We Asked! The Real Smartphone Lives of Young People in the Smartphone Generation [Part 2]

Hello, I'm Sugihara from Dentsu Inc. Smart Plus. Last time, we shared details from a joint workshop between Kwansei Gakuin University's Faculty of Sociology, Kensuke Suzuki Seminar, and Dentsu Inc. Smart Plus. The workshop aimed to investigate how smartphones actually influence consumption among the smartphone generation.

As a summary, I'd like to share insights drawn from the actual consumption behaviors observed during the workshop.

1. Smartphones generate many "weak desires."
Because the increase in information means more "I want it!" moments, we need to be rational.

It's no exaggeration to say that smartphones have dramatically increased the number of moments when we feel that "I want it!" impulse. When we actually spoke with students, we found that they process vast amounts of information at incredible speed, generating many "weak wants" like "Oh, that might be nice" or "This catches my interest."

However, they can't actually fulfill every single "weak desire." Precisely because the frequency of these emotional surges has increased, they've learned to be more rational. That's why W, who recently bought a Kindle, naturally developed a rule: "I buy something if I decide I want it three times."

The key is how to make a purchase that won't be a mistake.

What these students all shared was a pursuit of how to make purchases that wouldn't fail.

For example, they try to trial products or services beforehand—or get as close to that experience as possible—to confirm they're a good fit. They were also highly skilled at finding credible success stories among the vast sea of information. Come to think of it, most music and movie streaming services, which have become more accessible lately, offer a "free trial period." Smartphones are fully utilized as tools to select what won't be a waste for them.

Thus, from a multitude of "weak wants," only a few are judged as "likely to be a safe purchase," eventually evolving into a "strong want."

2. How smartphones create strong "wants."

So how does the smartphone intensify these "weak wants" into "strong wants"? From the consumption behaviors discussed in the previous workshop, smartphones play two major roles:

① "Simulated Experience"

Students, for whom avoiding a "bad purchase" is crucial, were acquiring information to enable "simulated experiences"—imagining specific scenarios.

For example, when searching for a shop or travel destination they hadn't visited yet, they used Google Street View to see the actual store and surrounding streets, gaining a more concrete image. Looking at photos and videos posted by friends on social media also made them feel as if they were actually there. For fashion or accessories, they read articles featuring images of how to wear or use the items, gaining a specific image of how clothes or suitcases would be used. Additionally, like Mr. H, some people visited stores, took photos of backpacks, and stored them to revisit later, creating a simulated purchasing experience. In his case, looking back at the photos gave him the feeling of repeatedly seeing a bag stored in his closet.

Regarding music, some people first watch videos on YouTube to discover favorite artists. Seeing actual performances with visuals allows them to imagine the live atmosphere and excitement of the artist's concerts.

② "Success Confirmation"

Furthermore, to ensure a purchase doesn't fail, mere word-of-mouth or recommendation articles aren't enough. People want "proof of success" – the assurance that "You'll absolutely feel the effects!" or "You'll be able to use it effectively even after buying it!"

For example, Ms. K, who wanted diet products, relied on Instagram accounts focused on dieting. These are accounts created by people specifically for their diet journey, where they post daily images of their meals, workouts, and their (slimmer) stomachs in the mirror. In other words, you can see the actual success history of women getting slimmer. Since the effectiveness is verified, the products they recommend are far more trustworthy than other reviews or articles.

For cosmetics, it's not just reviews and articles; you can watch countless makeup application videos on YouTube. Recently, even Instagram, which also supports video, features makeup tutorials by professional makeup artists.

These "simulated experiences" and "proof of success" will only improve in quality and precision as devices, media, and technology advance. Photos are better than text. Videos are better than photos. Eventually, this might expand beyond flat images to 3D, and beyond just the front view to 360 degrees.

So, how do we guide consumers toward a strong "want"?

The advent of smartphones has revealed a reality: many "weak wants" emerge, and some of these evolve into "strong wants" that lead to purchases. So, how does a simmering "weak want!" transform into a "strong want!"? Is there a pattern to this?

To uncover this, Dentsu Inc. Smart Platform is currently planning a study closely following the daily lives of young people from the smartphone generation. We will examine what they feel "I want!" through their smartphones each day, what specific items they considered further, and why. The results will be revealed in the next installment. Stay tuned.

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