ChaCha. Ask Away.

We get millions of questions per day and a new user every 6 seconds. We know a lot about our young audience and one thing is abundantly clear: Our teens and young adults care passionately about the world around them — both globally and locally. They ask us questions about the environment, about health care, about the war in the middle east and about global health. They are also concerned about child abuse, animal welfare, drug abuse and world hunger. They have lots of questions and they want to get involved and shape the world around them.

Marketers looking to reach youth, get this. In fact, C&R Research found in its latest YouthBeat syndicated research report that a brand’s perceived level of social responsibility is an increasingly important consideration when young people open their wallets. In a recent MediaPost article, the author wrote:

“Kids, tweens and teens are all more likely to buy a product if part of the price goes to a cause close to their hearts. Nearly half of the teens in our panels said they had made a cause-related purchase, and more than 20% asked their parents to buy a particular product because it supported a cause. And the younger set is following the pattern. Almost 40% of tweens (ages 9 to 12) and 20% of kids (ages 6 to 10) also have bought an item tied to a social cause.”

“And big money’s at stake. Studies put the annual spending power of young people ages 8 to 14 at $43 billion — and that doesn’t count their influence over billions of dollars in their parents’ purchases, whether it’s cell phones, or cars, or vacations,” says MediaPost.

Kids are becoming more and more concerned about the world they live in. Brands who communicate their concerns and interests and stay true to what they believe, will win the hearts and souls of youth who care about the same issues. And its a good thing for all involved.