Forrester

Why Read This Report

Understanding teenage behavior is an eternal challenge, not only for parents but also for content providers and product managers trying to engage them. In terms of their media consumption, teens are not only interesting as a demographic, but they also give us a glimpse of a post-media-meltdown future, where loyalties to old forms of media no longer exist. What is striking about European teens is how they combine two great passions — enjoying content such as music, video, and video gaming and communicating with friends — so that social interaction is at the heart of much of their media consumption. Without the means or opportunity to travel around or go out much, teens typically like to consume media at the same times each day, peaking in the early evening. The vast majority of European teens are comfortable with multitasking across different platforms. Companies seeking to engage these users need to offer a multiplatform proposition, with social interaction at the center. They must, however, understand the significant differences in behavior between teens in different countries: Localization, as well as the prioritization, is vital.