Report: Young Professional (23 yrs +)

Report Summary

This demographic:
Want websites that are easy to navigate.
TV progammes that give them advice and ideas that relate to their lifestyle
Prefer newspapers to magazines as their main source of print media
Are financially fairly happy and earning a decent salary
Spend a lot of time at work; Establishing a good work/life balance means making a conscious effort to ensure that time is spend away from the desk for this age group and there is a tendency to bring work home.
Want Topshop clothes for their affordability
Feel more comfortable with their own style and ideas than copying looks from the media.

Media:

What’s really cool at the moment – what do you and your friends watch on TV, why?
Reality TV shows were perceived as being popular but soaps such as Eastenders were the real winners. Informative documentaries and TV series such as Dragon’s Den and DIY shows were picked because they offer respondents actionable and revelant advice for their life stage.

What’s the favourite magazine or book/author and why?
Answers included top women’s glossies like Glamour, Cosmo and Marie Claire, but many preferred to read the newspaper on a daily basis and political content was important.

What’s the most popular radio station?
Playing uplifting and inspiring music made many choose Kiss FM. Other factors in choice of radio station were the type of music it played, amount of adverts and DJ preferences.
Magic, Radio Two and Heart FM were popular with this age group.

What do you think will be the most popular/cool thing next year in terms of TV, radio, magazines and why?
Predictably reality shows such as Big Brother and Strictly Come Danncing were prophised as being big in 2006 because they are the most talked about at work.
Sporting events such as the World Cup also got a mention from male respondents.

Fashion:

What are the cool fashion ‘types or looks’ at the moment – describe them and why they’re popular?
Celebrity role models include Kate Moss and the most popular looks are reflective of catwalk trends.
Jeans and casual clobber are particular favourites but this is underset by the a more glamourous look that includes capes, scarf and all manner of glittery accessories.
Shorts are one of the more controversial trends to have survived the transition from the catwalk to the high street that has been picked up by the poll.
Respondents are inspired by vintage fashion and recreating past decades in fashion.

What are the most popular brands and why?
The most popular brand on the high street in undoubtably Topshop that wa the clear winner with the poll. Reasons for this are its affordability and ability to copy catwalk looks very quickly.
Mid-price brands such as Diesel show highlight a moderate clothing budget.

Who do you and your friends model yourselves on – how do you decide on a ‘look’?
Responses show a shift in the late twenties towards feeling more comfortable with their own style and ideas rather than copying looks from the media.
However magazines are still influential but only as a starting point for ideas, responses preferred to infuse them with individual ideas of their own.

What do you think will be ‘in’ next year?
Jeans and past decades are set to make a comeback, the poll believes. The 70s, 80s and 20s and 30s are all predicted to be big new year.

What do you think will be out?
Unflattering styles such as puffball skirts and the generally more obscure items of fashion that were big in 2005 were quoted as being out next year.

Websites:

Which are your favourite websites/ which ones do you visit most often?
Obvious answers like email providers Hotmail and Yahoo appeared but sites that provide entertainment listings were also mentioned frequently.

Are you influenced by films/music/TV to visit website or do you use Google/search engines?
There was a considerable amount of the poll who respond to websites at the end of TV programmes and others are prompted by films and music.

What makes a good website?
By far the most popular answer was a user friendly system of navigation that makes information easy and quick to find.
Time poor young professionals prefer a simple layout that is easy to understand and is not dependent on fancy gimmacks that take ages to load.
Presentation and colour is important but only when it is not detriemental to the overall userability of the site.

How important is it for the website to be interactive?
Many again prefererred the website to be speedy than amazingly interactive and the main priority was time rather than fancy features.
Do you read updates sent to you when you sign up to a website?
More of the poll read them than deleted them but others confessed that they found them annoying or sent them straight into Junk mail folders.
Again time was a big factor that prevented respondents from reading them.

Which do you think are the most popular website now? In the past? In the future?
Interestingly, Friends United was regarded as having a long shelf life and established websites such as the BBC and Google were top answers.

Work:

Do you have an equal work/Life balance? Do you do a lot of overtime? Why?
A high percentage of the poll admitted to spending more time at work and doing lots of extra hours. Others bring work home with them that eats into their spare time or work long shifts that leaves them feeling exhausted.
Establishing a good work/life balance means making a conscious effort to ensure that time is spend away from the desk for this age group and there is a tendency to bring work home.

Do you live to work or work to live?
Answers revealed that respondents preferred a balanck between the two and though they are not career obsessed they do want to work hard and enjoy the benefits that accompany being employed.

Are you happy with your salary? What is your ideal salary?
The poll are reasonably happy with their present income and although all would like a pay rise, most describe themselves as comfortable and in a good position financially.
30 –40K was seen as ideal salary for people in their late 20s.

Where do you see yourself, in terms of your career, in 1 year’s time? 5 years’ time?
Many wanted promoted within their current company and others dreamed of becoming managers or even higher.
Changing career direction completely or obtaining new qualifications indicate that 23+ aren’t necessary emotional attached to their present employment.

Do you think the rise in amount of people with degrees is affecting the workplace? If yes how?
The subject of degrees revealed some interesting attitudes towards further education; many felt that degrees are becoming less significant as the rise in people obtaining them grows.
Answers revealed a growing backlash against the significance of obtaining a degree and vocational occupations are becoming more attractive to struggling young professionals. Experience, not qualifications was seen as the biggest factor affecting employability.

What are the biggest issues affecting you at work at the moment? Prompt with (stress, under staffed, deadlines, bosses etc).
The poll are feeling under considerable stress because of looming deadlines, staffing issues and internal politics.

Language/Culture:

What are the ‘cool’ words and phrases at the moment – how are they used – give me an example.
TV shows and geographical location conspire to infuse new words and phrases to this demographic. Recent examples include Catherine Tate and Little Britain.
Popular words tend not to be as derogatary as younger age groups but instead choice words for expressing agreemnet and accordance suggesting that this demographic is eager to make good impressions and find language that is common ground when meeting new people.

What are you and your friends talking about most of the time – why do you think that is?
Answers are reflective of the expected stereotypical responses – Men, women, sex, beer and football. Discussing hobbies, travel and reminscing are also popular conversation topics.

What do you think you and your friends will be discussing most next year eg World Cup, Prince William, bands, fashion, sports.......?
Weddings and marriage talk indicates that serious relationships form a big part of 23+ lives.

What do you and your friends enjoy doing the most in your spare time – why?
Social activities such as visiting bars, clubs and going out for meals accounted for half of the respondents answers. Others prefer sporting activities and going to the gym. Taking holidays and mini breaks and decorating the house suggest a nurturing stage has begun.

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