Abstract (250 words)

The marketing of brands has transformed teenage consumerism as the use of complex psychological means influences not only the products bought by teenagers but also the way they perceive themselves and their role in the world. This paper aims to examine the way in which the marketing techniques are directly appealing to the unique psychological aspects of adolescence - the need to belong to a group or society, shaping their identity, and the strong impact of their peers on their decisions, with the view of creating lifetime customers.

Even though psychological marketing was employed in advertising a long time ago, the emergence of online media, then influencers, and data-driven individualized experiences has brought larger and more significant ways of using those types of techniques on teenagers. The comprehensive nature of research is based on logically combining two methods of studying this topic: the first one implies the analysis of the construct of advertising psychology and youth behavior through the prism of advertising literature review and a multiplicity of cases and the second one is a set of applied case-studies of the most popular brands among the teenagers, Nike, Starbucks, Glossier, Apple, Hollister, Shein, Rhode and Ordinary just to mention a few, who are all known as the greatest example of addressing teens through advertising and actively incorporating psychological techniques.

This paper shall focus on how brands foster aspiration identities, social validation by peer groups, and curated experiences that exploit the vulnerability of teenagers. The given examples, the peak of emotionally oriented marketing campaigns of Nike or the gamified shopping process in the case of Shein, are indicative of the potential in various shades that brands can embed themselves into the routines and rituals of minors in society.

In addition, the paper addresses the moral and growth implications of the practices, such as the possibility of materialism, compulsive purchasing, and exploitation of teen uncertainties, since the intervention in these practices is not supported.

Finally, the paper evaluates the immense influence of the psychology of brand on the teenage consumers, and it justifies that a debate on ethics, media literacy, and policy safeguards should be developed to market to youth safely.

Introduction (300-500 words)

Imagine scrolling through social media and all you see is the new Stanley Cup that everyone has been raving about. The cup is everywhere. It is on shirts at school, on the billboards staring down at you from the sides of the highway. You might think to yourself, Am I missing out on something? Should I buy a new water bottle to match everybody? Will I be judged if I don’t buy one of these or the actual brand? These are thoughts that may go through the mind of a teenager. You can try to avoid it, but the brand could come at you with different offers to influence you to buy their product. (WESEE Education)

The people who were consumers of the product didn’t just randomly discover it; instead, the brand remodeled itself in order to appeal to a new audience. The world is always changing, and trends change as time goes on. Each trend is often glamorized on social media. When brands go on a decline, it is not by random selection; instead, it's about how their appeal doesn’t fit what people in society want anymore. (WESEE Education)

To counter this, they start looking into psychological methods to captivate their audiences. Marketing directed at teens has a very unique approach. Their whole life has always been consumed by social media and is influenced by friends, advertisements, television, and family. Families teach certain values that children carry on with themselves throughout their life, friends pressure, and are more relatable to teens to help them figure out the type of person they want to be. Teens observe TV ads, which help them form their own opinions about products and see what is trending and will be useful to them and their self-image (McLeod).

The way different brands market their products to teens is essential to figuring out the key idea of teen consumer spending habits. Teenagers, in their bid to fit in, can sometimes blindly follow what other people are doing, and this behavior can have harmful impacts. It can make them feel like they are never meeting the standard that society wants them to meet, it can lead to overconsumption, which can be very harmful to the planet and our future, and it can negatively influence financial decisions (McLeod).

In this paper, five different case studies will be presented in order to show that leading brands use distinct marketing strategies to attract teenagers. The central objective of the paper is to explore the psychological tactics behind these campaigns and study the impact of these strategies on the behavior of the target audience. It will cover a range of approaches—from emotional storytelling and influencer/ celebrity partnerships to creating daily rituals and using social media. This paper aims to show how brands integrate themselves into teens’ daily lives, shaping their preferences and encouraging purchases.

Methodology (250 words)

The study will rely on a mixed methodology in analyzing the interrelationship between marketing psychology and youth consumerism, with the case study being the exploitation of teens by brands in their marketing strategies. To begin with, a systematic literature review was performed between March and May of 2025 with the selected academic sources, such as Google Scholar. Search phrases were marketing psychology, youth consumer behavior, branding strategies, teen engagement, and psychologically based marketing strategies. The literature coverage included peer-reviewed literature and industry reports of key industry players published between 2000 and 2024.

Second, it included branding strategies analysis in terms of the case study. Five brands that seemed to be particularly engaged in working with teenagers were selected as the ones on which further analysis would be conducted in a more detailed and thorough way. The parameters of selecting cases were the following:

• Visible and popular with teen consumers
• Identifiable evidence of psychological marketing strategies within branding, advertising or digital presence
• There was access to either open-source or academically distributed materials, which could include ads, brand websites, and third-party industry reports.

Any research materials were eliminated when they:

• There was no evidence of any responsible psychological marketing strategy.
• Lacked the explicit target and access to a considerable number of teens.

The number of brands identified in the study was initially 15. All of them fulfilled the criteria of the point of visibility and documentation, and at the end, we could include the complete overview of the strategies prepared by six brands. In both case studies, advertising content, website material, and market research were systematically reviewed using independent market research, the aim of which is to identify the particular techniques being adopted and applied by those who are determined to influence the behavior of the youth. The results were tabulated thematically, and such sample strategies as an emotional appeal, social proof, and aspirational messages were mentioned.

The Psychology of Teen Consumers

Teens are one of the biggest consumers of the clothing industry. Growing up, children are surrounded by advertisers in the media telling them to buy their product. Whether it’s a commercial advertisement on TV

or a couple of friends mentioning their new water bottle, people are influenced from the moment they step into the world.

In the stage of adolescence, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, “the period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult”, emotions are heightened, and teens are more prone to compare themselves to other people so they can fit into society. (Oxford University Press)

FOMO (fear of missing out) is a leading factor of consumerism in teens. Having FOMO can lead to teens having low self-esteem and stress. Social validation can consume teenagers’ lives, which may massively impact their academic performance and social life. During the adolescent stage, the prefrontal cortex is mainly responsible for impulsive and rash decision-making. (WESEE Education). Teenagers are easily influenced to buy something when they see a friend or influencer using it. They don’t always consider whether the product is needed by them

Making such decisions can usually lead to overconsumption, which can be harmful to the environment and make a person feel like they have lost their sense of individuality. Everyone buying the same things leaves less self-expression for an individual and can make our society lean into conformity. Brands recognize this and take advantage of it. They employ tactics such as having popular influencers or celebrities advertise their items, which can bring in many consumers. (Stern)

46% of Americans say they watch more content on social media, while the other 36% prefer watching TV. Whether it's clothing, beauty, sports, or random daily life products, users of social media will feel more inclined to buy it when they see an influencer or celebrity using it. (Howarth)

While some people may find inspiration in influencers, it may also become problematic. Influencers can start promoting unhealthy behavior, which can then trigger toxic behaviors such as harmful eating habits and shopping addictions. Influencers understand that sharing vulnerable moments with their audience makes them relatable, which can trick teenagers into developing one-sided relationships with Influencers. Influencers may also gaslight their audience so people feel like “they aren’t enough” or “I’m not living my life properly if I don’t buy this product”. Influencers play a significant role in social media, but their impact can have devastating consequences on the lives of teenagers. (Stern)

Many influencers portray their lives as “picture perfect” and flawless, never showing their struggles, which can make teenagers feel lonely or different. Overall, there is a lot of thought and psychology that goes into the process when trying to make teenagers buy a brand's product. Brands and influencers hold the power to turn someone’s world upside down in an instant, without even realising the side effects that can come from a little sponsorship or commercial.

Marketing Tactics Targeting Teens

Marketing is a core tool employed by brands to attract a consumer's attention. They try to position their products as a part of an aspirational lifestyle. Brands like to make an emotional connection with their target audience to foster loyalty. Various brands, such as Lululemon and Ralph Lauren, try to foster connections so consumers can feel represented and inspired by the brand. Qualities like a sense of belonging, sophistication, and mindfulness can make consumers feel as if they are at a high status in a hierarchy. Lululemon hosts online cooking classes, workouts, and sessions to meditate to make consumers feel like they are a part of a community and family. (Spanou) This goes just beyond shopping and proves Lululemon as an authentic and genuine brand, not just a shopping experience. If teens feel like they don’t fit in, pushing their minds to a certain brand can help them feel worthy.

Ralph Lauren is also one of the many brands that tries to sell a story and lifestyle of “timeless elegance and Americana” (Das ).

At the main point of any brand, the goal is to create an emotional connection and have customer loyalty that people resonate with. When brands share their values and stories that humanize them, consumers not only come back for the products they sell, but they also come back for the emotional experience that the store brings them. Marketing is not only driven by the values that a company shares, but is also made through a pipeline from social media. Companies like Pink Palm Puff use teenage influencers to promote their products. A lot of influencers are around their age, and the brand is centered around teenagers in that category. Pink Palm Puff hosted a brand trip in the Bahamas for teenage influencers to show off and promote their swimwear, as well as clothes. The brand was created so it appealed to a younger demographic of people. This was showcased by the designs and slogans they use, such as “Everything comes in Waves” (PowerCommerce). While scrolling on social media, a teenager may feel like they are missing out and are not living their life to the fullest.

Pink Palm Puff is a brand that is catered towards teenagers, but the price is also high for a hoodie or swimsuit. The brand believes that because the hoodie has no strings and is made out of a plush material, it would appeal to teenagers and make them believe that the price tag is worth it. They use marketing on popular social media apps: Instagram, TikTok, and through brands. They make it seem like it's a club that brings friendship and fun when promoting their clothes. Overall, there are many different tactics that go into marketing to appeal to consumers.

Brand Case Studies (300 -400 words for each case study, expand on all the points, reword in your language)

Case Studies

Table 1

Psychological strategies used by brands to attract teenagers

I. Starbucks – FOMO and “ Being part of a Vibe”

Starbucks holds a special appeal for teenagers. A 2024 survey found that over 57% of teens in the age group of 13 to 17 went to Starbucks to socially “hang out” and to converse over a drink. (National Restaurant News). Starbucks positions itself as a premium brand with high aspirational value. Teenagers see Starbucks as cool, aspirational, and inclusive, which caused an upward trend for Starbucks in suburban areas. (Business Model Analyst)

The stores usually have a contemporary and relaxed vibe to them, making them attractive destinations for teenagers to study, chat, or wind down alone or in groups. Additionally, the drinks that Starbucks offers, such as the pumpkin spice latte during the fall, caramel frappuccino, or the iced strawberry acai lemonade, are very popular with members of Generation Z. The iced shaken espresso brought double the sales and has been “wildly popular”. (WARC)

Teenagers often visit Starbucks with their friends to hang out and post pictures with their favorite drinks. Because Starbucks has an aspirational appeal, many teenagers are willing to pay more for a premium-priced “Instagrammable” treat at Starbucks as compared to cheaper options at Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's. Starbucks has successfully positioned itself in the minds of teenagers as trendy and cool, and they associate it with a higher social status as compared to competitors like Dunkin's and McDonald's, which are seen as “cheap” or “affordable” alternatives not fitting in with the aspirational vibe. As per a survey in the spring of 2025, 51% of teenagers visited Starbucks, 11% went to Dunkin, while only 6% went to McDonald's and Dutch Bros. (National Restaurant News)

Getting drinks from other places is not seen to be the same as getting the experience of buying a drink from Starbucks. Starbucks has further sealed this premium image with new practices such as getting the workers to write names and messages on cups for a more personalized experience. (Meyersohn) In a teenager's mind, if you are not getting a drink from Starbucks, it means you are ‘missing out’ on a premium-priced luxury experience. Seeing photos of friends hanging out exclusively at Starbucks can lead to the fear of missing out or FOMO. FOMO, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, is “a worried feeling that you may miss exciting events that other people are going to, especially caused by things you see on social media.”(Cambridge University Press) FOMO is also a tactic used by Starbucks to attract customers when they make their exclusive seasonal drinks. Table 1 shows that FOMO leads to social validation making them fall into a trend like the summer berry refresher, which is only offered during the summer, or the pumpkin spice latte offered during the fall. If a consumer doesn’t buy the product, they are missing out on an aesthetic feeling that they could have gotten from the drink or the ritual of drinking an overpriced latte every day.

In the spring of 2025, the percentage of teenagers visiting Starbucks remained at 51% with only a 6% drop. (National Restaurant News) This shows that Starbucks still has a big influence on people. Some consumers may think, “why get it at Starbucks when I could get it somewhere cheaper?” These individuals still end up going to Starbucks because of the ambience you get there that you don’t get from a typical coffee shop or fast food place.

One way Starbucks connects emotionally with young consumers is through the “#WhatsYourName” campaign by Starbucks in London. The campaign has recognized LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically transgender people. It was launched in February 2020 to promote confidence in the transgender community. The objective was for them to find their voice by daring themselves to say their name. In 2017, Iris led a shift in Starbucks' focus away from the product to the impact it has on people to show a symbol of progress. Before, there was a lack of diversity in representing the LGBTQ+ community, but the campaign helped gain Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising award. 1% of the population made up the transgender community, but only 0.3% was represented on TV adverts. After creating the #WhatsYourName campaign, over 50,000 cookies were sold within a week and a 3.3% increase in transactions from Starbucks. (IRIS) Starbucks expanding on the idea of writing names on cups and bringing it to life helped humanize the brand and show support to different communities, leading to more sales.

Cups of Kindness was created with the famous pop star Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way Foundation” in June 2017. Her foundation promotes kindness, improves mental health, and creates positive environments. (Teen Vogue) and Starbucks contributed more than $250,000 to it. (Bauerlein) The Cups of Kindness initiative was from June 13th to June 19th in 2017. (The Drum) It featured four pink and green drinks: The Pink Drink; an ongoing drink presently consisting of strawberry and coconut flavors making it a light beverage, the Matcha Lemonade; a drink blended with matcha green tea and lemonade, the Violet Drink; blackberries mixed with tart to create a violet hue and sweet drink, and the Ombre Pink Drink; a drink that combines the Cool Lime Starbucks Refresher with a splash of their Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea to create hibiscus notes. Starbucks aimed to donate 25 cents with each drink purchased. (Teen Vogue) The chain hoped to capitalize on “limited items” to create a buzz, but instead had a celebrity tied in with it, as well as having a charity component to foster empathy.

In 2016, Starbucks debuted itself as a media company, releasing its first original content series called “Upstanders. The 10-part series shies away from the norm of showing the newest drink or focusing on lattes. Instead, it showcases the everyday life of ordinary citizens through podcasts, articles, and short films. (Buoyant Agency) The Starbucks upstander video series received more than 80 million views, and Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, went on different platforms such as CBS's This Morning and The Daily Show to promote the films. (Side x Side Studios) This campaign humanized Starbucks and showed that they are more than just drinks and coffee cups; they also want to get involved in issues people are going through. Issues such as poverty and racism were not brushed upon; instead, it was the highlight of this series, and it spread awareness, making Starbucks show humanity. (Perez)

Starbucks is implementing tactics to create a seasonal fear of missing out, maintain a warm vibe in its stores, and use personalization to attract customers. Recognizing that no other brand has the chic style that Starbucks brings puts them ahead of any competitors.

II. Glossier – Influencer Credibility and Peer Inclusion

Over time, a minimalistic presence is making a comeback in society. (Avari Beauty) The “clean girl” aesthetic has taken over the beauty industry, transforming makeup trends from previous eras like the 2000s. Glossier is a minimalist skincare and makeup company designed for young people. Teenagers are constantly on social media, comparing themselves to others, whether they realise it or not. Their philosophy emphasises the importance of self-acceptance and self-confidence, which can significantly enhance the self-esteem of teenagers. “Instead of using airbrushed faces, Glossier uses diversity in their models such as freckles, different colored skin, tattoos, and natural hair.” (Extole). Glossier’s brand is all about a natural feeling and expressing yourself through natural beauty. The positive impact Glossier has on self-esteem during adolescence can create a strong bond between the brand and its audience.

Glossier’s products are reasonably priced, and their website offers attractive discounts, making them appealing to teenagers and parents who are hesitant to spend a lot on beauty products. The brand’s versatility and captivating nature are evident in their multi-use products, such as their “balm dotcom” lip balm, which can also be used as a cheek tint to add a flush to the face. This allows consumers to have fewer products but achieve more with them. This goes into a minimalist mantra that you may hear people say, “less is more”. It is an open-ended phrase that could have many different meanings depending on the context in which you use it.

Glossier's color palette also consists of pastel and neutral colors. Using these colours can help a mind feel calm and less overwhelmed. Not only is this a timeless look that will continue for generations, but it also ties in with teenagers' thoughts during this trend cycle. By using phrases and aesthetics that appeal to teenagers’ minds, such as decluttering and simplifying life, Glossier can persuade them to purchase its products.

Working to promote their products, Glossier partnered with their first-ever celebrity, Grammy Award winner Olivia Rodrigo, to create the “You Look Good” campaign. Before, Glossier had original micro influencers promote products, which had an extraordinary impact, but using well-known artists among Gen Z solidified a new standing for them to get more attention. To viewers, a celebrity promoting products, saying they love them and never using them again, seems inauthentic. Olivia Rodrigo had been spotted previously in 2021 wearing Glossier products on red carpets, showing her authenticity and love for the brand. Furthermore, she was also featured on Vogue's Beauty Secret Series using products from Glossier in her daily makeup routine. Being dedicated to the brand proves to viewers that Glossier is genuine and that they can trust someone's reviews on the product and buy the products that Olivia Rodrigo is selling. Using social media, the campaign consisted of posts that included a video of Olivia Rodrigo getting ready on Glossier's YouTube Channel with her exclusive line. The video gained 2.3 million plus views, which is significantly higher than the average video on Glossier's YouTube channel. In 2022, Olivia Rodrigo had over 30 million followers on Instagram. She shared videos of herself with Glossier, which promotes it to different audiences who follow her. Glossier used a sense of urgency to promote Rodrigo's exclusive line, which brought engagement up and drove sales. Since the products were there for a limited time, customers rushed to buy her new collab products. In addition, Rodrigo held a meet and greet at Glossier's store in Los Angeles. She gave the opportunity for the first 100 people to receive an autographed makeup bag along with a picture. She showed that makeup is more than just a product through her personal touches to show that makeup is a philosophy. (Ad Club BU)

Glossier and Starface, which is a popular acne patch brand amongst teens, collaborated to create fun pimple patches. Glossier and Starfaces' ideals match up in terms of what they sell and what they want to promote. (Vogue)By putting skin first, Glossier and Starfaces' ideals go hand in hand in terms of what they sell and what they want to promote. Starface's goal is to make breakouts not something to worry and stress about, but instead create something fun and joyful. By combining Glossier's emblematic sticker sheets and using Starface's distinguished hydrocolloid formula, they created a collection of fun, nostalgic, and engaging pimple patches to ratify dull skincare routines. Putting the skincare at a reasonable price of $19 for 32 patches in a pink compact mirror and creating refill packs for $15 attracts the youth because it isn’t as expensive for a major brand collab compared to other brands. (Intersect Magazine) Using reusable and collectable items like the compact mirror promotes sustainability and shows consumers that the brand is trying to be environmentally friendly instead of creating one-use products.

When receiving a Glossier package, you’ll find mostly empty space, but there are stickers with hashtags that invite you to join their ambassadors programme. By joining, teenagers will spread content, get discounts, and gain recognition on Glossier’s Instagram page, which boasts over 3.2 million followers. Making people feel like they are part of a community is what Glossier is all about. Glossier uses platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, which are very popular among teenagers. Using social media, Glossier encourages customers to post “shelfies”: aesthetic pictures of their skincare and makeup arranged on a shelf. It promotes cleanliness and organization while getting to show off your products. Posting “shelfies” can give a customer a chance to appear on the blog “Into the Gloss”. (Into The Gloss)

This provides people with a familiar sense of comfort, allowing them to return and share their love for the brand, all the while unintentionally promoting it.

Glossier is also partnered with the Women’s National Basketball Association, which is a significant part of their marketing strategy to encourage product purchases. (WNBA) It’s not always easy for women in sports to feel feminine or connected to themselves. This helps bring a whole new level of confidence while still promoting simplicity and skin first. By partnering with the WNBA, they are showcasing diversity, strength, and broadening the base of people who may want to buy their product. Sharing their journey and the emotional aspects of their success with players humanises the brand and fosters a deeper connection with consumers. With more than 1 million followers of the WNBA, Glossier is expanding itself to a whole different bracket of people, making it more popular. (WNBA)

Glossier appeals to teen consumers by using simplistic methods and collaborating with brands that promote diversity.

III. Hollister – Sensory Immersion and Belonging

Whether it be a boutique, discount store, or a department store, camouflage, bows, and polka dots are something that everybody sees when they walk into a clothing store. It's the new microtrend that everyone is raving about. It used to be cheetah print, tie-dye, and a Y2K indie style.

Hollister is a clothing retail store that is under Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) It is known for being popular amongst teenagers and young adults. It is also the #1 apparel brand for female teens, which is potentially disrupting Nike's dominance. (Piper Sandler

Companies)

Hollister carries clothes from XXS all the way to XXL. It’s noted for its inclusivity, accommodating all sizes, from small to large, short to tall, and curvy to straight.

Not only is the variety of clothing sizes Hollister carries vast, but they are also inclusive of tall and petite people, making sizes fit them. The love that Hollister gets is attributable to the diversity they include to make sure people can fit in. Knowing that a brand doesn’t carry your size can lead to disappointment and resentment of the brand because they aren’t trying to be inclusive. Recognizing this, Hollister made sure that everyone could fit in with the trend without being left out or excluded.

Hollister has partnered with popular influencers among Gen Z to promote their clothing brand. Charli and Dixie D’Amelio are two prime examples of influencers who have had a significant impact on Gen Z. They are both trending influencers on TikTok, with over 210 million followers combined, and have made a huge impact on fashion trends since 2020.

This collaboration with the D'Amelios in their ‘Jean Lab’ campaign has single-handedly brought up over 2.5 billion views on the platform in just under a week. With the chance to have a meet and greet with their favorite TikTokers by using the hashtags ‘#MoreHappyDenimDance’ and ‘#HCoContest’, it quickly became a viral sensation among viewers on TikTok while bringing Hollister fame and recognition. (Hale, 2020)

Another popular collaboration Hollister partnered with is “Name, Image, and Likeness” (NIL) in college sports. According to Sports Illustrated, they launched a 67-piece Collegiate Graphics Shop collection with features of more than 30 universities. Hollister collaborated with student athletes from these universities to make social media promotions. Over 150 athletes made 500+ social media posts displaying their college spirit wear from Hollister's apparel. In NIL history, this was the largest number of social media posts in a day. (SI College) Hollister's collaboration with universities spread a lot of fame to their brand in a way that college students can also have comfortable and stylish clothes to wear, representing where they go.

The Hollister Brand Agent Program is a big part of Hollister's marketing strategy. By encouraging teenagers who are 16 years old or older, love to create content, and have over 1,500 followers to join their program, the brand is indirectly promoting Hollister clothing. Furthermore, it allows teenagers to experience content creation and what it is like to be an influencer, so that they can gain experience. Peer-to-peer recommendations are heavily used in teens' lives. They get influenced by what their favorite influencers and what people on social media say about trends. Seeing people their age talk about “how cute” Hollister's new jeans are convinces users to buy them. It builds trust with the audience and strives to build a community. To persuade teenagers to join, they offer great benefits: getting discounts, being able to brainstorm new campaign ideas, receiving gifted products for content creation, features on Hollister's social media pages, and first access to new releases. To keep the content stimulating without getting repetitive, they create challenges, and if the ambassador completes them, they earn commission and get perks.

Trends also fluctuate throughout social media. Hollister is known for carrying cute and trendy clothes. Camo print and bows are examples of what was considered popular, and they became a design on every product. Walking into Hollister, these designs are what a consumer would see when they walk in. This makes Hollister a place where teenagers can go and rely on when they want nice clothes. When a new clothing style becomes trendy, followers of social media or people looking for a new wardrobe will favor coming to Hollister over other places.

Hollister is a brand that teenage, young-adult boys and girls can shop at. Making their brand size inclusive while incorporating different styles is making them one of the most popular brands to wear, while also being quite affordable. Continuing to follow trends and keep up their style will help them become a viral sensation in the near future.

IV. Shein – Impulse and Instant Gratification

Table 2

Ethical Risks and Protective Measures

Imagine a world where everything you desire is just a click away, at incredibly low prices. You will receive endless offers for discounts, and you can even play games to win money that you can spend on your shopping. Plus, you’ll get free shipping by spending a certain amount.

Shein is an international e-commerce platform that specializes in things from fast fashion all the way to room decor. When the world went through a global pandemic, everything became digital. Shopping in person turned into online shopping and having it delivered to your door. Shein rose to popularity during that time and is still relevant in today's society. They frequently offer promo codes, discounts, and offer free shipping if you spend over a certain amount.

As soon as users enter the website, they find themselves being overloaded with offers to get discounts. By prominently highlighting offers, they may find relief in accepting one of their deals and feel better about their spending while shopping. (Exposure Ninja)

Shein also uses gamification. By offering pop-ups, you can spin the wheel and you can get different discounts from it. Gamification is a tactic that captures consumers' attention, especially for Generation Z. While over 95% of teenagers scroll on apps like TikTok or go on Instagram Reels, it has shortened the amount of time people in Gen Z take to look at things, as well as the new generations, such as Gen Alpha. (Pew Research Center). Knowing this, Shein took advantage of Gen Z's tendencies for quick engagement and used them to boost profits.

A tactic that Shein uses is urgency and scarcity. Shein uses misleading claims to make a consumer think that they are running out of stock on a certain product when they really are not. Fake timers create urgency to make consumers quickly check out before the offer ends, even though there was no urgency in the first place. Table 2 states that a potential safeguard for flash sales and limited drops is to have purchase limits and show transparency. Shein implementing rules such as those can benefit the wellbeing of teenage consumers. Using urgency leads to overconsumption because consumers won’t think about what they have in the cart and just buy it because it's “cheap” and time is running out to get the “deal” Shein is offering. (Data Insights Market)

A campaign that SHEIN uses that involves scarcity is their point system and daily check-ins. By joining the program on the SHEIN app, users can earn points that can be used towards their shopping cart. The point system with daily check-ins builds habits within users to go on the app once a day to get discounts on their products. The user has to internally think about the points they will use it for in the future for the items they put in. This gets users to further think about SHEIN unintentionally and engage them in earning the points. On that page as well, there are personal recommendations on an area called a “benefits bar” with clothes or things a user may like. It encourages them to click it and add it directly into the cart without thinking twice.. If a user misses one day, the streak resets, and users have to re-earn their rewards, making it seem like they have to check in every day. Getting the rewards is stimulating and provides dopamine, turning the check-ins into an addictive loop. While using gamification, users may not realize the lasting effect it can have on them and the problems it can lead to. (Exposure Ninja)

The website also introduces new items periodically to keep consumers engaged and anticipating upcoming trends. The variety of products you can find on Shein and the rapid production Shein offers in general also lead to ethical considerations. Mass producing items goes against Shein's saying they are working towards sustainable practices (SHEIN). Additionally, the amount of financial strain Shein can put on a consumer can lead to further problems, such as money spending problems, overconsumption, and addiction. Shein allows you to easily add items to the cart to qualify for free shipping right before you check out. This is something that consumers might succumb to without realizing how the money adds up eventually.

Shein has risen to become top 3 of the most popular e-commerce websites in the United States and is easily able to make teenagers fall for impulse shopping (Statista). By promoting flashy sales and discounts, the youth are encouraged to make quick purchases without thinking about the exponential effects it could lead to in the future.

V. The Ordinary – Science-Driven Transparency and Community Trust

Many teens experience situations where their skin is not clearing up, and they have an important presentation at school the next day, and appearance is a priority for them. What do they do? Many people frantically search for skin care products to clear their skin, but end up applying multiple products, which irritates their skin the next day. Allergic reactions break out, and their face becomes sensitive, all because they were trying to get rid of some mild acne. Later, they reflect on what they did and make a decision to find simple and clean skin care that they can identify without having to search for labels, figure out what they do, or determine if it's too harsh for their skin.

The Ordinary is a skincare brand dedicated to making skincare transparent and affordable. By sharing the straightforward ingredients they use and explaining what they do, they hope to make skincare easy and straightforward to use. Its mission is to help people make a custom skincare fit for their skin type and needs.

According to The Tech Advocate, The Ordinary ranks #1 out of 15 in terms of affordability. (Lynch, 2024) This is what The Ordinary hopes to promote. A marketing stunt that demonstrates their affordability is selling eggs in New York City. During a time of inflation, everything became more expensive. Groceries, including eggs, have skyrocketed in price and become scarce due to increased demand from more people trying to buy them. In this situation, The Ordinary decided to sell eggs at two of its locations in New York City. They sold the eggs at a price of $3.37 and labeled them as “ordinary eggs,” making an association with their brand. (Reuter) Not only does this show the brand being humane and genuine, but it also shows the affordability that The Ordinary has. Teenagers don’t always want to spend so much money on skincare, so making it affordable but having so many people buy it increases profits automatically. For example, Niacinamide serum is a product that teenagers may use. The Ordinary sells it for 10 dollars. Compared to another brand, such as Paula’s Choice, which sells it for $31, people are more likely to favor The Ordinary, knowing that it is cheap and effective. It also encourages parents to allow young adults to use skincare without worrying about spending too much money.

To include its customers and make them feel like they are part of an experience, The Ordinary hosts “Pop Up” immersive lab-like spaces where users can try different products and talk to professionals. An example of this is their “Secret Ingredient" pop-up in Soho, New York City. The exhibit shows the effects of celebrity endorsements and how they impact the pricing of skincare. The Ordinary is mainly known for its affordability, so this campaign critiques other skincare brands pouring money into the pricing of skincare instead of using that money to develop high-quality products. To make it a more enjoyable experience, they included appealing photo opportunities and allowed them to get one-on-one skincare advice to make it more personalized. The pop-up created by Uncommon Creative Studio sheds light on the truth behind different skin care brands. Amy Bi, VP of Brand at The Ordinary, succinctly explains, “We’re a brand built on science, not celebrity. Most people don’t realize just how expensive this ‘ingredient’ can be, so we’re going to show them in the most visceral way possible” . (K, 2025) This project, The Ordinary, is a transparent company dedicated to educating its audience and making sure they know that they are authentic.

Beyond affordability, transparency is another core value that appeals to teens. Being able to identify the ingredients being used rather than searching for ingredients and figuring out what they do simplifies things a lot for teenagers. UC Davis states that over 85% of teenagers struggle with acne starting at age 11 for girls and later for boys. (University of California, Davis Health) Teenagers' skin is still evolving, and it's important not to put harsh chemicals on your face. It can lead to more harm in the future. The Ordinary's way of showing what ingredients they use can allow teenagers to figure out what is best for their skin without having to use unnecessary products and accidentally triggering reactions to sensitive skin.

The Ordinary positions itself as affordable, transparent, and teen-friendly. The company's commitment to affordability has made skincare more accessible for teenagers who don’t have a large budget. Campaigns such as selling “ordinary eggs” during inflation reinforced their relationship with affordability and everyday consumers. Transparent and low-cost products being popular represent a shift in Gen Z’s attraction to products, moving from high-luxury skincare to affordable clean skincare. This reflects how transparency and affordability benefit teens and shape consumer trust.

Ethical Considerations

Table 2

Ethical Risks and Protective Measures

The aggressive marketing of products to adolescents often raises ethical concerns, principally when they take advantage of their vulnerabilities for profit. Exposure to intense marketing targeting young ages can influence the views of how these adolescents grow up into teenagers, potentially promoting materialism to them leading to overconsumption. Table 2 states that a way to combat materialism is to provide balanced messaging so teenagers can keep their spending in mind. In a stage of adolescence, teenagers can be impressionable which makes it easy to distort their healthy identity formation. Because of the new era in digital marketing, it makes it easy for teenagers to become vulnerable to manipulative tactics throughout social media without noticing. This has sparked an ongoing debate of how corporations should take on a role of responsibility to protect young people from industries and the urgency for stronger policies to make sure teenagers are not being harmed over profit. Using safeguards can help relieve the manipulation behind corporate brands to ensure teenagers are safe.

Discussion (300-500 words)

Nowadays, teenagers are not only looking to buy trendy products they see people using, they are looking to buy an identity. Through calculated psychological tactics, corporate brands are turning teenagers into loyal consumers without them even realizing it. The five case studies all have a pattern in common: delving into young adults' emotions and values to create a lasting bond with them. By not only creating young consumers, they create brand ambassadors. Tuning into what the latest trend is on social media is the easiest way for brands to gain attraction because of how many micro trends there are right now. Mass producing items that every young teenager wants to wear for a month or two and then never look at again, and then repeating the cycle with a new trend is the way brands are able to make profit off of social media.

Creating brand ambassadors to gain traction of the new “trend” is helping them reach new audiences they could not reach just by plain advertising on TV commercials or ads. Seeing a friend wear the $40 dollar top you wanted so badly but aren’t allowed to get because of family or other causes can give youth a feeling of FOMO and sadness. Especially when a teenagers favorite influencer is wearing the brand new $90 dollar hoodie making them want to buy it. Ordinary brands collabing with more popular brands also drives profit for brands because the youth can be excited about buying products from their favorite celebrity such as the Olivia Rodrigo x Glossier collab. Business Wire states, “Brand activations at events have a significant impact on Gen Z's purchasing behavior. Nearly 64% of respondents reported purchasing items due to event advertising, with those frequently influenced by brand collaborations being more likely to attend Food Fairs and Fashion Events” (MERGE). Because over half of respondents are Gen Z, there could most likely be an increase in the next generations because of how advanced marketing is becoming. These different associations with products or clothes cause more problems than expected. Developing parasocial relationships with people they don’t know, feeling like they're not cool enough if they don’t buy the same clothes as them, and having to spend a vast amount of money for something that won’t be worn in a while all are concerns that brands psychological marketing can raise.

Future Trends and Recommendations

Table 3

Trends in Teen Marketing

With the world becoming more advanced technologically, AI (artificial intelligence) is becoming more powerful and taking over careers that no one expected it to. With its advanced intelligence, it is able to find more and more ways to persuade users to do what it wants them to do. Table 3 states that a potential impact from AI-driven personalization is that it can be more effective and intrusive by making targeted ads using teenage data. “A McKinsey report projects that by 2030, 30% of current U.S. jobs could be automated, with 60% significantly altered by AI tools. Goldman Sachs predicts that up to 50% of jobs could be fully automated by 2045, driven by generative AI and robotics” (Kelly). Learning media literacy throughout schools is crucial for teens so they can resist manipulation and critically analyze marketing messages to become more aware of what corporate brands and AI will try to push on them. Beyond school, parents and guardians should be open to fostering conversations about peer pressure and consumerism. The earlier a child is aware of it, the more they can prepare themselves to be able to resist things such as clothes seen on a billboard that won't have any use to them and will get put in the back of a closet in a short amount of days. Although spreading awareness throughout homes and schools helps spread knowledge about this topic, policymakers further implement stricter regulations on advertising and marketing to minors, especially online and in school. Examples of this are the Children's Online Privacy

Protection Act and the Children's Television Act of 1990. The New Jersey State Bar Foundation states, “The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act is a federal law that gives parents control over what personal information websites can collect from children under 13 years old. It requires companies to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing a child’s personal information online. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limits the amount of commercial time in children’s television programming. The Children’s Television Act of 1990 established these limits. And yet, some companies find a way around those protections—so states have put additional laws in place” (Mendoza, 2025). Policies like these being carried out through other states and countries can help prevent a brewing disaster from starting in the next generation of young adults. Without stronger protection and education, the next generation may become more vulnerable to corporate control and may grow up to be more influenced by algorithms than their own values.

Conclusion (250-300 words)

Brands that are figuratively catered to teens, such as Starbucks, Glossier, Hollister, Shein, and The Ordinary, all actively use psychological principles to attract and retain teen consumers. Using peer influence, emotional appeal, and social media strategies shapes teens' purchases and taints self-image. While over 95% of teenagers from ages 13 to 17 use social media, it often starts younger, with over 40% of ages 8–12 using it (Office of the Surgeon General). Social media use this early and the ability to be impacted by what corporate brands push on them can have minimal positive impact on habits they can develop in the future.

Continuing to use tactics like these can cause unintentional impacts in teenagers' lives and become more of a bigger issue about how teenagers view themselves.To make sure young adults are protected from greedy corporations, making sure strict policies are enforced is important for their well-being. While marketing is not inherently bad, as it can spark creativity and innovation, the line between influence and exploitation can be thin, which makes it important to recognize signs of going overboard.

By keeping in mind the importance of moderate use, brands can continue to make a profit without exploiting teen vulnerabilities. Not only will this make the brand reputable, but it can also help families save money, reduce the amount of overconsumption, and help teenagers be able to buy things they want without being influenced by external media. Ultimately, understanding these effects is essential for promoting healthier decision-making among teenagers.

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