still not as big as sharing pictures; Making new friends is not the primary driver of social media - they would

rather connect to existing friends than make new friends here; Also, there's a very clear divide between professional and personal lives.

Awareness is a key by-product of hanging out at the digital media. 87 per cent of people read or surf for news online at least once a week. News search may pertain to movies, sports or politics. With knowledge at the fingertips, thanks to Google and the lot, cool quotient is being redefined as the one with maximum exposure and experience. It could be gadgets, music, sports or anything else that might hold their fancy. The advent of technology has changed the basic definition of 'being cool'. Digging deeper into the debate of Traditional versus New media, it is evident that the convincing power of the digital media is catching up with the stalwarts in traditional media. 93 per cent of them believe social media makes them more aware of current trends across the world 89 per cent turn to social media for news and trends for their dose of updates They feel that while the traditional media has the substance, the new media dons character and has more room for interactivity Newspaper is still the most trustworthy vehicle for news However, even in digital space, they trust select brands, portal and blogs and not mere search results However, they consume news from both these sources with equal fervor. Boys are more social than girls on digital media. While 63 per cent of the men say that they're on social media because they can meet new people and make new friends. A whopping 67 per cent of the women disagree with them and are not happy about random 'friend requests'. Yes, social media does pose a vital question of loss of privacy. Do they care?

94 per cent of this practical generation agrees that personal information put out on social media can go wrong if not handled correctly. However, while 90 per cent of the 26-29 year olds share information on social media after much deliberation, only 75 per cent of 15-24 years do so. But, does that stop them from sharing personal stuff? Not really, the digital world is too addictive to let go! Well, finally, it's all about entertainment that 'Digital Socialites' care about. They hit social networking sites when they want to catch up with friends.

Commenting on pictures, getting connected to old friends, browsing through random profiles, keeping abreast with the gossip in their friends 'lives is the new entertainment. It's cheap, it's cheerful, it's voyeuristic fun and it's all that they need to keep occupied. 93 per cent of the youth say they re-visit a site only if they find it entertaining. Irrespective of whether one is selling a cola or a condom, youth remain the most researched entity in the corporate world. Why? Simple, this entity changes every 2-3 years. Technology has accelerated the change and has transferred the power over to youth to make them the most assertive, expressive, practical and promiscuous generation ever. The drive to share, express and connect has been multiplied exponentially across the 20 some things. The digital media has broken the curfew hour posed by the parents. Social media has allowed a two-way communication with the youth and their icons. 89 per cent of youth love to research about their purchases online before loosening their purse strings. The internet puts the brand at par with the youth, allowing dialogues between equals. It transforms the one way advertising into two way communication. While traditional advertising merely relays the communication message, the digital presence gives the brand a character. But, it also empowers the youth to broadcast their feedback on the brand. One wrong post can get the Digital Socialite fans to un friend your brand in a click!

For further information, please contact:

MTV

Arun Kumar

Email: arun.kumar@viacom18.com