HOW TO STUDY GENERATION X, Y, AND Z

Picture during  an Advertising Seminar  and award in Yogyakarta

In 2009 i founded,Youthlab is the first factory and repository of youth insight in indonesia. compromised of multi-talented youths of various background, the research and consulting company helps corporations and organizations create precious connection with the fickle yet precious market segment.Through contemporary methodological approach we help you create a dialogue-collaboration with the youths of Indonesia in the most efficient manner.

Now we are entering our 8 years of work in the fields of youth and generations research. I want to share with you some key points on how to engage and inquire insights from the new generations (generasi langgas) in Indonesia. Here are among the few:

1.      “Create discussion  not  interrogation”,

Average Indonesian youth tend to be introvert, they  are not open about their personal lives in a face-to-face encounter but  in contrary  open about it on social media. This is because social media is a catharsys  medium for them. Then,  in doing interview with youth  try  to create a nuanced  of informal discussions

2.      “Central Tendency in Survey”

Because youth are not trained to express their own opinion both at home and  school. In addition, youth opinions and responses are less appreciated in a variety of important issues, then when given a questionnaire with a Likert scale from 1 to 5, the indonesian youth tend to answer the neutral answer or tendency to middle

3.      “Where FGD Failed?”

when we try to collect six youth in the same room, and then run a focus group, what happened? we will be stuck in a groupthink. Quickly,  the lad answer will follow the pattern of responses from those who are most articulate and most intelligent in the room. Youth reaction were only a way  to protect their self esteem in front of a stranger.

4.      “Western Centric Marketing Theory”

Most marketing theory are made in the west, and tested parametrically using western student. They are culturally biased. Indonesian is a country with hundred of ethnic and language. Find your own way of building knowledge. Start from the bottom be grounded!

5.      “Empathy!”

Youth don’t care about brand anymore, their personality is their brand. Therefore don’t shoot them with questions about product and brands. Be sublime, ask them about things they do, things they create what they love and hate.

6.      “Archetype”

Most youth do things spontaneously. Their subconscious and impuls plays major part in their behavior. In psychoanalytic  context by C.G. Jung, this subconscious way of thinking are shared collectively, they are called archetype. Finding the archetype is key to insights.

7.      “Cross Generation Triangulation”

Since youth themselves are the actors, they never see the whole picture in a helicopter view. Putting the puzzle together means you have to interact with

The previous generation, The Gen X and The Baby Boomers, they will help you

See the bigger picture of what’s really going on.

8.      “Be Culture Sensitive”

Find out what are the culture bound and physical

challenge in youth millieu. Both of them shape their way of thinking, creating, and communicating.

Strong local culture will endorse hingh culture filtering from overseas. Be sensitive with local culture, don’t be shy do immersion.

Writer/Penulis:

Muhammad Faisal Ph.D

Founder of Youth Laboratory Indonesia

Co-writer of Generasi Langgas