A new name for teens/post-Millennials, hipster soda, Rihanna’s mag selling magic, the links we’re passing, and more news and trends to catch you up before the week ends. It’s the Friday Don’t Miss List!
1. Teens=Gen Katniss?
We told you five stats about teens today to teach you more about young consumers, and how different they are from older Millennials. Don’t miss the research that has one economist, author and professor calling teens (who she defines as post-Millennials) “Generation Katniss.” Noreena Hertz’ study of 13-20-year-olds found that “their world views are starkly different from those of other generations.” Only 6% of Gen Katniss trusts big corporations to “do the right thing,” and “They also fiercely cherish their own independent identities.”
2. Hipster Soda
Some fast food brands have begun calling their food “artisan” in order to convince Millennials and teens that they should eat it. But don’t miss the latest brand to try to build an “artisan” brand for young consumers: PepsiCo. The beverage giant is creating a line of “artisanal fountain drinks” called Stubborn Soda, which will likely boast natural flavors, and contain no high-fructose corn syrup.
3. Rih Rih’s Mag Magic
This month’s teen magazines were filled with young and talented Millennials and teens to watch, but none of their covers contained the face that can sell more magazines than any other. You shouldn’t miss the data that crowns Rihanna as the queen of magazine covers, and reveals her mag selling magic. In the last year, the singer has been on the cover of 19 magazines, and helped Harper’s Bazaar increase their newsstand sales in March, when almost all others saw a decline.
4. Fun With Banking!
Big banks aren’t keeping up with Millennials’ money managing preferences, and tech startups are filling the gaps to reinvent banking for the generation. We covered three of the mobile and online platforms giving banking a Millennial makeover, and you shouldn’t miss the New York Time’s take on the topic in their post asking “Do Millennials Need Fun Banking?” Their look at savings app Qapital (which we also included in our roundup) concludes that a simple and fun way to save money might be attractive, but “only works if they have money to put aside.”
5. Links We’re Passing
Barbie has had a rough year, and the brand has been making changes to try to contemporize the blonde plastic icon. Don’t miss their latest effort: Barbies that don’t have to wear heels. Their newest line of dolls are flat-footed so she can sport sneakers and slip-ons. Mattel says the new look “represent[s] the world girls see around them” and is part of the “continued evolution of the Barbie brand.”
