Cover of Label Networks’ Spring Youth Culture Study 2010–North America

Press Release:

March 16, 2010, Los Angeles, CA–Fresh research from Label Networks’ 10th Spring Youth Culture Study -North America reveals key findings that leave little doubt that the American youth marketplace is in the middle of significant change based on the speed of technology, changes in the economy, and increased consumer control from various youth markets. There is also a distinct “generation gap” occurring within youth culture itself, starting at the age 21, whereby consumer insight results reflect distinct differences from other age demographics.

“We’ve also seen huge drops in popular brand names in youth preferences, particularly in our Fashion and Footwear sections, although they were not quite unexpected,” explains Tom Wallace, President of Label Networks, the world’s leading global youth culture intelligence media and research company, and producer of the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America. “Comparing results for the past 10 years, we’ve been able to future forecast, and can see the greatest challenges ahead, but also many new market opportunities which some brands have successfully integrated.”

According to Label Networks, 13-25-year-olds in North America are among the most important demographics shaping the landscape of the global future not only because of their vast spending power, but because youth culture here tends to lead as a primary source of global trends in many areas. Knowing what’s shaping and influencing youth culture in North America therefore, provides indicators of where things are headed for many other locations across the world.

In addition, because of the recession and changes in spending patterns and influences in the last year, the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America is one of the most comprehensive consumer intelligence reports about the youth marketplace available, delivering in-depth quantitative information, analysis, plus qualitative forecasts about how the economic climate is effecting this new generation.

Based on thousands of interviews from a statistically representative sampling conducted within the last 6 weeks, the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America is the most current youth consumer insights Study available. It also delivers far more depth than typical youth branding “top-10 brand lists” by offering additional rankings to see the up-and-comers in brands, retailing, and corporations with unique advertising and sponsorship strategies. Results are then cross-tabulated by gender and again by 4 different age groups. Combined with unique comparative analysis called “Macro Trends” written, illustrated, and designed for each topic by Label Networks’ Youth Culture Experts, it provides a quick snapshot of key findings including historical analysis, visuals, and pull-quotes for fast, effective, forecasting.

Results include consumer insight responses among 13-25-year-olds across a range of topics including changes in spending patterns, fashion, footwear, T-shirts, denim, changes in retailer preferences and impacts of fast-fashion, pop-up, boutiques, online retail, plus clever insight into the competitive beverages and energy drink marketplace (and sponsorship), communication patterns and preferences via cell phones, plus top TV shows, movies, actors, websites, the effect of changes in music subcultures, action sports vs. team sports, entertainment shifts, video gaming preferences including platforms, among other lifestyle traits such as future concerns.

Highlights from the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America include:
Favorite fashion brands indicating new directions and lifestyle changes and why this is happening in specific locations
Special T-shirt and Denim Reports in terms of top brands, up-and-comers, plus brands losing marketshare and why
Sneaker culture as influenced by youth preferences
Digital Lifestyle information ranging from top websites to spending patterns online, social networking behaviors and changes, communication patterns via cell phones, text, IM/Chat, Twitter, plus online retail and mcommerce solutions
Spending patterns on a variety of categories
Action sports popularity shifts, team sports, individual sports, and lifestyle indicators, icons and watching patterns
Retail landscape measuring big-box, fast fashion stores with boutiques, and online retailing trends
Communication patterns, grassroots and new media effectiveness and what works now
Video gaming preferences that are opening the floodgates to a new marketplace, plus platforms and changes in the marketplace
New top music preferences and the sources of influence
Quantified shifts in buying habits, brand preferences, new meaning of authenticity
Section detailing preferences in beverages, energy drinks, and sponsorship
Top Future Concerns and perceptions of tapping into new psychodemographics of today’s youth culture

Overall, the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America provides not only in-depth information about specific topics effecting the youth culture landscape, but also provides the basis for feed-forward ideas such as where things are headed, how things have changed, and why. It is this kind of information, analyzed and clearly illustrated by gender, and again by age groups, including an historical look at changes, and in some cases, comparisons with Label Networks’ European, Japan, and China Youth Culture Studies, that provide the insight necessary for creating truly significant business strategies.

For subscription information, email info@labelnetworks.com; or call (323) 630-4000.

The margin of error for the data in the Spring Youth Culture Study 2010 -North America is less than 2.5% at a confidence level of 95%.

About Label Networks:
Label Networks, Inc. is a leading global youth culture intelligence media and research company measuring the most trendsetting subcultures in the world. Launched in 2000 to bridge the gap between the youth culture marketplace and the lack of useful research about the fast-changing landscape, Label Networks created new methods to gain constantly fresh quantitative and qualitative data about the marketplace accurately and quickly using a combination of remote data-acquisition and analysis systems, and a credible network of Global Street Culture Experts. Together, Label measures and reports about youth culture, providing inspiration, data, images, and analysis for those needing the knowledge to create the most successful business strategies. Label Networks Premium Subscription Package includes North America Spring, Summer, and Fall Studies, Europe, Japan, China, plus Profile Reports; Clients include: Apple Computer, Adidas Originals, Toyota Europe, Pacific Sunwear, Fourstar Distribution, Dickies, Bauer, Airwalk, Macy’s, Dr. Pepper, Sunkist, RedBull, Coca-Cola, K-Swiss, Reebok, Fuel TV/Fox Sports, Footlocker Europe, Oakley, The North Face, Creative Artists Agency, Virginia Commonwealth University, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water. Contact: Label Networks, Inc., 548 South Spring St. #PH9, Los Angeles, CA 90013; (323) 630-4000; info@labelnetworks.com; www.labelnetworks.com.