How Do Romanian Post-Millennials Behave on YouTube? A Comparative Analysis of Contemporary Online Cohorts

Associate Professor Mirela ABRUDAN, PhD Department for Communication, PR and Advertising Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania E-mail: [email protected]

Ștefan NEAGA Department for Communication, PR and Advertising Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. The present paper aims to shed light on the consumer habits of Romanian Z Generation on YouTube, in order to allow a comparative analysis of contemporary cohorts’ online behavior at international level. YouTube is worldwide the most beloved and a constantly growing online -sharing platform among youngsters of the new millennium. Us- ing questionnaires applied to Romanian post-millennial individuals, the study tries to figure out, in a quantitative manner, if emerging national tendencies reflect international trends regarding YouTube consumption.

Keywords: Generation Z; YouTube; Romania; online consumer behavior; globalization.

Journal of Media Research, DOI:10.24193/jmr.32.5 53 Vol. 11 Issue 3(32) / 2018, pp. 53-70 Published First Online: 2018/11/05 Introduction Globalization is the process of demographic, economic, ecological, political and mili- tary interconnections on a global scale where the intensive communication between peo- ple illustrates that never in the history of humankind the global connections had such a broad reach and deep impact on the selves and identities of an increasing number of people (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka 2010, 21). The emergence and continuous growth of the Internet, Web 2.0, social networking sites and online video-sharing plat- forms such as YouTube are the best example of how global connectedness is an innate desire of billions of individuals. Globalization opens humans’ horizons by the possibilities of international contacts and economical, informational and edu- cational cooperation between the countries and cultures (Hermans & Hermans- Konopka 2010, 21-22). In this context, the present study aims at presenting how individuals through participative community perceive cooperation in the content creation and consumption environment of the YouTube video-sharing platform. It sparks curiosity to see whether or not Romanian users, members of the post-mil- lennial generation, present similar traits as those identified by studies conducted on international level. Communication technology, especially the digital one, is identified as an ele- ment of contemporary life, which reshapes human consciousness. The trend of change and turning away from traditional media outlets becomes evident in the analysis of contemporary cohorts. Nevertheless, the global expresses itself in local forms and vice-versa as well, which applies also to contemporary online commu- nication trends. This can be considered as another manifestation of the concept of glocalization, proposed by Robertson (1995) in order to emphasize the interconnect- edness between global and local. The mixed mode of manifestation is reflected also in the type of content the individuals belonging to Generation Z prefer.

Generation Z Concerning the concept of generations, Ryder (1965, 843-861) defines the term as a group of individuals of similar age, that have lived through the same histori- cal events in the same period of time; the members of a certain generation face the same social, economic and cultural factors. We will however, slightly alter Ryder’s definition for the purposes of this paper, by equating generations from different countries that have clearly faced different social factors. As previously mentioned, the Internet is one of the key factors in the globalization process, and could be seen as a common social event people faced. Thus, comparing generations from differ- ent countries seems acceptable when researching such a phenomenon as online behaviour that spans across the entirety of the globe. In order to understand the way generational cohorts relate to the Internet and especially to YouTube, certain historical, psychological and socio-demographical

54 factors should be considered. One such factor is the differences in lifestyle between generations; this can be noticed in regards to aspects such as political leanings or opinions of regarding oneself and others, but also in the use of online communica- tion channels. Concerning the delimitation of different generations, the most well-known classifications (Howe & Strauss 2000; Oblinger & Oblinger 2005; Reeves &Oh 2008) distinguish between the following: the Silent Generation (approx. 1925-1943), Baby Boomers (approx. 1946-1964), Generation X (approx. 1964-1980), Generation Y (approx. 1981-1995) and Generation Z (approx. 1996-present). Considering the fact that the subjects of the present study correspond to the last mentioned cohort, in the following, some specificities of this generation will be outlined, insisting on the online technology-related habits, given the topic of the research. Generation Z or the post-millennial generation, as it is often called, as well as the millennial one – the Y Generation, is described as a global generation given the digital presence and instant online experiencing of the same events which are oc- curring worldwide (McCrindle & Wolfinger 2009). Always connected online, post- millennial individuals grew up with digital technology and cannot live without it (Segran 2016). Among the main characteristics of Generation Z are the multitask- ing ability, the preference for computers and smartphones and the active usage of (v)blogs and websites (Abrudan 2015). Important to mention is also their tendency of shifting away from text-based online content, in favour of streaming content, especially video, which is why they are spending more time on YouTube than on in comparison to Millennials (Abrudan 2015). Denom- inated in various ways, i.e. digital natives (Williams 2017) or iBrains (Wolters 2017), it is assumed that by 2020 these youngsters will represent 40% of the consumers in Europe and US (Wolters 2017).

Generation Z on YouTube Defined as the third largest global website and the second largest search en- gine, YouTube registers over 1.3 billion users worldwide, according to Donchev (2017). Its initial goal of facilitating people to share online evolved, and the site became nowadays a major advertising platform and revenue stream for inves- tors, partners and content creators (Holland 2016). October 2006 marked a fabulous change for YouTube, when bought the online video-sharing platform for $1.65 billion. Thus, from a platform that allowed amateur producers to share their videos ad-free, YouTube became a site contain- ing professionally made and commercialized videos. However ordinary people are stimulated to take actively part in the process of creation and circulation of the content they consume (Burgess & Green 2009, 17), through the tagline Broadcast Yourself. Participatory culture is the key to the website’s success. Even if already

55 accounting for 6% of Google’s advertising revenue, YouTube is still growing by developing new services such as live streaming or YouTube Red, a paid content platform (Holland 2016). In terms of audience, empirical studies indicate that the majority of YouTube’s active and passive consumers are, worldwide, under the age of 49 (O’Neil-Hart & Blumenstein 2016). However, the public has become in recent years obviously more nuanced than at the beginning of social networking. In this regard, Google – along with other independent sources, have published marketing researches, data reports, guides, info graphics, and articles on the website thinkwithgoogle.com, re- vealing also what people belonging to various generations do on this specific in- teractive online platform called YouTube. The results show a different behaviour according to age (Aslam 2018). Using mainly the studies published on thinkwithgoogle.com as a starting point and as a model for developing the methodological design, the present paper aimed at offering an overview of the behaviour of Romanian post-millennial indi- viduals on YouTube, by conducting a survey with members of Generation Z. The purpose of the research was a comparative analysis in an international context; checking the validity of certain general hypothesis on national level was also an objective of the study given the fact that the Romanian YouTube audiences were poorly researched. Concerning the behaviour of Gen Z on YouTube – the which makes the object of the present research, a study done on U.S. teenagers shows that 85% of the post-millennial individuals’ access YouTube more than any other website. The preference for real people as opposed to celebrities is also indi- cated by the collected data (63% compared to 47%). 40% of the youngsters state they would choose brands used on YouTube as opposed to any other platform (Pew Research 2018). Over 60% of the questioned individuals in a study (2017) are willing to try a brand or product recommended by YouTube con- tent creators, and under 50% would do the same for products endorsed by televi- sion/movie stars. One of the major factors that had led to the success of online content creators is their focus on community and interaction with the viewers. The most famous YouTuber on a global scale, Pewdipie, is most probably the best ex- ample of this phenomenon. Concerning the Romanian YouTube audiences and their consumption habits, little data is available in comparison to the international scene. This is why such studies as the present one are necessary in order to enrich the existing literature. Although, it is evident that certain key factors such as language access, high qual- ity Internet connection (Vrabie 2015) and a tendency towards a rising social media consumption particularly among younger generations (Abrudan 2015), indicate that Romania prove to be a promising YouTube market.

56 Methodology Research design In order to determine the features of the Romanian YouTube market and audi- ences, the present study aimed at developing a survey on national level. In this regard, an online questionnaire has been administrated to people of age ranges corresponding to Generation Z. During one month, from the 2nd of February to the 3rd of March 2018, 141 Romanian post-millennial individuals, with ages be- tween 14 and 21, answered the questionnaire posted on Facebook; 70,83% of the respondents were females and 29,17% males. The questions used for the current survey were derived from international studies regarding consumer behaviour on YouTube, mainly published on the website thinkwithgoogle.com. The collected data was meant to allow a comparison between the profiles of post-millennial Romanian users versus international ones. According to the objectives, the present study tried to answer the following questions: To what extent and how does Generation Z in Romania use YouTube? Do national trends reflect emerging international tendencies? Are there main dif- ferences in this regard and what do they consist in? The main hypothesis of the research stated that even if experiencing different historical events and facing different social, economical and cultural conditions, there are no main differences between the Romanian YouTube audience consist- ing of post-millennial individuals and international consumers of the same age, regarding behaviours, concepts and tastes. The Internet seems to be acting as a unifying social trend worldwide if the access to the online environment is granted.

Results and Discussion The following section aims to analyse the responses to the questionnaire of the Romanian Gen Z and to draw some conclusions regarding similarities and differ- ences to the international existing data, concerning post-millennial behaviour on YouTube. In this regard, the research study will provide an overview of the raw statistical data gathered from a number of 141 people belonging to Gen Z. Look- ing at the gender of individuals, who willingly participated in the given inquiry, 70.83% females and 29.17% males, the voluntary participation tendency of females in surveys with regard to their user habits, online presence, and views on con- sumer patterns is obvious. In order to determine on what platforms Romanian post-millennial individu- als do prefer to follow video content, the starting question was meant to reveal their television consumption habits. The first aspect suggested by the collected data is that members of Gen Z disregard TV as a source for video entertainment. Over 45% of the questioned youngsters stated that they do not consume TV con-

57 tent on a daily basis; more than half of those remaining spend less than one hour or between one or two hours a day in front of their TV-sets. They do however watch online videos much more frequently (over 90% of those questioned). The fact that Romanian post-millennials prefer online videos as opposed to classic television broadcasting is in accordance with international data. U.S. teenagers also revealed in a survey on habits and preferences the fact that they like more YouTube than conventional media outlets, even though the margin is much clos- er, with 25% stating that they watch TV every day, whereas 26% opted for You- Tube (Jaffray 2006). According to a Bitdefender.ro study on how long children and teenagers actu- ally use the Internet, Romanian teenagers spend about 5 hours daily online, and watching online videos appears to be one of the most frequent activities (Gielen 2016a). This behaviour is indicative of YouTube’s strategy, of generating long viewing sessions, with the goal of overtaking television. Within the search algo- rithm (the series of rules the YouTube search engine uses to answer a query), watch time is of key importance (Navdeep 2017). Views (clicks on the video) are not as relevant; this is because a shorter video watched completely, such as a 3-minute music clip, does not necessarily mean actual increased watch time as opposed to half of a 30-minute video. The company seeks to keep viewers watch as long as possible, thus exposing them to more adverts and increasing profits, similar to tra- ditional media outlets. According to YouTube content creator Mathew Patrick, the company’s search engine algorithm focuses primarily on watch time followed by views. Likes and comments are less relevant metric data (Gielen 2016b). Consider- ing the difference between television and online video watch time registered in the present survey, it becomes clear that YouTube’s corporate strategy seems quite efficient among Romanian teenagers. Concerning devices, the questioned members of Romanian Gen Z prefer the use of mobile technology to watch videos, choosing smartphones as a favourite platform (96%), followed by laptops (72%) and PCs (49%). The tendency towards mobility can also be noticed by the fact that laptops are preferred over personal computers. Only 24% of the individuals questioned, stated that they use a tablet for watching videos, which may have to do more with actually owning a tablet or not. The same can be assumed about youngsters who watch videos on smart tele- vision sets. Choosing smartphones over PCs is a typical behaviour for teenagers in Romania, as a Bitdefender.ro study confirms, highlighting also the use of multiple devices for Internet access (Gielen 2016a). Romanian youngsters tend to watch online videos not only on multiple de- vices but also on various websites; over 40% of the individuals questioned stated that they use both YouTube and Facebook for the consumption of video content. YouTuber Mathew Patrick explains that there is a difference between the types of

58 videos found on the two platforms; they are different in nature, as the websites themselves1. The Facebook videos (indicative of the Facebook experience) are per- sonal and linear, thus the Facebook feed allows users to interact with friend’s posts without accessing a particular friend’s page. On the other hand, YouTube offers a more open experience. Recommended videos are placed on the top of the home page but following that, there are numerous other categories; even after a video is selected there are various recommendations succeeding. As opposed to Face- book, YouTube is focused on communities and creators. Single viral videos with millions of views no longer equate to success on the website. Instead, YouTube focuses on content creators – people who upload videos on a regular basis and create a community around the content they produce. Mathew Patrick, YouTube content creator, highlights the derivative nature of the platform’s content. People do not come to YouTube to get the news2, they seek the reaction of their favourite crea- tor to the news, and respond via creating their own videos; thus most things are removed from the original.3 When it comes to the choice of websites for watching online videos, over 80% of the Romanian respondents prefer YouTube. This may be linked to multiple rea- sons. YouTube’s position as a market leader could be one of them. The increas- ing influence content creators have on youngsters may also influence this choice. Another possible reason for electing YouTube over Facebook may be related to YouTube’s strategy of focusing on mobile devices, the favourite format for watch- ing online videos for Gen Z, as shown above. The difference in age between the main demographics of the websites could also explain the youngsters’ preference. While both online consumer categories are getting older, YouTube’s audience still remains significantly younger, in comparison to Facebook’s. And one of the key differences between Generation Y and Z is age. While millennial individu- als are more present on Facebook, post-millennial ones are addicted to YouTube (Abrudan 2015), perceiving it not only as a source of entertainment but also of ed- ucation, as one U.S. teenager stated: I don’t think I can live without YouTube because, like everything is on there… (Jarboe 2016).

1 Unspecified Editor (2017. December 22). Game Theory: Will 2015 be THE END of YouTube Rewind?. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5mNccPBUk. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 2 Unspecified Editor (2017. December 22). Game Theory: Will 2015 be THE END of YouTube Rewind?. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5mNccPBUk. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 3 Unspecified Editor (2017. December 22). Game Theory: Will 2015 be THE END of YouTube Rewind?. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5mNccPBUk. Last accessed on 02.07.2018.

59 One of the aspects the official YouTube statistics page highlights is multilingual access, having regional versions in 88 countries and 76 languages.4 The demands of the global economy and intercultural characteristics require websites to permit the sharing of local information and allow for business opportunities and expan- sions. YouTube is clearly trying to be an inclusive website and thus increase its au- dience. In the case of the Romanian post-millennial cohort however, the strategy of using multiple languages seems rather unsuccessful. The majority of respond- ents (69%) stated they prefer video content in English, twice as many as those that have chosen Romanian (32%). Regarding the genres of videos, over 80% of the questioned Romanian mem- bers of Gen Z prefer music videos. This aspect is in accordance with international preferences. Music is the most subscribed category on YouTube which, according to existing data, crosses both gender and age barriers. In this regard, a study on YouTube demographics marks a difference between gender preferences (Blattberg 2015). On international level, gaming is the premiere male dominated category. How- ever, in Romania under 40% of the masculine youngsters questioned seem to be interested in such videos. The same can be said about beauty videos and the fe- male demographic. A little over half of those asked, stated that they watch this kind of video content. The gender gap between the two categories is obvious at national and international level. The lack of interest in gaming however is quite unique, given the fact that gaming is in many ways one of the premiere formats on YouTube. This may be indicative of the fact that Romanians are not particularly interested in the kind of videos international post. The “let’s play” videos, where the content creator plays a game and offers commentary while playing, are of little interest to our locals. “Let’s play” focuses on long videos and continuous viewing sessions, a single player game campaign or repeated runs of games or multi-player games. This type of videos generates long series that are easily binged content, similar to how sites like allow users to stream. Fitting with a search algorithm that aims to keep people watching as long as possible, online games are a part of the present strategy of YouTube. However, on the Romanian market, like on most other markets, piracy exists. Romania is a country where pirating content such as games is commonplace.5 What this means in terms of “let’s play” viewer-

4 Unspecified Editor (2017. December 22). What’s happening at YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 5 Unspecified Editor (2017. March 16). În România, pirateria e la ea acasă, în… aproape fiecare casă. Libertatea. Retrieved from http://www.libertatea.ro/stiri/romania-pirateria-e-la-ea-aca- sa-aproape-fiecare-casa-1776013. Last accessed on 02.07.2018.

60 ship is that people playing on pirated copies can’t enjoy the online components of games, thus being maybe less inclined to watch them. The effect piracy has on gaming and gaming viewership is difficult to quantify, particularly because it is impossible to equate pirated copies with lack of interest in games or gaming vid- eos. That being said, piracy remains an issue advertisers should be aware of when promoting software in Romania. Gabe Newel, the CEO of Valve – the largest digi- tal distribution game store in the world, states that piracy is not always an issue regarding pricing. According to his opinion, the free, pirated product is a market competitor that can be combated by better value services both for the end client as well as business partners (Tito 2011). Playing alongside content creators may be seen as one of these extra services. A similar situation occurs when comparing the local versus international inter- est in beauty videos. Only 56% of the questioned Romanian post-millennial fe- males are watching this category of content. Given the difficulties regarding ship- ping material goods over long distances, creates a niche local content creators can exploit. Even if makeup brands are currently supporting the online influencers, the largest Romanian beauty channel (of Laura Ciocanu) does not register more than 259,000 subscribers.6 Yet, the top 20 Romanian beauty YouTube pages indi- cate a growing tendency of the category.7 The video format they provide is also not necessarily favoured by the search engine algorithm of the website that tends to promote large viewing sessions, and highly supports large content creators be- cause of their large video backlog.8 Another video category Generation Z shows interest in all around the world is movies. Roughly 85% of the questioned Romanian members of Gen Z follow video content connected to this genre. Being one of the four most subscribed cat- egories on YouTube, traditional celebrities started collaborating with larger chan- nels of the online video platform. YouTube channel Screen junkies, for example, has a standing collaboration with Hollywood stars such as Ryan Reynolds9 or

6 Unspecified Editor (2017. June 16). Top 20 Beauty/Fashion - date raportate la săptămâna precedentă. TopVLoguri. Retrieved from http://www.topvloguri.ro/top-20-beauty. Last ac- cessed on 02.07.2018. 7 Unspecified Editor (2017. June 16). Top 20 Beauty/Fashion - date raportate la săptămâna precedentă. TopVLoguri. Retrieved from http://www.topvloguri.ro/top-20-beauty. Last ac- cessed on 02.07.2018. 8 Unspecified Editor (2017. June 15). Game Theory: Beyond Fidget Spinners – How to Create a YouTube Trend. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTus0_ IRQWg. Last accessed on 18.05.2018. 9 Unspecified Editor (2016. May 15). Honest Trailers - (Feat. Deadpool). YouTube/ ScreenJunkies. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qIRtFE6aIc. Last - ac cessed on 18.05.2018.

61 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson10. This show the way traditional and online media can intertwine. It allows fans to take an active role in communicating about their favourite films for little or no investment. The video format is particularly well suited for discussing movies, as it can use film footage for the background. Cer- tain film producers have even started requesting advertising from online content creators. One example in this regard is actor Vin Diesel promoting his movie The Last Witch Hunter on YouTube channel Geek and Soundry.11 This is clear proof that YouTube has become part of the mainstream media (Burgess & Green 2009). From a corporate perspective, the search engine algorithm is currently supporting a mix between new and old media. The need for generating daily content in order to be highlighted in the recommended video list is more easily met by a studio with a large staff than an individual video maker. Late night comedy shows are growing because of willingly posting episodes online and thus reaching a large audience that is not interested in watching television. Last Week Tonight with ’s web exclusive series has over 1 million subscribers and often posts content specifi- cally for YouTube beyond what is shown on TV.12 “How to” videos are also among the most popular types of videos Romanian post-millennial youngsters are interested in (79%). On an international level “how to” content is extremely popular. According to data revealed by YouTube, over 100 million hours of “how to” video contents were watched on the platform in 2015. The statistics indicated that 91% of users turn to their smartphones, Gen Z’s favourite screen, when trying to solve a problem (Gesenhues 2015). A rather unique aspect of the Romanian Z Generation is that its members do not take an interest in leaving comments on videos. Over 60% of those questioned stated that they do not leave comments at all and a further 36% use comments sometimes. YouTube has put emphasis on the comment section by highlighting comments made by creators in their own video’s comment section, as well as an emoticon placed on their profile image. They also use comments as a link to the Google+ social network. The comment section also serves as a mean of discussion between viewers. It helps constructing communities around specific content crea-

10 Unspecified Editor (2015. May 21). Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Wedding Surprise!. YouTube/ScreenJunkies. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-B7UJtvlLM. Last accessed on 18.05.2018. 11 Unspecified Editor (2015. October 19). D&Diesel with Vin Diesel (Extended Version). YouTube/Geek&Sundry. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLEMb_ RIZ3o&t=98s. Last accessed on 18.05.2018. 12 Unspecified Editor (2016. May 27). Conspiracies (Web Exclusive): Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). YouTube/LastWeekTonight. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=fNS4lecOaAc&index=1&list=PLmKbqjSZR8Tb9GfcO9akyINIU05irAizN. Last ac- cessed on 18.05.2018.

62 tors or videos. An entire video genre has sprung up based on presenting a cer- tain discussion topic in the video and generating dictions in the comment section. An example in this regard is the success videos concerning speculation on HBO’s TV series.13 Although, it should be noted that content creators use also other online social media platforms to interact with their subscriber commu- nity (Facebook, etc.), thus a lack of comments may not necessarily mean a lack of interaction. YouTube content creators thrive on notoriety, they seek to increase their view- er and subscriber numbers. Even though overall watch time is apparently a more relevant demographic than simple views, it is still based on a large number of people watching videos and doing so for as much time as possible. Content crea- tors seek to increase subscriber numbers, as subscribers are more likely to watch videos from the channels they are subscribed to. Romanian post-millennial youngsters are mostly familiar with the best-known , on international and local level. Over 50% of those questioned have heard of Pewdipie, and 26.43% of , some of the most popular general en- tertainment channels online. Nonetheless they are more familiar with Romanian content creators. This is in accordance with the YouTube content algorithm, which tends to favour local content to viewers14, thus growing in all the countries it has been localized in. The most popular online creators according to the current sur- vey are The Creative Monkeyz (58.57%), the founders of a mix between an animation and a gaming channel. Coming from Cluj-Napoca, they even have one of their vid- eos shown at the Transylvanian International Film Festival.15 49.23% of the ques- tioned Romanian post-millennial individuals are also familiar with Mikey Haș, the most popular YouTube content creator in Romania16, owning a re- view/comedy channel. Bianca Adam is the third most mentioned YouTuber from the national landscape (39.16%), an example of content creator that rose to fame on YouTube and transformed her success into a traditional TV show (Spătaru 2017).

13 Unspecified Editor (2017. June 23). SEASON 7 Major Theories Confirmed ! |Gameof Thrones. YouTube/FireAndBlood. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=game+of+thrones+theories. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 14 Unspecified Editor (2013. July 20). Game Theory: How PewDiePie Conquered YouTube. YouTube/The Game Theorists. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EgMqhEMhVV8. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 15 Unspecified Editor (2011. June 6). 09_Creative Monkeyz La Tiff 2011. YouTube/SomesInfo. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA1XrPi4ofA. Last accessed on 02.07.2018. 16 Unspecified Editor (2017. June 15). Top 100 YouTubers in Romania by Subscribed. Socialblade. Retrieved from https://socialblade.com/youtube/top/country/ro/mostsubscribed. Last accessed on 02.07.2018.

63 The above-presented data exposes an interesting aspect about Romanian post- millennial youngsters’ behavior on YouTube. They declare their preference for videos in English, yet are more familiar with local content creators. This aspect may indicate that corporate produced videos like those regarding movies are more successful in the Romanian online video environment. When asked directly if they prefer YouTube video creators or traditional celeb- rities, 45.59% of the Romanian questioned youngsters opted for the first category and 44% stated that they are unsure, whereas only circa 3% aforementioned that they prefer traditional celebrities. The numbers indicate that there is clearly a size- able part of the Romanian post-millennial community that YouTube content crea- tors can influence. Regarding the aspects they like about content creators, almost half of those questioned (48.51%) answered creativity. Creativity is one of the major aspects YouTube prides itself on along its diversity. It allows for creators regardless of the kind of videos they create to find success on the website. The company supports larger content creators to expand on their show. This can range from scientific analysis shows to parodies of regular morning talk shows (Palladino 2017). The second most valued characteristic in the present survey was humour (19.80%). This aspect could indicate a large interest of Romanian youngsters in comedy- orientated creators. The most popular creators on the national scene have at least some degree of comedy added to their content. This statement is valid on an in- ternational level as well. Some of the most successful channels make great use of humour, as a mean of entertaining and creating a community around them. One example is Pewdipie’s use of call-back humour17, referring to jokes made in previ- ous videos, generating the idea that everyone that watched shared a pleasurable experience together. Comedy channels like Smosh are still very popular in spite of the YouTube algorithm no longer favouring the kinds of videos they produce, videos that require prolonged editing and can’t be posted on a daily basis. Of particular note in the current research concerning YouTube is the interest of post-millennial Romanians in authenticity (8.59%) and in the fact that online content creators are more relatable over quality (5.94%). This is keeping with the guiding philosophy of YouTube as stated by the company’s CEO, : YouTube is not TV. And we never will be. The platform that you all helped create repre- sents something bigger... Our users don’t come to YouTube for polish; they come to You- Tube for texture. They come to see the world as it truly is, filled with people just like them- selves. They come to witness our shared humanity… (McCracken 2017). This statement

17 Unspecified Editor (2016. December 26). Why PewDiePie Is Unstoppable. YouTube/Charisma on Command. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-31CYrfMMTY&t=551s. Last accessed on 02.07.2018.

64 implies that YouTube sees itself as centred on community and realistic content. It highlights the role of viewers in content creation and development, and attempts to distance itself from the professionally made but thus less relatable television content. YouTube strives to create a different identity for itself, and attracts its audience in a distinctive way. It is however important to mention that, in spite of trying to compete with traditional television, YouTube has launched its own ad- supported TV program. One of the final questions addressed to Romanian members of Generation Z was whether or not YouTube videos about products directly influence their pur- chasing decisions. A little over half (50.35%) of those questioned would be influ- enced by an online video about the product in their buying decision process. This may not necessarily be a product review, particularly regarding virtual goods such as games or software. Gameplay series or animation tutorials can be quite effective marketing implements for the programs used. This is shown by the frequent use of referral links below videos for the games or peripherals shows. One example is the success of the game Amnesia: The Dark descent that sold around 1 million cop- ies in 2013 (Zahara 2017), in spite of not having a major publisher or marketing behind it. It did however benefit from a sort of support from some of the largest gaming orientated content creators leading to commercial success.18 On international level, product reviews are some of the most popular videos among Generation Z viewers. According to adweek.com 77% of those questioned in an influencer.com study stated that they watch product reviews. This category of videos is popular among generations X, Y and Z alike (Bazilian 2017). Given the fact that Gen Z trusts YouTube content creators more than traditional celebri- ties, their opinions on products are highly influential for post-millennial online viewers too. Romanian members of the post-millennial cohort are also following reviews on YouTube. Only 20.28% of the individuals questioned in the current survey stated that they are not interested in this kind of videos. The most popular items bought online in Romania according to Ziarul Financiar are clothes, cosmetics and electronics (Niță 2015). These are products that content creators frequently advertise for. The success of makeup and fashion channels is constantly growing at national level. Even though gaming channels are not that popular in Romania as they are internationally, their producers often highlight the peripherals and computers they use, giving certain brands great support, which is also influencing the buying decision.

18 Unspecified Editor (2012. May 26). Amnesia: The Dark Descent | Part 1 |ANEW BEGINNING. YouTube/. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK jgu2nHbe8&list=PLkggOLMLxMJ866wRYoIosrC4TeVPMLLG8. Last accessed on 02.07.2018.

65 Conclusions The present study tried to offer a view on the way the Romanian post-millen- nial cohort uses the largest user generated online content sharing platform, You- Tube. A comparative analysis in an international context was aimed, by checking the validity of certain general hypothesis in a local context. The results of the empirical research, based on an online survey, indicate that the digital content consumption trends of the Romanian Z Generation are mostly consistent with international tendencies. Romanian youngsters, with ages between 14 and 21, overwhelmingly prefer new over old media for video entertainment and choose to view it on YouTube. In regards to the behaviour they show on the web- site, they are more interested in the community/realism side of the platform rather than its quality. Local post-millennial individuals seem to lean closer to YouTube as opposed to traditional media, even more than international audiences. This may be linked to the very high Internet speed Romanians enjoy. They also seem less eager to take part in the community aspects of the website as indicated by the lack of interest in leaving comments on the videos. Nevertheless, they might use other social media networks for that purpose. In terms of overall video category preferences music is by far the leading genre, which is in line with international trends. The majority of the Romanian members of the post-millennial cohort are also following reviews on YouTube and would be influenced by an online video in their buying decision process. As the data indicates, members of the Romanian Gen Z trust online content creators more than traditional celebrities. They turn to their phones as the main means of video entertainment but frequently employ multiple screens as typical of this cohort. Considering the results of the current study, it becomes clear that traditional media is losing effectiveness in influencing the consumer behaviour of the post- millennial cohort in Romania, as worldwide. Therefore, local markets should be aware and companies should reconsider traditional marketing strategies, focus- ing on the possibilities offered by YouTube, the video platform currently shaping customer engagement trends and influencing the way advertising is done. This is why the present paper aimed at contributing to this revision of policies, by pro- viding data concerning the YouTube market and the video consumption habits of the post-millennial generation in Romania. In respect limits, the present study was exclusively based on quantitative re- search methods and it is not representative, given the dimension of the sample and the lack of balance between genders. Nevertheless it sets a start for a data- base of Romanian post-millennial YouTube users and can serve as a pilot study for further research on the topic. A qualitative approach would be useful in order to gather in-depth information about YouTube consumption habits among Roma- nian post-millennial individuals but also among different local generations, e.g.

66 Gen X and Gen Y. An international comparative analysis regarding YouTube’s usage among new generations would enrich the scientific literature given the lack of data regarding the Romanian online audiences.

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