Asian American Youth: America’s new trendsetters.

A new study on the cultural influence of Asian American youth released by New American Dimensions and interTrend Communications reveals that Asian American youth are increasingly generating some of the key trends in pop culture being embraced by the rest of mainstream American youth culture. According to results of the study, “Made in America: Asian American Teens and Echo Boomers,” Asian American young people are likely to see themselves as trendsetters in three distinct cultural categories–technology and gadgetry, anime and manga, and video-gaming.

Based on a fifteen-minute survey conducted with 538 Asian American teens and “echo-boomers”–between the ages of 14 to 28 years–the study demonstrates that today’s Asian American youth demographic inhabits a wide variety of cultural worlds and is engaged in a broad spectrum of media, entertainment, and cultural activities. The research was conducted online across the country and through in-person survey intercepts administered in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

In the study, 62 percent of respondents were U.S.-born and 38 percent were born outside the U.S. Differences emerged between both groups in their involvement in trends within popular culture. Among the major findings identified by the study are:

Respondents identify (1) technology/gadgetry, (2) anime/manga, and (3) video-gaming as the top three primary areas of popular culture where they are driving overall trends in the U.S. marketplace. Close to 80 percent of respondents identify “technology/gadgets” and “anime/manga” as the top two areas where Asian Americans are influencing trends, while 72 percent of respondents cite “video gaming” as the third major area. Other areas Asian American youth cite a high degree of influence is in “food and culinary arts” and the visual arts.

Hip Hop and Alternative music are the dominant musical genres favored among U.S.-born Asian American youth. A diverse array of musical genres forms the listening habits of Asian youth–but with distinct differences according to their acculturation levels and generation. While first-generation (born outside the U.S.) respondents preferred “Pop/Top 40” music, second-generation Asian Americans (U.S. born) exhibited a strong preference for Hip Hop and Alternative music. Among the latter, sixty-two percent of respondents identify “Hip Hop/Rap” as their favorite music genre, followed by 51 percent who favor “Alternative / Indie” music.

Asian American youth are more likely to identify and seek out trends through word-of-mouth messaging than through any other media channel or network. This is particularly true for second-generation Asian Americans who indicate they are twice as likely as their first generation counterparts to learn about trends via word of mouth. Among the first-generation cohort, television holds the greatest influence in helping them learn about new trends according to the survey.

“It’s not completely surprising that Asian Americans wield a tremendous influence in areas like video-gaming and manga,” states Thomas Tseng, Principal & Co-Founder of New American Dimensions, who oversaw the research study. “Anime and Manga constitute a growing $4 billion business in the U.S. and is embraced today by millions of American kids across the color spectrum. As ambassadors and curators of this subculture, Asian American youth really shape the contours of this space and spread it to the rest of their peers.”

“These results contrast with previous research we have conducted among Hispanic youth,” according to David Morse, President of New American Dimensions. “Whereas many second-generation Hispanic kids often exhibit their pride through their language and culture, Asian American youth seem to assert their pride in how they are shaping mainstream American culture.”

This study, “Made in America: Asian American Teens and Echo-Boomers,” will be presented at the conference “IMPRINT: Urban Youth Unabridged” (www.imprint-life.com) on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 at the Japanese American National Museum. George Takei will be the opening speaker, while the rest of the conference will feature a mix of live panels, presentations, and performers–including Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, Jim Farley from Toyota Motor Sales, Eric Nakamura from Giant Robot, Gonzalo Perez from MTV, John Hiler from Xanga.

“IMPRINT intends to show advertisers and marketers the influence and impact of trends beyond the Asian segment,” says Julia Huang, CEO of interTrend Communications. “It’s important for the attendees to get a first hand look at those individuals influenced by the Asian experience and how their ‘imprint’ is being seen in the mainstream pop culture.”