Princess Phone - 1970's Connection
When I was a teen we spent hours on our AT&T Princess Phones, tying up the single family line for everyone else in the house. There was no call waiting or voice mail. “Get Off the PHONE! I need to make a call!!” was a common parental lament.
Back then, hanging out with friends meant a trip to the beach or the mall – usually by bus. We had pen pals in distant countries or states who we communicated with a few times a year.
How times have changed.
A defining characteristic of today’s teens is that they are in constant communication with their friends, generally via text messaging, not necessarily voice conversation. I have personally witnessed teens texting each other while sitting side by side, something OTX Research says 25% of 12-24 year olds in the U.K. admit to doing. This makes perfect sense to them.
Morgan Stewart, Director, Research & Strategy, at ExactTarget wrote an article today for Engage Gen Y based on observational research among teens. He writes:
“…hanging out, or even talking, has taken on different connotations from what I experienced as a teenager. “When someone says they were talking with so-and-so last night, it’s more than likely they were texting, not actually talking. In fact, digital communication has become so central to the lives of teens that some struggle to relate without a keyboard, “several times I’ve sat in Starbucks with a teenager who will barely speak. Then we go home and I start getting texts responding to the questions I asked face-to-face. These text conversations can go on for an hour or two.”
The facts bear out the anecdotes. Text messages far outnumber phone calls, (which calls into question whether it should even be called a mobile phone anymore since it is so rarely used to talk).
According to Nielsen Mobile, in the first quarter of 2009, the average U.S. teen made and received an average of 191 phone calls and sent and received 2,899 text messages per month. By the third quarter, the number of monthly texts had jumped to 3,146 messages. Even preteens send and receive 1,146 texts per month.
Many parents have learned it’s more effective to text their teen than to call. (For some great tips on using SMS text messaging to reach Millennials, see Engage Gen Y, “What’s In It for Me?“)
When it comes to time spent online, Facebook has emerged as the number one activity for all age groups, not just teens.
In January 2010, Nielsen reported the average U.S. Internet user spent seven hours a month on Facebook. That’s more time than on Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Microsoft, Wikipedia and Amazon combined. Note, that’s the average Internet user. The average Facebook user spends 55 minutes a day on Facebook. And that’s across all Facebook users, so imagine how much time teens are spending.
According to Morgan, Facebook’s most critical role is as a hub for coordinating other social activities. Teens may set a time to meet at Starbucks or they may direct attention to another online gathering spot. (If Facebook forms the hub of teen communications, Twitter isn’t even on the wheel. Pew found just 8% of teens 12-17 use Twitter).
“In a recent survey, I asked teens (15-17 years old) to name the brand that did the best job communicating with them. Facebook ranked sixth on the list. Nike, with its focus on athletic accomplishment, ranked fourth. Amazon had more write-ins than any other brand, for males and females and across both U.S. and U.K. respondents.
Why? Because it is a socially driven shopping experience.
Teens can read reviews, they can submit their own, and they can get recommendations based on what they like. If you’re responsible for marketing a consumer product, I’d argue that managing your Amazon presence is more important that building out a Facebook strategy.” — Morgan Stewart, Exact Target
Like Stewart, I have observed that, at least for Millennials, Facebook is utilitarian. It fills the same function for them that Outlook does for me – calendar, message center, contact info.
Beyond Facebook, there are other sites which are more entertaining and every bit as social like Sporcle.com, FMyLife.com, FunnyOrDie.com, TextsFromLastNight.com, CollegeHumor.com, and FailBlog.org. Others connect through online video games like “Call of Duty”.
All together, teens spend more than 20 hours a day using media, the majority of which is electronic.
According to Larry Rosen, author of the new book, Rewired: Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn,” this staggering achievement is accomplished daily by forgoing sleep and “with considerable multitasking, which peaks at seven simultaneous activities for older teens“.
Those with teen kids have seen Gen Y multi-tasking in action. There is music playing in the background, Hulu on the computer, several homework assignments open in various levels of completion, text messages alerts coming in like sonar, and possibly a little PlayStation or XBox for a break from it all. Yet somehow the homework gets done.
Sleep? That’s for the weekend.
Want More? The May 2009 pdf of Nielsen’s Report, “How Teens Use Media“, provides more detail on teen multi-tasking, online video, text messaging, social media use.
Over the past week, I have graded nearly fifty student case analyses of MTV. Make no mistake, Millennials love this brand. It’s iconic. It is part of their growing up years.
So it was with great interest that I read of MTV’s logo update announced last week, the first update in its 28-year history.
According to The Brandchannel and articles in MSN and Ad Age, the move is intended to align with the fact that MTV is now better known for reality TV shows than music videos. There seem to be at least four different motivations for the change.
1. Better align with what MTV does today
The MTV brand has represented more than “music television” for many years, and now – appropriately – the words “music television” are no longer part of the official logo. In addition, the original logo has undergone a slight morphing. When MTV launched, the upside of the logo was that it communicated the very specific, targeted business of the brand to a potential audience that had never heard of it. Of course, the downside of the logo is that once the brand diversified to include material beyond music, such as, say, Jersey Shore shenanigans, the logo became confusing, or even absurd.” - The Brandchannel, Feb 10, 2010
2. Better appeal to Millennial target
“It represents a new visually defined MTV, stimulating its past, present and future and embracing its diversity. Everything from Jersey Shore, to the VMAs to collaborations with the MoMA. The logo is part of MTV’s re-invention to connect with today’s millennial generation and bring them in as part of the channel.” – MSN, Feb 10, 2010
3. Put greater focus on MTV’s stable of talent
“The new logo is meant to put the focus on MTV’s current slate of talent — the stars of mostly reality shows like “Jersey Shore,” “Teen Mom,” and “The Buried Life.” Since the logo (which seems to have a shorter “M” than the original) is also available in a see-through model, it can change when new stars come into the fold. Tina Exarhos, a spokesperson for MTV’s marketing team, explained the change to “The New York Daily News”: “If you watch the channel, you’ve seen that it’s definitely going in a new direction. We really wanted to see the logo featured in a new way, and this was really meant to be able to house all the great things that are happening at MTV at any given time.” PeaceFM, Feb 10, 2010
4. Increase brand recognition
“Mr. Friedman said MTV has also had a problem with brand recognition among viewers who would love certain shows but had no idea they aired on MTV. “The way the logo frames it makes it a simple reference point,” he said.- Ad Age
The move has been questioned publicly on several fronts: Why now after all these years? Is it enough of a change? Is tweaking enough? Is it too mainstream/not irreverent enough? So I put the question to my Brand Strategy MBA class at University of Notre Dame.
Based on the case you just read and your experiences with MTV, what do you think? For the most part, students felt that the change was not big news.
Jonathan: “I think it’s all much ado about nothing. The change is so minor, I initially thought there was simply something wrong with my cable when the bottom of the logo was cutoff.”
Michelle: “I actually had to Google the MTV logo to get an idea of the changes that they made. I don’t think that there was much change at all and I guarantee that many of their teen viewers won’t see the change either.”
Suzy: “The changes are subtle, and not very noticeable among viewers. If anything positive comes out of this initiative, it is the publicity and buzz that was created as a result of the change.”
The larger issue for these students is that the change probably doesn’t go far enough in explaining what MTV means today.
Several acknowledge that the brand’s emphasis on reality shows may not have the resonance for them that it did when they were growing up. They understand the brand has changed, but what does it stand for now?
Marissa: “I think MTV needs to reinvent their brand identity. Their programing has changed with the times as they now focus on reality shows and docudramas like “Teen Mom.”
Rob L: “I think there is no substantive difference other than dropping “music television” which was long overdue. It was the source of a lot of irritation, even to those that didn’t watch the channel, because it caused confusion given that’s not a core part of their programming. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard someone complain about “back when MTV played videos” I’d pay off my student loans. As it stands, they seem to have no identity, no focus. At least Tru TV is direct about their showing reality shows, you know what you are getting into and are not disappointed by their 2nd rate reality entertainment.”
Rob: “Changing the logo doesn’t do much to change the disconnect between ‘music’ and whatever they want to call what they’re showing now.”
Amy: “For those of us who remember MTV when they used to play music videos, the “M” stands for music. Simply dropping the explicit reference to ‘music television’ does not change anything.”
The folks at MTV no doubt understand that their brand is in transition and that is probably the main reason for the logo update.
Iconic brands need to speak into the culture to remain iconic. Standing still is not an option in youth marketing. Perhaps the logo change is just the beginning? With hit shows like the “Jersey Shore” leading the way, I think we may only be seeing the beginnings of how this brand plans to connect with Millennials.
Okay, I’m a little late to weigh in on the topic of Millennials and the Super Bowl, but I have a great excuse – I was busy teaching two marketing classes today. Both classes kicked off with a brief discussion of whether or not the students watched the game (they did!) — and what they remembered and liked about the advertising.
The results are a little different than other Gen Y Super Bowl reporting (e.g., YPulse’s astute observations by Dan Coates). The results were also slightly different between my MBA Brand Strategy class and the undergraduate Principles of Marketing class.
In both classes, funny commercials were the first mentioned, with Doritos (child slaps would-be suitor), the Snickers’ ad starring Betty White, Monster.com and the E-Trade ads are at the head of the list.
Although it wasn’t funny, both groups also liked the the Vizio spot featuring Beyonce Knowles– and especially the fact that you weren’t sure what was being advertised until the end. The MBA’s also liked the Dodge Charger “Man’s Last Stand” commercial and the Google Parisian Love spot, but the undergraduates did not mention the Google spot until prompted. They liked it, but it didn’t stand out for them. Interestingly, both groups first attributed Google’s decision to advertise to the popularity of the spot on the Internet, not competitive pressure from Bing.
The MBA’s also mentioned the Dove for Men ‘Manthem” spot, and Hyundai which never came up with the sophomores. Several commented that the Dove spot was refreshing in contrast to the ’pants-less’ (taste-less) ads featured in adjacent spots for Dockers and CareerBuilder.
I think it’s notable which widely admired ads which were ostensibly targeted to Millennials were NOT mentioned by the students: Megan Fox for Motorola was barely mentioned. Coke, Focus on the Family, and Audi “Green Police” (my personal favorite) never came up. Go Daddy was the hands down favorite for worst commercial in the Super Bowl.
What does this tell us? First and foremost, in the hoopla that is the Super Bowl and young adult viewing situations, funny wins over subtlety. Why even enter the Super Bowl unless you intend to evoke a very loud laugh?
I also think it provides confirmation a Super Bowl ad can be a good investment. How could Snickers possibly afford the buzz they are receiving today any other way? Finally, I think it calls into question the wisdom of Pepsi’s decision to sit on the sidelines this year. No one is talking about Pepsi, despite the good advance publicity. A single spot on the Super Bowl featuring “Refresh Everything” would have given that effort extra attention and probably not diminished the good will that motivated the decision to invest the marketing dollars differently.
To see all the spots, visit Creativity magazine’s Super Bowl 2010.
Ten days ago, Coke released a video for its ‘Open Happiness’ campaign that it hopes will become a global viral sensation. The video, titled “Happiness Machine” has so far had over 1,110,000 Youtube viewings. The effort is part of a global effort on the ‘Open Happiness’ theme that includes other social media efforts, including teams sent all over the world to identify ’stories of happiness’.
Here is how Mediapost described the effort last week.
The video, shot on the Queens, N.Y., campus of St. John’s University, concludes with a title asking: “Where will happiness strike next?” and a message encouraging viewers to “Share the happiness, share the video.”
A.J. Brustein, global senior brand manager, Coca-Cola, says the video was conceived as a way to connect with teens and young adults outside of TV ads and online games. “We wanted to give them something that would spread a bit of happiness and something they could pass on to their friends to keep the happiness flowing,” he sums up.
Coke acknowledges that the effort is an experiment and future videos will depend on the success of this one.
So I asked my MBA students for their opinion via our class blog, whether or not this is a good approach for a powerful brand like Coke to use to connect with younger drinkers? Three out of four liked it and thought it was a great effort. Nearly all said it had viral potential. They especially enjoyed the essential kindness of delighting others without expecting anything in return. Here’s a sample of what they had to say.
Kathryn: “This video was an absolute delight to watch. I could not help smiling throughout the whole thing! Without getting far too philosophical, I think our society has somewhat forgotten that a small deed of good and happiness has powerful ramifications for people and how they feel. This campaign plays on that emotion very nicely, and in a way that connects that feeling with the product. Free Coke in a fun way = Happiness.”
Jack: “I think this campaign from coke is a great strategy for connecting with consumers. From an imaginative stand point I think it would be hard for someone to watch this video without wondering what else they were passing out, how they rigged that machine, or if they were going to do it again (hopefully at Notre Dame).”
Lindsay: “I enjoyed this commercial. It’s heartwarming to see how the unexpected presence of simple, pleasant things—extra cokes, pizza, flowers, balloon animals—can bring people together. It’s fun to watch a shared laugh become a celebration.”
Matt: “Coke = Good! (or happy) That’s all I could think of after watching this commercial… I think it does a great job of spreading the happiness vibe that Coke is trying to convey, particularly when you see the huge smiles of all of the college student’s faces. I think the video will go ‘viral’. It has that ‘wow’ factor that a lot of people (I know a lot of my friends will) share on social websites like facebook or twitter. Pure entertainment always sells. Go Coke! Keep entertaining me! I like it!”
Katie: “Loved it! The premise reminded me of a funnier version of the Liberty Mutual ads from a couple years ago – the ones showing people helping out strangers and other people seeing the “good Samaritanism” and in turn helping out someone themselves. I think that “feel good” aspect can really go far in our society…”
Suzy: “Super fun video! I think Coke did a great job creating an enjoyable, happy sentiment amongst viewers – a sentiment that can easily be associated with their brand after watching the clips and reactions of students.”
Robert: “The gratitude of the random act of kindness is innate in most of us, and this ad taps into that about as well as a large company could ever hope to. I am not cynical about this being unable to convince people to buy, no doubt in my mind this will have a significant impact on the buying habits of shoppers unconsciously.”
This effort reminds me of VW’s recent “FunTheory” viral campaign in its simplicity and appeal. The “Piano Stairs” video has already experienced over 10 million views on YouTube. Given the relatively low cost of production and media, if the Coke video is as successful, I think we can expect to see other big brands follow suit. It certainly isn’t a replacement for an ad campaign but offers a great way to amplify the message via social media.
Brands looking for advocates would do well to target Millennials.
Compared to other age groups, Gen Y is more inclined to share their opinions about purchases, both online and off line.
New data from Synovate, reported by Emarketer this week (see chart left), provides strong evidence that making and taking friends’ purchase recommendations are more important to younger consumers than older groups. The chart to the left shows the youngest groups (those 18-24 and 25-34) were more likely than other age groups to have participated in nearly every one of the nine listed activities. Not surprisingly, the largest gaps between age groups were seen for online activities.
What makes this chart particularly interesting, however, is that it shows the desire to share links / provide advice /rate /review / recommend was not limited to online formats.
In fact, one of the largest age gaps was seen for “Taking an active role in organizing an offline event or meet up for a group that originally met online”. The figures by age for this activity closely parallel the figures for “Publishing a blog”. This alignment strongly suggests that young bloggers are more influential than older consumes both offline and online.
Chart and data from “Harnessing Active Brand Advocates“, E-Marketer, Jan 11, 2010.
Source: Ad Age
As the new decade opens, marketers are reflecting about what changes it will bring for advertising and media. (For a good example, see Mullen’s Edward Boches‘, “10 Predictions for Advertising in 2010“).
Forecasting is a tricky business at any time, but it is especially so right now. Consider that as the last decade opened, there was no ipod, Google was just getting started and Facebook founder Mark Zukerberg didn’t have his driver’s license yet. In 1999, there were no DVR’s and a cell phone was only good for phone calls; online social media meant chat rooms and discussion forums.
The proliferation of ‘digital media’ seems to have outrun our available words to describe it. Coining a new name for ‘new media’ that captures its interactivity has proven difficult. Somehow ‘Dynamic Media’ , ‘Shareable Media’ , and ‘User-generated Media’ fall short of describing what is happening.
One of the more curious aspects of the digital explosion is that marketers seem to be lagging consumers in embracing ‘digital media’. Josh Bernoff of Forrester who writes the blog, Groundswell, points out that consumers spent 34% of their total media time online in 2009, yet digital media amounts to just 12% of all media spending. This means most marketer’s energy is still spent developing advertising programs for newspapers, magazines and television, much as it was in 2000.
It should also be noted that while digital media has been growing, the total advertising and media industry have been shrinking, at least in terms of jobs (see chart). According to Ad Age, employment in the advertising and marketing services industry is down 10% from its 2007 all-time high, a loss of approximately 76,300 jobs. Media jobs fared even worse, down 112,500 since the recession began, which translates to one of every eight jobs. Although things are stabilizing they are unlikely to ever return to the levels of 2000 — when employment was 19% higher than it is today. This is a sobering reality, and one that is unlikely to turn around anytime soon.
Meanwhile a cottage industry is springing up to service the growing demand for social media programs. Individuals and small firms are filling a vacuum created by larger agencies who are finding it difficult to produce social media programs profitably — or that clients are not confident they can produce at all, I am not quite sure which. This cottage industry has little overhead and offers enthusiastic and creative practitioners who understand the new tools and platforms and are willing to try new things. Many are Millennials who unable to find a traditional PR or advertising job are innovating their way into an entirely new kind of marketing career, leveraging their knowledge of the target and of digital media.
Will these groups be the agencies of the future? Or will traditional agencies figure out how to absorb these renegade providers into their model? It could conceivably go either way. Regardless, I am in agreement with Denuo’s Rishad Tobaccowala that we are about to enter an exciting new age in marketing, where strategy and execution are more closely aligned than ever before. In the past, strategic capability was strong, the tools for executing communications and marketing programs were often clumsy and blunt. Insightful psychographic segmentation schemes were often reduced to the target ‘women 18-44′. Now, the opposite seems to be true: the tools are sharp, but strategy often lags.
My prediction for 2010 and beyond, is that digital will continue to grow at the expense of traditional media in the race to attract consumers’ attention. The marketers who will thrive in the coming decade will be those who know how to bring the tools and the strategies together.
If you are a food marketer trying to figure out the 18-25 year old market, you won’t want to miss what’s been happening this week at The Next Great Generation blog (#TNGG on Twitter). All week has been ‘Food Week’. A dozen young bloggers have contributed personal and revealing essays on how they think about food. Think “Slate-magazine-meets-market-research-community” and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Studies have shown there has been a generational shift in the way young adults relate to food. They were exposed to better food at home, in restaurants and through travel with their Boomer and Gen X parents. In their lifetimes, there has been an explosion in new tastes from greater accessibility to ethnic foods, TV cooking shows, specialty food stores, and not but certainly not least, Internet how-to and recipe sites. There was no Food Channel when I was learning to cook. I am embarrassed to admit how much Velveeta I ate in college. (Velveeta is shelf-stable in case you didn’t know.). I never met a garlic clove or realized salad dressing didn’t have to come in a bottle until graduate school.
Here are some of the highlights of this week’s experiment at TTNG relevant to food marketers. Think of it as an early Christmas present:
Cooking and Shopping
Matthew Nolet, “Cooking From a Book is So Last Century” “Like so many of my generation and beyond, I believed that the art of cooking was best left to others: parents, professionals, and McDonalds. However, when the moment of edible reality hit me, I found myself completely overwhelmed by cups, teaspoons, garlic, and French culinary vocabulaire. It was the confidence of Bobby Flay, the simplicity of Rachel Ray, and the “how-to” approach of Alton Brown that brought me and so many others back from the brink of dietary disaster. With the invention of the cooking show and the celebrity chef, the process of cooking, baking, and assembling meals has moved from being simply a domestic exercise into an expression of creativity, devotion, and skill. The secrets of souffles, emulsions and sauces no longer escape or confuse us. By following our favorite television chefs, we have been able to discover the ability within ourselves to create great works of delicious art. As a result, we have found ourselves with a new form of celebrity. Fandom is no longer reserved simply for athletes and movie stars. The celebrity chef now holds a devoted spot within the American psyche and television channel listing. Their restaurants are packed nightly and their faces are recognizable. Top Chef makes chefs into celebrities. The Next Food Network Star makes the everyman into a chef into a star. Food now fulfills a larger role than simply as sustenance; it is entertainment and it is impressive. As a result, food and the creation thereof is now “cool” and a highly desirable skill amongst the general masses. Now almost four years later and hundreds of Food Network episodes later, I enjoy cooking for a biweekly dinner involving close friends where we try new recipes, new techniques, and chastise each other for both our failures and successes.”
Zoe Meeran, “Cooking by Nose” “Like many of my friends I don’t grocery shop particularly often, and certainly not in the middle of the week. When I do go to the store, I buy foods that I can use in more than one dish. Vegetables, lemons, ground beef. Most of the time, I just don’t think to plan out my meals, but in addition to that I’ve always been an innovator. My love affair with Top Chef has me wondering what I can whip up using vegetable stock, corn and black bean salsa, spices, and only one hand (tortilla soup – GO!). I like the challenge of combining unexpected flavors – if, for example, you haven’t tried watermelon and balsamic vinegar, put the laptop down and head to your local farmer’s market now.”
Food Brand Loyalty and Lovemarks
Dan Rosenberg, “My Cheatin’ Heart” “When given the choice between two parity brands, love can only go so far. And I’m not alone. There are a precious few who really won’t accept Pepsi instead of Coke, or will pay that extra dollar and cross the street to go to McDonalds instead of Burger King. If you want to get an all-things-equal-and-controlled study of brand loyalty, go to the corner of Boylston and Tremont Streets in Boston where a Starbucks and a Dunkin Donuts are separated by no more than a 50-foot stretch of asphalt. Here, you’ll see the hipsters and theatre-goers choose which brand of coffee gives them the buzz they love…A competitors discount, a picky friend or even the wafting smell of burritos in the wind can lure me away from the brands I claim to love. Man is a fickle beast, and my dolla-dolla billz have no discretion. But certain brands have a stronger hold than others. Everyone has their preferences, but they also have the brands that they choose to define themselves by: their “My” brands. Much in the way Miley shouts “they’re playing my jam” about the Jay-Z song that made her butterflies fly away, these are the brands that do everything right. When interacting with these brands, everything becomes right in the world. If I had to pick, my “My” brands would include Tropicana Orange Juice and Heinz Ketchup. They’re delicious and remind me of home, but I’ve cheated on them too. Damned if it doesn’t leave me with a bad taste in my mouth.”
Pizza
David Ricaud, “Sex and Pizza” “Could pizza be what unites generation Y with its predecessors? Sex. Entitlement. Self-involvement. To me, these are the three qualities that other generations use to set themselves apart from millennials. The boomers think we are oversexed (maybe we are!) and undervalue some inherent meaning to sexual relations. Gen-Xers, the slackers, say we feel a sense of entitlement to good grades and great jobs. And they all think we are self-focused and value careers over friends and family. “You kids have no roots,” a 68-year-old New Yorker said to me. Pizza, though, connects us to the slackers, reformed hippies, and WWII heroes. At dinner, my gen-X brothers, my baby boomer parents, and my great generation grandmother show the same appreciation for this simple triangular delicacy. Dough, mozzarella, and tomato sauce form a timeless American classic—one that, even when we judge our children and grandchildren, will continue to unite us all.”
Bottled Water
Melanie Wong, “I’m Sorry This Water Is Reserved for Special People “Voss water is only available in some specialty stores, namely in Whole Foods. An admirer of good minimalist design, a bottle of Voss water costs around $3.14 plus tax. If I was to consumer just one bottle a day, that would amount to $1,146.10 a year. A thousand dollars a year on a small bottle of water in a glass. What insanity! But look at the bottle, with its sleek, elegant design. The embossed “VOSS” lettering on the bottle with a silver screw on top. With my love for gray and minimalist design, Voss water is my savior in a world of strange colors and comic sans lettering.Bottled water in any form also carries an image in each of their bottles. Fiji and Evian carry a sense of exotic faraway-ness that watch and car companies also embody. Aquafina, the official sponsor of the MLB carries a pure, water-for-athletes image that may appeal to people who are more active. Companies place stronger brand identity to everyday items like bottled water than products that speak for themselves like Midol, Kleenex, or Crayola. This branding effort does not go unnoticed for marketing majors like myself. I want to become one with the luxury and exoticism of Fiji and Voss water, because carrying around bottles of water with a brand, associates myself with it.
Eating Healthy
Adam Di Stefano, “Toxic Foods” “My previous eating habits were fairly representative of my generation, but they are without a doubt a function of our lifestyle. In a world where fast food isn’t fast enough, we take shortcuts and it comes at a cost. If at my age I was already feeling the impacts of my food choices, I can only imagine what I would feel like in my 30s, 40s or 50s. I’m not alone in recognizing this, though. We’re in the midst of a fundamental shift in the way people perceive their relationship with food. The tail end of my generation is coming of age in a time where McDonald’s has salads on the menu, and Happy Meals come with apple slices. While our parents’ generation is the McDonald’s generation, we may well be remembered as the Whole Foods generation. We have the motivation. We’ve witnessed what a generation that grew up in the golden age of fast food has led to: record levels of obesity and cardiac problems being the number one killer in North America. A generation ago, a vegan, or an organic farmer was a hippie, a fringe character. Now, they may not be the majority, but they’re mainstream minorities. We’re a generation that understands food labels. We know what organic means. We’ve turned movies like Supersize Me and Food Inc. into blockbusters.With every passing day, more and more Gen-Yers are going to come to the same conclusion I did, that we need to stop treating our bodies like dumpsters, and change the way we interact with food. Gen-Y is the generation that is going to reclaim our relationship with food as being sacred. No more toxic junk. Bring on the real food.”
Kristin Fritz, “The Real Risks of Real Food” “My mom has never used a crock-pot or Hamburger Helper. She never served Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and is proud that my brother and I were exposed to different foods growing up. The most exciting part about getting my first apartment was the kitchen and not having to rely on a dining hall anymore. I proudly adopted some of my mom’s cooking habits while discovering a few tricks of my own. Even so, my skills need improvement, so it’s nice to know I can call home when a question comes up. Food awareness is a popular trend right now. With the movie release of Food Inc. and Jonathan Safran Foer’s new book, Eating Animals, it’s evident that more people today care about where their favorites foods come from.In order to lead a more proactive lifestyle I’ve decided to pay more attention to what I eat. Whether at home prepping dinner or at a restaurant I believe it’s smart to carefully consider food options before taking that big bite.”
Colby Gergen, “Fast Food Frenzy “I’ve managed to hide my fast food fiendings from my pantry so far. I don’t think it suspects a thing. …The problem is, I don’t want to leave my pantry. It’s been great to me. And for everyone else. I feel great when I spend time with it, my friends dolphin, deer, and eagle all thank me, and the buttons on my jeans get along great with my pantry. Sure, I may not always enjoy it. There are definitely times when I’ve been with my pantry but thinking about Wendy (or Sonic, the Queen, Colonel, etc). But even when I stray, I always come back to my pantry. I know that it will always be there. As a whole, we have a rock solid relationship. There’s a future, a long one, with my pantry. I don’t see that long of a future when I’m with the King (or the Bell, Five Guys, Hardee, and so on). So I stay true, for the most part, to my pantry. I know that in the long run, I’ll be better for it. Even if there are some rough batches, err, patches.”
Online Delivery
Mariam Shahab, “Enough of the Paper Menus” “We’ve matured from the days of ramen noodles satisfying our mere hunger pangs, and upgraded to relying on delivery to satiate our palates. When searching for food delivery, one-stop shop sites like Campusfood, Delivery.com and Grub Hub have marked their territory. Since we’re all hyper-connected but shy of actually speaking on our phones, online delivery is a natural fit for my generation. A run-down of the big players in the race for the delivery game:
- Campusfood.com attests itself as the largest virtual food court in the country with a 2000 plus network of restaurants. Campusfood is also the savviest user of cultivating relationships with their customer base. They created a Facebook app called Food Friendzy based on the idea that playing online games and sharing the app can lead to wining free food.
- Grub Hub has occupied the green food delivery site niche: they buy carbon offsets on all orders and make it simple to decline extras (i.e. – plastic utensils and paper napkins).
- Delivery.com centers itself based on efficiency and convenience. The site saves your favorite restaurants and previous orders for simpler reordering.
There’s much more on the TTNG site, about Ben and Jerry’s, about binge eating, dieting (different article thank goodness), the coolness of healthy foods as well as the full articles on the topics above. Check it out.
With insights this good, marketers can only hope they tackle adult beverages next!
Today I had the pleasure of a conversation with Bret Bernhoft, Principle of the youth marketing firm, InsYght Consulting, that was broadcast live on KPSU.org, the internet college radio for Portland.
Bret asked some very intriguing questions about marketing to Millennials, and especially what media and programs connect best. We covered everything from color TV’s to Failblog. It was a great time, and you can listen to the 18 minute segment here (the first part of the hour show).
Bernhoft’s questions are so good because he is a Gen Y member himself. He describes himself as “a brazen leader, outspoken, a Captain Crunch eatin’ go-go Power Ranger who prides himself on being Generation Y to the bone.” In addition to operating a consulting firm and being a radio host, Bret maintains three blogs, and serves on the board of directors for the Alzheimer’s Assocation in Portland
I think I should have interviewed him! Stay tuned…
Glee's Lea Michele (Fox)
I’ve written about Glee and its Millennial -friendly appeal in the past. Now that it is an official Fox hit, ‘Glee’ is everywhere. In the past two days, I’ve seen a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, an article in TIME magazine and a feature in today’s USATODAY. Wednesday night is Glee’s season ending episode. Count on it being a ‘trending topic’ on Twitter tomorrow.
According to Nielsen, Glee is the top rated show among the desirable 18-49 demographic segment and has even higher ratings among 18-34 year old women. This kind of cross-generational pull is unusual for a show about high school teens. But Glee is not just another High School Musical, Secret Life of the American Teenager or Greek.
Here are some of the things that set it apart:
- The talent is top notch (Jane Lynch, Lea Michele) and the production is slick, with cost per episode rumored to be $3 million, about the same as Mad Men.
- There are big-name guest stars — Kristen Chenoweth, Josh Groban, even Madonna is rumored to be doing an appearance next season.
- The music is wildly diverse in order to bridge generational differences. Here’s the list of songs from the second album ust released today that offers Broadway, Beatles, Hip Hop and everything in between.
1. Proud Mary
2. Endless Love
3. I’ll Stand By You
4. Don’t Stand So Close To Me / Young Girl
5. Crush
6. (You’re) Having My Baby
7. Lean On Me
8. Don’t Make Me Over
9. Imagine
10. True Colors
11. Jump
12. Smile (cover of Lily Allen)
13. Smile (cover of Charlie Chaplin)
14. And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going
15. Don’t Rain On My Parade
16. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
17. My Life Would Suck Without You
I enjoy Glee, but I have a complaint: the primary characters are manipulative.
Two of the three major plot lines involve women misleading clueless men to advance their own agenda. Terry dupes her husband Will into believing she is pregnant (she’s not) in an effort to save her marriage. Quinn tells her boyfriend Finn she is pregnant with his baby (she’s not) because she believes he is better husband material than her baby’s real father, Puck. The minor plot lines also involve lies – Will originally tricks Finn into joining the choir through coersion. Sue, the hilariously hardened cheerleading coach who is the choir’s major antagonist, coerces the school Principal into a role managing the Glee Club. Sue also informs the competition of the choir’s song list in order to derail its chances of winning sectionals. Even the generally admirable diva-to-be, Rachel, has not been above some manipulative moves. (See earlier blog post, “Is Glee’s Rachel Berry ‘ That Girl!’ for Gen Y?”)
These actions are not ‘misunderstandings’ - each character actively compromises their moral position to get what they want. It’s all in fun and no doubt the plots webs will untangle nicely tomorrow night. I wonder, though, if Millennials are just tolerating the plots, rather than really enjoying them? Authenticity, ethical behavior and ‘making a difference’ are all famously part of their DNA.
Next season, I hope the writers come up with plots that make the characters seem less ’calculating’, for the sake of the show.
Where you are will define who you are
A video conversation between digital marketing gurus, Simon Mainwaring and Rishad Tobaccowala caught my ear today. They were discussing the notion that for marketers, at least, “Where you are will increasingly define who you are“.
We were long ago untethered from our landline phones and TV sets. Now, with everyone connected everywhere / all the time, where you are does have a much greater importance and influence on what is relevant. Where you are and who you are with are relatively new factors for marketers to consider when creating communications.
Mainwaring puts it this way: “..suddenly, whether we’re in the office, a coffee shop, whether we’re at the beach, whether we’re at our friend’s house or outside the movies will have a huge impact on the type of information we share and the type of information we absorb or choose to listen to on behalf of brands.” Tobaccowala explains the marketing implications of mobility this way:
“I think where you are will play and increasingly bigger and bigger role in defining who you are…and what you are interested in particularly for marketers because mobility is where real time and social come together. You have companies like Four Square and a lot of others who are starting to leverage that. What it does mean for a marketer is to provide just in time utilities and services rather than advertising because you are open for certain things at a particular stage in time and that time increasingly will be defined by where you are located.”
A new multigenerational study from Motorola found the desire to be constantly connected knows no age limit. Millennials (80 percent), Gen Xers (78 percent) and Boomers (78 percent) are equal in their desire to be constantly connected. According to the report, connectivity is now more of a lifestyle issue, and being accessible at all times is seen as a necessity across generations (Millennials, 79 percent; Gen Xers, 64 percent; Boomers, 65 percent). It’s not only a necessity, it’s something they really like and enjoy. Rather than finding it stressful, many even find it ‘relaxing’:
The ability to connect wherever you are has become an essential component of daily life. In fact, seven in 10 Americans (70 percent) feel it’s “important for me to always be accessible,” and nearly eight in 10 (78 percent) feel they are constantly connected with family, friends and colleagues, regardless of physical location. This level of access gives Americans the freedom to better prioritize and blend different aspects of their lives. Rather than feel stifled by their constant availability, Americans admit that being connected makes them feel relaxed and confident.
In spite of their everyday use of technology, 70 percent of those surveyed are still excited by the ability to live a connected lifestyle and, regardless of where they are, have become reliant on the ability to access and share content, including video images, anytime, anywhere. Sixty-six percent of Americans expect to be able to access the same content no matter where they are.
While 24/7 connectivity is becoming a way of life for everyone, it has been true of Millennials for some time now. With their fluid sense of space and time, they reason, why do something in the office when it can be done just as well and more efficiently someplace else? Why spend time pre-researching a purchase when you can do on the spot? Why worry about gathering recommendations ahead of time when they are always available, in the moment?
According to Mainwaring, smart phones are becoming ‘the hub of our communications’. I know this is true for me. I rarely carry my laptop around anymore, now that I can surf, blog, tweet, and email from my iphone. Yesterday I stopped to get air in my tires, but was delayed unexpectedly when they found a nail in one of the tires. What normally would have been a wasted hour of inconvenience reading old magazines and watching CNN now barely made a ripple in my day. What kind of communication opportunity did that hour represent for a tire marketer? The mind races.
As a marketer, these are indeed exciting times.
