The research focuses on the digital living preferences, consumption habits, and lifestyles of young Chinese people. By studying their online behavior patterns, it aims to gain insight into their current living conditions and emotional interests, and further understand their growth and evolution under social environments and pressures. This understanding will help brands truly comprehend their target audience and formulate precise marketing strategies.
"Looking at the internet industry, whether it's microblogging, group-buying websites, or niche vertical portals and emerging mobile applications, more than half of the leaders of these new websites are from the post-80s generation. Similar living environments and backgrounds allow them to better understand the needs of their peers, thus gaining more consensus and support. With the arrival of the WEB2.0 and even WEB3.0 era, the youth have undoubtedly become the trendsetters of the times and the pillars of national internet power. China’s post-80s and post-90s generations highly value the expression of individuality and are also pioneers in the application of social media." CIC CEO Zhang Wei pointed out.
GroupM Insight Market Director Zhang Jihong stated: "In today's era transitioning from social media to social commerce, if brands want to understand young people, they need to understand social media and correctly choose appropriate social networks to bridge the gap between brands and young people, cleverly integrating into the growth trajectory of the youth to achieve twice the result with half the effort in commercial marketing."
This white paper was developed by GroupM Insight through data mining and deep analysis, focusing on Sina Weibo. It collected 2000 young people's Sina Weibo accounts, analyzing over 1.2 million tweets, 20,000 tweet tags, and 4.4 million followed accounts created in the first half of 2011. Key findings include:
Chinese youth have a wide variety of interests. They do not adhere to tradition but develop unique hobbies to enrich their lives.
a) Music, astrology, and otaku culture are the most popular interests among young people. The emergence and prosperity of social media provide an unprecedented broad platform for young people to pursue their own interests. Music, astrology, and otaku culture rank as the top three most popular interests among youth with occupancy rates of 30%, 28%, and 15% respectively. Sleeping, yaoi, and being a Weibo addict also entered the top 20 most popular Weibo tags among youth. Among these, music ranked first in the most popular interests. Unlike before, young Chinese people do not limit their pursuit of music to just listening to songs. Many music lovers add music as a tag to their Weibo posts. Young people not only listen to good music but are also enthusiastic about karaoke and cover songs.
*Yaoi: Originating from Japan, it is often used to describe fans who are particularly fond of "male-male love"—BL (Boy Love) series works. Usually, more women, known as "fujoshi," enjoy this genre. Nowadays, young people in China are becoming more open-minded about same-sex love. Sometimes, young people refer to themselves as "fujoshi."
b) Social media platforms like Weibo not only help young people showcase themselves but also provide rich information sources and discussion channels for developing various interests. Through creating and sharing content online and participating in activities offline, young people's online and offline lives are inseparable.
2. Post-80s and post-90s generations have a more sober awareness of star idols. They pay attention to popular stars and grassroots Weibo accounts but spend more time discussing their favorite young idols.
a) Different from the popularity of hot stars on Weibo, young people seem to be more interested in grassroots Weibo accounts.
b) While paying attention to popular stars, young people are more willing to discuss young idols. In the ranking of stars that young people love to mention on Weibo, talent show stars dominate the top five.
3. Post-80s and post-90s generations are more willing to interact with brands they like in various forms and express their opinions and views on brands in an entertaining way.
b) Weibo has become a real-time communication window between brands and young people. Daily small topics can enhance the influence of brands among young people. In the list of popular brand accounts that young people like to follow, Durex ranks first.
| Appendix: Another survey targeting post-90s: Numbers tell the story of the "mouse generation"
According to statistics, the so-called "mouse generation" of "post-90s" numbers about 140 million, accounting for approximately 11.7% of the total population nationwide. From a sociological perspective, as a large group of young people, the values and behaviors induced by the values of the "post-90s" will significantly influence the fate and direction of Chinese society. Recently, Zero Point Research Consultancy Group released a report on the values and consumption behaviors of the "post-90s" group. Researchers conducted quantitative research using multi-stage random sampling surveys on 2099 "post-90s" individuals in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu, attempting to outline the general profile of this youth group.
Labeled with traits such as "self-centered", "rebellious", and "alternative", the "post-90s" are about to enter society. These young people, born in the 1990s and aged between 12 and 21 years old, have grown up in an environment different from any previous generation.
The "post-90s" were born during an era of rapid economic development in China, and their dictionaries lack hardship. Besides superior living conditions, they also enjoy the most advanced human cultural achievements in thousands of years—digital information technology. In 1990, British physicist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, after which internet technology saw significant development in China. In 2008, China's number of internet users rose to the top globally, and the "post-90s" became the largest group of internet users.
According to statistics, the so-called "mouse generation" of "post-90s" numbers about 140 million, accounting for approximately 11.7% of the total population nationwide. From a sociological perspective, as a large group of young people, the values and behaviors influenced by the values of the "post-90s" will significantly impact the fate and direction of Chinese society.
Recently, Zero Point Research Consultancy Group released a report on the values and consumption behaviors of the "post-90s" group. Researchers conducted quantitative research using multi-stage random sampling surveys on 2099 "post-90s" individuals in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu, attempting to outline the general profile of this youth group.
Success View: Relying on One's Own Strength
In the eyes of the "post-90s", the hallmark of success first lies in "family happiness" (17.8%), followed by "career success" (16.3%), "being wealthy" (14.1%), and "being respected" (12.2%). They believe that success does not merely mean a result but more importantly, the process. The survey shows that 21.8% of respondents agree that "those who can persist despite setbacks, have no regrets, and have rich experiences" are considered successful.
When talking about role models of success, 28.7% chose "family members, elders, friends, and other acquaintances", a proportion exceeding "domestic and foreign entrepreneurs", "entertainment and sports stars", and "domestic and foreign political leaders", ranking first.
In the process of striving for success, the "post-90s" trust in their own strength more. When answering the question "What is the most necessary condition for success?", 26.3% believed it was "talent, knowledge, skills", 22.1% chose "opportunities", and 16.2% believed the key to success lay in "hard work". In comparison, fewer people recognized "networking and social relationships" (14.8%), "background" (4.4%), "money" (2.9%), and "power and position" (2.8%).
A "post-90s" said: "The most successful person in the world is Bill Gates. He is very famous, owns a lot of assets, and is the richest man in the world. Most importantly, he earned his wealth through his own efforts. If the money and fame came from parents, it wouldn't be called success, but rather fortune."
Marriage View: Clear Boundaries Between Love and Marriage
Besides "career success" (33%), for the "post-90s", happiness also lies in "living peacefully" (16.4%) and "finding love" (13.6%).
They believe in love and express it straightforwardly—72.1% believe in the existence of love, and only 31.8% admit they haven't been in a relationship. Notably, researchers found through data comparison that among "post-80s" aged 23 to 25, 36.4% had never been in a relationship, higher than the 15 to 21-year-old "post-90s".
Despite this, the "post-90s" still believe that "romance is a matter for two people, but marriage involves two groups of people." Therefore, when discussing marriage, they exhibit relatively conservative attitudes: 48.5% believe "marriage represents love and responsibility, so divorce is an irresponsible act", and more than 60% agree "a certain material foundation is necessary for marriage." Researchers remarked that from the "post-60s" to the "post-80s", the boundaries between love and marriage have never been so clear.
Consumption View: Shrewd and Practical "Economic People"
Although most "post-90s" cannot yet earn income through their own labor, the amount of money they can dispose of and their decision-making power in family consumption should not be underestimated. Research data shows that "post-90s" middle school students received an average of 1922.9 yuan in New Year's money during the 2010 Spring Festival, and additionally, they could receive an average of 382.3 yuan monthly as pocket money. Researchers had conducted the same survey on "post-80s" middle school students ten years ago, when the monthly pocket money was only 67.7 yuan.
The "post-90s" have high consumption decision-making power: 84.3% insisted that "what clothes to buy should be decided by oneself." This decision-making power also manifests in family consumption. Even for large purchases like houses and cars, about 30% of "post-90s" indicated that their parents would make decisions together with them. A respondent said: "Whether buying something for myself or household items, generally, my opinion is followed. As long as I participate in the decision, my opinion usually prevails."
According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC)'s "2010 China Online Shopping Market Research Report," China's online shopping market size reached 490 billion yuan in 2010, doubling from 240 billion yuan in 2009. Among all online shoppers, 18 to 24-year-olds accounted for about 34%, meaning that "post-90s" play a significant role in China's online shopping craze. The survey showed that 42.4% of "post-90s" had at least one online shopping experience, and 63.5% owned credit cards; on average, "post-90s" who shopped online spent 193 yuan more per month than those who did not.
The "post-90s" have strong consumption demands, but many have not yet achieved economic independence, leading to restrained consumption desires. The advancement of consumption concepts and the lag in consumption capacity fostered the "post-90s" belief in "buying right, not expensive." Compared to "post-80s" university students, 70% of "post-90s" valued both price and quality equally, spending more cautiously and consuming more reasonably. Researchers concluded that "post-90s" are not the stereotypical "consumption animals" who only recognize big brands and chase fashion trends but are instead shrewd and practical "economic people."
Social Interactions: Valuing Morals, Pursuing Equality
The social interactions of "post-90s" are not as nonsensical as people imagine. In interpersonal relationships, they value equality, objectivity, and moral supremacy. The survey found that 48.3% of "post-90s" regard "upright character" as the primary criterion for friendship.
The relationship between "post-90s" and their parents is closer than that of children from any other generation, economically and emotionally. The survey found that 91.3% of "post-90s" college students rely entirely or mostly on their parents for living expenses, 53% turn to their parents first when encountering difficulties, and the relationship with their parents directly affects the emotions of 50.3% of "post-90s."
In the survey, about one-third of "post-90s" gave full marks to their parents. In a similar survey conducted 10 years ago on "post-80s," 31.9% expressed "no feelings," "dislike," or "hatred" towards their parents. Additionally, 24.9% of "post-90s" considered their parents the most successful people, while this proportion was only 8.9% among "post-80s."
In peer interactions, "post-90s" prefer to be led by "people with organizational abilities" (52%), followed by "well-informed people" (43.7%) and "people with good character" (37.4%). Only 13.5% preferred "academically excellent people" as leaders.
The "post-90s" have a different understanding of idols compared to their predecessors, valuing traits such as "extraordinarily talented" (49.5%) and "hardworking" (29.4%). They like talent shows, where classmates eating together yesterday become stars on stage today. This strong sense of role identification makes "post-90s" obsessed. Researchers analyzed that from the idols admired by the "post-90s," we can see their definition of success: extraordinary talent, ordinary background, self-struggle, and standing out.
Virtual society has become a habitual survival space for "post-90s," with 24.3% indicating they prefer spending more time online than with people. The survey showed that among the websites "post-90s" like to browse, social networking sites (29.5%) rank third, behind search engines and portal sites. On social networking sites, "post-90s" frequently update their status (31.3%), chat online (30%), and write blogs (30%). 38.6% of "post-90s" claimed to have 5 to 10 friends online; more than half regularly participate in online organized activities.
Values: Emphasizing Individuals, Pursuing Self-Identification
Through survey data, researchers attempted to uncover the driving factors behind various behaviors and attitudes of "post-90s" within the realm of sociological value studies. The study found that unlike those born in the 1970s and 1980s, the value system of "post-90s" gradually weakens altruism, replacing it with an emphasis on individuality and self-identification. They advocate reciprocity; their view of competition is not a life-or-death struggle but a way to coordinate with each other, learn from each other, complement strengths, maximize advantages and benefits, and achieve win-win situations.
The self-identification of "post-90s" is reflected in self-authority, self-control, and the enhancement of a sense of fashion. Nearly half of the surveyed "post-90s" expressed "I like change and dislike monotony" (46.7%) and "I like being unconventional" (43%). Most people "hope to be noticed by others, becoming the focus and celebrities," with this proportion reaching 40.3% among boys. At the same time, 75.5% of "post-90s" believe they have a relatively large or very large chance of future success.
The study found that the three most common emotions among "post-90s" are "happiness" (66.5%), "energetic" (44.8%), and "calm" (33.7%). 74.9% of "post-90s" hold an optimistic view of the world in the next ten years, tending to use harmonious, beautiful, tidy, comfortable, developed, and humanized beautiful words to describe the future world in their eyes. (Source: China Youth Daily)