What video games are children playing?
Every month Dubit conducts exclusive research for leading toy industry publication, Toy News. In March we quizzed children about video games. What consoles do they play with and what games they play on them? Plus, if they’re playing games deemed too mature how did they get them?
When asked about mature games, it turns out that half of children aged 8 to thirteen have played games regard as too mature for them. 30 per cent of 8 to thirteen years-old have played a game from the Modern Warfare series and 29 per cent have played a Grand Theft Auto title.
However, children and parents aren’t blind to these under-age gaming, the vast majority of children and parents have seen game ratings on boxes and understand what they mean.
For more on under-age gaming and to see what consoles are hot with kids, read the full report on Toy News.
What do children want tablets for?
Every month we conduct exclusive research for Toy News – the leading publication for anyone working in the toy industry.
In December we found out what children really thought of tablet computers and what they use them for. Is it all about Apple or do child-focused tablets like the LeapPad and InnoTab have a place in the market?
Apple awareness starts young, between the ages of six and ten 79 per cent of children are aware of the iPad. Leapfrog’s LeapPad and VTech’s Innotab scored an impressive 59 per cent for awareness, not bad for such new products. Despite the high level of iPad awareness only 19 per cent of the children surveyed have access to one.
If you want to find out how children use the tablets and which score highest reading and playing games, read the full report online at Toy News.
Image courtesy of flickingerbradWhy one teenager wishes Facebook didn’t exist
Guest post by Stephanie Whitley.
I’m 19, and I genuinely wish Facebook hadn’t even been started.
Yes, I use it daily; I have it synced to my phone so I don’t miss a wall post, a status update, or a photo tag. As much as it hurts me to say it, I probably couldn’t live without it, but for me, teenage life would have undoubtedly been easier without it.
Next time you’re on Google, type in your name, see what comes up. When I type in my 13-year-old sister’s name I see her Facebook profile, her address, and even her phone number. Privacy settings? I Doubt she even knows what they are.
How many Facebook ‘Friends’ do you have? 100? 500? 1,000? My 13 year old sister bragged to me she had “nearly 600 friends!” When I asked her how she knew that many people, she just rolled the eyes, and replied with “I don’t, but it’s a big number isn’t it?”
Schools need to start educating their students by updating their own knowledge on social networks, and then educating 13-year-old girls (and others) on the dangers of having a public profile or accepting people that they have never met before. If I asked my sister who Ashleigh Hall was, and how she died, I wouldn’t get the answer that was all over the media last year.
There is also the stress and pressure of being entertaining, and getting Likes. My sister uploaded a profile picture and it only got two Likes in the space of about an hour, so she changed it. Isn’t this the opposite of what was drummed into us all at school? That you shouldn’t care what people think about you, as long as you’re happy? Of course this causes insecurities, jealousy, and unhappiness. But that’s another issue altogether.
Of course, this isn’t specific to girls in their early teens. I have friends who do it too. They will post pictures of themselves in their prom dress and be genuinely upset if their picture receives less likes than their friends. Hurtful comments are nothing new, it’s just Facebook makes them more visual.
We’ve all seen the stats, heard the reports, and most likely experienced cyber bullying. For me, Facebook makes it easy. It removes the face-to-face, personal element of bullying, and makes it even easier for those insecure bullies by simply putting a screen between them and the victim. It’s almost as if Facebook removes the consequences from the act, as bullies think that they can just, get away with it.
I understand that there are many advantages to Facebook, but I’d struggle to say the good outweighs the bad. Sure, it allows me to manage parties and share photos but teens have been doing this for years, without Facebook or even the internet.
I’m still using Facebook; the company knows being connected to our friends is more important to teenagers than another demographic and takes a brave teen to step away from this, I just hope more can be done to protect and educate those just starting out on the social network.
Youth Trends – Batmanning
Are you still planking? Get with the times! Nobody planks now, it’s all about Batmanning!
Definition – Batmanning: Hanging upside down from something by the strength of your feet and ankles.
Who’s doing it? Teens who grew board of planking, and wanted something edgier and more vertical.
What is it? Put simply, it’s vertical planking. Instead of lying flat like a plank, participants hang from bars and other random footholds – err just like a bat would. (Not to be confused with the “suddenly disappearing without a trace and then becoming unreachable” which, by the way, is another use for the verb Batmanning).
So who started it? The Lins Brothers from Milwaukee created the first Batmanning video which currently stands at 740,350 views on YouTube.
It’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it? Yep, falling right on the top of your head can do some damage. A quick search on YouTube will bring up plenty examples of failed Batmanning.
How hard can it be? Check out this video from three teenage girls and you will see how hard.
So they’re extreme sports guys? Not really; the rest of their videos pretty much just involve them miming to pop music while dancing around topless. They just seem to have got lucky with Batmanning.
Who should I watch? The Lins Brothers have really set the standard but the most popular Batmanning videos on YouTube are of Batmanning fails.
Will it last? It has a lot of competition. Following the rise of planking, we now have Owling (sitting on things like an owl), Leisure Diving (jumping in water while relaxing) and Horsemanning (pretending to be a separated body and head).
Carry on the debate on Twitter with the #dubittrends hashtag.
Youth Trends – Hauling
Teenage girls talking about their High Street bargains? No it isn’t the latest show to come to MTV, it’s a new youth trend taking over YouTube!
Definition - haul: In short: a shopping spree a vlog titled “Makeup Haul” or “(Store Name) Haul” is a video showing a shopping spree in that given area, showing products or clothing that will usually be featured in future How To, or tutorial videos. (Source Urban Dictionary)
Who’s doing it? –Teenage girls. It’s big in America and is a gaining momentum in the UK.
What is it? – The trend for teenage girls to show off their latest purchases through the medium of YouTube. Sometimes it’s bragging about bargains, reviewing clothes, or just showing the store bags they have and what’s inside.
So it’s an American thing? The biggest Haulers are American but it’s by no means unique to the US with UK teens getting involved too.
Are we talking about designer products? As most of the products are bought by the Haulers, it’s usually restricted to the High Street. Brands such as H&M and Forever 21 seem to attract most of the attention.
They’re being paid for this? No, not often: most just like to talk about their shopping. The fact that the girls are spending their own money adds to the charm.
Are brands involved at all? Some brands (mostly US ones) have started to see the benefit of targeting Haulers: these include Urban Outfitters , Forever 21 and cosmetics brand ELF. Some simply send the Haulers free products, others host Hauling competitions.
Does this sound familiar? It does. They are the female equivalent of the men unboxing videos they record themselves opening their latest gear or gadget.
Who should I watch? The Queen of the Haulers is Blair Fowler, otherwise known as JuicyStar07. Her videos attract over half a million views and she has been nominated for a Teen Choice Award, which she explains at a frantic pace in this video. Most Haulers don’t get close to this level of fame but you might want to check out UK based Dollybowbow and HollyYMBB who have 35,986 and 8,822 subscribers respectively.
Will it last? As long as there are teenage girls who enjoy shopping and making videos then this trend has legs.
Carry on the debate on Twitter with the #dubittrends hashtag.
Location services failing to grab teens’ attention
Research carried out by Dubit shows that location based social networks such as Foursquare and Facebook’s Places have failed to engage young people, with many seeing little point in the applications and almost half worried about sharing their location.
The research was carried out using our Direct to Youth Omnibus which surveyed 1,000 teens aged between 11-18 years of age with an equal balance between gender and age. The Dubit Youth Informer panel is the largest of its kind in the UK.
Awareness
Awareness of location applications was low throughout the sample, with 48 per cent of those surveyed claiming to have never heard of Places, Foursquare or the less popular Gowalla and SCVNGR. Unsurprisingly Facebook’s Places was recognised more than any other service with 44 per cent being aware of it compared to 27 per cent having heard of Foursquare. Despite losing out to Facebook, it’s an impressive result for Foursquare when it’s considered that the service hasn’t benefited from the initial install base that aided the launch of Facebook’s product. Awareness of Gowalla and SCVNGR is at 3 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.
Awareness of all services increased with age with Foursquare seeing the biggest difference. 20 per cent of 11-14 year olds were aware of Foursquare compared to 38% of 17-18 year olds. Places saw an increase of 12 per cent across the same age ranges.
Usage
Despite Foursquare’s relatively high awareness, its usage is poor. Of the teens that are aware of the products, five per cent use Foursquare, compared to 30 per cent who use Places. Once again, Gowalla and SCVNGR both barely registered with only 1 per cent and 0 per cent of the teens using either.
A significant 67 per cent of the sample didn’t use any of the services with girls being less interested than boys with 76 per cent not using any location application. This is compared to 60 per cent of boys who despite being aware of location services didn’t use them.
Reasons against
Over half (58 per cent) of respondents said they don’t use location services, citing that they ‘didn’t see the point’. Despite teens being seen as careless with their online privacy, 45 per cent are avoiding location services as they consider them unsafe. Other reasons given included 28 per cent believing their phones couldn’t run the software and 16 per cent saying they don’t use them as their friends don’t either.
Indifference
Young people’s indifference to location services was highlighted when asked to score the services they are aware of out of five (‘one’ being pointless and’ five’ attributed to them loving it). Across all four services a score of three was the most frequent, indicating that they neither loved nor hated the products.
At the lower end of the spectrum a score of one or two was awarded by 40 per cent of respondents to Places, 47 per cent to Foursquare, 33 per cent to Gowalla, and 48 per cent to SCVNGR. These scores were only given by respondents who were aware of the named service.
Reasons for adoption
The most popular reasons for the adoption of location services were that users found them fun (48 per cent) and like their friends to know where they are (45 per cent).
For teens, boasting about their location and social standing is much more important than the other benefits of the services, with special offers (14 per cent), getting tips (12 per cent), and points and mayorships (12 per cent) coming far down users list of priorities.
Peter Robinson, head of research at Dubit says: “When Places launched much of the criticism was focused at its lack of gamification – it just didn’t look fun. As we can now see, this doesn’t matter to teens who would rather boast about where they are and who they are with; all benefits that come from being on the largest social network.
“Ultimately teens just don’t see the point of these offerings. Perhaps when Facebook’s Deals product gains momentum this will change things and young people may be driven by discounts but at the moment the brands who are using these platforms, and the platform owners need to be telling teens why they should be using them and how they can do so safely.”
Dubit launches first ‘direct to youth’ online omnibus survey
Dubit has launched the UK’s first ‘direct to youth’ online omnibus survey, offering companies regular and cost effective access to the UK’s largest youth research panel.
For over a decade we’ve been offering bespoke services to clients looking to research tweens, teens and the youth market. Increasingly we are finding agencies and brands need the ability to access young people with one or two questions, either to test ideas, help support pitches or generate that elusive headline for their client. Insight is essential and by offering the omnibus solution, thereby enabling clients to communicate directly with young people, we are ensuring that in a climate where budgets are still tight, research can be afforded to continue to play a central role.
Full details on the Dubit Direct to Youth Online Omnibus
The Dubit Youth Omnibus surveys 1,000 11-18 year olds across the UK. Field work will last seven days with results presented the following week.
The Dubit Youth Omnibus uses our Informer Panel, which is made up of 37,000 young people aged 11-24 and is the largest of its kind in the UK. Panellists under the age of 16 are admitted only after verbal and written consent is obtained from their parents.
The Dubit panel has been bolstered by a recent agreement with RBS/Natwest that offers their young account holders the option to join the Dubit panel. Members benefit from a range of incentives that include the option to complete surveys in reward for financial incentives paid directly into their RBS/Natwest account.
Packages are available from only £250. Interested parties should contact Jonathan Clough on 0113 394 7951 or email jonathan.clough@dubitlimited.com.
QR Codes could be a winner with teens – if only they knew what to do with them
Research conducted using our monthly Direct to Youth Digital Omnibus suggests that a lack of awareness is preventing Quick Response (QR) codes from achieving their full potential as brands look to engage teens through their phones.
The special barcode allows smartphone users to get access to information by photographing the image using free software. As they have gained in popularity, QR codes’ use in marketing campaigns has become commonplace as brands look for new ways to engage their audiences through their mobile phone. However, with 72 per cent of 11-18 year olds either not having or not being aware that they have the software to read QR codes, these brands may be missing out on a significant proportion of their audience.
Our research questioned 1,000 teens aged between 11-18 years of age with an equal balance between gender and age. When shown an image of a QR code only 43 per cent correctly identified that it could be read by a mobile phone while 19 per cent admitted they didn’t know what it was. Eight per cent of girls suspected it might be a magic-eye picture.
Although QR codes have become part of marketing lexicon – the same can’t be said for the playground. Only 33 per cent of those questioned correctly identified the image as a QR code, with 22 per cent believing it was called an RFID tag and 12 per cent labelling it as an infograph.
A positive note for marketers is that despite only 19 per cent of teens having used software to read QR codes, 74 per cent of those who have used say it was worth doing so.
Paula Cubley, head of marketing at Dubit said: “Although this research highlights a lack of awareness with teens, it goes to show that when the technology is being used it is being done affectively. What’s missing is the messaging alerting teens to the opportunities. Marketers can’t just stick a QR code on a poster or in an advert, teens need to be told what to do with them. It might even be advisable to suggest places to download QR code readers. Considering teens are very much attached to their mobile phone this lack of awareness is surprising.”
The benefits and various applications for QR Codes have been widely promoted through the marketing press, with 2011 being seen as the year QR codes go mainstream. However, Dubit’s research shows that the most desired application for teens is to receive vouchers or exclusive content to their phone. Automatically ‘liking’ the brand on Facebook was the least attractive option closely followed by being taken to a brand’s web presence or Facebook page. Both of these examples appeared below the relatively mundane option of receiving directions to the brand or store.
The opportunity to receive a ringtone or wallpaper, or view an advert or make the current advert interactive all ranked joint third for desired application.
Ms Cubley added: “It might not be rocket science that teens like discounts and exclusive content but what is interesting is that they are prepared to receive such content through the use of QR codes.
“Historically, when compared to Americans, Britons have been adverse to using coupons and vouchers. However, the popularity of Groupon and the promotion of Facebook Deals and Foursquare have made the practice more acceptable. What our research shows is that QR codes may be the way to get these vouchers into the hands of teens.”
The survey was undertaken using Dubit’s monthly Direct to Youth Digital Omnibus. The survey offers brands the opportunity to quiz the agency’s panel of over 40,000 children, young people and families.
British teenagers are emerging from recession with more money sense
British teenagers are emerging from recession with more money sense
Independent research shows a breakthrough in British teenagers’ money management skills as money lessons in secondary schools pay off.
- Over two thirds of the 10,000 teenagers surveyed say their money management skills have improved during the recession
- Boys are more likely to save than girls – 33 per cent compared to 24 per cent save all or most of their money
- Teens in the North East are the biggest savers while those in the East Midlands worry most about money
- The highest future salary expectations are in London
30th March 2010
According to research released today there is one group in particular who are emerging from the recession with more money sense: British teenagers.
The findings from NatWest’s 2010 MoneySense Research Panel, an annual poll which surveys over 10,000 12-19 year olds across the UK to assess their financial awareness and aspirations, reveal that the recession has had a profound – and encouraging – impact on the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of British teenagers around money. It shows that, compared to 12 months ago, they are now significantly more considered now in how they plan, budget, spend and save.
As many as 67 per cent of young people surveyed thought their money management skills had improved from last year. Commenting on the news, Sarah Neary, Head of NatWest MoneySense Panel, said:
“The results from this year’s Panel demonstrate that young people recognise the importance of money management and the need to make prudent financial choices. Having surveyed close to 30,000 young people over the last three years, and provided impartial money lessons in 60 per cent of British secondary schools, we are certainly encouraged by this news.”
The recession has exposed many young people to “adult” money issues; feeling the household budget tighten and increased awareness of unemployment and parents’ money worries. This has not only influenced their thinking, it has had direct impact too: teens today report receiving just over half the amount of money they received each month last year.
Boys lead the savings trend
The findings show clear differences in behaviour between Britain’s boys and girls:
- Boys are much more likely to save than girls, with a third of boys (33%) compared to a quarter of girls (24%) saying they save most or all of their money;
- Boys are also more likely to be earning money in some way, either through part-time work or chores (30% for boys, compared to 27% for girls);
- Boys have seen less of a drop in their pocket money as a result of the recession than girls (15% for boys, compared to 18% for girls).
There are also significant differences between age groups, with:
- 11-13 year olds most likely to save all of their money;
- 14-16 year olds most likely to spend all their money;
- 18 year olds, those closest to higher education and the workforce, likely to save most of their money, indicating a sensible approach to money as they reach adulthood.
Breakthrough as research shows money management lessons pay off
For the first time since this five year research project began, there are now proven findings that show NatWest MoneySense lessons in schools around the country have directly and positively impacted on teenagers’ ability to translate their attitudes and beliefs into positive behaviours. Young people receiving MoneySense lessons are:
- More likely to keep track of their money;
- Less worried about money in general because of their increased understanding;
- More likely to have saved most of their money;
- More likely to discuss money matters at home – money conversations are no longer taboo.
“These results are proof that financial education in schools does make a difference. Money management lessons help students become ‘financially fit’, instilling good budgeting practices and helping to prepare the next generation for a brighter financial future,” Neary continued.
Programmes like MoneySense, which is taught by NatWest staff in 60 per cent of secondary schools across the country, coupled with the advice given by parents and guardians, will help lay the foundations for a financially stable future.
Continued support of the UK’s younger generations to build their holistic understanding, attitudes and behaviours towards money, will help them become financially capable consumers, and in turn will help make our communities more sustainable.
Sensible today, daydreaming tomorrow – unrealistic aspirations
There is still work to be done to ensure that the good habits teenagers form now continue into adulthood, as there is currently a significant gap between expectation and reality regarding young people’s future financial expectations:
| The expectation | The reality |
|---|---|
DebtMore than a third (38%) of young people who hope to go into higher education expect to owe up to £10,000 by the end of their course. |
In fact:The average amount of debt that young people incur in higher education is currently around £20,000*. |
PropertyMore than 6 out of 10 young people (61%) expect to be able to buy a house by the time they are 25. As many as 85% expect to be homeowners by the age of 30. The average response for how much a typical three bedroom house should cost was £75,000. |
In fact:Only 14 per cent of homeowners in the UK are under 25**. The average house price valued at £163,481 according to the Nationwide House Price Index. |
SalariesOver half of those surveyed said they did not know how much they would be earning at different life stages (classified as ‘when they first finish their education’, ‘by the age of 25’, and ‘by the age of 35’) In these three groups young people report expectations of:
|
In fact:Young people’s salary expectations are over-inflated – average salaries are:
|
Young People Fight Back Against Negative Stereotypes
Voicebox is v’s new innovative online youth insight project. Using interactive online surveys, data visualisation techniques and an open approach, the project aims to engage young people and get them to share their views on a variety of social issues from crime to the community. To begin each theme and find the initial results, v has taken the views of a representative sample of 1,000 young people in the UK. (The research was carried out by Dubit.) However, the online project is live and the data is constantly evolving as more young people participate on a daily basis. The aim with Voicebox is to engage as many young people as possible, to better understand their views, so v can deliver programmes more suited to their needs and influence government & policy makers. Visit: http://voicebox.vinspired.com for your voice to be heard. Results: • 85% of young people said that they or their friends don’t carry knives • 86% of respondents had never shoplifted goods worth more than a fiver • 69% did not agree that drugs were ok for recreational use • 61% believed it was irresponsible to be a teenage mum. • 56% of respondents agreed it was not normal to have sex before the age of 16. • 75% of young people are happy with the relationship they have with their family • 68% of respondents are happy living at home • 78% of 16-25 year olds respect their elders (only 1% said that they don’t respect their elders)
Respondents: A sample of over 1,000 16 – 25 year olds took part in the online poll conducted by Dubit on behalf of v in May 2009. The data was weighted according to age, gender, and region to be representative of all British youth. • Of the sample 500 were males and 500 were female • These 1,000 young people lived across the UK, 219 in the North, 249 in the Midlands, 421 in the South and 110 in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland • 786 young people were White, 70 young people were Black, 97 young people were Asian and 47 young people classified themselves as ‘other’ ethnic group • 587 young people were in education, 423 were in employment and 123 young people were not in education, employment or training (NEET) • 300 young people were 16 – 18 years old, 300 young people were 19 – 21 years old, and 400 young people were 22 – 35 years old
