Over the last month Mike Saunders and a few associates ran a small study on Generation Y in South Africa. We interviewed 144 students with an average age of 18 years old. The gender split was 60% female and 40% male.
The findings were quite interesting and echoed many generalizations about generation Y.
In South Africa, Generation Y uses digital platforms for communication and prefer Facebook and BBM over any other communication tool. Email continues to lose its effectiveness as a communication vehicle with this generation.
Google is starting to lose search market share to Facebook as 50% of Gen Y chooses to use Facebook as a search engine over Google.
Although MXit is popular it’s loyalty is much lower (less than one hour a day) than Facebook (up to five hours per day).
When given the choice Gen Y chose the internet over magazines, their cellphone over the internet and tertiary education over their cell phone. They are also a healthy bunch of individuals choosing healthy food over junk food, restaurants over fast food and bottled water over fizzy drinks.
Mike, you are spot on. Thanks for the research. As a youth worker, I acknowledge I battle to find the time to connect with kids in a way that is cool/natural for them. However, I work in the outdoors with kids and sitting around a campfire with a significant-other, comes a close to FB.
Hi Denis
Nothing like taking people away from cellphone reception to get their attention.
Thanks for the comment!
Hey Mike, nice breakdown.
How was the sample selected?
Were these university students from a large city?
Thanks Neil
We did the research through a tertiary education organisation. They have campuses in DBN, CTN and JHB.
Dear Mark
I totally agree, looking forward to your next article on Gen Z! I recently also did a research article on the different generations in SA- for an internal campaign we did. I often find that the baby boomers are reluctant to to adopt online & digital media in companies. Some of them convert when they realise that it is a easier way to network with the millennials/genY.
Thanks Nadia