• by MaryLeigh Bliss , Columnist, June 12, 2015

When studying young consumers, we look at more than just Millennials overall. In order to understand the generation, we focus in on males, females, college students, parents, and more to understand the way that their behavior and preferences might vary. So of course our monthly surveys of young consumers include stats on teens as well—and we can tell you that there are definitely ways that they differ from their older peers. They have different taste in music. They text more. And that's just the beginning. Here are three stats to know about teens today:

1. 59% are watching YouTube 5+ days a week

That’s 12% more than consumers 18-32 years old. Teens are absolutely outpacing older Millennials in digital video consumption: 57% of 13-17-year-olds who have smartphones (63% do) watch videos on their phones once a day or more, compared to 48% of 18-32 year olds. For these younger consumers digital video is their preferred entertainment. When asked which types of content they enjoy watching most, 29% of 13-17 year olds say TV series, and 53% say videos on YouTube.

2. 51% say they haven’t paid for an entire music album in the past year

That’s compared to 46% of 18-32 year olds. Though the difference isn’t huge, teens are more likely to think that buying music is passé: 41% don’t think they should have to pay for music, compared to 26% of 18-32 year olds. But their passion for music outweighs older Millennials: 76% say they couldn’t get through a week without music, compared to 68% of 18-32 year olds. 

3. 38% say their personal style is unique

While 46% 18-32 year olds are most likely to say their personal style is "normal," teens are much more adventurous. While 37% call their style "normal," 38% say their style is "unique," compared to 20% of older Millennials, and 26% say their style is "colorful." They're also more likely than their older peers to say they are "original," and "bold," and less likely to say they are "safe" or "conventional." While it's possible that their fashion preferences will tone down over time, it's interesting that they're looking to stand out from the crowd during a time that young people are usually thought to want to blend in.