Growing up, I can’t remember a time where I wasn’t the target of some sort of advertising—whether it be for Barbies, Tamagotchi pets, or iPods. As a kid, commercials were distinctly aimed at me, and it was my job to find a way to acquire whatever the product du jour was.  According to a new joint study from Concordia University and the University of Texas, this adolescent-directed consumerism was likely the result of where I grew up: Canada. The study found distinct differences in the consumer patterns of adolescents in Canada and China.

Dr. Michel Laroche (Credit: Concordia)

Teenagers are prime consumers, and understanding the cultural differences that influence how and where they spend their money could be of great importance to marketers. The study, which used data from 1,289 Chinese and 305 Canadian teenagers, found that—when it comes to spending—Canadian teens tend to make their own decisions . . . → Read More: Marketing to Mom? Study compares Canadian and Chinese teen consumer patterns