The Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN (hereafter referred to as HILL ASEAN) has conducted research on the attitudes and behaviors of ASEAN consumers under the theme "The ASEAN Family," and announced the results today at the "ASEAN Life Study 2024" forum held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Established in 2014, HILL ASEAN celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. In 2014, we also conducted research under the theme "The ASEAN Family," showcasing ASEAN families who enjoy real-time communication while being constantly connected online due to technological advancements and the rapid spread of social media.
To observe how ASEAN families have changed over the past 10 years, we conducted quantitative surveys and home visit surveys in six ASEAN countries (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore). The results revealed that while family-first remains the foundation, ASEAN families are forming unique values by interweaving "emerging values" (newly adopted values influenced by global information and perspectives) and "traditional values" (reexamined and reinforced ASEAN-specific values) in a balanced manner.
< Key Research Findings >
"Family First" ASEAN
When asked how they think the importance of family will change in their countries, ASEAN sei-katsu-sha responded that "the importance of family will increase," nearly 30 points higher than in Japan.
Emerging Values" in ASEAN family (values newly adopted through exposure to global information and values)
- Increased career awareness
When asked about their ideal male/female image, the number of ASEAN sei-katsu-sha who answered, "I want to be successful in my career," rose more than 10 points for both men and women over the past 10 years.
- Family size has shifted from "expansion" to "condensation."
More than 60% of ASEAN sei-katsu-sha answered that they will have "fewer children" or "fewer family members living together" in the future.
- Respect for individual freedom
The desire of ASEAN sei-katsu-sha to "spend more time alone" and "have more freedom" has increased significantly over the past 10 years.
“Traditional values" in ASEAN family (values that are unique to ASEAN, which are being strengthened or regained by taking a fresh look at their roots)
- Power balance within the family
In ASEAN, men (husbands) tend to have more authority than in Japan. By clarifying the hierarchy within the family to some extent, order and mutual assistance are maintained.
- “Family First" is the basis of social trust.
In ASEAN, about 70% of respondents said that "people who have a good relationship with their family are more likely to be “good person”. Having a “good family" functions as proof of being a good person and as social credibility, leading people to strive for better family relationships and appearances.
Summary: Shift in ASEAN Family Image From "Connected Family" to "Weaving Family”
Through the development of technology and exposure to the values from various countries and cultures, ASEAN sei-katsu-sha are choosing between "emerging values" that should be accepted, and "traditional values" that should be preserved and protected.
Through this survey, we have discovered new and resilient values and lifestyles of ASEAN families that are created by interweaving different concepts, such as tradition and modernity, youth and the elderly, men and women, and so on. The values woven into the unique patterns of each family according to the factors that are important to them also serve as a protective envelope for the family in the midst of the instability of ASEAN society.
Figure: Features of "Connected Family" announced in 2014 and "Weaving Family" announced in 2024
The high flexibility of "reconstructing values" and "reassessing and revaluing traditional values while embracing new concepts" is one of the characteristics of ASEAN consumers. HILL ASEAN believes that the trend of "remixing emerging values and traditional values" in ASEAN families will continue.
About Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN
Established in 2014 as an in-house think tank to study sei-katsu-sha in ASEAN; localized in Thailand in March 2017. We support companies' marketing activities in ASEAN through insights and recommendations from ASEAN consumers.
Location: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand
Research and activities: Surveys and analysis from the perspective of each ASEAN country, holding forums in each ASEAN country, and a special page on the Seikatsu Soken ASEAN website that provides details of the survey results, explanations of research content, and suggestions for future marketing.