Marian Salzman

Research conducted by YouGovStone, a U.K.-based market research agency, has revealed a new breed of young professionals—being dubbed the Real-Time Generation—in what is thought to be the largest-ever youth research project of its kind.

The study of more than 15,000 people worldwide ages 23 to 28 was commissioned in the lead-up to www.oneyoungworld.com, the world’s first global youth leadership summit, which took place in London from February 8 to 10. bout 700 delegates age 25 and under from most of the world’s 192 countries met at One Young World to discuss, debate and vote on draft resolutions focused on some of today’s most pressing issues. The resolutions will be presented to the United Nations, the G-8 and the G-20.

With more than 29,000 users of its Facebook application and thousands of followers on http://www.youtube.com/oneyoungworldand http://www.twitter.com/oneyoungworld, the massive following of www.oneyoungworld.com globally shows how the Real-Time Generation has harnessed the power of new media for social change and views the world in an entirely different way.

The research points out 10 key trends that mark this generation of young people: 

• The Real-Time Generation has real-time expectations. If information or communication is not happening in real time, it’s not considered relevant or even interesting.

• Life is lived locally by the Real-Time Generation. In a strange twist, the universality of social media lets 20-somethings locally configure their social networks and online information.

• Radical transparency is an assumed part of their lives. Reality TV and the openness of the Internet means that for the Real-Time Generation, if it exists or occurred, it can be found online.

• The world is free, or at least cheap. The Real-Time Generation came up in the age of inexpensive manufacturing and free Web service. To them, rock-bottom prices are simply expected.

• Luxury is the norm. The steep rise in standards of living and the proliferation of what once were considered luxury goods got the Real-Times used to the good life.

• Entertainment is a must. Whether it’s to learn a new language, make a phone call or even pump gas into their car, entertainment is an ever-present reality that Real-Times won’t go without.

• Global concern underpins their lives. Even as they insist on entertainment, they’re ardent about the environment, economic justice, world health and poverty.

• Pro-business, but anti-multinational, the Real-Time Generation sees global business as a potential for positive change but is well aware of its tendency toward excess and abuse.

• Media bias is understood as a constant, and, thus, regulation is required, according to Real-Times, to ensure that the media maintains its independence from government and business.

• Naturally focused on “me,” but aspiring to “we,” the Real-Time Generation learned from boomer parents about the primacy of individuality but still believes that no individual is truly happy while others suffer.

About One Young World

Marian Salzman is president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America, part of the company whose global CEO, David Jones, has founded One Young World. One Young World (www.oneyoungworld.com), nicknamed Young Davos by some media outlets, is the world’s first global youth leadership summit. Bringing together several hundred delegates age 25 and under from the world’s 192 countries, One Young World combines the social power of the Internet with the energy and ideas of global youth to address the most challenging issues of today. Founded by David Jones, global CEO of Havas Worldwide, and Kate Robertson, Euro RSCG group chairman, One Young World focuses on plenary sessions at which delegates are guided by a group of international luminaries including Kofi Annan, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bob Geldof.

About Havas Worldwide

Havas (Euronext Paris: HAV.PA) is a global advertising and communications services group. Headquartered in Paris, Havas operates through its two worldwide networks, Euro RSCG Worldwide and Havas Media, which are headquartered in New York and Barcelona, respectively, and through a number of independent agencies renowned for their creativity, such as Arnold Worldwide Partners. A multicultural and decentralized group, Havas is present in more than 75 countries through its networks of agencies and contractual affiliations. The group offers a broad range of communications services, including traditional advertising, direct marketing, media planning and buying, corporate communications, sales promotion, design, human resources, sports marketing, multimedia interactive communications and public relations. Havas employs approximately 14,400 people. For more information, go to www.havas.com.