Posted in Campus Marketing (On & Off), Youth Culture Research on February 23rd, 2009
Filed Under: Campus Marketing (On & Off), cellphones, David Knox, Generation Y, Millenials, mobile media, mobile technology, teen marketing, teens, texting, tweens, Youth Marketing, youth marketing connection
Ever since cell phones reached a level of ubiquity that rivals pants, those in the business of marketing to Generation Y have been trumpeting the coming of mobile technology. For mobile technology boosters, the refrain is always the same: “Next year — next year mobile technology is going to be huge.” It’s been about five years now, and “next year” simply hasn’t come. (In that way, it seems that mobile technology fanboys and Chicago Cubs loyalists are in the same boat.) But that’s changing.
Mobile technology may have fallen victim to early hype, but there’s no denying that, sooner than later, mobile technology is going to be a key platform for reaching today’s youth. The numbers are simply too good to ignore. Consider this data-rich post from marketing guru, Dave Knox. According to Knox’s numbers, the cellphone is the most popular electronic device in the world; there are more than two times as many cellphones as there are computers. More interestingly still, the average America gets their first cellphone at 10 years old! (At ten years old, I don’t think I even knew my home phone number.) And, again according to Knox, 88 percent of tweens/teens use their cellphone every single of day of their lives. In short: an entire generation is growing up with cellphones — which are, more and more, resembling mobile computers — glued to their hands. Cellphones are stuck on Gen Y like some kind of technological barnicle, and they’re not going anywhere. The longterm result? Not even the most tech-phobic could claim that mobile technology is heading in any direction but up.
We at YMC have, for some time now, advocated a holistic combination of physical (through experiential marketing) and digital (through mobile technology marketing and social media marketing). When the two are employed simultaneously, you’re reaching Gen-Y-ers in a way it genuine and authentic — because it mirrors the way they communicate with their peers and live their lives. This holistic approach means a brand experience — not just another ad. It means connecting with Gen-Y — not shouting at them.
Final thought: mobile technology is posied to fulfill its great promise. Get ready.
Posted in Campus Marketing (On & Off), Spring Break Marketing, Youth Culture Research on February 16th, 2009
Filed Under: blog, blogging, college admissions, college marketing, demographic data, Fortune 500, Generation Y, Millenials, Social Networking, Spring Break Marketing, video blog, youth culture data, Youth Culture Research, Youth Marketing, youth marketing connection, ypulse
Before we begin in earnest, a quick note about the weather: if you’re an East Coaster, you know that this weekend was a godsend — a brief and otherworldly reprieve from winter. Those of us at the Washington, DC, office enjoyed weather in the low 60s, and this week promises to bring highs near 70. (Those stuck in YMC’s Boston headquarters have been less lucky. Sorry guys.) All of this is a reminder that Spring Break is fast approaching. It’s probably time to cut back on the calories and start shopping for those new swim trunks. (And if you’ll allow me a brief and shameless plug, I might add that if you’re a brand, and you’re interested in a Spring Break experiential marketing campaign, the time to act is now. We’re only weeks away from kicking off the Spring Break season, and these campaigns don’t build themselves!)
In non-weather news, our friends at YPulse share some hard data on the growing trends towards social media marketing for major American brands. While this shift towards social media marketing has been well documented, it doesn’t make the numbers any less striking. Consider how far social media has come: just a handful of years ago, blogs were seen as the preserve of political obsessives, tech fanatics and live-journaling teens. Fast forward to 2009, and 39 percent of 500 Inc. companies and 13 percent of Fortune 500 companies have an officially sanctioned and regularly updated corporate blog. (What I haven’t found, thus far, is a complete list which corporations are blogging. If anyone out there has a definitive list, I’d surely be interested in seeing it!)
More interestingly, though, for those of us who spend our time marketing to Millenials: American colleges are leading the way in social media communication. This likely doesn’t come as a huge shock to most of you. According to a recent survey, 41 percent of colleges have a blog, and 48 percent of colleges are maintaining a video blog. In total, 86 percent of college admission programs are using some form of social media. Scan through the whole study, found here, to see changes that have taken place in social media usage between 2007 and 2008 alone. For those who get turned off by charts and graphs and terse academic prose, the main take-away is simple: more school are using more forms of social media to reach out to students than ever before. And, more and more, they’re doing it in a way that’s true to YMC’s model of “engaging and authentic”: unlike in years past, more schools are allowing comments on their blogs. In short, they’re seeking to begin a conversation with students and potential students — they’re not just talking at them. And that, after all, is the magic ingredient in effective youth marketing. If you can create an interactive experience — be it physical or digital — that allows Millenials to engage with a brand in an authentic fashion, you’re going to be successful.
Posted in Spring Break Marketing, Youth Culture Research on February 2nd, 2009
Filed Under: acapulco, beaches, Cancun, college students, Experiential Marketing, genreation Y, mexico, south padre island, spring break, spring break 2009, Spring Break Marketing, students, sun and fun, Youth Marketing
O sunshine, sunshine! Wherefore art thou sunshine?
As you’ve likely noticed if you live anywhere near the East Coast of these fine United States, winter is in full swing. Matter of fact, Boston — YMC’s home base — has already endured 45 inches of snow. And it’s still getting dark before five o’clock. And, oh yeah, it’s cold. So to say that Spring Break can’t get here any faster would be a colossal understatement.
And now that the countdown is officially on, what do we have to look forward this Spring Break as the realities of our ‘new economy’ set in? It may sound surprising, but it’s not all that different than it was in year’s past. In fact, as the exclusive marketing partner of leading Spring Break tour provider StudentCity.com, we have the inside scoop on how Spring Break 2009 is shaping up. So we’re sharing it with you.
First of all, Spring Break is still on. Students are still packing their bags and heading south for sunny escapes. And as of this posting, the top five travel destinations include three international and two domestic hotspots. According to StudentCity, the most popular destinations for American college students in 2009 are:
(1) Panama City Beach, FL
(2) Cancun, MX
(3) Acapulco, MX
(4) South Padre Island, TX
(5) Freeport Bahamas Cruise
Overall, you can see the top five destinations for all American college students in 2009 has remained largely unchanged. By region, though, some interesting trends have emerged over the years. Specifically we’ve noticed that the Mississippi River has become something of a Spring Break territory marker, with schools in the East skewing one way, and those in the West skewing another. Here’s how it tends to break down:
Most popular international destination for students in the North and East: Cancun, MX
Most popular domestic destination for students in the North and East: Panama City Beach, FL
Most popular international destination for students in the South and West: Acapulco, MX for students traveling by air and Mazatlan for students traveling via land
Most popular domestic destination for students in the South and West:: South Padre Island, TX
Another trend we’ve noticed over the years is a peculiar one: our northernmost neighbors in Alaska tend to stay within U.S. borders and head to Big Texas for Spring Break. While another trend is not surprising at all: our island neighbors in Hawaii tend to stay put altogether. Must be that paradise thing or something…
What’s clear is that wallet woes haven’t put the kibosh on students’ dreams of sun, fun and co-eds. In fact, what we’re seeing instead is a smarter Spring Breaker this year. Students have taken advantage of early booking discounts, trying to save where it’s easier to do so. Plans are being altered, with domestic travel on the rise. The throwback roadtrip is back in vogue – even more so now that the price of gas has leveled off. And students are planning to ‘piggy back’ in hotel rooms, as they try to save their money for what they perceive as much more important – nightlife, food and fun. And sunscreen. Lots and lots of sunscreen.
