"Mom, please buy me a Gucci wallet"…Luxury consumption age 'dropping rapidly' following idols [Dito Society]

①Teenagers Buying Luxury Goods Following Idols
Trend Existed Before but Speed and Spread Increased via SNS
"Follower Count Equals Authority... Mimicking Celebrity Luxury Consumption"
"Idol Ambassadors as a Strategy to Secure Future Customers"

Editor's NoteThe Seoul National University Consumer Trend Analysis Center has identified 'Ditto Consumption' as one of the top 10 keywords for 2024. 'Ditto' is a Latin term meaning 'the same,' and Ditto Consumption refers to the tendency to follow celebrities' tastes and trends exactly when purchasing products or consuming content. This article analyzes the blind 'Ditto' phenomena in Korean society, such as the lowering age of luxury consumption and the increasing trend-following investments.

Office worker Choi Jae-in (31) received a request earlier this year from his high school nephew asking if he could buy him a luxury wallet. Choi said, "When I asked what he wanted as a high school entrance gift, he said if I could buy him a Gucci wallet advertised by Hani from NewJeans," adding, "I couldn't buy it due to his parents' opposition, but I kept feeling sorry because my nephew said all his friends had at least one luxury wallet."

The tendency to imitate the consumption patterns of famous influencers and celebrities is becoming stronger. This is the so-called 'Ditto Consumption.' Just as one measure of a celebrity's popularity is whether they have trendy items that define an era, trends have existed in the past as well. However, experts analyze that the speed and spread of conformist consumption have intensified due to social networking service (SNS) trends and the increase of influencers.

NewJeans Hanni. [Image source=Gucci]

The Ditto Consumption trend is clearly evident regardless of age group. According to a survey conducted by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor in November last year targeting 1,000 adult men and women aged 19 to 59, 41.0% of respondents said they "prefer to purchase brand products that are trendy or in fashion." By age group, the responses were ▲20s 49.2% ▲30s 34.8% ▲40s 37.2% ▲50s 42.8%. Additionally, 33.9% said they tend to buy brands that many people around them consume.

This consumption tendency is also reflected in the increase in luxury consumption. According to global investment bank Morgan Stanley, as of 2022, Korean luxury consumption increased by 24% compared to the previous year, reaching $16.8 billion (approximately 23 trillion KRW). When converted per capita, it amounts to $325 (about 440,000 KRW), which is higher than the US at $280, Japan at $210, and China at $55, making it the highest in the world.

The report pointed out, "Luxury companies are encouraging consumption by utilizing famous celebrities," noting that "almost all famous Korean celebrities act as ambassadors for luxury brands."

The problem is that luxury marketing using famous celebrities has a stronger effect on younger age groups. While purchasing luxury goods itself is not an issue, excessive luxury consumption by teenagers and people in their twenties with limited purchasing power is likely to become a burden on their parents or their future selves.

Professor Heo Kyung-ok of the Department of Consumer Life Culture Industry at Sungshin Women's University said, "Luxury brands are employing ambassadors from younger age groups as a strategy to secure future customers." Professor Heo diagnoses that the trend-following consumption tendency has deepened recently due to SNS trends. He explained, "Conformist consumption happens very quickly through SNS, which has great influence and transmission power. Especially, teenagers and people in their twenties are greatly affected because they share information rapidly via SNS. Although their purchasing power is low, they tend to receive help from their parents or engage in small luxury purchases for small but certain happiness (so-called 소확행, Sohwakhaeng)."

IVE Jang Wonyoung. [Image source=Miu Miu]

Because of this, criticism has arisen against luxury brands that appoint idol group members as ambassadors. K-pop group idol members, who have tremendous influence over teenagers and people in their twenties, promote brands and thereby encourage luxury purchases.

The girl group NewJeans, whose all members were minors at their 2022 debut, were selected as ambassadors for famous luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, and Burberry within four months of debut. Among them, the youngest member Hyein, born in 2008, earned the title of "youngest Louis Vuitton ambassador." Ive's member Jang Wonyoung was also appointed as a Miu Miu ambassador at the age of 18 and continues to be active.

Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University's Department of Psychology analyzed, "In the past, authority was based on strong expertise and power, but now the number of SNS followers has become authority itself," adding, "The words, actions, and consumption of famous influencers or celebrities frequently appearing on broadcasts have authority effects." Professor Lim explained, "Younger age groups tend to be vulnerable to authority, and especially adolescents show tendencies to model the words, actions, and consumption of influencers," further stating, "By imitating celebrities' consumption, a conformity psychology appears where they seek recognition that they belong to the same group and share the same status."