Teens and Frames

Stylish frame options help keep teens in Rx eyewear

By Amy Spiezio

What was once a powerful tween group, generation Y has now entered its teen years and is flexing its economic muscles and making even more of buying decisions, including those regarding eyewear. Now it's up to optical professionals to have the right stuff ready to go for this market.

While a portion of the teen demographic traditionally makes the migration from eyewear to contact lenses, according to the Contact Lens Institute, only 10 percent of contact lens wearers are under 18. Whether it's growing up with Harry Potter and other tween stars in glasses, comfort and compliance issues, or more stylish options, today's teens often opt for ophthalmic eyewear.

If you can provide eye-catching styles to please these particular wearers, you can build a long-term affinity for eyeglasses in the youth market.

STYLE SELECTIONS

While every teen is different, when it comes to style, there are several particular looks driving the 13-plus market.

■ CROSSOVER LOOKS. In optical, the growing trend for larger eyewear continues, and increasingly styles are pulling through from the sunglass world into Rx styles. This is especially the case in the sportier styles where kids can move their skater chic from the ramp to the street.
■ DARKLY DRAMATIC. Teen love for all things vampire continues as the "Twilight" film series rolls on and every movement and style of the stars on and off camera capture youthful imagination. Darker looks with edgier styling provide an outlet for teen angst—2010 style.
■ PREP SCHOOL. Just like their parents enjoyed "The Preppy Handbook" in the 1980s, teens today are delving into traditional looks and putting their own twists on geek chic and preppy looks.
■ PLUM PRETTY. The purple trend that has taken root in the adult eyewear market is also strong in the teen scene. These looks are enhanced by detailed scrolling with organic patterns and the subtle use of stone or shiny metal for a bit of sparkle. EB

Teen Spending Styles

When it comes to spending, the teen market may be recovering ahead of many other demographic segments. Irrepressible youth is spending on a variety of categories, notes a recent survey and report, "Taking Stock With Teens," from Piper Jaffray.

TOP BRANDS: Teens are getting chic with surf and city looks from the following firms:

1. West Coast Brands (e.g., Pacific Sunwear, Volcom, Quicksilver, Zumiez)
2. Forever 21
3. Hollister
4. Nike
5. American Eagle
Young women's top choice is Forever 21, while West Coast Brands is a favorite among young men.

BIG SPEND: Fashion is one of the top spends for teenagers, about 39 percent of the total teen budget. Teens predict spending an average of $932 on the fashion category in 2010, down from $1,018 in spring 2009.

FUN AND GAMES: Teens seem more adult than previous generations, but they still make room in their budgets for games. Video-game spending is seven percent of teen budgets, up from three percent five years ago.

FOOD FUNDS: High schoolers may not be going to the local soda jerk after school anymore, but they are still heading to restaurants. Starbucks has the number-one spot, and is preferred by teens. Teens also indicate an increase in restaurant spending.

Tween to Teen

Just like Miley Cyrus is attempting to smoothly transition from tween idol to young adult star, the whole Hannah Montana generation that watched her perform and grow is doing some transitioning of its own.

Want to see where they're coming from? Consider checking out the following teen sites:

■ www.TeenVogue.com
■ www.Seventeen.com
■ www.missoandfriends.com
■ www.SportsIllustratedKids.com

Getting to Know Teen Marketing

Reaching directly out to teens with an optical message involves a number of routes through traditional and cutting-edge media.

Teens nowadays are plugged into the latest methods of communication—but that's not their only method of contact with the media universe. These young adults are plugged in to digital media. However they also turn to traditional media that speaks to the general population.

A recent report from Neilson, "How Teens Use Media," recommends that business' marketing processes don't have to be completely retooled to reach the teen generation. "Don't focus on the outliers, but on the macro-level trends of media and preferences for the segment. The averages will show you that teens can often be reached by the same means as their parents," the report says.

TELEVISION TIME: The television isn't collecting dust when it comes to teen audiences. Teen TV watching is up six percent over the past five years in the U.S.

SURFING SESSIONS: Perhaps surprising to adults will be the finding that teens are online less than adults. Teens spend 11 hours and 32 minutes per month online, while the adult average is 29 hours and 15 minutes.

ABOUT FACE: Facebook has a strong outreach to teens: The survey finds that about half of U.S. teens use Facebook.

GETTING THERE: 37 percent of U.S. teens access the Web over their phones.

In the end, the report suggests looking at the population as a whole with only slight adjustments when it comes to pinpointing marketing campaigns to specific demographics.