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We need to understand what behaviours are trending in teens' life across South East Asia - specifically Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam. Can you help us understand the latest trends (the hottest grooming and fashion styles, the most listened song, the most shared meme, the latest sport/activity they're all into or even the snacks they are craving)? And what will likely be trending in teens' conversation this November/December?
Hello! Thank you for your request to understand the behaviors that are trending in teens' lives across South East Asia. I understand that you are looking for information specifically on teen trends in Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, and that you would like details on the hottest grooming and fashion styles, the most popular songs and memes, the latest sports and activities that are attracting teens, and even the snacks they are craving. In addition, you are interested in knowing what will be the likely conversation trends for these teens in November and December. The short version is that technology, western music, social media, quick consumables, and a return to traditional clothing are all trends that are affecting teens' lives in South East Asia. A deep dive of my findings is below.
Methodology
To find a response to your request, I searched academic databases, industry reports, government reports, trusted media sites, user forums, and review sites. The countries in which you are most interested do not provide as much information on teen trends as China and Japan, so it was difficult to locate enough information to provide you with a full picture of teen behavior trends in South East Asia. However, I was able to identify some general trends and find several references to popular teen trends in some of the countries you mentioned, which will provide you with an overview of what the teens in South East Asia are into right now.
Limitations
As your request did not specify whether you are looking for fact-based or anecdotal information, we chose to focus only on the trends that have been observed and referenced by reputable sources. For this reason, we chose not to extensively search social media sites or other user generated content to support our findings. It is possible that you could get additional insight into teen trends in South East Asia by fully examining the social media pages of teens living in this region. However, for the purposes of this brief, we have focused solely on teen behavior trends that have been documented by reliable sources.
Results
I was able to find at least one country-specific teen trend for each country you requested, but some countries have more information available than others. Some general trends that apply to all South East Asia countries are outlined below, followed by a break-down of research by country to provide you with as much segmented information as possible regarding teen trends in South East Asia.
GENERAL TRENDS
As with much of the rest of the world, in South East Asia, "digital is the new playground" for teens. Apps are extremely popular right now, with children and teens spending their own money to purchase them. According to SuperAwesome Insights, 50% of South East Asian teens aged 12 to 14 go online after school, with 54% of them using a tablet or smartphone to access the Internet. In this age group, 60% use social media regularly and two-thirds would choose the Internet over television for an after school activity.
Not only is technology taking over teens' after school activities, it is becoming more prevalent at other times during the day as well. For instance, 15% of teens check their phones first thing in the morning, whereas only 2% turn on the television before school. Early evening is still the most popular time for television, with 51% of teens reporting they watch programming as opposed to 36% using their phones during this time frame.
Games are the most popular form of entertainment for teens using phones and tablets, occupying eight of the top 10 spots on the list of top 10 ASEAN apps for children. Angry Birds is still wildly popular in South East Asia, with 68% of all children playing it daily. YouTube and Facebook are the only two non-game apps to make the list.
Social media is a popular pastime, but the majority of teens view platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Link as places to connect and consume rather than share. Link is by far the most popular social media messaging app in Asia, with 69% of all users coming from this continent.
In terms of what teens are spending their money on, they are choosing to purchase easily consumable items such as drinks, snacks, and candy. Drinks and snacks come in as the top consumables purchased by South East Asian teens. Candy purchases barely beat out toys for the third spot, books come in fifth and eating out is sixth on the list. Surprisingly, purchases typically associated with teens, like clothes, music, movies, and apps are very low priorities for South East Asian teens. Moreover, teens in this region are purchasing these items with their own money, with 11% never asking their parents for money and only 20% asking them for money more than one time a week.
Based on information from eIQ Insights, South East Asian teens are heavily influenced by the United States: "As the influence of the United States can be witnessed throughout Southeast Asia from music taste and fashion trends to dining choices, businesses should be aware of what’s factored as ‘cool’ in the west because it will very likely make its way east." For this reason, what is popular in the United States now could very well be what will be popular in South East Asia in November and December. If this pattern holds, teen boys will continue to choose "technology, sports/outdoor activities, and video games" as their activities of choice, whereas teen girls enjoy activities that make them feel good about themselves, including "clothes/fashion/beauty, music, and technology."
Brand names that resonate with teens include YouTube, Netflix, Google, Xbox, Oreo, GoPro, Playstation, Doritos, Nike, and Chrome. All of these brands have a significant online presence, meaning they are highly visible to teens, who are only increasing their Internet usage as they get older.
Fashion trends for South East Asian teens are very similar to those in other countries. However, fashion is far from the top teen priority in this region: "Teens are more interested in dining out with friends, attending shows, concerts, sporting events that they can post to social media than they are about their wardrobes." Teen girls are still interested in fashion, but not as a way to keep up with their friends. Instead, they are more about individuality and finding unique clothing that sets them apart from their friends. They are returning to traditional clothing items like hajibs and bindi on their heads, but they are putting their own modern twist on things by following influencers who show them how to make these traditional items fashionable.
One interesting fashion trend that is taking hold among teens in South East Asia is fake braces. Teens are choosing to get braces for their teeth as a fashion statement. These braces serve no medical purpose and can actually pose health risks to teens. However, Suos Sovannarin, an entrepreneur selling fake braces in Thailand and Cambodia, says "demand for the product far outpaces supply, with his page receiving up to 3,000 messages each week. He’s hired a second employee to help him fill orders, and soon hopes to ditch the delivery-only model in favour of a storefront." Currently, there is no regulation in South East Asia that focuses on this type of cosmetic procedure, but some countries, including Thailand, are trying to pass laws to make the practice illegal.
I was unable to find credible information on specific memes that are shared more often than others, but on the meme sites I visited, I found that memes referring to the stereotype of Asians being more intelligent than other nationalities are popular, as are those that make reference to family honor. I have included links to some of these memes:
INDONESIA
According to Ghani Kunto a business development director for IlmuOne Data, teens living in Indonesia are very similar to those living in other developed parts of the world. "Everything is on their phones," he says, "There are many different apps. A lot of big brands are asking, 'What’s the next big thing? Should we go with Line, KakaoTalk or Snapchat?' The reality is that young people use all of them, but for specific activities. Every app has its own purpose and its own unwritten rules." Teens are mostly using an app called "Line" for messaging and one called "Path" to post pictures. Instagram posts are viewed as "narcissistic," so most teens will use Path instead.
WhatsApp, which is already popular among young adults in Indonesia, is seeing more usage among the teens as well. However, Line is still the most popular app for messaging because it is free, user-friendly, has numerous games, and makes use of cute characters. In addition, the app has done a masterful job at using celebrities to market various competitions to Indonesian teens.
Another popular trend among Indonesian teenagers is the use of YouTube to learn English. Although English is taught in Indonesian schools, teens would rather use online sources to learn the language because "It’s YouTube English. It’s colloquial and a lot of the time, it’s American English." So, they learn the formal aspects of English in class, but most teens are more interested in learning the informal nuances of the language that is often used on YouTube.
Even though religion is a major factor in most Indonesian teens' lives, many of them are testing the boundaries, just like teens everywhere. For example, Kunto says, "Teens are looking for an identity. A lot of girls don’t wear hijabs for religious reasons, even though that’s what they might say. It’s for fashion. Some people wear hijabs with tight jeans or tank tops." They aren't quite brazen enough to completely disregard their religion, but they are willing to take some risks to express their individuality.
Western music has become quite popular in South East Asia, which is seen with the current most listened to song, Heard Well's latest release, "Litunes." This song has hit the top of the charts in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The head of records and publishing for Heard Well said, "This is a really big moment for Heard Well. Western based music companies work tirelessly to find ways to introduce their new artists to foreign markets." The rise in popularity of western music can partly be attributed to online influencers like Ranz Kyle and Nian Guerrero, who make dance videos on YouTube under the name Ranz and Niana."
INDIA
In addition to the general trends surrounding technology, Indian teens are currently following a trend called "Teenpreneurship." This term refers to the idea that teens are regularly starting their own business ventures. A 17-year-old developed a school bus tracker, a 19-year-old started her own website development company, a 17-year-old and 15-year-old partnered together to create mobile apps, and two eighth graders developed a solution to the "nanny problem." These are just a few examples of Indian teenagers who are taking "time out of their studies and leisure to perfect their models, meet potential clients and also hustle for business."
Fashion trends for teen Indian boys were difficult to come by, but some of the trends for Indian girls include "quirky print kurtas," skirts, "half sarees," "lehengas," and traditional sarees. Splashes of color are popular, but teens also wear black sarees and half sarees quite often. Since girls in particular are expected to adhere to strict dress codes in many South East Asian countries, teens are finding ways to express their individuality by adding color and pattern to their traditional dresses.
As with other South East Asian teenagers, Indian teens are "highly obsessed with brands." They aren't interested in keeping up with their friends, however. Instead, they want to find a unique branded item that sets them apart from their friends. So, in a way, they are in competition with their friends to see who can be the most unique.
Slang English is another popular trend in India, with "girls calling “Bi**h” to each other on Facebook. The Super excessive use of [the]“F**k” word. Using AF in almost every status update “Bored AF”, “Sleepy AF." They view English slang as "cool" and try to emulate it as much as possible on social media.
Dating just for the sake of dating has also become a trend among Indian teenagers. "Being in a relationship is something to flaunt around for Indian teenagers these days. If you are not dating someone, then you are not cool. Having a boyfriend or girlfriend has become a status measure." Teens have taken to using Instagram to post about their relationships since family members are prevalent on Facebook and teens are reluctant to share their relationship details with anyone but their friends.
Selfies are just as popular in India as they are with teens around the world. Teenagers are often seen trying to take the most outrageous selfie as they can in an effort to impress their peers. In some cases, this has put their lives or the lives of others in danger. Still, this is nothing that is not happening in every country around the world.
An affinity for western music is on the rise in India, with some teenagers saying "they listen only [to] western music and Indian Music is crap." This is mostly occurring in urban areas and is being fueled by western bands and artists like Coldplay scheduling concert tours throughout the region.
English sitcoms are a large part of Indian teenage life. Although they don't often watch these programs when they are first aired, they are frequently downloaded as entire seasons and watched online. Teens who don't follow the popular programs are automatically on the outside of the in crowd, so spending leisure time watching television shows over the Internet has become a common evening activity.
Unfortunately, not every Indian teenage trend is positive. Smoking and drinking have become a regular part of teens' lives in India. Pictures of teens smoking hookahs have become prevalent on Instagram, again away from the prying eyes of their family members. They are also vaping and smoking cigarettes more often as well.
MALAYSIA
Malaysian teens are not very different from those in Indonesia and India. They are following many of the same trends, including being brand obsessed and finding western trends cool. Some other trends in Malaysia that have not been mentioned in other countries are the popularity of sports (particularly soccer) and the influx of fidget spinners. Of course soccer is popular everywhere in Asia, but the increase in teens playing sports could be attributed to the Sea Games that are being held in Kuala Lumpur later this month.
Fidget spinners have taken the United States by storm and since following western trends is in and of itself a trend in South East Asia, Malaysia has not been immune to this phenomenon. In fact, so many teens and children have fidget spinners that the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism "have been instructed to examine fidget spinners to see if there are potential dangers to the highly-popular toy." It is possible that spinners could be banned from the entire country, but even if that doesn't happen, it is likely they will be banned from schools due to the distractions they can cause.
PHILIPPINES
The only teen trend I was able to identify in the Philippines that is not a general trend for South East Asia was related to fashion. Some of the teen fashion trends in the Philippines include velvet, neck scarves, slip dresses, shoulder-baring shirts and dresses, robes, athletic wear for leisure, pleats, embroidered jackets and shirts, slide shoes, and pajama tops. I was unable to find reputable sources that described any other teen trends that are exclusive to the Philippines.
THAILAND
Thailand is another country with little information on current teen trends. The most recent reputable source that provided me with a few popular teen trends in this country is from 2015. However, these trends are likely still popular when compared to the trends in other South East Asian countries. Haunted child dolls, or Luk Thep, became the hot thing to have after an airline "announced they could fly as passengers." Eventually, hotels were banning them and because people were reluctant to throw them away due to their belief that they contained a human soul, major temples were inundated with abandoned dolls.
Pokemon Go is a trend that has quieted down in the United States, but is still a popular activity in Thailand. Going live on Facebook is still providing teens the ability to experience concerts and events without the ever-present complaints about traffic or the government.
Despite the fact that malls are experiencing dwindling attendance in the United States, they are still popular in Thailand. Six community malls opened in Bangkok and teens (among others) are flocking to them. This could be partly because western shops are opening their doors in Asian malls, but in addition, "developers are building more human spaces like the six community malls which opened in the capital. Massive investments went into spaces where mallrats can escape the same-old-same-old vibes to eat, drink and chill." And when Thai teens visit these malls, they are eating things like honey toast, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Pablo Cheesetart, and bingsu.
Thailand was also the birthplace of the homemade slime trend that has made its way to the United States. It "started over the summer in Thailand, when teens began posting video tutorials on how to make the stuff by mixing water, food colouring, glue and borax powder (a chemical used to kill cockroaches)." For an unknown reason, slime resonated with teens all over the world and became an international sensation. For instance, a teen in Canada said, "I came across a slime video that's owned by a Thai slime account. I was fascinated by the way they look... Thailand started this trend long before people of North America, they're the true trendsetter there's no doubt about that.
VIETNAM
Very little has been published about the teen trends in Vietnam. Of course, they are likely to follow many of the general trends in South East Asia, but not much has been published from credible sources about what Vietnamese teens are currently doing. I did find one source that cites the rise of convenience stores in Vietnam, which could partly be the result of teenagers' willingness to spend their own money on quick consumables like drinks, snacks, and candy. Experts say it's also due to "rapid urbanisation, a growing young population and greater levels of disposable income."
Conclusion
To wrap it up, many of the teen behavior trends in South East Asia are mirrors of the trends in the western world, with some exceptions in fashion and food. I have identified general trends as well as some specific teen trends for Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, with the most information available for Indonesia and India. If you would like more information on anecdotal teen trends using social media analysis, please submit another request.
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