American teens are passionate about their favorite brands – and social media can be a powerful tool in forming their brand relationships.

So, what do we know about American teens and brands? Here are some results of a recent US survey carried out with our Awesomeness brand in mind:

American teens love their brands. Nearly 7 in 10 say they’re passionate about brands they love. They seek out their favorites – 75% prefer to buy products with brand names they recognize and 70% would pay more for a brand name they like and trust. Striking the right tone is important because 55% of American teens wish brands treated them like friends rather than customers.

Social media plays a powerful role in the relationship between teens and brands. Nearly two-thirds of teens say social media content is becoming more influential in their purchasing decisions. Six in 10 have purchased something they discovered via social media – and among teen girls, this behavior rises to 66%. To recommend products, teens trust people most on YouTube (38%), Facebook (30%), and Instagram (27%).

They’re open to brands using their information if it brings them value. Among American teens, 59% say they want brands to use their information to give better product recommendations.

Discounts and recommendations are most likely to inspire purchases. What has a growing influence upon American teens’ purchasing decisions? Deals and discounts (82%), friends’ recommendations (73%), user reviews (73%), brand names (66%), and customer service (64%). Celeb endorsements and TV ads have declining influence upon their buying habits.

They’re most likely to share something online from a brand if it’s funny. Their main reasons for sharing about brands is to make people laugh, inspire people, share their passion, get a discount, and educate people.