Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from MarketingCharts, a Watershed Publishing publication providing up-to-the-minute data and research to marketers.
Slightly more than six in 10 youths aged 13-24 would try a product or brand suggested by a YouTube star ("YouTuber") while fewer than half would try a product or brand suggested by a TV or movie star, according to results from a DEFY Media survey.
There appears to be an age trend when it comes to following stars on social media: 13-year-olds are far more likely to follow a YouTube (59 percent) than TV/movie (32 percent) star, while the gap is closer for 14-17-year-olds (53 percent and 44 percent, respectively). Among 18-24-year-olds, slightly fewer follow YouTube (51 percent) than TV/movie (54 percent) stars.
DEFY Media said exposure to online content and social media at a young age means digital is second nature to 13-24 year olds. Online video appeals more to younger digitals than television because it offers the ability to "watch any time they want" and "has what I want to watch." Finally, while both are aspirational to the teen crowd, YouTubers are more popular than traditional TV/movie stars because they're relatable.
"YouTubers are described as: just like me, understands me, someone I trust, has the best advice, doesn't try to be perfect, genuine, someone I feel close to, and likes the same things I do," DEFY Media wrote in its study.
A separate survey released last year by Variety showed U.S. teenagers (13-18) named YouTube stars as their most influential figures, ahead of film, TV and music celebrities. The YouTube stars included comedy teams and pranksters, video gamers as well as fashion and makeup stylists.
A new report from UK-based advertising platform SuperAwesome, "Kids and Teens YouTube Tracker," found kids liked YouTube personalities better than conventional celebrities because they are funnier, more relatable and more consistent (many come out with new content/videos daily). SuperAwesome added, "Many of our respondents look up to and respect these YouTubers, making this more than just video consumption, but a place that kids go to for life advice."