From your friendly planners Clarissa, Wendy, Ruby, & Chester, August 2012

Ogilvy HSI:HK SERIOUS INSIGHTS

“IT‟S MY LIFE”

The Dreams of HK‟s Post-80s

Photo: 20s.hk

“The media and the SAR government have portrayed the Post-80s as uneducated,

frustrated, bitter and bent on opposing any kind of development.” – Writers Leung Man

To and Tung Kai Cheung 啟

IS ALL THIS TRUE?

Self-absorbed

The Post-80s have been

Stereotyped

“八十後的世界只有自己”

(The world of the Post-80s has only

themselves) – Apple Daily Headline

Extremist

They are “violating the core values of

our society.” – Former Chief Executive

Donald Tsang

Unreasonabl

e“思想壟斷… youngsters choose to

stubbornly charge ahead with their

ideals; they may be heading for

self-destruction.” – Former Chief

Secretary Henry Tang

Materialistic

“This generation only cares about

what facilities they have in their

clubhouses.” – Financial Secretary

John Tsang Chun-wah

Photo: Goddess of Democracy statue by Lee Chun FungPhoto: Apple Daily

The Post-80s are a generation of “tiger cubs,” growing up under

protective parents intent on providing them the best of

everything.

“One who has ambition will

succeed.” 70% of teens

believed that their destinies were

in their own hands and that

academic performance could

determine success/failure later in

life. – Youth Opinion Poll of students

aged 10-19, 2000

"Compared to previous

generation's tough experience of

growing up, the Post-80s

enjoyed the fruits of HK's

prosperity, never worrying

about basic necessities.” –Wong Taiho, a Post-80s

The Post-80s were taught to

believe that success could be

achieved as long as they put

their heart into it…

“We were taught this formula: Study well,

and you can be _______!” – Venus Yiu,

Post-80s law student turned singer

Photo: yule.sohu.com

Medicine, law, and accounting were the

most popular choices for future employment…

BUT

Nearly half would start their own business if

given the choice.

Two-thirds would have rather succeeded in

their "career” over other areas of life by the

age of 35…

BUT

Family, health, friends and “peace of

mind” are more important than wealth and

status.

They Choose Sense Over

Sensibility…

Source: Youth Opinion Poll of students aged 10-19,

2000

Photo: Post 80s by Project Bullseye

Have

the

Post-

80s

been

lied

to?

ssDisillusioned at Work

With their illusions of professional success

shattered, our future leaders feel unfulfilled

and trapped without the promising future

they were expecting.

小為 (Siu Wai), satirical Post-80s YouTube star of Tragicomicland

“We march around like hotshots with our college-

degrees as if it’s a ticket to success, but we all end up

as just a 打工仔?! (work-horse).”

“The Post-80s, unlike earlier generations, experience more difficulties in achieving

upward mobility and becoming middle class, even for those with tertiary

education.” – HK’s Post-80s Generation: Profiles and Predicaments, by HKUST

Photo: Property Report

Disillusioned at

Home

安居樂業?無咁容易! (Settling down? Not that easy!)

In Chinese culture, getting married,

having kids, and moving out are

important milestones of adulthood.

However, because of bumpy

transitions from school to work and

sky-high real-estate prices, more

young people are dismissing marriage.

Some live with their parents even after

marrying. Ultimately, the Post-80s are

forced to delay their rite of passage

to independence.

Photo: Ming Yung photos

Life Trajectory of a Post-80s…

1. The toddler years 2. Going through

school

3. Off into the real world! 4. The first

job

Mum says that if I go to

school, I can be

anything I want! A

doctor, lawyer,

accountant, or architect!

Work hard now; get

rich later! Tutor

centers here I come!

College-degree: Check.

Success, you are mine.

ONLY 9500

HKD* A

MONTH?!

Blasphemy!

*Typical starting

salary of young

adults in HK, SCMP

Hong Kong Salary

Index Report 2010

MOTHER OF GOD

一城不變是香港的特色? (HK never changes) The Post-80s certainly don’t think so.

They‟re fighting for change and meaning in their lives.

“Occupy Central is a way to present a different

attitude to life outside of our capitalist society.

People want to live simpler and be happier.” –

Ho Jai, Occupy Central camper

Young adults “aspire to reclaim city space from

boring and monopolizing shopping malls” to

improve the livelihood of the next generation –

陳景輝 (Chan King Fai), Post-80s social activist

Photo: HK Asia City

Speaking up: magazine

Sick of the mainstream media stereotyping them as zitty geeks

who do nothing but watch porn all day, a group of 高登仔„Golden Boys‟ (members of online forum HKGolden.com)

set up their own magazine to speak up for themselves.

It is fully self-funded.

THEMES: Being true to yourself, self-improvement, creativity,

resilience

“Burning up our youth and our money –

this is the kind of perseverance that

only young people have.

If you still have a dream, then don‟t

hesitate, act on it!” – ‘The 20s’ editorsPhoto: Bruce

Success Redefined: It’s not just about money, swanky flats, and being a professional anymore!

Kevin Ma: Founder of Hypebeast, an online

lifestyle magazine that gets up to 3 million

unique visitors per month globally

Jing and Kay Wong: Alongside their world-

renowned fashion label Daydream Nation,

these creative siblings also run creative

workshops and events for local HKers

Jason Lowe: An ex-financier that started his

own publishing house Gold Rock to have a

more positive influence on the world

DOBA: HK’s version of Kickstarter shows that

young people are eager to experiment with

entrepreneurship, and are willing to help

others do the same

Photo Doba official website

Photo: Kevin Ma by Fast Company

Photo: Daydream Nation

Photo: Post 80s

What can brands do?

Win them over by helping them

fight their battles, e.g…

• Build a platform for them to speak for

themselves

• Give them room to escape parental and

societal pressures

• Offer opportunities to expand horizons,

experiment and take risks

• Popularise new role models of success

• Collaborate with them on projects

they‟re passionate about

But don’t be too serious– they have a

scathing sense of humour too!Thoughts? Tell us on:

Facebook.com/OgilvyHSI

Pictured here: Young people

have rushed to help clean up

the plastic pellets that washed

ashore after Typhoon Vicente.

Are there passion projects like

these that brands can help

with?

Photo: Joshua Wong Chi Fung