America's New Trendsetters

Trendwatchers have always looked to youth in Japan for a glimpse of the future — new research from New American Dimensions and interTrend Communications reveals Asian American teens are also generating some of the key trends in pop culture. From the release:

Based on a fifteen-minute survey conducted with 538 Asian American teens and "echo-boomers" — between the ages of 14 to 28 years:

- 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.

This research is being presented at what looks like a very cool conference on urban youth happening today in Los Angeles.

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