Mini Oreos Launch Strategy for China - White Paper
1. I n t e g r at e d M a r k e t I n g C o M M u n I C at I o n s , n o rt h w e s t e r n u n I v e r s I t y
You Are WHY You Eat
A look into the lifestyle, attitudes and snacking behavior of young adults in China
Presented to Draft FCB and Kraft
August 24, 2009
RepoRt wRitten and pRepaRed by:
shaydon arMstrong
raChel han
andrea kIbler
ChunqIng lu
elIzabeth wortley
instRuctoR: toM hayden
2. INTRODUCTION
People Regard Food as Their Heaven
Ancient Chinese Proverb
since the days of ancient China, food has been a very important part of life for the Chinese
people. For centuries meals have created an occasion for families and friends to bond
and share their finest foods. the food and ingredients are cut small and they share from
multiple dishes placed in the center of the table. although it is the food that is literally
shared, laughter, toasts and, most importantly, love are also shared in this cherished
bonding experience.
In the past, Chinese people only regarded regular meals as food, and the attitude toward
snacking was negative. It has only been within recent years that snacking outside of meals
has become acceptable and part of many Chinese young adults’ lifestyles.
young adults emulate a family relationship with their friends through sharing snacks. It is
no surprise that Chinese youth, raised in single-child homes, emulate this familial bonding
experience with their friends during social gatherings. to young adults, friends are family
and are literally referred to as “xiong di” and “jie mei”, or brothers and sisters. snacking
situations provide an opportunity for them to care for their “brothers and sisters” as well as
to be cared about in return. they are building bonds, bite by bite.
Just as food for a family meal is cut small to share, food for snacking
must also be shareable. young adults love their “brothers and sisters”
and want to share with them the best tastes, packaging and brands
available. and although chopsticks and a table may not be present,
young adults still pass around their snacks and enjoy the conversation
as everyone eats freely.
we think the ancient Chinese proverb “People regard Food as their
heaven” doesn’t literally mean that food is heaven—but rather the
experience of sharing time with loved ones is a form of heaven.
recently this “heaven” of sharing time with loved ones has extended
into the online world through social networks and chatting programs.
young adults are constantly connected with their “brothers and sisters”
throughout the day, forging their bonds further. during these online
connection times, it is also common for young adults to “munch”
(mindless eating) because it reminds them of the times when they are
eating with friends and family.
i | intRoduction
we were asked to explore in depth this munching behavior (mindless
eating) of young adults. and what we learned wasn’t just about food,
flavors and munching—we learned how vital bonding with and caring
for “brothers and sisters” is in a young adults life, and how snacks are
a channel for them do this. the report you are about to read details our
findings from interviews with 239 young adults in China during July 2009.
4. You Are WHY You Eat – Some Personal Stories
after interviewing 239 young adults in China, we think the phrase “you are what you eat”
should be changed to “you are why you eat.” eating is so much more than the actual food,
time of day or even what the person is doing. what it all boils down to is why young adults
are eating. the following stories came directly out of the research we conducted and are
representative of 239 interviews with young adults in China.
(Note: Not all interviewees spoke fluent English. The following stories are their true stories
with proper English translation.)
sophia the social snacker
hi, my name is sophia. I am a 22 year-old english major. My favorite part of campus life
is staying up late with my roommates and eating snacks before we go to bed.
after a long day of studying, I get together with my friends at 10:00 to eat some freshly
cooked Chinese dishes from a local vendor that visits our dorm. we also share fruit,
chocolate or tea before we go to bed because it helps us fall asleep.
after our late-night snack, it is time for bed and we always turn on the radio and listen to
an english channel so that I can learn english better. even though my roommates and I
planned to go to bed, we always end up staying up late chatting about what we heard on
the radio … did you know that men in america don’t pay for dates? I think men should
always pay.
In-a-hurry hannah
hi, I’m hannah. I am 19 years old and am a finance major. I am very busy with my
studies and don’t have a lot of time to eat breakfast, so I have to eat between classes.
My classrooms are located throughout campus, so all day long I rush from one building
to another. as soon as one class ends, I grab a bag of biscuits from my backpack and
eat as fast as I can while running to the next class, and I only have 10 minutes! I buy my
biscuits once a week at wal-mart and bring them to class with me because the campus
you aRe wHy you eat – some peRsonal stoRies
stores are too busy between classes. I barely have time to run to class, let alone time to
stop and buy a snack.
some of my friends like to stop at the campus store to buy warm, fresh tea eggs and corn
and have to wait more than 15 minutes. they are often late to class but think it is worth
it to have fresh food. once they are in class, everyone knows they have eaten fresh food
because of the delicious smells they bring in with them. sometimes I stop for the fresh
food too, but I don’t want to be late to class. I prefer to have the small packages in my
backpack so I can just throw it away when I am done.
|
5. won’t-admit-it adam
hi, my name is adam and I just started my first year of college. there are three meals a
day and snacks aren’t necessary. why eat when you are not hungry?
I think girls like to snack because they are afraid of the sun and stay inside all day with
nothing better to do. but boys don’t like to eat outside of meals because we are too busy
playing basketball or hanging out with friends. we like to hang out at small Chinese
restaurants and eat while we are there—but that is not snacking.
at night I like to play world of warcraft on my computer. sometimes I get hungry, but I
am too busy concentrating to do anything about it. If my roommates decide to go to the
store, I always ask them to buy me whatever they are buying. but I will never go and buy
it myself. then I will eat whatever they bring back and put near my hand. so I guess that
really, I only snack when I am lonely or playing on my computer.
Pan lu the Pressure releaser
hey, my name is Pan lu. I am 16 and am in my junior year of high school. you know,
high school life is always filled with text books, homework and endless tests. sometimes I
get really bored from hanging out in the same classroom from 7a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
usually after two classes in the morning, I am already tired and kind of hungry. then
there is always somebody saying: “let’s eat something!” everybody gets excited and
passes around snacks to share. you have to bring something otherwise you will not be
invited again. small biscuits, individual packaged chocolate, chips and want want’s salty
beans are all welcome. we always try to grab as many as possible. It’s like robbing from
our classmates and it’s really fun.
the ten minute break is really not long enough so sometimes I will finish the snacks
during the first several minutes of the class. It’s probably disrespectful to our teachers
but it’s kind of challenging and exciting. after eating snacks, I feel that I can hang on for
another two classes.
| You Are WHY You Eat – Some Personal Stories
binging blair
hi, I am blair and am a first year high school student. I commute to school every day.
usually I rush to school with my breakfast in my hand in the morning. but the way back
home is totally relaxing. I enjoy myself by checking out small shops and eating snacks on
the way.
along the road there are lots of convenience stores and vendors who sell fresh cooked
food. I love eating qq gummies, hao duo yu, spicy bbq meat, smelly tofu, boiled
vegetables dipped with sesame and pepper sauce and more on my way home. the way
seems shorter when you have something in your mouth. My parents are also cool with
me eating after school because they will not be back from work around 7 or 8 and they
know I will be hungry.
after I go back home, I dive into my homework ocean. Music is on and snacks are in my
hand. I eat with my left hand and write with the other. My parents think it is distracting,
but I have to have some taste in my mouth. It helps me concentrate.
6. Connecting Coco
My name is Coco. I am 25 and work in finance for a foreign company in shanghai.
My work requires me to face the computer all day long. so every night after work I do
not want to get online again. but during the weekend I like to chat online with my friends,
go shopping to adore myself and huddle in my sofa and watch american tv series such
as gossip girl and grey’s anatomy. I like chips, milk tea, seeds and fruits to go with my
favorite tv show. It’s really relaxing!
during the work days, my colleagues and I love to order delivery in the late morning or
late afternoon, usually around 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. we order kFC delivery and the great
smell wakes the whole office up! It’s like everybody crawling outside from our caves and
joining in the social life.
we also share our small snacks with each other. snacking together can easily bridge the
gap between colleagues and the snacks can be an easy topic to start the conversation.
It’s kind of an office social survival tip.
Customary Cui Ping
hey, my name is Cui Ping and I am in my final year of life science studies at my
university. I think it is bad for your health to snack. when I was little I loved sweet snacks,
but now I know it is bad for your teeth and eyes. Instead I eat fruit or drink tea when I am
hungry because it is good for your skin.
the food in the dining hall isn’t very good so my roommates and I usually eat some
instant noodles or other warm traditional Chinese food at night. Instant noodles are kind
| You Are WHY You Eat – Some Personal Stories
of a poison, but we eat it anyway because there is nothing better.
Fat young girls like chocolate, but I don’t. hamburgers and chips will turn you into a fat
american or english person. I don’t like western fast food like Mcdonalds, Pizza hut or
kFC and will stick to my traditional Chinese snacks like rice crackers, spicy duck’s neck
and sunflower seeds.
7. The Research Framework
the stories you just read clearly demonstrate what is going on in the most common
snacking situations. there are no real news flashes in these stories, but the goal was to
uncover insight…insight that would take us deeper into the needs for munching.
what we did
Context
before arriving in shanghai, we started with a global analysis of the snack food industry
and consumer trends. we also reviewed relevant existing research and information to guide
our work. this helped us to develop hypotheses and questions that we explored while we
were in shanghai.
Immersion
once we arrived in shanghai, we immersed ourselves into the world of young adult
snacking and munching. we went to several retail locations to observe the variety
of products available and to see who was purchasing them. after we had a good
understanding of the market, we targeted several locations throughout shanghai where
young adults could be found:
• Fudan university
• huaihai road
• nanjing road
• shanghai Museum
• People’s square
• oriental Pearl
• yu yuan garden
throughout these locations, we interviewed 239 young adults who gave us their stories. we
discussed their lives, values, what makes them happy and how eating is a part of their life.
the learning and insights from these interviews will be discussed in the following sections.
tHe ReseaRcH FRamewoRk
“Chips are for teenagers who want to share the taste with friends; biscuits are for
teenagers who easily get hungry to share with their hungry friends.”
– Lonn, female, 16, high school student
|
8. Munching Dynamics
to learn more about munching behavior (mindless eating for taste), our team wanted to
first understand snacking (eating to satisfy hunger). our initial hypothesis was that there
would be a distinct and separate set of foods for munching and snacking in China.
From our research, we learned that indeed both of these behaviors clearly exist, but
there is little difference in the foods that are consumed for munching and snacking (see
section “Foods for Munching and/or snacking”). this led us to the question: If the foods
for munching and snacking are similar, then what is the difference between munching and
snacking?
there are three distinguishing characteristics that helped us differentiate munching and
snacking that are centered on the consumer. First we will take a look at the consumer
by segment and then the distinguishing factors of daily life, emotional needs and
relationships. these three characteristics by consumer segment determine whether the
behavior is munching or snacking.
the Consumer
young adults ages 15-28 fall into different phases of life and have different lifestyles.
they can’t be treated as one target. a closer look must be taken into each phase of a
young adult’s life and how it affects their snacking and munching behavior:
• High School Students
Munching behavior is very different for high school students (ages 15-18) than for
other young adults. high school students in China are under a lot of pressure to
prepare for college entrance examinations and spend most of their day at school
or at home studying. let’s take a look at their daily life and the emotional need that
eating satisfies:
day Part daily life emotional need relationships behavior
on the way to • hungry • alone • snacking
early Morning
school
• Pressure • share with • Munching
release friends • snacking
Morning between class • social
acceptance
• hungry
• hungry • share with • snacking
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
afternoon on the way home friends
• alone
• Concentration • alone • Munching
before dinner doing homework • Pressure
release
watching tv or • bored • alone • Munching
after dinner
online • lonely
9. • University Students
Munching behavior for university students (18-24) is heavily focused on sharing
with classmates, friends and roommates. university students spend most of their
day rushing to classes and studying, but enjoy the social life of dormitories and use
this moment to connect with their friends. let’s take a look at their daily life and the
emotional need that eating satisfies:
day Part daily life emotional need relationships behavior
• hungry • alone • snacking
early Morning between class • share with
friends
• Concentration • share with • Munching
friends
• Pressure • snacking
afternoon studying
release • alone
• hungry
• social • share with • Munching
watching tv or connections friends
evening
online
• bored
• hungry • share with • snacking
late night before bed
friends
• Young Professionals
Munching behavior for young professionals (22-28) is centered on connecting with
colleagues. young professionals spend the majority of their day on their computers
and eating with colleagues is a way for them to take a break from work and to
socialize. let’s take a look at their daily life and the emotional need that eating
satisfies:
day Part daily life emotional need relationships behavior
Meal replacement • hungry • alone • snacking
early Morning for skipped
breakfast
• social • share with • Munching
connections colleagues • snacking
late Morning break from work • Pressure
release
• hungry
• social • share with • Munching
connections colleagues • snacking
late
break from work • Pressure
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
afternoon
release
• hungry
• bored • alone • Munching
evening watching tv • lonely • share with
friends
10. sharing vs. alone
sharing food with friends and colleagues is a large part of Chinese young adults’ lifestyles
regardless of their phase of life. the need for relationship building and connecting is a
common thread among all young adults and we wanted to investigate further if there is a
difference between the foods that are eaten alone or shared. we found that there is no
difference between the foods that are eaten alone and shared. but young adults like their
shared food to have good presentation. good presentation to young adults means high
quality brand, good packaging, food that is not messy and food that is easy to share.
“when I am eating alone, a bag will be okay. but when I am sharing with my friends, I
want it to be in a box so it looks nice.”
Purchasing
the purchasing of food by young adults (or their parents) is planned in advance and
well thought out. although the actual munching behavior is “mindless”, young adults are
planning for this moment to occur in advance and purchase the foods that they want for
their “munching moments” out of habit or from the recommendation of friends.
as discussed above, the consumers’ daily life, emotional needs and relationships will
determine whether young adults are munching or snacking. these three factors also
determine the purchasing behavior of the food.
High School Students
. Parents purchase packaged food for high school students in big super
markets once a week so their student can bring the food to school
Parents know what to buy because:
• their child makes a list of snack foods they like.
• their child shops with them and tells them what he/she wants.
• they buy what they think their child would like out of habit.
. High school students purchase:
• Fresh cooked food on their way to school as a breakfast replacement.
• Packaged food during the class break from school convenient stores.
• either packaged food or fresh cooked food (i.e. bbq meat) on their way home from
school at local vendors.
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
“I may be interested in several small (individual packs) for on-the-go lifestyle
and to share with friends”.
“Minis (25 gram pack) are too small to share with my friends.”
– RaNae, female, 21
11. University Students
University students purchase:
• Packaged food for themselves in big super markets
once a week or once every other week and store
them in their dorms.
• Fresh cooked food or small packaged food on their
way to class.
• Packaged food in convenience stores inside or
around campus.
• Fresh cooked food from the vendors waiting outside
their dorms late at night.
Young Professionals
Young professionals purchase:
• Packaged food and fresh munching food such as fruits and vegetables in super
markets once a week.
• Fresh cooked food on their way to work as breakfast replacement.
• order delivery during the late morning or late afternoon.
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
“This size is okay for one, but when my friends are there I would want bigger. I
don’t really finish snacks, while my friends finish all of the food!”
– Luna, female, 27, Anhui Province
12. diversity of Munching/snacking Foods
Chinese young adults showed a surprisingly diverse preference for snacks throughout
the interviews. More than 24 different types of snacks were mentioned. It is important to
understand the diversity of munching/snacking foods as well as the most popular items
among Chinese young adults.
the chart below shows the different food categories for munching and snacking by
popularity. as you can see, there is a large variety of foods for snacking and munching.
Please see the section “Foods for Munching and/or snacking” for more detailed
information about the top 10 food categories.
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
13. Munching Dynamics
Insights: The Stories
our team spent hours talking with 239 young adults from all over China. not only did we
learn about what they eat, but we learned who they truly were as individuals. and even
though we heard many different stories, the same themes began to jump out at us story
after story:
relationship building
Chinese culture places a lot of emphasis on communities. during each interview,
the young adults never talked just about themselves. they always talked about their
relationships with parents, friends, classmates, roommates, colleagues and more. the
need for relationships and connecting was the common thread among all young adults
munching behavior. even though our conversations were directed at what, when and why
they eat, all of the young adults chose to focus on the relationships in their lives and how
eating together relieves stress and provides social acceptance. and while there are times
that young adults do munch alone, it is because they are lonely and bored. they want
that social connection that munching and eating reminds them of and provides.
need to give and receive attention
young adults want to be noticed and cared about. eating situations provide an
opportunity for them to care for friends and for them to be cared about in return. this
need to give and receive attention also extends into the online and virtual world. the
section “how to reach young adults” provides deeper understanding on this insight and
discusses the ways that young adults are connecting with each other.
“I remember when I was in high school and time was limited for me, so I usually
brought snacks like biscuits to class to share with friends and eat during the class
break.”
“It is so boring to be without Facebook, because I am addicted. We’re addicted
because we are glad that we’re paid attention to by someone else.”
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
“I am a graduate student and rarely have any free time. But whenever I have
free time I want to hang out with my friends and chat.”
– Catherine Zhou, female, 23, graduate student in Life Science
0
14. western Culture adoption
young adults who are more accepting of western culture (kFC, Pizza hut, etc.) are also
more likely to prefer sweet foods. For example, we interviewed several young adults who
studied abroad in the u.k. or u.s. and they preferred to eat chocolate, ice cream and
cakes for their snacks.
we also interviewed young adults from shanxi and hubei Provinces in western China,
and they preferred traditional spicy or salty Chinese snacks. they also thought western
food and snacks were unhealthy and fattening.
“I don’t like sweet snacks. But if it’s combined with sour or spicy taste, then it’s
okay. I prefer Chicken claws and potatoes rather than processed snacks.”
“Chips are for Western (lifestyle) people and young kids who like McDonald’s.”
sweet = Fat
young adults believe that anything sweet will make them fat. Most female young adults
were highly concerned about their weight and said they avoided anything sweet.
however, once questioned further they did admit to eating and enjoying sweet snacks like
biscuits and chocolate.
“Sometimes I will also eat sweets, but not often because sweet makes you fat.”
“Chocolates are for fat people—Americans and English.”
“Chocolate and ice cream are for people who are fat.”
Males say they don’t snack
all males that we interviewed said that they don’t eat outside of meals. however, as
we questioned further they did admit to eating if something was put in front of them or
provided by a friend. they also believed that snacking and munching was for females.
“Girls often don’t like sports and just eat snacks to kill time. They are also afraid
of the sunshine and prefer to stay inside and just eat them while they are inside.”
“There is not motivation for me; I just don’t like to snack.”
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
“Snacking is not healthy or nutritious.”
“I don’t snack between lunch and dinner because snacks are for ladies. Men like
to smoke instead.”
15. regional differences and seasonality
throughout the interviews, regional differences and the weather patterns played a strong
role in snack choices. young adults from western China preferred spicy and salty snacks,
while those from eastern Coastal China were more open to different flavored snacks as
well as foreign snacks.
snacks choices are also different during the winter and summer. Many young adults
thought chips and biscuits were too dry for the summer, but would eat them during the
winter. Fruit and ice cream are consumed more during the summer, while seeds and
chocolate are consumed more during the winter and Chinese new year.
“In my hometown, we have spicy food because of the wet weather in the mountains.”
“I eat a lot of fruits during the summer, especially watermelon.”
“I eat chocolate during the winter.”
“In Chinese new year, seeds will have more consumption.”
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
“I like to switch to different flavors because I get bored with same flavor. After
I eat sweets, I want something spicy.”
– Guihua Liu, female, 21
16. Munching Dynamics
Insights: The Foods for Munching and/or Snacking
Munching and snacking is not as clean cut and differentiated as our original hypothesis
suggested. the following list is the top 10 snack foods for young adults, which was
created by analyzing all interview responses with the use of excel. you will see that there
is much overlap of the actual foods that are eaten for munching and snacking. this list
includes when, where and why each snack food is consumed as well as what category
the food falls into for munching and/or snacking.
top 10 snack Foods in China
. Chips: Munching
Chips are the most popular snack food among young adults in China and are eaten in the
afternoon and evening. young adults watch tv and movies, play games on the computer
or are online when they eat chips. Most young adults said they would share chips with
their friends. Chips are eaten because they taste good, out of habit and because they are
craved not because young adults are hungry. Chips make young adults feel happy and
give their mouth some exercise.
. Chocolate: Munching and Snacking
Chocolate is the second most popular snack food and is eaten after lunch, in the
afternoon or after dinner. Chocolate is eaten when young adults are bored, sad or when
they are hungry. Chocolate makes young adults feel happy, relaxed and satisfied.
. Fruit: Munching and Snacking
Fruit is the third most popular snack food in China and is eaten throughout the entire day
(morning, afternoon and evening). Fruit is eaten in a variety of situations; while watching
tv, with friends, alone, online and in the summer time. Fruit makes young adults feel
happy and healthy. Fruit is eaten when young adults are hungry or when they want the
taste.
. Seeds and Nuts: Munching and Snacking
seeds are eaten after dinner while young adults watch tv and movies, play games, surf
the Internet, when they are on-the-go or when they are bored. young adults crave seeds
out of habit and like them because seeds don’t affect their regular meals.
nuts are eaten throughout the entire day (morning, afternoon and evening) because they
are healthy and provide energy. nuts are not eaten for hunger but when young adults are
bored or are doing homework.
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
. Biscuits: Munching and Snacking
biscuits are the fifth most popular snack food among young adults in China.
biscuits are primarily eaten in the morning, between classes or in the afternoon
when they are hungry or as a meal replacement. biscuits are often shared
with friends or eaten alone on-the-go to provide energy. biscuits make
young adults feel happy.
sometimes biscuits are also eaten in the evening while young adults are
watching tv, doing homework or when they are lonely and bored.
17. . Ice Cream: Munching and Snacking
Ice cream is the sixth most popular snack food among Chinese young adults
(note: seasonality should be considered as interviews took place during the
summer of 2009). Ice cream is consumed usually during the afternoon and
evening. young adults eat it for its taste and the happy feeling afterwards;
however, it is sometimes eaten as a meal replacement. they also share ice
cream with their friends.
. Salty and Spicy Snacks: Munching
salty and spicy snacks are the seventh most popular snack foods
in China and are consumed during the afternoon and night.
salty and spicy snacks include dried meat, dried fruit and spicy
rice crackers. young adults eat salty and/or spicy snacks while
watching tv, playing games online and after eating sweet snacks.
young adults eat salty and spicy snacks for its taste or just as
mouth exercise. another reason young adults enjoy salty and
spicy snacks is because it will not make their tongue numb even
after eating a lot.
. Traditional Chinese Food: Munching and Snacking
traditional Chinese food such as bao, dumplings, instant
noodles and tea eggs are ranked as the eighth most popular
snacks among Chinese young adults. they are consumed during
any time of the day for hunger and taste. they are loved because they are tasty, warm,
freshly cooked and healthy. traditional Chinese foods are easily accessible on or near
campus enabling young adults to purchase them.
. Cakes: Munching and Snacking
Cakes, such as cheesecake and chocolate, are the ninth most popular snack food among
Chinese young adults. Cakes are commonly consumed during the night for taste and
hunger.
0. Drinks: Munching and Snacking
drinks, including milk tea, bottled ice tea, coffee and milk, are the tenth most
popular snack food among young adults in China. they are consumed mostly in
the afternoon but also in the morning, evening or between classes. young adults
consume drinks for the taste or hunger, as a habit or to go with some other snacks.
| m u n c H i n g dy n a m i c s
18. Reaching Young Adults
Internet, tv, word of mouth, magazine, newspaper, radio and mobile are the most
widely used information sources for young adults. additionally, celebrities from China,
taiwan, hong kong and korea and american tv shows are also an important part of
young adults’ life. where, when and how young adults get their information and what
behavior they show while receiving information will influence their munching behavior.
below we will discuss each information source, how young adults use them and what role
celebrities play in young adults’ life.
Internet
the different life stage young adults are in also determines their usage of Internet. high
school students use the Internet after school for fun or to study. university students use
the Internet in no-class-daytime and largely during the night. the Internet is their most
important source for information and channel of indulgence. young professionals use the
Internet during the day for work, in the evening and weekend for fun.
• Chatting
young adults interviewed showed similar patterns of Internet usage regardless of
what stage of life they were in. Chatting with friends in qq and/or Msn is the most
common behavior mentioned. young adults in their earlier life stages (i.e. high
school) use qq more than Msn. as they get into the more professional life stages
(i.e. university students and young professionals), young adults prefer Msn more
than qq because it is allowed in the work place. however they will keep qq to get
in touch with old friends and classmates.
“I use both because some of my friends are using either QQ and others are
using MSN and I want to get in touch with all of them.”
“I use MSN because QQ is banned in my working place, but MSN is not.”
• Movies and TV
watching movies and/or tv programs online is also popular among young adults,
especially with university students. the dorms in campus are usually not furnished
with tv sets so university students watch movies and tv online instead. some
free programs, such as PPstream and PPlive, and some video watching web
sites, such astoudou.com and yuku.com, allow audiences to watch shows for free.
young adults usually watch movies and tv programs online during the night and
weekends.
| R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
“While watching TV or on the computer I eat all kinds of things. Some chips
because I am bored and want some movement of the mouth. There isn’t a
reason why, it is just my habit. Also, when I find something that tastes good I
continue to eat it.”
19. • Social Networks
online social networking is also a very important part of young adults’
life. Xiaonei.com, Facebook.com, kaixin.com and qq space are
commonly used among Chinese young adults. Chinese young adults
pay great attention to friends and communities. they share their
pictures, articles and videos, play interactive games with friends and
check their friends’ status throughout the day.
“It is so boring to be without Facebook, because I am addicted.
We’re addicted because we are glad that we’re paid attention to
by someone else.”
• Games
a lot of the time that young adults spend on the Internet is devoted to online
gaming in the evening. Males spend more time playing games online than females
and prefer war games such as world of warcraft and Counter strike. Females
prefer games on qq and Msn such as “happy Farm” with cute graphics.
“One of my friend’s mothers even plays ‘The Happy Farm’ game. But these
games have a time limit on when you can collect other people’s crops. So she
had to get up really early everyday to make sure the plants didn’t die. It was
so funny! But it isn’t about the game itself. It is because you are playing with
other people that makes it so fun. “
• News
gathering information such as news and gossip is the fifth most popular function
of Internet among young adults. sina.com, sohu.com and Xinhua.com are some
commonly mentioned news web sites and douban.com is the most popular product
evaluation web site among young adults.
• Study
studying and research are important functions for both students and young
professionals. students and young professionals use local area networks and public
search engines, such as baidu.com and google.com, to research for their studies
and work.
• Blogs
sina.com is the most commonly used web site for blogging and it contains millions
of blogs not only from common citizens but also from celebrities.
| R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
“If I didn’t have my computer or phone, then I would write to express my
emotions. Computers help express my emotions because I can communicate
with others.”
• Music
Music web sites such as 9sky.com allows users listen to music online and
download music for free.
• Shopping
shopping web sites such as taobao.com and dangdang.com are widely used for
online shopping among young adults.
20. tv and Movies
tv and movies were ranked as the second most widely used information source among
Chinese young adults. For high school students and some young professionals, tv sets
are usually available in their home. high school students watch news at dinner time
with their parents. young professionals watch news, travel programs and entertainment
programs during the night and weekend. For university students and young professionals
without tv sets, laptops and computers are used as a replacement for tv.
young adults watch a variety of western, korean and taiwan tv series. some popular tv
series include: Prison break, desperate housewives, gossip girl and Friends. the chart
below shows the breakout of popular tv shows and was created using responses from
the interviews:
| R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
“The life without Internet is boring, but I could get used to it if there was TV. The
life without TV is like the life without light. I would die.”
21. word of Mouth
Chatting with friends, classmates, co-workers and families is the third most popular
information source. the chat can either be face-to-face or online with qq and Msn.
recent national and worldwide news, gossip about celebrities, fashion, food and clothing
are discussed during chats. young adults also like to talk about popular food and drinks.
Product evaluation web sites such as douban.com and dianping.com also play a channel
for word of mouth. word of mouth information from friends and web sites has a strong
influence over young adults’ purchase behavior.
Magazines
Magazines are a surprisingly large information source for Chinese young adults.
Magazines related to fashion, gossip and pop stars, sports, studies, lifestyle and articles
are widely read. some of the most popular magazines include vivi, rayli, CoolMusic,
slam dunk and reader. young adults buy magazines from newsstands and convenience
stores and share them with friends. Magazines are primarily read during the late
afternoon in the school library (university students) or at home (high school students).
“My friends and I always buy expensive magazines and then share them. They get
passed around to so many friends that the magazines get lost and we have to buy
more. Eventually we find them when we are packing to move out of our dorms!”
newspaper
newspapers are the fifth most popular information source among Chinese young adults.
high school students read newspapers for their studies. one example is 21st Century,
an english study newspaper. university and young professionals read more diverse
newspapers that are related to their studies, industry or for entertainment.
radio
Most high school and university students listen to the radio every night before going
to bed to help them sleep with music and english channels being the most popular.
high school students also like to listen to music on MP3 players while going to and
from school each day. For young professionals, radio is primarily listened to during the
morning and while commuting to and from work.
| R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
“I would rather die than be without computer, TV and books! It is so important
to keep yourself up to date on what is going on in the world around you.”
– Bijie Li, female, 23
22. Mobile
Mobile phone use is extremely popular with young adults in China. It was easy to see
how important mobile phones are to young adults because most of them had a mobile in
their hand during our interview. besides using their mobiles for calls and text messages,
most young adults use their mobile to access the internet for qq and games. they also
like to download e-books and read them on their mobile devises.
“If I didn’t have my phone, it would be like I am losing my heart! It is ‘my
precious’ [Lord of the Rings]. I can’t take my PC everywhere, but I can take my
cell phone.”
Celebrities
Celebrities are very influential in China, particularly with high school and university
students. Most young adults said they would buy something or pay attention to an
advertisement if it had something to do with one of their favorite celebrities. below is a
list of the most popular celebrities listed during the interviews:
China/taiwan/hk korea us/uk
wang Xinling dongbangshinki tom Cruise
zhang shaohan lee Jun ki harry Potter
Xu Jinglei kim hyun Joong wentworth Miller
zhao wei super Junior
Jing boran song hae kyo
wang Fei
liu yu
Fei lunhai
lin zhiyin
Maggie q
| R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
23. advertisements
online, magazine and tv advertisements seem to have the most influence on young adults.
while many young adults say they skip or ignore advertisements, the following list details
advertisements that are enjoyed:
• Cosmetic and Fashion
Cosmetic and fashion advertisements are very appealing to all females. they enjoy
reading about new trends and products. they like cosmetic advertisements to have
nice colors and imagery.
• Celebrities
advertisements with celebrities are highly noticed by all young adults and many said
that is the largest factor for them to pay attention to the advertisement.
• Placement
advertisements placed at the beginning or end of a magazine were said to be more
noticed by young adults.
• TV Advertisements
It is important to young adults to see an advertisement on tv for a product. young
adults associate a tv advertisement with a quality brand that can afford to advertise.
“I wouldn’t buy a product if it didn’t have advertisement on TV. This is because I
don’t trust it unless I know the company has the power to do advertising.”
“I love to play games on my computer like Counter Strike and World of
Warcraft. But there are a lot of ads on the platform that I use to access the
games and I don’t like it. I never click on them.”
activities
young adults are extremely busy with their studies or career and have little time to pursue
and enjoy hobbies. the following list details activities that young adults enjoy outside of
school or work. you will notice that the majority of these activities are centered on friends
and relationships and spending time with others:
• shopping
• ktv
0 | R e a c H i n g y o u n g a d u lt s
• nba
• traveling
• sports (basketball, swimming, football, badminton, jogging)
• hanging out with friends
• Playing games
• eating with friends
24. Summary
so let’s summarize what we’ve learned so far:
1. A clear line does not exist between munching and snacking foods. there is much
overlap of the actual foods that are eaten for munching and snacking.
2. Munching and snacking behavior is determined by daily life, emotional needs
and relationships. young adults are in different phases of life and can’t be treated as
one target because their munching and snacking moments are different.
3. Young adults like to share snacks with friends. Sharing relieves stress and
provides social acceptance. sharing moments provide an opportunity for them to
care for friends and for them to be cared about.
4. Presentation of shared snacks is important. while there is little difference between
the foods that are eaten alone or shared, young adults want good presentation when
they share: quality brand, good packaging, food that is not messy and food that is easy
to share.
5. Young adults plan for mindless munching. although the actual munching behavior
is “mindless”, young adults plan for this moment to occur and purchase food out of
habit or because of a friend’s recommendation.
6. Girls snack more than boys. outside of meals, boys consistently said they don’t
snack. however, in the evening they may eat something that is put in front of them or
provided by a friend.
7. Connecting and hanging out with friends is vital. young adults are extremely busy
with their studies or career; however they use social networks, mobiles and chatting to
constantly stay in touch throughout the day. additionally, they spend their rare leisure
time with their friends.
now that we know all about young adults, where do kraft minis fit in the munching and
snacking picture? the following section “a strategy for Moving Forward with Minis” will
explain how and where minis will fit with young adults’ lifestyle.
“I stay at home with friends on the sofa and we watch DVDs for three hours.
Everyone brings snacks to eat and we never stop! My parents buy chips for us
| s u m m a R y
and I offer drinks.”
– Miley , female, 16, high school student
25. A Strategy for Moving Forward with Minis
What do we really want to happen?
we want young, female high school and university students to have a unique, fun and tasty
experience during and following their school days.
What’s stopping that from happening?
aside from the fact that minis do not yet exist in China, these young women may not
perceive minis to be different from the regular sized products. they simply might view
minis the same way they view the original forms. In addition, there are many competitive
products that young women already like to eat and share.
Who are we reaching out to?
we are reaching out to female teens and young women, ages 15-24, who are high school
or university students. these groups snack more than males, and expressed a higher level
of interest in the form and taste of minis. additionally, their status as students provides
perfect snacking occasions every day, between and following classes.
What is the insight?
school life for a young woman in China is intense, with little time to relax. days are filled
with classes, exams, projects and homework. Minis are perfect for a mini break, the
sharing of snacks with friends. to these young women, friends are family, and they all
enjoy occasions to share with those they are close to.
Food isn’t the only thing that gets shared during a mini break. gossip,
laughter, fashion tips, entertainment and complaints get shared as well.
Benefit
Minis’ convenient packaging and bite-sized pieces provide and easy and
tasty way for groups of young women to briefly escape from the pressure
and demands of school.
Why believe? | a s t R at e g y F o R m o v i n g F o R w a R d
the sharing of food with friends emulates a family relationship, where
people are trusted and loved. It is no surprise that Chinese youth, raised
in single-child homes, emulate this familial bonding experience with their
friends during social gatherings. regular sized biscuits are too filling
to be enjoyed in many situations. they are too awkward to share since
they must be broken into pieces, creating somewhat of a mess. Minis fit
perfectly into a mini break, because they taste good, and because their
size and form are more convenient for sharing.
