[Canon MJ] Ichikara Lab Wakamono Study Report released –
Investigating the background behind “sharing” by young people today *Canon MJ*
Press release: September 5, 2024
**
ichikara Lab Wakamono Study Report released – Investigating the background behind “sharing” by young people today
*Keywords are #co-experience #self-control #high-context culture* Canon Marketing Japan Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Masachika Adachi; hereinafter referred to as Canon MJ)’s intra-company entrepreneurship ichikara
As part of our marketing activities for young people, Lab (Ichikara Lab) is working with young people on the “Wakamono Study” to explore hints that will lead to the future. Together with “chFILES,” a free entertainment magazine edited by current high school students, we held a workshop on the theme of “sharing” backgrounds among modern young people, and published a report summarizing the contents of discussions with current university students. did.
What backgrounds do modern young people share?
“Wakamono Study” is an activity that explores the insights behind young people’s rapidly changing trends, values, purchasing behavior, lifestyles, etc. while constantly discussing various themes with young people. The report to be released this time is the 12th installment of the “Wakamono Study,” with the theme of “What is the background that modern young people ‘share’?” By unraveling the deep psychology of young people themselves, which they themselves are unaware of, we will help shape the future. It’s about finding hints to connect.
With the advent of sharing services, which have seen a rapid rise in demand in recent years, and SNS with various functions, an era has arrived where even individuals can easily share information. Young people who are both digital natives and social natives*1 may have the impression that they have less resistance to ‘sharing’ and are more willing to experience sharing, but for today’s young people, ‘sharing’ is We analyzed the insights behind “sharing” and what it means. *1． Be familiar with smartphones and social media, including SNS, from an early age.
* ▼report12｜What is the background shared by today’s young people? * *
https://corporate.canon.jp/profile/business/new-value-creation/ichikaralab/wakamonostudy/report12*
* -Report results-*
– * Sorting out the assumptions: What is the object of “sharing” for young people today? *
First, when we investigated what young people usually share, we found that there is a wide range of things that they “share” with. For example, there are many surprising examples for the adult generation, such as using online study rooms that allow people to study together even if they are in different locations, and sharing location information to avoid the hassle of contacting each other. Ta. Sharing target example
Time/Space Number of study hours, online study room, phone calls, live broadcasts (including streaming), Metaverse SNS*2, private lodging services, etc.
Experiences Memories and experiences that are different from those around you, etc.
Personality diagnosis based on 16 types of values/feelings, Sonmul Exchange*3, etc.
Situation Photo sharing app that posts photos within 2 minutes of notification, location information, etc.
Know-how Knowledge and skills that make use of your “likes”
Item rental services, flea market apps, etc.
*2. A platform where you can create your own avatar and interact with other users in virtual space through chats, calls, posts, etc. *3． One of the push activities culture that originated in Korea. Generally speaking, gifts are given to each other by fans and friends as part of promotion activities. They exchange handmade goods and sweets on birthdays, concerts, fan meetings *4, etc. At first glance, this behavior appears to be an exchange of goods, but behind the scenes it can be understood that there is a shared feeling of “love.”
*4. An event aimed at interacting with fans.
– * Insight 1: “Sharing” is essential to becoming friends. Are human relationships efficient? ! *
The content and extent of sharing varied from person to person, but the habit of “sharing” was so ingrained in young people’s daily lives that some people said, “To put it in an extreme, we can’t get along unless we share something.” . SNS is recognized as a business card to introduce an individual, and in order to understand a new person, you can look at their SNS archives to get a better
understanding.Use SNS to effectively build relationships. I also found out that there are.
– * Insight 2: What I want is “connection” with people *
Although there were differences in degree, many people said that they were looking for connections with people. In general, I have the impression that modern young people are making good use of SNS to build connections with people. Some adults may have the impression that young people today have a strong desire for approval. On the other hand, he said, “Of course I’m happy if I get a reaction to my post, and sometimes I return a “like” to the person who gave me a “like”.However, when posting on SNS, getting a reaction from someone is not everything.” Sometimes I’m satisfied with posting something. I don’t want a reaction to everything all the time. ” was the opinion. Regarding the increase in the types and functions of SNS, he said, “What I’m looking for is a connection with people, and I don’t want to share a lot at once. Some people said, “I feel tired. I need some space.”
We found that young people have a simpler view of the use of SNS than adults do, and see it as an effective tool for building connections with people.
– * Insight 3: I want to experience a sense of unity. *
There were many episodes of joint experiences *5 that are typical of students, where they work hard while sharing the same time and space, such as sharing the number of study hours with friends and studying together using online study rooms. On the other hand, some respondents expressed the opinion that they control themselves so that they can maintain motivation and work hard, such as by not looking at others working hard and not feeling negative about it. I can feel the modern youthful nature of these young people who are good at self-control, which was also discovered in Report 6, which had the theme of “What are young people’s awareness of “health care”?”
Also, people who like going to concerts felt that there was value in not only being able to meet their “favorites” but also being able to share the space with the people there. Although the content differs from person to person, we found that behind “sharing” whether in real life or online, there is a need to “experience a sense of unity.”
*5. Generally refers to having the same experience at the same place at the same time.
* ▼report6｜What are young people’s awareness of healthcare? :*
https://corporate.canon.jp/profile/business/new-value-creation/ichikaralab/wakamonostudy/report6
– * Column: Prioritize efficiency over resistance? ! A culture of observation extends to young people as well. *
Examples of “sharing” between young people that surprise adults include the use of photo-sharing apps that allow each other to post photos within two minutes to tell each other where they are and what they are doing, and the use of location information to reduce the hassle of contacting each other. Examples include things to do. It turns out that for young people, sharing real-time information allows them to understand the other person’s situation, and it also has the purpose of “consideration” of whether contacting them now would be a nuisance. Japan’s unique high-context culture, the so-called “culture of understanding,” is deeply rooted in today’s young people, and it is precisely because they are highly literate that they are able to effectively use it as a convenient tool to show concern for others.
Of course, there are some young people who do not share their location information, and some who update their SNS at different times for privacy reasons. At the workshop, he said, “People around me take it for granted that they should share their private information, but I’m reluctant to do it.I don’t go so far as to go along with others if I don’t feel inconvenienced, and I don’t do it just because my friends are doing it. “There’s no reason to want to do it.” I was able to get a glimpse of the youth of today, where diversity is pervasive, as they do not deny the people around them that they share, but also value their own feelings.
– * summary*
I realized that for today’s young people, “sharing” means
communication itself. That’s why it’s essential for making friends, and it’s also an opportunity to connect with people and expand your horizons. This generation may seek a sense of unity more than the adult generation because they experienced the coronavirus pandemic in their youth and faced difficulties in not being able to share the joys and sorrows with their peers.
In addition, in today’s age where diversity is pervasive, young people have many opportunities to express their individuality, so sharing their hobbies and experiences is a way to indirectly express their identity while maintaining smooth relationships with those around them. I felt that I was becoming one of them. They take various measures such as posting at different times to protect privacy, and when sharing online, which is seen by more people than in real life, they try to keep the content positive for those viewing it. The height was also impressive. Because young people are rational and highly literate against the background of Japan’s high-context culture, they are able to prioritize efficiency over resistance and enjoy sharing experiences in a positive manner.
– * Survey summary *
Implementation date: June 5, 2024
Theme: What is the background shared by today’s young people? Format: Individual presentation/group discussion
Held: Online format
Participants: 10 current university students, 7 ichikara Lab members
– *ichikara Lab Overview*
ichikara Lab aims to strengthen marketing to young people and reach new customer groups April 2020
This is Canon MJ’s first in-house start-up, which was established in May. In addition to analyzing the lifestyles, purchasing behavior, and trends of young people, we are taking on the challenge of planning and developing products and services for young people.
・Canon MJ’s in-house company “ichikara Lab” web page:
https://cweb.canon.jp/personal/ichikaralab/
・Twitter account: ichikara Lab/ichikara Lab [official] (@ichikaraLab) https://twitter.com/ichikaraLab
– * Recruitment of collaborative companies and educational institutions * ichikara Lab
We are always looking for collaborative companies and schools to collaborate with us on marketing to young people, including Wakamono Study. ichikara
Please contact us using “CONTACT” at the bottom of the Lab web page.
* ichikara Lab homepage: https://cweb.canon.jp/personal/ichikaralab/