IAA and Ipsos have delved into Lebanon's new generations in an exhaustive, very detailed, methodologically-flawless, and well designed and presented study which sweeps across the needs, wants, and behaviors of the millennials (born between 1981-1996) and Gen Z (1997-2012). The study covers many elements - from their work, education, sources of entertainment, salaries, online behavior (hours spent online, methods of shopping, etc...).
The final output, is actually very believable. I say so because too many studies and statistics are obviously tainted in make-believe and the IAA-Ipsos seems to get results which truly make sense for their prospective audience which eventually are actually advertising/marketing agencies and anyone working in communication.
69% of the sample whose average age was 25.5 are still single, 38% are secondary educated, followed closely with 35% who have a bachelor's degree (logical, Lebanon still enjoys a university-aspirational education despite the drop in level of said universities), half are paid in USD, also almost half chose their careers based on financial considerations, however 72% are not working in the field they majored in which in extenso means that also half of them would change the careers they work in (interestingly, based on financial considerations as a motive). 73% are not interested in studying abroad (however among the 27% interested only 18% are working on it) with France leading the pack as a potential destination for studying.
51% would want to work abroad (obviously more in the Gen Z than millenials) with UAE being the choice (much more than any other destination) with respondents being swayed with higher salaries and benefits.
The study extensively covers AI, internet access and use, favorite apps, social media notifications, impact of social media on wellbeing, communication choices and technology's influence on relations, television viewing habits and multi-screen usage habits, radio listening trends and shifting habits, entertainment preferences and frequency, online shopping habits and preferences (with some major findings in there), drivers of online shopping and preferred methods of payment (again, ad agencies might really look closely into these sections) in addition to features/issues, online security and grocery shopping preferences, delivery apps and user experience (again, ad agencies might look into all these, the whole let's-drop-a-bucket-to-the-vendor-downstairs no longer works!) and app choices (for food delivery).
Any communication, marketing, advertising agency should run to buy a copy of the study. And yes, some results are predictable but other are so totally "Lebanese" they would make any international executive/creative worth their salt stop dead in their track if handing any advertising or marketing in Lebanon.
