While we at YMC most often focus on engaging with the high school to post-college set — those often called Generation Y — we’re always looking for insights about the generation behind them, the so-called Gen-Z-ers. According to demographers (and the legions of youth culture bloggers), Gen Z covers those born between roughly 1992 and 2010. If you want a (very brief) but insightful look into what this up-and-coming generation of consumers think about television, check out this video from Dave Knox at Hard Knox Life. In about 45 seconds it demonstrates that TV’s pop-culture reign may not be indefinite…
It’s a gray, drizzly, and uneventful Thursday here in Washington, DC, which makes it an ideal day to engage in our country’s most celebrated pastime. No, no, I don’t mean baseball. I’m referring to the one true spectator sport, the ultimate diversion, the full-time hobby that has captivated Americans for the last half century: Television. If your weather is anything like ours, today is precisely the kind of day for which this magnificent time-vampire was invented.
But it’s not just the weather (or your empty social calendar) that should drive you to the tube this evening — there’s actually something worth watching! The Travel Channel is unveiling an hour-long special on this year’s Spring Break experience, and it promises to be be genuinely, genuinely awesome. How can we be so sure? As it happens, the fine folks at The Travel Channel spent a lot of time in two Spring Break haunts that we at YMC know extremely well: Cancun and Panama City Beach. If you watch carefully tonight, you just might catch a glimpse of us — or at the very least, you’ll likely spot Rockstar, T-Mobile or one of our other Spring Break brands.
So, gather ’round the TV at 11 pm EST, fire up The Travel Channel, and bask in the warm blue glow of Ultimate Spring Break. (If you’re — somehow — still not convinced, here’s a little teaser, just for you guys, to give you a taste of what The Travel Channel has to offer.) Tonight should be a good night.
While we may have swept away the confetti, silenced our noisemakers, and removed our (very flattering) party hats, the YMC office is still bubbling over with that New Year’s Eve spirit. In part, this is because we’re fond of parties. We like them, plain and simple, and we’re always loath to see them go. Years of creating and producing customized spring break marketing experiences—everywhere from Acapulco, Mexico, to Panama City Beach, Florida—has instilled in us a deep, abiding affection for celebrations of all stripes.
But it’s also true that we’re still clinging to that one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve enthusiasm because we’re having a little trouble letting go of 2008. After all, 2008 was full of exciting firsts for YMC. 2008 saw the launch of our website, the creation of this very blog, and a list of new clients that we’re genuinely honored to work with. So even though 2008 brought with it some serious financial hurdles for the market at large, we can’t help but be thankful for the year that saw YMC grow in important ways.
With all of that in mind, I thought we should throw ourselves a virtual New Year’s party and (belatedly) ring in 2009 right here at the YouthBuzz Blog. But instead of dropping a giant LED ball or wearing funny hats, I thought we could celebrate by reviewing the major happenings that made news in the youth marketing world in 2008. I’ve gathered together a list of links that explore the significant, strange and sublime trends that shaped 2008. So, grab a handful of confetti or some streamers, and take a look back at the year that was.
There’s one constant in presidential politics: every four years, a newer, bigger, better election strategy is unleashed on the voting public. In the 90s we saw a youngish, hip, saxophone-wielding Democrat hit the late-night talk show circuit to acquaint himself with America’s budding new crop of 18-to-24 year olds. And it worked. In 2008, we’re witnessing a new first. The use of social media to galvanize support for presidential candidates.
In the past few years, sites such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube have changed the way people communicate with each other. So it’s no surprise that they are also changing the face of the 2008 presidential race. With instant and easy access to millions of potential voters, each of the major players in this election has quickly jumped on the social networking bandwagon. With the click of a button you can see McCain’s official campaign on his YouTube channel ‘Country First.’ Or read about Obama’s background and positions on his MySpace page. There’s no more digging around, or riffling through (gasp!) newspapers to find out about each candidate’s position on key issues. Because they’ve already done the work for you.
In fact, two of the country’s leading news organizations, CNN and ABC News, saw the value that social media brought forth. They respectively partnered with YouTube and Facebook to bring two rounds of election debates to us. And in the process redefined America’s town meeting.
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the social media phenomenon in this election year – especially to those of us in the business of marketing to today’s youth – is that the voters themselves are doing much of the legwork on their own. And today’s “legwork” is much more effective than yesterday’s pamphlet-distributing, sign-toting, bumper sticker-sticking, protesting kind of legwork. It’s the viral kind. The kind that can infiltrate hundreds of mailboxes in a minute and influence thousands of “friends” with the click of a button.
Take for instance the soldier who posted ‘Dear Mr. Obama’ in support of McCain. At 9.8 million views as of 9/29/08, this amateur 1 minute 55 second video has reached more people than CBS’s broadcast of ‘Two and a Half Men’ the week of 9/15/08. What it’s worth in media dollars is something that anyone with a calculator can quickly figure out. What it’s worth qualitatively, well, that’s what we’ll all be waiting to see. Because this is just one guy in a military uniform with a simple message. Multiply that by all the Gen Y-ers looking to make a difference this election year, and we’re talking something else entirely.
So, will social media define the 2008 election as Florida did in 2000? That remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the rules of communication have changed in this brave new world. Messaging, whether it’s about a candidate or a brand, isn’t just coming from the top these days. The millions of web-savvy youth that make up Generation Y are armed with a digital bullhorn, and they’re using it each and every day to express themselves and influence their peers. While it may not decide the election this time around, its obvious that brands (and candidates) ignore social medias power at their own peril.
