The poll's first round of results shows that the majority of 17-35 year olds in Canada are anxious about their future. Of the young Canadians surveyed, 72% are worried about their future and 88% have already changed their shopping habits to save money.
The Mood Meter reveals that big corporations should watch out, as 52% of youth are open to trying value brands. Increasing negativity towards the role of government and corporations was also revealed: 57% of youth don't believe a change in government would change anything; 82% believe the current economic problems were caused by "greed"; and 76% doubt the ethics of many major corporations.
Virgin Mobile's Mood Meter
Current Mood: Yellow "Sorta' Freaking Out Right Now"
- Biting nails - 72% are anxious about their future
- Brand disloyalty - 41% have given up a brand they love
- Show me the value! - 52% are open to trying value brands
- Chic-onomics - 88% have changed their shopping habits
- Recessionistas - 42% are making "noticeable sacrifices"
- Unemployment - 42% fear being unemployed
- Politics - 57% say they don't believe a change in government would change anything
- The Simple Life - 75% want a simpler life
The "Screw You Recession!" campaign kicked off with a huge billboard installation at Yonge and Dundas Square in downtown Toronto, Canada's busiest urban intersection, and will be matched by an outdoor and online marketing campaign, focusing on easy tips from real people on how to save cash, to make sure Canadians don't waste a single loonie during this "economic pause" and learn how to be chic-onomic!
"Young people have told us that they're feeling left out and are fed up with hearing about big corporate bail-outs. They're looking for someone who's got their back. We think it's time everyone got some help on how they can take back control - and that's exactly what we're doing," said Nathan Rosenberg, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile Canada. "They're feeling the pinch too and they want to be represented. They want a place to go where they can open up and speak honestly about the recession, talk about how they're feeling and swap tips and tricks on how they can save cash and relieve some of the recession stress."
Rosenberg added, "Lots of people are feeling misled and, even worse, that the promise of a bright future is now in doubt. We're not just looking to solve money stresses, but to bring back a feeling of positivity and hope. If big brands don't start listening, people will easily vote with their wallets and go somewhere else - it's time to stop whining about bonuses and start worrying about benefits to customers!"
