Gen+BuY+aka+Spend+Spend+Spend!!!

Student: Tracy Townsend N7537794 Tutor/Time: Colleen Niland, Wednesday 3-4pm E311

How Healthy is Gen Y? What are the key public health issues facing this generation, and what are the driving social and cultural forces behind these issues?


 * __Cultural Artefact:__**

The picture above is a snapshot of a book cover titled “Gen BuY”. The authors are Kit Yarrow, a professor of both marketing and psychology at Golden Gate University and Jayne O’Donnell, a retail and automotive reporter for USA Today. In this book, Kit Yarrow and Jayne O’Donnell argue that this complex generation can best be reached through a deep understanding of what makes them tick. Gen BuY explores the psychological and social underpinnings of what Gen Yers want, why they buy, and how to best engage them. //Gen BuY// outlines practical suggestions for marketers on how to harness this group’s incredible buying power - and arms consumers with a better understanding of what triggers their own shopping and buying.


 * __Public Health Issue:__**

Manufacturers and retailers that want to attract Gen Y need to ramp up technology – constantly. In stores, on their websites, and by making it mobile and interactive. If your website stinks, for example, so does your store. (Gen BuY, 2009). Generation Y been raised in society where shopping isn’t seen as a simple act of purchasing, instead the proliferation of retail and product choice has resulted in acts of new entertainment. From being raised in this technological society with socialization agents being family, peers, school and the mass media has a significant effect, such that in some cases being susceptible to a mental illness.

**__Literature Review:__** Statistics showed that US young adults spend $97.3 billion annually, of which two thirds goes on clothes and 10% on personal care (Blakewell, 2003). The reason behind why gen Y has been acculturated into a materialistic and consumer culture more so than other generations, is a result of technological innovations. Such that, the proliferation of communication technologies, mass media, international travel and multinational marketing campaign has played a major part in promulgating the notion that material things and opulence are good and desirable. In addition, the environment that surrounds gen Y provides more opportunities and reasons to shop than ever before.

For example, opening hours extended to 6pm, television, Internet and more traditional catalogue based shopping also creates additional consumption opportunities. Another contributing factor is that gen Y in many cases have been brought up in a household where both parents work, thus lead this generation to learn how to shop and make brand decisions sooner than compared to previous generations. From this, we can say that from a young age, gen Y can be seen as an independent and consumer generation due to their macro environment.

This is supported from a study conducted by Blakewell and Vincent; they administered a questionarie of purchasing “personal goods” pertaining to clothes, jewellery, cosmetics and footwear. The sample consisted of undergraduate female student aged between 18 and 22, which resulted in 244 responses. The results indicated four different consumer decision making styles.

33% of participants were recreational quality seekers, who had attitudes of perfectionism and were brand consciousness. They where described as shoppers who exerted extra effort in order to get quality products. 16% of participants fell into the recreational discount seekers segment; they were described as ‘bargain seeking’ such that they agree with the question “I buy as much as possible at the sale price”. Such that, these seekers displayed a trait of fashion/novelty consciousness and are more price/value conscious shoppers than compared to the previous category.

The third segment, that contained 16% of the sample was shopping and fashion uninterested seekers, these participants can been seen as confident shoppers who are associated with traits of time energy conserving with statements of “I normally shop quickly, buying the first product or brand that seems good enough”. The fourth segment that pertained to 14% of the sample was, trend setting loyal seekers, who are fashion and style conscious and agree with the statement “I keep my wardrobe up to date with changing fashions”.

Limitations discussed in this study where the use of students, such that, this could affect the results to a degree due to which education affects their purchasing is unknown. Also, the study only used a female only sample and future research should address the consumer decision making styles to the male generation Yers. From this case study we can deduce that, Generations Yers have been socialised into a shopping culture at an earlier age. Such that, shopping can be seen as an integral part of the social constructions of ones identity, that is creates a sense of self.

According to the theory of reasoned action, one’s behavioral intention is based on two determinants: attitude toward the behavior and perception of social pressures to perform or not perform the behavior, referred to as the subjective norm. Attitude toward the behavior is a function of beliefs that performing the behavior has certain attributes and the evaluation of those beliefs (Belleau, Pinel, Summers and Xu, 2007).

This theory was put to the test to a sample of 229 college students enrolled in a major university in the southeastern United States, which completed a questionnaire based if they would purchase a certain product. Though this they assessed the participants attitudes and behaviors towards the product. External variables we also added in study such as fashion involvement, personality traits and media usage.

Limitations of this study may affect the ability to generalize findings. Such that, the sample taken was nonrandom and other by standers may see this as not a true representation of the selected consumer target audience. Although, results obtained are valid and give some depiction of the purchase behavior of Generation Y consumers. Although the sample was nonrandom, there is no indication that this group of respondents differs significantly in their purchase behavior from other Generation Y consumers.

Results in fact did support this theory of reasoned action, such that attitudes towards purchasing this particular product did influence participants purchase intention. Thus, the more favorable the participants attitude toward the behavior (purchasing), the higher purchase intention. In saying this, one would argue that if a product were adequately represented in a positive manner in society, say through the media, it would increase the consumer attitude, specifically Gen Y’ers, to purchase this particular product.


 * __Cultural and Social Analysis:__**

Young adults, such as Gen Yer’s, that develop a mental illness are at a much greater risk of suicide, self-harm and drug addiction in later life. While this does contribute to the problem it isn’t the cause. The cause is the social and cultural ideologies that gen Yers are being bombarded with on a daily basis for example the mass media.

According to a survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics where participants aged 16-24 years in the year 2007, approximately one quarter of the participants, 671 000 specifically, suffered from an mental illness. The main disorders that where focused on where anxiety, affective and substance use. Results indicated that compared with other age groups these three disorders had tested high in this age group.

In response to these disturbing results the Australian Government has released their fourth national mental health plan which sets out an agenda that outlines their five year action plan in response to our current mental health status. Specific goals aimed at mental health among young adults are to expand community based youth mental health services which are accessible and combine primary health care, mental health and alcohol and other drug services. Also, develop tailored mental health care responses for highly vulnerable young people who have experienced physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or other trauma

Evaluating these alarming statistics and associating it with the consumerism of Gen Yers can been seen as a working progress. Well according to generation theorists they believe that as the macro environment changes, there are concomitant and distinctive changes in patterns of consumer behaviour. Thus, a consumer attitudes, behaviour and skills are acquired via socialization agents such as family, peers, school and the mass media. The proliferation of the mass media including television, the Internet and magazines has resulted in greater diversity of product and lifestyle choices for gen Y (Blakwell, 2003). From this we can believe that in an increasingly consumerist environment, self identity and status is inexorably associated to ones possessions.

In stating this, and correlating it with the case studies that were discussed above, it was indicated that if Gen Yer’s attitudes toward a product that were adequately represented in a positive manner in society, say through the media, it would increase the consumer attitude to purchase this particular product. Now if we were to swap a product for an idea, such as the ideal lifestyle with having the perfect body, social status and what it means to be accepted in society, that was represented that from a idea, this idea to a degree, it could instill a mental illness. Such as, anxiety disorders and or depression from not having the ideal body. Furthermore, Gen Yers trying to attain perfection, this could result in negative outcome such as developing a substance abuse disorder as a coping strategy for not having reached ‘perfection’.


 * __ Analysis of Artefact __**

Reflecting on my artefact and connecting it with this public health issue and the above statements concerning generation Y, I believe it is an adequate artefact. Such that, the font of the title is big and bold and the background being bright blue could catch the attention of anyone in plain sight. With the book being title Gen BuY, one could easily believe the idea that generation Y is all about spending the big bucks to have the big things in life, and from this people could believe that generation Y is easily persuaded and maybe even manipulated into the spending of big things.

However I believe this artefact could instill a deeper understanding of why the consumerism of generation Y is the way it is. That, this generation have been raised in a society without technology and without the mass media bombarding with everyday messages of what they should buy, how they should look, what is the the norm in society and what is and what is not accepted in this day in age. Thus, trying to reach this ‘perfection’ could have serious consequences that are short and long term effect.

On a personal note, from this assessment I believe it will affect my future learning and thinking process to extent of the media portraying of what I should purchase that will make me happier in a sense. That what is being shown to myself I would ask if that is really reality or just ideal and try coming to the decision between wanting and needing and judging whether this is something positive or will impact negatively on myself on a deeper level.


 * __Learning Engagement and Reflection Task:__**


 * __Page:__** **__Culture, Trust & Communications with our Primary Service Providers. (Bryan Green)__**

Hey I found your wiki really interesting and informative and your artifact really powerful and moving. I knew that aboriginal health was an issue but not as alarming and concerning that you have put here. For example, I knew the communication was a problem but was never shown an example, like you did with the 24-year-old male suffering from chronic renal disease that through assumptions and barriers the family had jeopardised his life. Also, I immensely agree with you on trust and communication goes hand in hand and is vital in this alarming public issue. Overall, I found your wiki very interesting and an eye opener.

**__Page: Can Generation Y Keep Up With Ever-changing Technology? (Ashley Badger)__**

I absolutely love you artifact! Fact after fact after fact I was astound. Especially the part where a student in a four year degree, where by the third year, all the information gained in first is outdated. I’m currently in a three year degree and the first thought I had when seeing this was, I’m screwed. Also, the video you included for the public health issue was very intriguing; I liked the last line ‘if only they could remember how to speak face to face’. Even though you haven’t finished I believe you’re off to a great start and I’ll be revisiting your wiki once it is completed.

**__ References: __** Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). Mental Health of Young People, 2007. Retrieved from [] = Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing. (2009). //Fourth national mental health plan: an agenda for collaborative government action in mental health 2009-2014.// Retrieved from Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing website [|http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-f-plan09#pla] Bakewell, C. & Mitchell, VW. (2003). Generation Y female consumer decision-making styles. //International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. 31,// 95-106. Doi: 10.1108/09590550310461994.

Belleau, B., Pinel, R., Summers, T. & Xu, Y. (2007). Theory of Reasoned Action, Purchase Intention of Young Consumers. //Clothing & Textiles Research Journals.// 25, (3), 244-257. Doi: 10.1177/0887302X07302768

Gen BuY. (2009). Gen BuY – How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings are Revolutionising Retail – Yarrow & O’Donnell. Retrieved from: []