1. Irish Youth Culture
Trends and Insights
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2. MCCP Trendstream™ monitors human
behaviour and translates it into business
advantage for YOUR brand
Identifying seeds for People
growth for your brand
based on on-going
developments in Cultural
people’s mind-set, Context
behaviours and their
cultural context.
So What
For Your
Brand
Finding the difference that makes the difference

3. 6 themes shaping cultural shifts
amongst Ireland’s 15-24 year olds
MCCP is an independent Strategic Planning and
Insight agency based in Ireland working on
leading local and international brands
Finding the difference that makes the difference

4. The number of 15 – 24 years olds in Ireland
has declined by 6% since 2006
2006 2011
• 638,400 15 – 24 year olds • 600,200 15 – 24 year olds
in Ireland in Ireland, representing a
decline of 6%
So what?
Contractions within the size of this market segment intensifies
the need for clear understanding of the themes shaping the
lives of Ireland’s young
*Source: CSO 2011
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5. 6 Themes
1. Loss of Trust in Traditional Institutions
2. Ambition Reframed by Recession
3. Liberal as always but with high Moral Standards
4. Ireland’s Thrifty Somethings and their Love of Sharing
5. Social Circle Disintegration
6. From Fight to Flight
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6. 1. Loss of Trust in Traditional Institutions
*Just 12% of 16 – 20 year olds would describe
themselves as religious and active attendees of
religious gatherings
**82% of Irish teens surveyed agree that people
should be free to criticise the government
**92% of Irish teens say that people should be
allowed to protest if they felt a law was unfair.
**Just 52% of Irish teens have trust in the National
Government compared to an international average
of 62%
*1 out of every 2 20 - 24 year olds believe that the
young of Ireland are now be affected by the
recession through no fault of their own
*Source: justaskmccp 2010
**Source: Educational Research Centre, St Patrick’s College Dublin, 2010
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7. As a result our role models have shifted to
those who are doing and are self made
Tell me about one person you admire?
‘Dad, no matter what happens he
keeps going & nothing is ever too
much for him when it comes to family’
Move from
institutional
to individual ‘I’d have to say Bill Cullen just
i.e. what I because of the way he has come from
nothing and achieved so much’
can do
Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues, 2010
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8. So What?
1. To be trusted by today’s youth brands must become
actively involved, not just pay lip service to a cause
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9. 2. Ambition Reframed by Recession
Ireland’s Pre recession Today
youth are
more
ambitious Fun Loving
than ever with Experimentation Hard Working
a believe in Determination
hard work and
determination
‘Anyone that does want to have comfortable life is just going to have
to work really hard for it & that’s not a bad thing, because you
deserve it if you work hard for it!’
Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues 2010
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10. The recession has created bottle necks in the
life stage journey, causing frustration for many
You come out of college...and are on the brink of your career, it’s supposed to be
one of the defining things in your life but now we are all sitting here going oh god I
wasn’t expecting this”
Source: Behaviour and Attitudes 2010
Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues 2010
Finding the difference that makes the difference

11. So What?
2. An opportunity exists for brands to empower
Ireland’s young by providing an outlet for their ambition
Finding the difference that makes the difference

12. 3. Liberal as always but with high Moral
Standards
3 out of 4 18 to24 year olds are in favour
of couples taking time to test the
strength of their relationship before
marriage
1 in 5 people under the age of 35 believe
that people should be allowed to have
sex at 16 years of age or younger
9 out of 10 people now reject outright the
notion that they might think less of a
person if he/she revealed to them that
they were gay or lesbian.
Younger people are significantly more
likely than older individuals to shun any
notion of personal religious conviction
*Source: Behaviour and Attitudes 2010
Finding the difference that makes the difference

13. An intolerance of the poor behaviour of others
exists
4 out of 5 12 to 18-year-olds
say parents should not drink
alcohol and become drunk
in front of their children*.
Despite taking the moral
high ground regarding
parents drinking 3 in 4
teenagers admit to
drinking** themselves
whilst 1 in 4 actively
binge drink*
*Source: Behaviour and Attitudes 2010
**Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues 2010
Finding the difference that makes the difference

14. ‘The Ten Commandments of Youth’ as
collectively agreed by young Europeans
1. Have faith in yourself
Today’s youth in
2. Respect your parents Ireland and across
3. Be honest Europe believe that
any set of
4. Take responsibility for your own life commandments
5. Live life to the full and be passionate should be a list of
‘Do’s’ not ‘Don’ts’,
6. Keep your promises something to offer
7. Work hard to succeed but not to the detriment of others more of a guiding
steer than an
8. Be tolerant of others’ differences imposing set of
9. Be happy and optimistic, even in adversity rules. This reflects
their moral outlook
10. Create, don’t destroy
*Source: MTV Sticky, Pan European Study (2010)
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15. So what?
3. Brands must be increasingly conscious of not falling
foul of the high moral standards of the young
Finding the difference that makes the difference

16. 4. Ireland’s Thrifty Somethings and their Love of
Sharing
Irish consumers have
become thrifty during the
recession with 75% of
consumers saying they will
continue to shop around
after the recession*
2 in 5 18-24 year olds rate the
cheapest price as the most
important thing when making
a purchase decision in 2011**
„Whenever I see a good deal I
immediately text all my friends
to tell them about it‟ ***
*Source: NCA 2010
**Source: justaskmccp 2011
***Source: MCCP Consumer Dalogues 2010
Finding the difference that makes the difference

17. The recession has led to sharing becoming
embedded in the lives of Ireland’s young
• “Since the recession I see my friends for proper catch
Sharing Quality Time ups as opposed to drunken catch ups” *
•“Because everyone is in the same boat its as if its ok to
Sharing Woes talk about things today”*
• “We used to go out to dinner with friends quite a lot but
you wouldn‟t do that now. Now, you‟d have them over
Sharing Costs to your house for something and the next time you‟d go
to theirs”*
Sharing Deals/Offers • “If someone finds a good deal or a 2for1 offer a text will
immediately be sent to get everyone together” *
**Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues 2010
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18. So what?
4. Gain WOM and Brand love by giving things they can share with
their friends
Finding the difference that makes the difference

19. 5. Social Circle Disintegration
Far Away
Friends 1,000 people are estimated to
Work leave Ireland every week in
Friends 2011*
11% (52,243) of the live register
is made up of people under 25,
meaning many are cut off from
social networks**
Due to the recession nights out
Hobby/ have shifted from being random
Sport School/
Home
to organised and in moderation
Friends
Friends
College „My group of friends has become
Friends more fractured this year than
before‟***
*Source: ESRI 2011
**Source: CSO Jan 2011
***Source: MCCP Consumer Dialogues
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20. So what?
5. Disintegration of social networks presents opportunity for brands to
help young people stay in touch/close to friends/family but also to find
new friends with common interests
Finding the difference that makes the difference

21. 6. From Fight to Flight
Over 1 out of every 2 18–24 year
olds would opt to flee from Ireland if
no obstacles stood in their way*
Canada has extended the Irish
allocation of working holiday visas
for 18-35 year olds from 4,000 visas
last year to 5,000 this year **
In the year to the end of June 2010,
3,041 Irish people got permanent-
residence visas for Australia**
*Source: justaskmccp2011
**Source: Irish Times 2011
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22. Increased emigration is creating two distinct
groups, The Leavers and The Left Behinds
Vs.
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23. So what?
6a. For the leavers brands can act as a reminder of the ‘good things
back home’
6b. For the ‘left behinds’ brands can help restore Irish and self pride
Finding the difference that makes the difference

24. Contributing Sources
•Central Statistics Office (2011)
• Educational Research Centre, St Patrick’s College Dublin (2010)
• justaskmccp™ (2010 and 2011)
• MCCP Consumer Dialogues (2010 and 2011)
• Irish Times (2011)
• ESRI (2011)
• National Consumer Agency (2010)
• MTV Sticky (2010)
• Behaviour and Attitudes (2010)
• LSN Global (2011)
Finding the difference that makes the difference

25. For expanded details talk to MCCP:
T: +353 1 6350030
E: susan@mccp.ie, kay@mccp.ie
Visit: www.mccp.ie
Twitter: @MCCPIreland
Finding the difference that makes the difference