Risk-taking, hyper-connected

Chinese millennials are growing up

Often demonised as frivolous and flighty,

millennials in China are coming of age.
Defined as those aged between 18 and
34, Chinese millennials are growing up
fast. As many as 73% aged over 17 are
now working in full time employment
they are no longer a generation of
children and young students (although
20% are still students at present). As they
mature and their careers progress, their
buying power will only increase in the
coming years.
Our study of 1,000 Mainland Chinese
millennials tells a story of sensible,
level-headed consumers with both goals
and ambition. They are rejecting the
shallowness of the internet generation
and proving that far from being
celebrity-obsessed
children,
the

millennials
consumers.

are

becoming

mature

This research paints a picture of a

generation growing in confidence,
connectivity and not least buying power.
The implications for brands and
marketers are clear: they need to be
engaged on their own terms, and with
content that is compelling.

1834

1773%

20%

1000

Success in sight

Top Five Hobbies/Interests: Travelling is more important

for Chinese ( including Hong Kongers) than for westerners.
China

Hong Kong

Cinema Films
&TV Show

Music brands
gigs&Festivals

USA

United Kingdom

58%

46%

49%

62%

54%

42%

40%

44%

50%

51%

26%

32%

Travelling

Books&Reading

Computer&
Console Games

47%

34%

48%

49%

45%

40%

39%

38%

The Mainland millennial generation

see themselves as a generation of
liberal, honest, forward looking,
pragmatists who reject superficiality,
self-righteousness and laziness. They
admire the opinions of parents,
scientists and business leaders, as
opposed to their peers in Hong
Kong, US and UK who all respect
their friends far more. They are far
less likely to be influenced by the
opinions of pop stars and celebrities.
Their aspirations and ambitions are
fairly practical and business-like
many (38%) would like to be successful entrepreneurs.
Chinese millennials have a serious
case of wanderlust, far exceeding
the travelling desire shown by Westerners. Culture is also important,
with 58% listing movies as a hobby,
and 54% showing a passion for
music. Millennials in Mainland China
also showed the highest interest in
computer and console games,
suggesting that visual engagement
is key to this audience.

38%

58%
54%

Constant Connection

As with millennials in other countries, the Mainland Chinese are

tech-crazy. They are the most intensive web users of the fours
markets surveyed, watching more movies and TV, playing more
games, downloading more content and using more apps than
their counterparts in the UK, US and Hong Kong.

97%
94%
74%
89%

They show the highest levels of smartphone penetration (97%)

and the vast majority also have a PC (82%) or laptop (81%).
Digital camera and iPod ownership fell behind that of other
markets, while tablets were roughly on par. What these findings
suggest is that digital devices play a key role in the lives of
Chinese millennials that are connected to the internet. However,
whilst Mainland Chinese internet users may have more
technology in some areas than in the west the non-internet
users (over 50% of the population in China) may present a very
different picture.

SmartPhones

APP
97%
PC82%81%
iPod

50%

Technology Ownership: Almost all Chinese millennials own

a smartphone (97%) and the vast majority have a PC (82%)
or laptop (81%)

82%
68%
49%
44%

PC

81%
60%
83%
85%

60%
63%
65%
66%

Digital Camera

53%
50%
36%
41%

Laptop

37%
24%
16%
11%

Tablet

China

31%
38%
55%
57%

Wireless
Headset

Hong Kong

Mp3/iPod

USA

United Kingdom

The social generation

Key Social
Media in China
- A different mix from
elsewhere due to the
absence of Facebook,
Twitter& Youtube

WeChat

76%

Youku

62%

Weibo

55%

Online forums/
Discussion boards

55%

Reading/
Writing blogs

44%

Mainland Chinese Millennials enthusiasm for social media is already well known. In the absence of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
that defines social media use in other markets, WeChat, YouKu, and Weibo dominate the Chinese landscape.
The Text100/Redshift research indicates that for this generation in Mainland China, the internet is a much more truly social experience
than in other markets. Uniquely among the markets surveyed, the majority of Mainland Millennials prefer to use the internet in the
company of others: in Hong Kong, the US and the UK, the majority of millennials prefer to surf alone. Among the most popular activities for social browsing in among this generation in China are chatting and sharing content; online shopping; and playing games.

83%

ging
& exchan
Chatting Social Media
on
t
n
conte

46%

41%

iends/

Browsing social sites

together IE viewing
content together

Brows
in
shops g online
to
with fr gether

family

FacebookYouTube

38%

Meeting and
playing with
friends on
online games

Redshift

7%

25%

o
vide
hing
Watc films/TV
/
s
e
clip
e sam
on th ptop etc
a
L
/
C
P

Logging onto the

same web forums and
/or blogs to discuss
things

60%

Sharing is caring

54%

41%
60%
Informative

34%

45%
60%

44%

39%
31%
27%

59%

37%

32%
55%

49%

Science
and Tech

26%

News

39%
27%

Work/Study
Related

54%
Creative

29%

25%

20%

74%

79%

66%

Funny

61%

What kind of things might

catch you attention enough
to prompt you to share/like
somethings?

20%

China

USA

Hong Kong

United Kingdom

When looking at how millennials behave online, sharing stands out.

Mainland Chinese millennials are more likely to share than their peers
overseas. Funny content tops their list of content worth sharing, but
work/study-related information, news and technology follow closely
behind. Mainland Chinese millennials have a stronger interest in news
and current affairs than other millennials in the US, UK or even in Hong
Kong. A third (35%) of Chinese millennials list news and current affairs as
one of their interests. This is significantly higher than for the UK (26%),
Hong Kong (23%) and the US (18%).
Written content remains the most common form of content shared,
closely followed by photos and video. Mainland Chinese Millennials are
also a lot more inclined to share links to a page or game. This strong
sharing behaviour is markedly more pronounced than elsewhere even
when compared to Hong Kong.

15%
29%
32%

16%

47%
Celebrity

Political

35%
26%
23%18%

Which Persona are you?

Our research has shown that Chinese millennials are growing up and defying many of the commonly-held beliefs about their
generation. It has also afforded us the opportunity to identify six distinct personas that illustrate the subtleties and nuances of this
key demographic.

Browsers & Chatters (23% of millennials) These millennials are less interactive in their internet use generally
except that they spend a fair amount of time on WeChat. Whilst these consumers may browse, they are less apt
to use more advanced apps or streaming, and marketers may struggle to develop an interactive relationship with
them.
23%

Mobile Shoppers (18%) These consumers spend more time online than average for their generation, with a
large proportion of time devoted to online shopping and browsing for consumer goods. Marketers looking to
target this persona should consider e-shopping channels.
18%-

???

Casually Engaged (17%) Online less than average and often by mobile. They shop and share information with
friends online to a moderate extent but otherwise are generally less engaged in all aspects of digital life.
17%)-

Sharers (16%) For sharers, the online experience is less intense but more interactive. Their ability to influence
others is limited by the fact that they have fewer contacts overall than other personas. Debate, dialogue and
informative content are the keys to engaging with these consumers.
16%-

Streamers (14%) - Streamers spend more time online that most of their peers. Successful marketing to this
group of consumers is likely to be driven via film, TV or video content streamed over the internet.
14%-

Emerging Technocracy (12%) Most likely to be female, these millennials use digital media and consumer
technology more than any of their peers. These people are at the forefront of the digital age. If marketers can win
them over, they are the most likely to lead the way in setting new trends.
12%-

About the Research

Redshift surveyed 1,004 millennial Chinese (excluding Hong Kong) via online survey in February 2015. The sample was drawn from
online consumer panels of Chinese citizens. The age range of the sample was 18-34 at the time of interviewing.
2015Redshift1004

1834

For more information about the research, please visit http://www.text100.com/do-business-with-us/