According to findings from Virtue APAC’s 2024 Virtue Guide To Culture survey, a new world order is being shaped by Asia’s youth, with challenges to the status quo becoming less about power over others and more about the freedom to simply be.
As the agency sums up in a release: “When the world is beyond your control, the best way to resist is to survive and thrive on your own terms, or embrace the chaos to unlock unprecedented possibilities for creativity and self-expression.”
The exclusive research, which draws on insights from Vice Media’s community of 40,000 young people around the world (including across key Asia Pacific markets Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, India and Japan), as well as its network of journalists and content creators, aims to explore the new cultural codes that drive Asia’s Gen Z and how brands can effectively connect with them.
Speaking about the research and its implications for advertisers in Asia, Hui-Wen Tou, head of strategy, Asia Pacific, Virtue, said: “It’s an exciting time for young people in Asia, where eccentricity and irreverence are generating new hope and optimism, driving positive efforts towards change, while also having fun.”
Brands must rethink their strategies and elevate quirkiness as the superpower of this new generation, embracing mischief to drive change and harnessing the soft power of joy, humour and entertainment to challenge the status quo.”
APAC Culture Code
Virtue APAC provided the following highlights from the report:
Culture Code #1 – Constructive Chaos
Young people in Asia are using global turmoil and upheaval as a source of inspiration and self-expression, with over eight in ten saying that being weird is normal, and six in ten saying that being normal is weird. Harnessing the power of the weird and absurd through art, technology, fashion and culture, and amplified by social media, they are pioneering a new world order where the courage to embrace uniqueness is celebrated and breaking traditional norms is seen as essential to individual freedom.
Fueled by advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and other innovations, the appeal of the unconventional and unconventional has never been greater. These innovations are empowering young people to explore and create in ways never before imagined. The rise of a generation that values eccentricity and authenticity is disruptive to Asia’s traditionally conformist societies, where fitting in and achieving prescribed standards of success have long been the norm.
Cultural Code #2 – Feminism’s Soft Revolution
A renaissance of femininity is liberating an Asian feminist movement that was once seen as polarizing and combative. Today’s feminist movement is characterized by a rejection of traditional power dynamics and an embrace of uninhibited authenticity and the freedom to just be. From fashion trends like #balletcore and #coquette on TikTok that highlight ultra-feminine style to lifestyle choices like #snailgirl and #girldinner, women are unashamedly prioritizing personal expressions of ultra-femininity.
The Barbie film’s impact in Asia further propelled this new wave of feminism. The film’s playful yet poignant take on feminist themes struck a chord with many, offering a joyful celebration of femininity and a forum for ongoing gender debate. This shift signifies a broader redefinition of strength, and embracing femininity, joy and humor is a powerful move that challenges patriarchy.
Cultural Code #3 – Irreverent Resistance
Asia’s Gen Z has cast off the rose-tinted glasses of previous generations, eschewing hypocritical, bold, hopeful and altruistic acts in favour of protesting the ways of the world through their own irreverent resistance based on practicality.
While six in 10 people surveyed say having a sense of purpose in life is essential to their well-being, they are also using their creativity to respond to the big problems around them with a playful, rebellious attitude — a more liberating and authentic response than an unnecessarily stilted or performative one.
