Nearly 70% of the interviewed college students pay for the "circle", whether it is "chopping hands" or "pursuing feelings"——
Consumption in interest circles floods the bill of Generation Z
"The most important thing for the'family' is to be neat and tidy." In one of Yang Xiao's photos, nearly a hundred trendy toys of various shapes were carefully placed in the window next to the bed in the bedroom. The few on the revolving stage in the middle are hidden models, and there are some popular models I bought through second-hand platforms." As a loyal player, Yang Xiao said that he was satisfied with the "instant surprise" brought by "blind box extraction". More enjoy the satisfaction of collecting and cherishing a full set of figures at once.
The refrigerator magnet is made of ultra-light clay, the phone case is made of glue, and the earrings and bracelets are made of metal parts... Junior student Wang Gege is a member of the hand-made circle.
"Every time I want to buy something, but I can't pick a style I like, I think about whether I can buy the materials myself and make it according to my own heart." This year's "Double Eleven", when others snapped up clothes and cosmetics, she was early Just add wool material to the shopping cart and prepare to knit a blanket by myself.
"Generation Z draws a circle by interest, and the consumption potential of the circle culture is constantly showing. In the circle cultural consumer market represented by e-sports, two-dimensional, model play figure, and national style, generation Z occupies the main force." CBNData "2020Z Generation Consumer Attitudes Insight Report" wrote.
The China Youth School Media conducted a questionnaire survey on the “Consumption Phenomenon of Generation Z Circle Culture” among 907 college students across the country. The results showed that 69.72% of the respondents would consume for their own circle of interest, of which 44.43% of the college students surveyed Spending on hobbies ranged from hundreds to thousands of yuan, 35.94% spent more than 1,000 yuan a year, and 19.63% spent almost no money.
Young people in this class are more willing to pay for their interests
Li Fangxin mentioned in "A Study on the Gathering and Communication of Subculture Internet Interest Groups-Taking Shouzheng Culture as an Example" that most online interest groups have strong commercial potential, and their offline activities are often inseparable from sharing and consumption.
It has been almost four years since Li Lu "entered the pit" in her freshman year, and her account has become an integral part of her university life.
The fate of Heshouzhang comes from learning experience posts on Weibo. She found that the content shared by some bloggers includes not only the knowledge of analyzing the thread, but also all kinds of beautiful swashes, tape collages, seals, etc. element.
"I hope I can also make such a beautiful and creative record."
So she paid close attention to many "big guys" in the circle, and began to buy good-looking books, tapes, and colored pens to record her daily life.
There are a variety of popular tape brands in the mobile account circle. There are some international brands, and some domestic "small workshops" are self-produced. The price of each roll ranges from 10 to 40 yuan.
Handbooks often exceed the price of ordinary stationery, and expensive notebooks cost more than a few hundred yuan.
"When I first entered the pit, I was very enthusiastic. I wanted to buy it every day. I spent more than 1,000 yuan in the first month." For Li Lu, who was a freshman at the time, this amount of money was indeed a lot of expense.
"I didn't go out for dinner once that month, which also reduced other expenses."
Liu Xinya has fallen in love with Hanfu since junior high school. Recently, on "Double 11", after saving for more than half a month of living expenses, she made up her mind and bought the long-collected embroidered Hanfu in the shopping cart.
She already has a box full of different styles of Hanfu, and hopes to have a room dedicated to storing and trying on clothes in the future.
"This room will be the source of my happiness. As soon as the folds of the'six-meter pendulum' (a form of Hanfu-reporter's note) are opened, I have no worries." The "2020Z Generation Consumer Attitudes Insight Report" shows, Generation Z has contributed nearly 40% of the sales of the Cosplay category, and its antique clothing sales have increased by more than 300% for two consecutive years.
Ji Wenzhe, a sophomore this year, is a loyal baker. Every weekend, he makes snacks and cakes with his mother at home and invites neighbors to taste them.
In the second year of high school, she accompanied her mother to do baking homework. For the first time, she tried the making of the layer cake in "Dream Pastry Chef", and her interest in baking began to sprout.
With the in-depth study of baking, she gradually began to experiment with different materials and different methods for production, and the requirements for baking became higher and higher.
For a better taste, you need to change to a higher standard oven. For a richer taste, you need to buy different materials and try several times. For more changes in the shape, you need to buy new molds, small decorations and scrapers. Such tools, "'As soon as you enter the baking, it is as deep as the sea.' Every time I see a cake with a unique shape and taste, I can’t help trying to make it myself. In order to make a novel and exquisite cloud cake, I also bought a small Cotton candy machine."
College student Sha Sha "entered the pit" JK uniform circle started a year ago. At that time, she borrowed a skirt from a school girl who was already a member of the circle to take pictures. "When I put it on, I think it looks good and it suits me very well." .
So she quickly became a member of the JK circle.
Each skirt has its own name, and Shasha's favorite is a skirt called "Smoke Millet".
Since she hadn't entered the pit when this skirt went on sale, she hesitated for a long time and could only buy it on a second-hand trading platform at a premium of more than 400 yuan.
Every time Shasha is in a bad mood or encounters difficulties, she opens her closet and sees her beloved dress, and she soon calms down.
"When I think I have so much, what else can't be solved."
Generation Z recognizes "Meeting Friends with Circles"
Although baking is a bit "burning", Ji Wenzhe is always willing to stick to her interest, and her baking skills make her way of interacting with others more special.
A friend’s birthday gift is no longer a small product purchased online, but a cake made by hand, so that the friend can feel his own heart.
Not only that, Ji Wenzhe and his mother have more exchanges. Mother is good at cooking and baking bread, and daughter is good at Western desserts. The mother and daughter have to prepare meals together every weekend. Baking reduces the generation gap between them. Make their relationship closer.
"My mother and I get along like sisters. Sometimes she'does not help me', making me messy, but we are all happy." Ji Wenzhe said with a smile.
Wang Gege also often gave the things she made to friends, and even some classmates came to her to help "customize" with pictures. She thought this was a recognition of her "craftsmanship".
From mobile phone cases and refrigerator magnets, to scented candles, home furnishings, and even clothes and bags, Wang Gege's hand-made products are becoming more and more abundant.
For her, hand-made is not so much a hobby as it is a way of life.
"Mainly enjoy the happiness of doing it yourself, and enjoy the happiness of decorating life with your own efforts."
"In my opinion, Hanfu is like an interesting history book. While understanding the ancient dress system, I also learned a lot of historical stories and traditional culture. Each dynasty has its own innovations to make ancient costumes fit for itself. The needs of the times have allowed this traditional clothing to last longer.” Liu Xinya didn’t want to spend more money on her parents’ hobbies. After she became an adult, she would do internships or work part-time jobs every vacation, so she had funds to support her interest. .
Some changes have quietly occurred in her.
"On the one hand, I have to be more self-disciplined to work during the holidays and learn to arrange my time reasonably; on the other hand, the process of showing Hanfu makes me more confident, and I also learn to make my manners fit the elegance of Hanfu."
In addition to pursuing psychological identification, Chen Jing from Beijing Institute of Technology believes that the reason for being able to pay for her hobby is also that the cost of entering the circle is not high. As a "Deyun girl", she feels that "crosstalk performances are basically all It’s not too difficult for students to be able to watch it online for free, and occasionally need to consume for watching VIP videos and live performances.” In Chen Jing’s view, cross talk has become a part of her life and connects her social circle even more. Closer, "Crosstalk and'magic' songs come with open mouth, chatting with friends is like talking crosstalk, and you can also find a common language with students who are not familiar with."
According to a survey conducted by the China Youth School Media, 83.02% of the respondents will consume for their own hobbies due to joy and inner satisfaction, can realize their dreams and psychological demands (46.20%), and can meet the social needs of their group (15.88%) and The availability of physical products (44.76%) also represents the recognition of Generation Z for cultural consumption in the circle.
It is worth mentioning that 95.26% of college students surveyed believe that it is worthwhile to spend money on niche hobbies.
Self-encouragement and inheritance, spiritual support in the circle
Put on a wig, put on custom costumes, and then meet with a familiar photographer to "make a film." Every time a "Cosplay" becomes a favorite character in the martial arts online game "Swordsman Love III", Zheng Yu feels that "the true self is liberated Out".
In his view, the process of restoring and deducing ACG characters (that is, characters in anime and games-reporter's note) is also a way of paying tribute to the classics, "I like this character, so I hope he can also appear in the three-dimensional ." Every time he participates in a comic exhibition, Zheng Yu will meet Coser who is close to him, "found his spiritual sustenance."
On this year's birthday, Sha Sha "relentlessly" gave herself a uniform skirt that she had been thinking about for a long time.
This is the costume in the TV series "Class A in Three Years". The skirts worn by the girls in the play make her very yearning.
"I placed the order in May this year and waited until November to receive it. The moment I received it, I felt that I was the happiest person in the world!" "Three circles (referring to JK circle, Lolita circle, Gufeng circle- Reporter's Note) Outsiders are usually called'earth people', and the clothes we usually wear when going out are usually called'earth people's clothes'." To Shasha, the JK circle seems to be a world of its own.
"In reality, I often meet people who don't understand you, but when I am with my fellow sisters in the circle, I feel that I am more than one person." "JK uniform is actually a school uniform, symbolizing a kind of'never graduate' Feelings." Sha Sha said, "I hope to express an attitude of eternal youth, eternal youth."
In addition to the series of blind boxes of several popular IPs, Yang Xiao is also keen to purchase cultural and creative products co-branded by Guofeng.
CBNData's report shows that nearly 90% of the national style fans at station B are Generation Z. From wearing traditional costumes and accessories, putting on classical makeup, creating Chinese style verses and repertoire, playing ancient Chinese musical instruments, to adapting traditional dances, national style fans There are many manifestations.
Guofeng is carrying out cultural output through large-scale cultural exchange activities such as "China Chinese Service Day" and cultural and creative products such as Chaowan Figures, showing its vigorous power.
"Online fun-loving groups can spread Chinese culture through their accounts and cultural and creative products, and tell the'Chinese cultural story.' In this regard, Taobao of the Palace Museum under the Palace Museum has begun to explore, using cultural and creative products and cultural and creative products with the Forbidden City elements. Creative sales to create a new era cultural and creative brand with great Chinese characteristics. Taobao of the Palace Museum produces a series of cultural and creative products with Qing Dynasty style such as folding fans, tapes, notebooks, etc., to connect China's past history and current creativity." "Subculture Network" Research on the Gathering and Dissemination of Interest Groups-Taking Shouzheng Culture as an Example" mentioned that China, as a country with a long history of culture, has rich cultural values that can be tapped by the cultural and creative industry, and the cultural customs and historical stories of various regions and nationalities are colorful , Can change the traditional thinking of mass production, carry out creative "intelligent manufacturing", and create more cultural and economic value.
"We enjoy'enclosure self-advanced' and look forward to'breaking the circle of growth'." In Zheng Yu's eyes, it must be worthwhile to pay moderately and rationally for the "small circle" in which we are in. "Happiness itself is priceless. It’s a rare blessing to be able to experience this happiness with more people."
(At the request of the interviewee, Sha Sha, Wang Gege, Yang Xiao and Zheng Yu are pseudonyms)
China Youth Daily · China Youth Daily Trainee reporter Luo Xi, intern Liu Kaiyang and Mu Rongfei Source: China Youth Daily