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Advertising Age says

Annual Survey Shows Social-Networking Split Between Sexes

By Beth Snyder Bulik

Published: October 04, 2007
YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- They love Apple, shop at Target, use Facebook online and are split on whether they adore or despise the Geico cavemen. They wish they were better at sports, watch TV more often than surf the web and view a lot of YouTube videos, but generally don't create them.
Apple's iPhone was one of college students most anticipated new products.
Apple's iPhone was one of college students most anticipated new products.


Meet the next generation of leaders and consumers: today's college students. Anderson Analytics' third annual fall brand survey of college students queried their likes and dislikes as well as brand affinities and media consumption of the 18-to-24 set and came up with plenty of lessons for marketers.

and later in the article

Influence
While the college group is one of the smallest demographically in the U.S. -- about 18 million projected by the U.S. Census this year vs. around 80 million baby boomers -- it is one of the most influential. And the one paid most homage by marketers.

"They have huge impact on what their parents buy, and then they have their own money, more than any other generation before them, and of course they are the consumers of tomorrow," Mr. Anderson said, adding that marketers also target the 18-to-24 crowd to reach society at large. "In America, everyone wants to be younger, so we look to younger people. We think they're happier than us and we want to be like them, resulting in a younger-targeted marketing message," he said.

Not surprisingly, the brand that ruled with this group was Apple. It ranked as the No. 2 overall best brand by 17% of the students; ranked Nos. 1 and 2 as most anticipated products with iPhone and new iPod versions; ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in product recommendations with iPod followed by Apple products in general; and ranked No. 6 in most popular commercials.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=120919