I’ve been thinking a lot about generation gaps lately. Maybe it was celebrating my 40th birthday (or celebrating my dad’s 70th)? Maybe it is my disbelief that my youngest daughter is now 4 and prefers my iPad over watching television? Regardless, this age thing has been on my mind lately.
As a unified marketing agency, we tend to look at the issue of generational gaps through the lenses of a brand, a consumer and a marketer all the time. The most striking view for me is the world view, how do age gaps across the world affect how we consume information, engage with media, talk with each other, or conduct ourselves daily?
WIIFM - What’s In It For Me?
My dad used to always say “Everyone listens to the same radio station - WIIFM – the ‘What’s In It For Me?’ station.” When you’re selling something or marketing a product, you need to tune into WIIFM if you want your audience to pay attention.
We’re all shaped by the media we interact with over the years, which starts out when you’re young. For a lot of us, our first interaction with media was via a radio, others the television and now – as is the case with my daughter – through consumer electronics like iPads. It’s fascinating to think about the long-term impact of this technology on the next generation.
Young children right now are the pure definition of a ‘digital native’. They will always know a world where all answers, media, content and so on are accessed in real-time in the palm of their hands. I’m probably most curious about the social networking aspects of this digital lifestyle, as they’ll grow up as more of a “we” generation.
They’ll have friends they’ve never met, but respect their opinions and support each other through Facebook, share memories through Flickr and listen to music through Pandora – of course, they’ll use platforms that haven’t been invented yet too.
I believe this shift in interpersonal communication will break down stereotypes and biases that have long existed. Perhaps things like house size, skin color, race, religion or gender will matter less to the social networked generation. Maybe they’ll care more about freedom and access – and they’ll want their voices to be heard, because their ideas are valid and their age is immaterial. We as marketers need to take these shifts into consideration, because it influences so much about how purchasing decision are made.
Remember the Good Ole Days?
If the older generations are movie stars and heroes, then I propose Millennials are the Composers and Conductors. That’s what they do most – they connect with friends and associates. They share information, and things they find funny, interesting, sad or provoking. They do it all the time, constantly regardless of what else they are doing. It is the thing they are always doing. Children today can walk, chew gum and text at blazing speeds.
Your TV spot isn't interrupting their TV viewing, the problem is the TV show isn't as interesting to them as their friends are (if you don't believe me, look at all the success when a show incorporates live social into broadcast vs. those that don't). You don't have advertising clutter - you have complete abandonment of caring about your promise. They don't care who is watching the details of their life, because they find the details of their friends more interesting - and sharing is caring. And they only mention your product or service if they love it (okay, “Like” it) or hate it.
If you really want to be part of their day, add sound, video and content to the ecosystem of the millennial. Make it easy to share, comment, edit and reuse, so they can conduct it into their community. Put yourself out there so that by finding you, they can be more informed, funny, and provocative, and they will share that with their greatest gift, their relationships with others. And if you digitally unify your life into theirs, they will buy your product and service and give you their money. More importantly, you won't be an interruption or a bother, you will be a welcomed friend and don't we all just want to be "Liked" more?!
Regardless of the generation stereotypes you fall in, we’ve all become multi-taskers. As marketers, we need to realize that for multi-taskers to care about us, we have to make ourselves part of their fragmented lives. It’s this multi-sensory marketing that will enable multi-taskers to be more efficient.
If you want to be part of their day, add sound, video and content to the ecosystem of the millennial.
WIIFM - What’s In It For Me?
My dad used to always say “Everyone listens to the same radio station - WIIFM – the ‘What’s In It For Me?’ station.” When you’re selling something or marketing a product, you need to tune into WIIFM if you want your audience to pay attention.
We’re all shaped by the media we interact with over the years, which starts out when you’re young. For a lot of us, our first interaction with media was via a radio, others the television and now – as is the case with my daughter – through consumer electronics like iPads. It’s fascinating to think about the long-term impact of this technology on the next generation.
Young children right now are the pure definition of a ‘digital native’. They will always know a world where all answers, media, content and so on are accessed in real-time in the palm of their hands. I’m probably most curious about the social networking aspects of this digital lifestyle, as they’ll grow up as more of a “we” generation.
They’ll have friends they’ve never met, but respect their opinions and support each other through Facebook, share memories through Flickr and listen to music through Pandora – of course, they’ll use platforms that haven’t been invented yet too.
I believe this shift in interpersonal communication will break down stereotypes and biases that have long existed. Perhaps things like house size, skin color, race, religion or gender will matter less to the social networked generation. Maybe they’ll care more about freedom and access – and they’ll want their voices to be heard, because their ideas are valid and their age is immaterial. We as marketers need to take these shifts into consideration, because it influences so much about how purchasing decision are made.
Remember the Good Ole Days?
If the older generations are movie stars and heroes, then I propose Millennials are the Composers and Conductors. That’s what they do most – they connect with friends and associates. They share information, and things they find funny, interesting, sad or provoking. They do it all the time, constantly regardless of what else they are doing. It is the thing they are always doing. Children today can walk, chew gum and text at blazing speeds.
Your TV spot isn't interrupting their TV viewing, the problem is the TV show isn't as interesting to them as their friends are (if you don't believe me, look at all the success when a show incorporates live social into broadcast vs. those that don't). You don't have advertising clutter - you have complete abandonment of caring about your promise. They don't care who is watching the details of their life, because they find the details of their friends more interesting - and sharing is caring. And they only mention your product or service if they love it (okay, “Like” it) or hate it.
If you really want to be part of their day, add sound, video and content to the ecosystem of the millennial. Make it easy to share, comment, edit and reuse, so they can conduct it into their community. Put yourself out there so that by finding you, they can be more informed, funny, and provocative, and they will share that with their greatest gift, their relationships with others. And if you digitally unify your life into theirs, they will buy your product and service and give you their money. More importantly, you won't be an interruption or a bother, you will be a welcomed friend and don't we all just want to be "Liked" more?!
Regardless of the generation stereotypes you fall in, we’ve all become multi-taskers. As marketers, we need to realize that for multi-taskers to care about us, we have to make ourselves part of their fragmented lives. It’s this multi-sensory marketing that will enable multi-taskers to be more efficient.
If you want to be part of their day, add sound, video and content to the ecosystem of the millennial.
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