YAHOO
FINANCE
7/26/06
- Research Shows Youth Generation's Increasing Influence
on U.S. Pop Culture -
LOS ANGELES, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study on
the cultural influence of Asian American youth released
by New American Dimensions and interTrend Communications
reveals that Asian American youth are increasingly generating
some of the key trends in pop culture being embraced
by the rest of mainstream American youth culture. According
to results of the study, "Made in America: Asian
American Teens and Echo Boomers," Asian American
young people are likely to see themselves as trendsetters
in three distinct cultural categories -- technology and
gadgetry, anime and manga, and video-gaming.
Based on a fifteen-minute survey conducted with 538 Asian
American teens and "echo-boomers" -- between
the ages of 14 to 28 years -- the study demonstrates
that today's Asian American youth demographic inhabits
a wide variety of cultural worlds and is engaged in a
broad spectrum of media, entertainment, and cultural
activities. The research was conducted online across
the country and through in-person survey intercepts administered
in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
In the study, 62 percent of respondents were U.S.-born
and 38 percent were born outside the U.S. Differences
emerged between both groups in their involvement in trends
within popular culture. Among the major findings identified
by the study are:
* Respondents identify (1) technology/gadgetry, (2) anime/manga,
and
(3) video-gaming as the top three primary areas of popular culture where
they are driving overall trends in the U.S. marketplace. Close to 80 percent
of
respondents identify "technology/gadgets" and "anime/manga" as
the top two areas where Asian Americans are influencing
trends,
while 72 of respondents cite "video gaming" as the third major area.
Other areas Asian American youth cite a high degree of influence is in "food
and culinary arts" and the visual arts.
* Hip Hop and Alternative music are the dominant musical genres favored
among U.S.-born Asian American youth. A diverse array of musical genres
forms the listening habits of Asian youth -- but with distinct differences according
to their acculturation levels and generation. While first-generation (born outside
the U.S.) respondents preferred "Pop/Top 40" music, second-generation
Asian Americans (U.S. born) exhibited a strong preference for Hip Hop and Alternative
music. Among the latter, sixty-two percent of respondents identify "Hip
Hop/Rap" as their favorite music genre, followed by 51 percent who favor" Alternative
/ Indie" music.
* Asian American youth are more likely to identify and seek out trends
through word-of-mouth messaging than through any other media channel or network.
This is particularly true for second-generation Asian Americans who indicate
they
are twice as likely as their first generation counterparts to learn about trends
via word of mouth. Among the first-generation cohort, television holds the greatest
influence in helping them learn about new trends according to the survey.
"It's not completely surprising that Asian Americans wield a tremendous
influence
in areas like video-gaming and manga," states Thomas Tseng, Principal & Co-Founder
of New American Dimensions, who oversaw the research study. "Anime and Manga
constitute a growing $4 billion business in the U.S. and is embraced today by
millions of American kids across the color spectrum. As ambassadors and curators
of this subculture, Asian American youth really shape the contours of this space
and spread it to the rest of their peers."
"These results contrast with previous research we have conducted among
Hispanic
youth," according to David Morse, President of New American Dimensions. "Whereas
many second-generation Hispanic kids often exhibit their pride through their
language and culture, Asian American youth seem to assert their pride in how
they are shaping mainstream American culture."
This study, "Made in America: Asian American Teens and Echo-Boomers," will
be presented at the conference "IMPRINT: Urban Youth Unabridged" (www.imprint-life.com)
on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at the Japanese American National Museum. George
Takei will be the opening speaker, while the rest of the conference will feature
a mix of live panels, presentations, and performers -- including Roy Lee of Vertigo
Entertainment, Jim Farley from Toyota Motor Sales, Eric Nakamura from Giant Robot,
Gonzalo Perez from MTV, and John Hiler from Xanga.
"IMPRINT intends to show advertisers and marketers the influence and
impact
of
trends beyond the Asian segment," says Julia Huang, CEO of interTrend Communications. "It's
important for the attendees to get a first hand look at those individuals influenced
by the Asian experience and how their 'imprint' is being seen in the mainstream
pop culture."
