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American Youth Culture Spring Study Reveals New Opportunities + Trends in Fashion, Sneaker Culture, New Media, Sports + Entertainment

May 29, 2008, Los Angeles, CA-According to fresh results released today from Label Networks'8th bi-annual Spring Youth Culture Study 2008 from North America, young people 13-25-years-old have completely re-shaped market trends motivated mostly by new technology and communication patterns resulting in a shift in preferences and trends for where they spend their money, adopt fashion, and absorb influences from music, sports, entertainment, new media, marketing + advertising, and more. The Spring Study 2008, produced by Label Networks, the world's leading global youth culture intelligence media company, provides fresh consumer insight, analysis, and forecasts that indicate how this new generation has come into their own—even creating a generation gap within the marketplace itself, and where market trends are headed, including the ripple effects American influences have across Europe, Japan, and China.

"Since we also produce Youth + Street Culture Studies across Western Europe, Japan, and China, when we complete the Spring Study from North America, we can essentially see this macro arc of how things are starting and which direction they're moving in an why—such as subcultures of music and fashion from Japan, that may have started from Los Angeles, then get recontextualized in Tokyo, picked up in East London, and redefined again in New York," says Tom Wallace, President of Label Networks. But when it comes to streetwear and new media, particularly social networking patterns, American youth culture still leads many of the markets across the world. "For these reasons, our Spring Study, which in this case is the largest we've ever produced in 8 years, is always the most highly anticipated among our Premium subscribers each year."

Particularly, new shifts in street fashion trends, sneaker culture, the music industry, technology, environment, and the influences of social online networks have made many traditional marketing and advertising models almost obsolete as grassroots and bottom-up campaigns with cred mark the new age of connecting with youth markets. This year, Label Networks has added new information measuring more on spending patterns, new media, sponsorship and marketing effectiveness, cell phones, and fashion, towards providing greater understanding for those working within the savvy markets of youth + street culture.

Overall, the Spring Youth Culture Study 2008, which ran from March 15-May 15, 2008, tells a new story about today's generation with forecasts about the future based on historical trending analysis since 2000 in some categories, which is both incredibly exciting and very telling about where certain opportunities exist and why.

Highlights from the Spring Youth Culture Study 2008 include:

• T-shirt Size of Market, Price Points, + Spending Patterns indicate changes in market opportunities, particularly among 15-20-year-olds females
• Favorite fashion brands show new stars on the block + why this is happening in specific locations
• Denim brands that are capturing marketshare + where the most effective price points per volume are based on demographics
• Sneaker culture while dominated by Nike LTD drops + influenced by blogger reports in the past, is experiencing change as certain kicks no longer matter and others are on the rise, including retro re-births and upper urbanwear
• Spending patterns—In an expanded section, spending patterns on a variety of categories with comparisons in the last 6 months indicate where youth culture is dropping dime more so and holding back in other areas and why
• Electronic purchasing patterns indicating just how important this category is within overall spending
• Social Networking indicators within specific niche sites perpetuate the rise of trends in self-expression, communication, + spending patterns
• Action sports popularity shifts, even decreasing among specific demographics as new versions of sports such as fixed gear cycling, aggressive inline, dance, + martial arts increase
• The Power of Pop-up retail matches new spirit of shopping experiences among youth culture, turning informal retail into the "real" retail
• Grassroots Sponsorship--Special reports measuring the Effectiveness of Grassroots Sponsorship, Word-of-Mouth, + New Media give away what works and what fails in attracting youth culture
• Video gaming preferences for games within the music genre opened the floodgates to a new marketplace among females
• New top music preferences are the new sources of influence in fashion, hairstyles, accessories, and communication patterns via specific text languages
• Mad potential of women's sneaker market quantified with shifts in buying habits, brand preferences, online shopping patterns
• Retail landscape--measuring top big-box, fast fashion stores with boutiques, and online retailing trends
• Politics + youth culture: 61.4% of 13-25-year-olds will vote (or would vote if they could) for Barack Obama. Politics, environment, humanitarian causes, volunteerism all added to the Spring Study
• Top Future Concerns: Changed perceptions of "Success" tap into new psychodemographics within today's youth culture

The Spring Study 2008 is part of Label Networks' Premium Global Youth Culture Subscription which also includes:

• Daily Updates providing fresh news, reviews, trends, fashion, music, sports, festivals, media, events, retail hotspots, + emerging subcultures
• Label Networks TV: Exciting video clips with in-depth interviews with up-and-coming designers, retailers, musicians, artists; LNTV has been selected as a Premium Partner with YouTube with 120 LNTV clips posted to date attracting more than 300,000 viewer impressions
• Spring + Fall Youth Culture Studies with Printable Options: Carefully edited with top key new findings, including historical patterns + information, primary data, charts, graphs including cross-tabulations by gender + age groups
• Macro Trend Summaries detailing high-level analysis for quick snapshots of key trends within specific topics
• Street Photography depicting leading-edge trends in fashion, footwear, sports, accessories, attitudes, tattoos, + style
• Quantitative Charts, Graphs, Frequencies, plusCross-tabulations by Gender, Age Groups, Country
• Historical Data + Story Access fortrending + future forecasting

Label Networks' Spring Study 2008 within the Premium Global Youth Culture Subscription provides the only access to a multi-dimensional network of on-going information, with additional archival library access, for those interested in the daily changing dynamics of global youth culture. For subscription information, or to experience a free trial, email info@labelnetworks.com; or call (323) 630-4000.

Data for the Spring Youth Culture Study 2008 has a Confidence Level of 95% with a Margin of Error of +/- 2.5%.

About Label Networks:

Label Networks, Inc. is a leading global youth culture intelligence media company authentically measuring the most trendsetting subcultures in the world. Launched in 2000 to bridge the gap between the youth + street culture marketplace and the lack of useful, fast research about the fast-changing landscape, Label created new methods to gain constantly fresh quantitative and qualitative data about the marketplace accurately and quickly using a combination of remote data-acquisition and analysis systems, and a credible network of Global Street Culture Experts who seek insight from emerging subcultures. Together, Label measures and reports about street + youth culture, providing a platform for undiscovered brands, and inspiration, data, and analysis for those needing to step-up their business strategies. Label Networks Premium Subscription Package includes North America, Europe, Japan, + China, plus Profiles on Hispanic/Latino Market Report; Digital Lifestyle Report; Sponsorship Report; + Humanitarian Study; Clients: Apple Computer, Adidas Originals, Toyota Europe, Pacific Sunwear, Burton, Fourstar Distribution, Dickies, Sunkist, RedBull, K-Swiss, Reebok, Timberland, Fox Racing, Fuel TV/Fox Sports, Footlocker Europe, Oakley, DC, Creative Artists Agency, Virginia Commonwealth University, plus many specialty boutiques, up-and-coming brands, and non-profits. Contact: Label Networks, Inc., 400 S. Main St., #701, Los Angeles, CA 90013; (323) 630-4000; mailto:youthculture@labelnetworks.com; www.labelnetworks.com.