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Use of 'hapa' rises among Asian-Americans nationally | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Updated at 11:10 a.m., Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Use of 'hapa' rises among Asian-Americans nationally

Advertiser Staff

Use of the local word "hapa" to designate mixed-race ancestry is gaining in popularity among Asian-American teens and young adults nationally, according to a marketing insight study by SnapDragon Consultants, a New York-based branding and consumer research firm.

The report, "Ten Things Every Brand Should Know About Asian-American Youth," is the result of interviews conducted in nine cities, including Honolulu, during a four-month period. Asian-Americans aged 14 to 23 were interviewed.

Other findings included:

  • Many Asian-American youth feel excluded and misunderstood by most brands.

  • A "hero-gap" for Asian-American kids is filled by activists from other cultures, such as Martin Luther King.

  • Asian-American kids use the term "white people" in the same way as African-Americans do.

  • Underage gambling is big.

  • Asian-American kids dislike being portrayed as hyper-nerdy on television.

  • There's a universal dislike of the question, "Where are you from."

  • Korean is the new Japan when it comes to fashion, foods, DJs and online communities.

  • "American Idol" contestant William Hung's fame perpetuated the worst stereotypes about Asian people.
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