Young Optimism^© refers to a pattern of responses associated with optimism and seeking to improve their prospects in life to gain a respected place in society.

Also more likely to be found amongst young people, the Young Optimism^© segment are into image and style (not fads and fashion). They are conscious of the image they project and want to make the right one. Long term thinkers, they are busy planning careers, attending university and thinking about the future. It tends to be associated with people who want to experience all life has to offer: travel, a career, friends, family - and they are still idealistic enough to believe they can have it all.

Young Optimism^© wants to try everything - bungy jumping, ski diving, white water rafting, skiing.... work hard and play hard because they still have the energy to do it. However, this motto often creates a situation where people are personally and financially disorganised, living on credit, forgetting to pay bills, forgetting to go shopping, buying take-away Chinese and then living on it for the next 3 days.

Young Optimism^© are innovative and interested in technology. They can be young technocrats, surfing the internet and developing an international perspective on the world - eating international food, watching the ABC and SBS and dreaming of going to work in New York or London for a few years to further their career prospects.

Their interest in learning more and having a broader perspective makes them heavier readers of newspapers, particularly the major daily newspapers (with a leaning towards the national and world news sections), national newspapers and weekend newspaper inserts such as Good Weekend and Sunday Life.

They are also very heavy readers of magazines, covering a wide range of titles. They read the magazines orientated towards the younger market with Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan and Cleo. However they also read Marie Claire, Elle, Vogue, Ralph and FHM reflecting their interest in image and style; heavy readership of PC User, PC World and New Scientist reflect their interest in technology.

Their viewing habits reflect a strong interest in reality TV programmes like Australian Idol, Big Brother and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Programmes such as The O.C. and Neighbours are also commonly watched as well as comedies with an edge like Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons.

Young Optimism enjoys listening to radio for one reason. Music. This segment are heavy listeners of contemporary music stations, whether they be commercial, the Austereo network, or alternative and with a broader musical focus, like government broadcaster Triple J. Music defines and drives their radio listening habits.