It seems that young Saudis love technology. As many as 84 per cent of young people in KSA are always looking for ways to use technology to enhance their lives, according to Vice Media’s The State of Arab Youth survey.
Building on its The State of Youth survey, the global report provides deep insights into the current mindsets, aspirations and behaviours of young people in MENA, bringing new learnings and insights into the cultural shifts taking place in this rapidly growing region.
The survey also revealed that 75 per cent of young people in KSA use beauty and grooming products to showcase their creativity and stand out, which makes interesting reading for brands in this space.
Online gaming is viewed as a safe space for experimentation, with one in three young MENA gamers approaching it as a form of self-expression.
According to the survey, this new social matrix is being supported by a high penetration of smartphones and internet usage, leading to an unparalleled sense of connectivity.
Passion points
Two out of three young people in MENA feel connected to people their own age online, which is 16 percentage points higher than the global average. This connectivity is fueling major change in how Arab youth interact with passion points such as fashion, beauty and tech/gaming.
Around 54 per cent of Arab youth in MENA say their style is heavily influenced by what they see on social media, while 61 per cent of them are willing to pay more for better quality beauty/grooming products.
Financial health in the Middle East is also outpacing the rest of the world – one in two young people in the region described their financial health as excellent or Good, which is 14 percentage points higher than the global average.
As Arab youth increasingly focus on achieving success and self-sufficiency, one out of three are investing in crypto or NFTs, and one in four said they are ‘completely comfortable’ with managing their finances, which is 10 percentage points above the global average.
Specifically for Saudi Arabia, 44 per cent of young people in KSA are investing in crypto or NFTs, while 78 per cent of young people in KSA say spending brings them joy.
The themes presented in the survey are the result of in-depth interviews with VICE Media creatives, editors and strategists in MENA and around the globe. They were driven by a global online survey conducted among 2,134 young people of age 16 to 41 in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The full version of the report is available for download on VICE Insights.
