A few years ago I saw many in my generation with their iPhones, but not many of the younger generations; that has changed as prices have dropped and expectations have risen:
Millennials High on Digital and Friends
According to the "American Millennials" study from Barkley, with Service Management Group and The Boston Consulting Group, Millennials, compared to other generations, reported greater awareness of newer, youth-oriented cause marketing campaigns and greater exposure to campaigns through social media, while Non-Millennials rely on newspaper and direct mail.
Jeff Fromm, senior vice president, Barkley, says "... since the Millennials generation is larger than the Baby Boomers... and three times bigger than Generation X... understanding of Millennials' needs, tastes and behaviors will clearly shape... future business decisions... "
Highlights from the Study:
And, additional study information reported by EMarketer, shows that a third of Millennials like brands more if they use social media, nearly double the percentage of older adults who said the same. In addition, over 30% of Millennials thought it was annoying for brands to be on sites like Facebook and Twitter, making this group less tolerant of social media marketing.
23.5% of Millennials interacted with content from a brand's Facebook page at least once a daily, vs. 17% of older adults who did the same. Millennials were also 4.4 percentage points more likely to interact with brand content between one and six times per week. Overall older adults were nearly twice as likely never to engage with brand content on Facebook.
(Source: The Center For Media Research, 09/7/11)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Future belongs to Digital
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Moms Want to Connect
from Mediapost recently:
Recognizing the Jugglers' priorities is one step. Understanding how to reach them as they make decisions about products whether rushing down a supermarket aisle, or clicking across the Internet, requires more.
What can a brand do to grab their attention and keep it long enough to change their minds or their buying habits?
The answer lies in how they value marketing information, whether presented in an ad or a web site. What value does it have and when do they need it? Most Moms want to be informed, but for some marketing information holds almost no value at all. For others, it's all about when they get it; can they claim the "First to Know" badge?
We recently took a look across two well-known Online Mom* segments -- Health Committed Moms and Brand Loyal Moms -- to discover if there are more effective ways for brand marketers to serve up marketing information.
- Health Committed Moms (39% of online Moms) place an immense value on marketing information. Their focus on health would seem to demand it. Information is the most valuable thing a brand can offer. Health Committed Moms "are very likely to act on what they learn". Brands need to be careful with their own language and make sure they monitor the competition.
Brands have another more unique opportunity with Health Committed Moms. These Moms reward brands that help them win the "First to Know" badge. New product launches targeting these Moms should include tactics for positioning this information as exclusive and reaching Moms who are most likely to value and share this information.
But these Health Committed Moms with their First to Know badge surprisingly spend less time on "health" sites. In fact, if we were to recommend how to reach them online we'd be looking at fashion and beauty sites (82% more likely to spend time), as well as family and food (84% more likely time).
- Now let's look at the easiest segment to categorize, but a challenge for any new brand, or want-to-be #1; Brand Loyal Moms (32% of Online Moms). As we expect, loyalists don't seek out information at all. They just stay with their brands. Can anything get them to change a brand? How about a shift in their own personal values? Admittedly, this is difficult to predict and seldom occurs, but right now something is going on.
For the last several years we have been watching as Brand Loyal Moms become increasingly concerned with the environment. In the last several months, there have been more Brand Loyal Moms on "green" sites than ever before. More time, in fact, than any other Mom's segment, including Health Conscious Moms.
Motivating Moms requires moving beyond the idea of the Juggler to an understanding of how they value marketing information, from ads to tweets. What they need and how those needs shift as their own values shift will give brand marketers a new edge, one they will need as the Juggler moves faster and faster.
*Resonate Networks' Online Moms sample size is approximately 35 million.
 | Bryan Gernert is CEO of Resonate. |
Sunday, August 28, 2011
When Were The Good 'Ole Days?
When I saw this last week, I was surprised:
from Mediapost:
For older adults, it's hard to imagine Millennials lives as difficult. In fact, they usually think of their younger counterparts as over-privileged and having an unearned sense of entitlement. But Millennials have spent their lives striving to be the best and trying to live up to what their parents have always said: that they can do anything. But adjusting to reality is proving difficult.
Millennials are coming of age in one of the worst economic slumps the U.S. has seen in decades, and it's making them nervous. Instead of getting rewarded for their hard work, they find themselves unemployed or underemployed. Those who are lucky enough to have jobs spend every day trying to keep them; they're the last hired in their companies, and first on the chopping block. With all this anxiety hanging over them, Millennials are afraid to make the next move for fear it will be the wrong one.
They miss the time when everything was easy, when they felt safe and secure. In particular, they pine for their adolescent years, and want to be emotionally transported back to that time.
Nickelodeon is doing just that for Millennials. It has introduced a midnight programming block called "The '90s Are All That!" airing programs that were in their heyday a decade ago. Viewers are loving it; they can go to sleep after watching their favorite shows feeling as carefree as they did when the episodes originally aired.
MTV is making a similar move bringing back some of its more popular '90s shows, though with minor updates. "Beavis and Butt-Head" will soon be back on the air, but instead of making fun of music videos, they're watching "Jersey Shore." "120 Minutes" is back with Matt Pinfield again at the helm, showing a mix of videos from new indie rock bands alongside classic videos -- from bands like Nirvana, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and more -- that debuted during "120 Minutes"' previous run from 1986 to 2003.
And it's not just entertainment; the '90s are everywhere.
Nostalgia is so powerful with 20-something Millennials because they're stuck between childhood and adulthood. Many recent college grads are moving back home and living with their parents while they figure out what they want to do with their lives. They're waiting longer to marry and start families, preferring to relish their freedom for a few more years. They can continue to act like kids (while enjoying the privileges of adulthood) well into their 20s.
With this combination of fear and freedom bearing down on them, the last thing Millennials want is a marketer telling them they have to act like grown-ups. Instead, a subtle nod to their desire to be kid-like a little longer suits them much better. Taco Bell is speaking Millennials' language with its latest campaign for its steak burritos; the ad tells guys it's perfectly acceptable to still want Taco Bell (no doubt a staple of their teen years) even if they can afford dinner at a steakhouse. It doesn't make them any less grown-up to still like the things they did when they were thirteen.
Millennials will always be nostalgic for the '90s -- all generations are nostalgic for their adolescent years -- but, for now, the longing is particularly poignant because older Millennials are clutching to the last gasps of childhood as they speed toward grown-up responsibility.
 | Melanie Shreffler is editor-in-chief at Ypulse. |
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Show us a Little Respect
Moving Picture Shows.
That's what my dad used to call them when he was a kid.
If he were alive today he would be 80 right now.
But I always called them movies, and now that I've crept into my 50's I still go to the theater.
More on Boomer movie habits from Mediapost:
Look at it this way: "Larry Crowne" made a profit, despite being nearly universally panned by critics because of the size and power of the 50+ market.
In spite of Hollywood's traditional infatuation with younger audiences, some insiders are starting to wise up to the reality of the situation. "One of the most urgent issues we face as an industry is to figure out how to lure the Boomers back to the movie theaters," Bob Pisano, the Motion Picture Association of America's president and interim chief executive, attests.
And the facts back him up, proving that entertainment marketers who ignore the Boomer+ demo do so at their own peril. Consider the following:
- 45 million people age 50+ see movies in theaters every year -- that's one out of every three adult moviegoers.
- Those 45 million moviegoers demonstrate a growth of 18 million people over the last 15 years. That growth rate nearly doubles that of the 18-49 year-old movie-going population.
- Over the next 10 years, the 50+ population is expected to grow by nearly 20 million, four times the rate that the 18-49 population, which means that movie going audiences will continue to age.
Imagine what "Larry Crowne" could have done had it actually been a good film.
Or rather, don't imagine, and simply look at the success of Woody Allen's recent success with "Midnight in Paris."
Without a big marketing budget, Sony Pictures Classics struck gold with this surprise box office hit by targeting older consumers directly and then reaping the benefits from the word of mouth for which Boomers have become so well-known. The film is Allen's most successful in 25 years and, with its success among older audiences as a foundation, is now being marketed to and attracting younger audiences. It's a welcome reversal of the conventional approach of targeting the younger demographic and depending on "spill" to impact older consumers.
The truth of the matter is, movies with older star power have proven to be highly successful when also critically acclaimed. "The King's Speech" starred Colin Firth (50), Geoffrey Rush (60) and Helena Bonham Carter (45), and "The Kids Are All Right" starred Annette Bening (53), Julianne Moore (50), and Mark Ruffalo (43). Reviews are critical to the success of movies among older movie goers. According to new research from AARP among its members age 50+, nearly two-thirds say they consult reviews before seeing a movie.
Movies like "Midnight in Paris," "The Kids Are All Right" and the Meryl Streep vehicle "Julia & Julia" succeeded because they met several of the general criteria required to encourage Boomer and older consumers to open their wallets for most categories of products and services. They delivered high quality, served a valuable purpose, and added to life's experience, so they were deemed by Boomers to be a smart expenditure.
But these films went a step further by depicting Boomers in a desirable light, which is what Boomers want in both entertainment and advertising that targets them. Boomers don't want to be singled out by their generation, and especially not by their age. They want to coexist amongst other generations based on their interests and relationships. This is how they're living their lives right now.
Boomers and older consumers are a distinctly powerful consumer segment. As the evidence defying the conventional wisdom continues to mount, we can use Hollywood as yet another example of why underestimating that power will prove to be an increasingly costly error.
 | Mark Bradbury is research director for AARP Media Sales. |
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
More Than Angry Birds
Check out this report:
Affluents Adopting Technology-Infused Lifestyles
"Affluent Consumers in a Digital World," a study from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, finds the wealthiest American consumers, those in homes with at least $100,000 annual incomes, embracing digital media and its ads.
According to the study, conducted for the IAB by Ipsos Mendelsohn, 98% of affluent consumers use the Internet, as compared with 79% of the general population. They spend 26.2 hours online weekly, 17.6 hours watching TV and 7.5 hours listening to the radio. The general population, on the other hand, spends about twice as much time weekly with TV and radio.
Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President of Industry Services, IAB, notes that "Affluents have long been one of the hardest to reach and most important consumer groups... (but) when it comes to digital media, the old paradigm has been superseded: the wealthiest Americans use digital media far more than their less affluent counterparts."
According to the survey, affluents overall currently comprise 21% of U.S. households, have 70% of all consumer wealth, and spend 3.2 times more than other Americans on purchases. Compared with non-affluent consumers, after viewing digital ads affluent consumers are also somewhat more likely to be aware of:
And, 59% of affluent consumers reported taking action based on a digital ad during the preceding six months.
Mane observed that "... the combined reach, exposure and influence of digital as an ad vehicle to affluent households is simply unprecedented."
The receptivity of affluent Americans to digital advertising is underscored by their greater understanding of the ad-supported web model and the benefits of ad targeting:
Part of what affluent consumers want from that customized experience are ads relevant to their current shopping interests (i.e., auto ads if they're ready for a new car, airline ads if they're planning a trip... wherever they may be on the Internet)
Affluent Americans are twice as likely as the general population to own smartphones (33% vs. 17%), and 79% of the affluent say their lives have become "intertwined with technology" over the past decade. However, they are more likely to say that their lives have become:
Bob Shullman, President of Ipsos Mendelsohn, says "... affluent consumers have increasingly come to desire relevant and customized experiences... in part because they are living technology-infused lifestyles... they have come to expect the benefits of digital media... "
(Source: The Center For Media Research, 08/09/11)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Mom Rules 2011
It may be the growth of single parent homes headed by women...
It may be the product of being a child of divorce...
It may be a values backlash...
It's all a bit too difficult to pinpoint...
But today's Mom shares similarities with generations of women before her and that common bond is the level of influence they have on their families.
Mediapost gives this insight into the Mom's of 2011:
When kids seek permission, they usually ask mom. But these days, the things to which she is saying "yes," might be surprising. For example, if you are not yet 13 years old, joining a social network is still against the site's policy. Yet, 32% of 9-12 year olds report typically visiting social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Now, these kids are not sneaking on to these sites without their moms' permission. In fact, 84% of these kids' moms are "friends" with their child on the sites. You may be asking yourself, "Why would moms allow their children to obviously and deliberately break the rules?"
The answer may point to a larger societal trend that could have tremendous implications for marketers. Could it be that this generation of moms has learned to rely primarily on their own assessment and instincts rather than depending on the dictates of institutions on which previous generations depended? Have the purported "facts" vacillated so many times that this cohort learned that there really is no "right" answer and decisions are always relative?
Let's think about the defining events today's moms of young children witnessed. They grew up watching the institutions their parents trusted let them down. From the government (terrorist attacks, political scandals, food/product recalls, school shootings) and corporations (Enron, Exxon Valdez, BP oil spill, layoffs) to financial institutions (Bernie Madoff, et. al., the sub-prime mortgage crisis) and even religious organizations, this generation learned hard lessons about trust and control.
That is, they saw they had little control and institutions were not worthy of their trust. However, they maintained hope that the one institution that would not disappoint them and one area where they could still exert some influence and control was the family. What was clear to this generation of moms was that they can and should be the final arbiters of what is right for their families. Decisions are now based on sources of information this mom-consumer personally assesses.
This is the new "momsumer." When it comes to evaluating social networking for her child, mom feels empowered to judge the merits of those sites outside of the institutional age recommendations. Finding the sites fit the lifestyle needs of today's kids and tweens, she allows them to join. In addition, she "friends" her children on these sites and monitors their communications herself.
This momsumer pattern is exhibited in other parts of kids' media world, as well. For example, 81% of boys aged 9-12 years old, who play video games are allowed to play T-rated games, if they play with a parent. In fact, 51% of boys aged 9-12 years old, who play video games are allowed to play M-Rated games with a parent. Games are rated T, if the content is deemed appropriate for players over age 13 and an M rating is given if the content is most appropriate for players aged 17 years old and older.
The same phenomenon emerges with motion pictures. Seven in ten kids aged 6-12 are allowed to see a PG-13 rated movie, if they go with a parent, while about one out of five boys are allowed to watch R-rated movies with a parent.
With momsumers overriding traditional content guidelines, the selection set of products and services obtainable by kids is ever-expanding. So what does this mean for marketers of all goods and services? It is imperative to understand how your products hold up against the momsumers' evaluation. Who in her family really uses or advocates for your service?
Is it a part of her potential selection set? Will you teach her that your messaging over promises and under delivers or will your communications be verified as she personally evaluates your brand? Staying close to your consumers has never been more important as momsumers tailor their families' experience with your products and services in ways that you may not have anticipated. Understanding these customized interactions can help grow your brand and expand your business.
And what will the impact of these momsumers be on this generation of kids? Are we raising a cohort of rule breakers, who will only want to follow their own regulations? Well, that depends. Just like Kohlberg's assessment of moral reasoning, it is not the action that matters as much as the rationale for that action. Moms should detail for their children the reason they are overriding the standards and those institutional rules.
So, are you ready? Here they come.
 | Sacerdoti is the CEO and founder of BrightRoll, a leading provider of online video advertising services. BrightRoll, which was founded in 2006, has served billions of ads on behalf of the world’s leading agencies and their clients and executed campaigns on more than three-fourths of the top 100 online media properties in the United States. |
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Not a Teenage Wasteland
The right attitude is not based on age.
Although sometimes as we grow older we mature in our thoughts and actions, and experience teaches many lessons, don't discount today's youth.
Check out this piece from Mediapost:
Keep in mind, today's incoming college freshmen were only seven years old during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. While Millennials are old enough to remember a time when "money was no object" and the threat of war was limited to nightly spots on the news, this generation has been profoundly impacted by world events, and their personal values reflect the "new normal" we have all been experiencing for some time. Why does this matter to brand marketers? Our success in bonding with today's youth begins by understanding what motivates them at the deepest level.
How They Define Success:
As a Millennial born of and raised by Boomers, I was taught that if you worked hard and saved your money, you would be able to live indefinitely off your nest egg and retire comfortably, preferably somewhere warm and dry, and on a golf course. In the wake of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, today's youth are being taught a different lesson about money: "Don't take anything for granted, or assume money will always be there for you."
The uncertainty of financial success has refocused our country's priorities back to spending time with our families and doing what you love, not necessarily what will make you wealthy. This shift in values is also reflected in how teens define success. Seventy-nine percent* define success as "doing what you are passionate about" and "raising a loving family" while only 13% describe success as being the CEO of a major company. Appearing successful to others, a trait coveted by many Boomers and Gen X, is also not as desirable to this generation, as only 18% feel this is important.
Today's youth are not influenced by money or the image of success. In fact, even in their online communities, only 6% feel that "having lots of friends on Facebook" is an influential quality. The vast majority believe "Being True To Yourself" is inherently more influential in life (62%).
A Generation of Actionists:
Our youth are not a generation of "haters." They don't blame their parents for the problems in their own lives; rather they see technology as empowering them to make a positive impact on their world. They are much more likely to come together, either both on and offline, to achieve a common good than prior generations, and view social media as a major catalyst for change.
Shaping Their Identity Through Social Media:
Today's youth have been building their own personal brand for years, and will be the most brand-savvy generation the world has ever known. They have hand-selected every photo, wall post, tweet, and "like" that has been tied to their digital persona, and have carefully built their outward-facing identities. This is quite possibly the greatest insight a brand marketer can glean: Their brand will always be secondary to the consumer's. The same way youth selects a photo or a wall post, they will also choose or deny your brand, depending on how it adds to or distracts from their own social brand persona.
Head in the Clouds, With Feet on the Ground:
This is not a generation of wishful thinkers, or irrational optimists. They know that hard work is needed to achieve their dreams, yet they believe that "Anything is possible through hard work." Their preference in brands has shifted as their personal values have impacted what they value in a brand. While Millennials cared about how expensive something was, the status it provided, the celebrity it was tied to or its "bling factor," today's youth puts a premium on how new something is and are more interested in product performance than status. They care less about the "badge value" of a premium brand and more about the originality and authenticity of the brand story.
Empower Them To Make Their Mark:
I am confident that today's youth will grow up to be well-adjusted, practically minded, successful problem solvers, who will live life to the fullest and make the planet better for all of us. As brand marketers, we need to help this generation on their quest by empowering them through our products, celebrate their personal brand and achievements, and embrace their desire to claim their own mark on the world.
* Note: Mr Youth leveraged Crowdtap -- a startup incubated within Mr Youth that helps brands engage audiences -- as a means to gain insights into this audience via a nationwide poll of males and females ages 14-17.
 | Nick Fuller is senior director of brand development at Mr. Youth, a social media agency. |
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
New Rules from Mommy Dearest.
1st off, I've never been a Mom.
Had one.
Been married to a couple of them.
I'm a Dad.
And now a Grandpa.
My wife's son has two sons, the oldest is now 13 and yes he was on Facebook before he became a teen.
My own 2 daughters are either Mom's or Mom-To-Be's and it will be a few years before their young ones are online.
Except, my daughter Tiff has been posting a daily picture (or two or three) of her new boy every day since he was born 2 months ago. I challenged her to do it every day for the next 18 years!
Mediapost shared some insight regarding today's young Moms:
Who decides what's right or wrong, allowed or forbidden, included or excluded? In most homes, the answer is mom. Moms of young children play a big role in what is deemed appropriate and acceptable for her family. But what are the criteria mom uses to decide what is in or out? With unprecedented access to information and to each other, this generation of moms is empowered, connected, informed and establishing its own sets of rules for families.
When kids seek permission, they usually ask mom. But these days, the things to which she is saying "yes," might be surprising. For example, if you are not yet 13 years old, joining a social network is still against the site's policy. Yet, 32% of 9-12 year olds report typically visiting social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Now, these kids are not sneaking on to these sites without their moms' permission. In fact, 84% of these kids' moms are "friends" with their child on the sites. You may be asking yourself, "Why would moms allow their children to obviously and deliberately break the rules?"
The answer may point to a larger societal trend that could have tremendous implications for marketers. Could it be that this generation of moms has learned to rely primarily on their own assessment and instincts rather than depending on the dictates of institutions on which previous generations depended? Have the purported "facts" vacillated so many times that this cohort learned that there really is no "right" answer and decisions are always relative?
Let's think about the defining events today's moms of young children witnessed. They grew up watching the institutions their parents trusted let them down. From the government (terrorist attacks, political scandals, food/product recalls, school shootings) and corporations (Enron, Exxon Valdez, BP oil spill, layoffs) to financial institutions (Bernie Madoff, et. al., the sub-prime mortgage crisis) and even religious organizations, this generation learned hard lessons about trust and control.
That is, they saw they had little control and institutions were not worthy of their trust. However, they maintained hope that the one institution that would not disappoint them and one area where they could still exert some influence and control was the family. What was clear to this generation of moms was that they can and should be the final arbiters of what is right for their families. Decisions are now based on sources of information this mom-consumer personally assesses.
This is the new "momsumer." When it comes to evaluating social networking for her child, mom feels empowered to judge the merits of those sites outside of the institutional age recommendations. Finding the sites fit the lifestyle needs of today's kids and tweens, she allows them to join. In addition, she "friends" her children on these sites and monitors their communications herself.
This momsumer pattern is exhibited in other parts of kids' media world, as well. For example, 81% of boys aged 9-12 years old, who play video games are allowed to play T-rated games, if they play with a parent. In fact, 51% of boys aged 9-12 years old, who play video games are allowed to play M-Rated games with a parent. Games are rated T, if the content is deemed appropriate for players over age 13 and an M rating is given if the content is most appropriate for players aged 17 years old and older.
The same phenomenon emerges with motion pictures. Seven in ten kids aged 6-12 are allowed to see a PG-13 rated movie, if they go with a parent, while about one out of five boys are allowed to watch R-rated movies with a parent.
With momsumers overriding traditional content guidelines, the selection set of products and services obtainable by kids is ever-expanding. So what does this mean for marketers of all goods and services? It is imperative to understand how your products hold up against the momsumers' evaluation. Who in her family really uses or advocates for your service?
Is it a part of her potential selection set? Will you teach her that your messaging over promises and under delivers or will your communications be verified as she personally evaluates your brand? Staying close to your consumers has never been more important as momsumers tailor their families' experience with your products and services in ways that you may not have anticipated. Understanding these customized interactions can help grow your brand and expand your business.
And what will the impact of these momsumers be on this generation of kids? Are we raising a cohort of rule breakers, who will only want to follow their own regulations? Well, that depends. Just like Kohlberg's assessment of moral reasoning, it is not the action that matters as much as the rationale for that action. Moms should detail for their children the reason they are overriding the standards and those institutional rules.
So, are you ready? Here they come.
Donna Sabino is SVP, Kids & Family Insights, Ipsos OTX MediaCT. All the data used herein is from LMX Family, an ongoing study of the media lives of kids and their families.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Saturday, Seniors and Car Sales
Car dealers like to have radio stations do remote broadcasts on Saturdays.
My current car I bought on a Saturday.
I'm not a Senior, but here's what they are looking for:
Senior Customers Require Balancing Act
TrueCar.com's review of the purchasing behavior of more than 200,000 car buyers from 2009 and 2010 shows that seniors (people 65 years of age and over) choose vehicles from brands they grew up with. Topping the list of brands purchased by seniors in that period, by percentage of buyers, were Buick, Lincoln and Cadillac.
"It's sort of a good-news, bad-news scenario for automakers," says TrueCar head of industry analysis Jesse Toprak. "It's good news because of the high loyalty and admiration for the brands among these older consumers. It's bad news because, well, they won't be alive forever.
"So it's a balancing act, really. I talk to these guys and it's a challenge they live. It's something they think about every morning when they get up: how do we not alienate our loyalists while trying to bring younger buyers into the brand?"
If the relative percentages of older buyers among brands were low, it wouldn't be such a nightmare for marketers. But the numbers say it all: 57.5% of Buick owners in 2009 and 2010 were over 65, per TrueCar stats. For Lincoln, it's 47.7%. Cadillac sold 44% of its cars during that time to seniors. After that comes Chrysler at 36.1%. General Motors sees a more youthful balance with GMC, at 32.4% over-65 buyers, and Chevrolet, which is just above Porsche, at 31.2%. After Porsche (29.5%) come Lexus, Jaguar and Hyundai, a quarter of whose buyers are 65 or older.
Toprak says the key to appealing to all consumers is to have (and market) tech-forward cool vehicles that younger buyers like, and trim levels that older consumers may also respond to. "It all comes down to the product. In spite of image, you can still sell to a younger and hipper audience with the right vehicle." Case in point from some years back before Buick had begun revamping its lineup with vehicles like the Enclave: the Buick Rendezvous, introduced in 2001 and built on the same platform as the (much mocked) Pontiac Aztek had waiting lists in California, notes Toprak, who said those buyers were 40-somethings. Same drill for the Enclave.
Another pattern emerges with a quick glance at the specific models with the highest percentage of older buyers: about 90% of buyers of the Lincoln Town Car are 65 or over. Next is the Buick Lucerne full-size luxury sedan, 86.6% of whose buyers are seniors. After that comes the big Cadillac DTS, the CTS Wagon, STS large car, the Hyundai Azera full-size sedan, and Chevy's largest car, the Impala. The list also includes the Toyota Avalon full-sized sedan. The only mid-sized cars on the list are Buick LaCrosse and Lincoln MKZ, 58.9% and 53.8% of whose buyers were 65 or older in the past two years. For the most part, big cars mean older buyers.
"That's the general issue; large cars don't appeal to younger people; it's really a category problem," says Toprak, who notes that luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have smaller vehicles in market or in the pipeline to appeal to younger buyers: BMW launched the 1-Series in 2004 and Mercedes-Benz plans a small car for the U.S., perhaps based on its Europe-market A-Class platform. These are "leapfrog" cars that a 20-something can buy and then move up from as they get older and hopefully more affluent, notes Toprak.
"It's not just image -- it's practicality, he says. "If they offer vehicles with very attractive lease payments that younger buyers with better cash flow can get into, you get a much higher chance of succeeding."
(Source: Marketing Daily, 07/29/11)
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Word of Mouth via Teens
This is nothing new, I just doubt that very many advertising execs are thinking about what it means to be a teenager and the power the under 25 years old have influencing others.
My own kids are out of their teens, which means I'm way past my own teen years, so maybe we need a refresher from Mediapost:
For example, in a recent campaign for recording artist Cady Groves, RCA offered a free merchandise pack to every fan who got five friends to download a free Cady Groves song from the web site. While many fans shared to complete the offer, quite a few superfans took sharing to the next level, coming up with their own tweets, direct messaging friends and posting on Facebook to recruit hundreds of new fans to the Cady Groves web site and Facebook Page.
These superfans can wield tremendous power when it comes to spreading the word about your brand, but how do you encourage their natural inclination toward sharing? Superfans aren't necessarily motivated by the offer for themselves; they're interested in promoting a favorite artist or product, getting free merchandise for their friends and establishing their reputation as someone in the know. The key is to provide them with ways to do this.
Here are five creative approaches to motivating your superfans:
1. Grant exclusives.
Play into teens' desire to be part of an inner circle by offering content that isn't available to the masses. This strategy is frequently put into play in the music industry: as with the Cady Groves example above, artists will often offer previews of music videos, song tracks or merchandise to fans who share with several of their friends.
2. Raise the stakes for playing the game.
Teens are especially keen on the gaming aspect of social media -- they like the competitive challenge. Tie in gaming with a way to raise the rewards, and you have the perfect way to lure superfans into sharing. BookRenter, which rents textbooks online, recently ran a scholarship contest in which the scholarship increased as more people shared it with their friends.
3. Provide a platform for expression.
Just as teens like put their own stamp on their rooms and their fashions, they want to show their creativity online -- and they want to know that their opinion is valued. Let teens voice what they want to view or buy, since they're more inclined to share something that they've had a hand in creating. For example, StyleFactory, which sells unique home furnishings and accessories, places a Facebook "Like" button on products, and lets shoppers choose the designs that should be produced. People who share their favorite designs get discounts on the top choices.
4. Recognize loyalty.
Teens want to cement their reputation as pack leaders, and they'll share more when the process comes with recognition of their early adopter status. You can use badging to allow teens to advertise their ability to build a fan base. For example, offer exclusive icons to teens that get friends to sign up for group deals or get people to like your brand's Facebook page.
Also consider giving your most loyal fans an opportunity to win public recognition in return for sharing. For example, Stiletto Music recently ran a campaign for artist Tally Hall where people who shared her web page were entered into a contest to win a personal theme song written and recorded by Tally Hall.
5. Help them do good.
According to the United Nations Foundation, in 2010, 79% of U.S. girls contributed food or clothing, 53% gave money, and 66% asked family or friends to give or volunteer. Look to feed into teens' budding altruism with shareable campaigns. For example, to celebrate his 17th birthday last March, Justin Bieber asked his 7.7 million Twitter followers to donate to Charity: Water, a nonprofit devoted to bringing safe drinking water to developing nations. Bieber's tweet about the campaign was retweeted by hundreds of his fans, and those who contributed got to post a birthday message to Bieber on the Charity: Water website. The result: $30,000 raised in just two days.
Keep in mind that while teen superfans may be interested in your social offer, they may be more excited by the possibility of sharing it: promoting a new band, getting free stuff for their friends, and highlighting their status as someone who knows what's hot and what's not. Your job as a marketer is to provide teens with ways to carry your brand message as they extend their influence online.
 | Sanjay Dholakia is CEO of Crowd Factory, a provider of crowd-powered marketing applications. |
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Boomers Rock
And I'm not talking about rocking chairs.
From Mediapost:
Unlike other cultures that revere the wisdom of their elders, American society is quick to devalue its adults as they age. While we're putting loved ones into nursing homes, other cultures are taking their parents into their households. While we're dismissing their opinions and advice, other cultures are leaning on them for the wisdom and insight that comes from a life well-lived. And while we're trying to reverse the aging process in its tracks, others are mastering the art of aging gracefully.
These attitudes may start at home, but they trickle down and are perpetuated by our marketing and advertising messages. While Boomers are far from elderly, the messages that many marketers use to reach them often tell a different story -- one marred by preconceived notions of retirement and aspirations that come with age.
Working side by side with a national organization dedicated to retired people on its upcoming house party, we've learned a lot about speaking to the commonalities of their vast and diverse target demographic. While there are several buyer personas that comprise the group "Boomers," they all tend to take one concept seriously: respect. The respect they have for their peers and the respect they expect from those they talk and listen to. When speaking to this demographic, there are seven golden rules marketers should uphold in order to respect their audience.
Respect their differences. Before I spend the rest of this article speaking in generalities about a group comprised by millions of people, with so many different attributes and desires, I want to preface it by saying that Boomers are more diverse than they are similar. They choose to spend their money in a plethora of different ways, from the decisions they make on luxury items and vacations to healthcare plans and investment opportunities.
As with any group, the first step is to understand the specific segment you're speaking to. Are they empty-nesters? Are they two-income families? Are they in a position to buy a second home? What do they value? Are they on the older or younger side of the generation? Because boomers tends to be treated as one unified mass of people just waiting to spend the rest of their lives, well, spending, gaining this type of insight will allow you to differentiate your messaging from that of those who are speaking to all of the above. All at once.
Respect the fact that they've been around the block. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can shock them. Or even worse, that they're strangers to the ways of the world. Remember, after all, that this is a socially conscious group, one that became sexually aware in the 50s/60s/70s and laid the groundwork for equal rights, women's liberation, and a whole host of other causes that mean something to them. Instead of relying on aged fear tactics, take a stand, be transparent, and show them some appreciation for what they've done.
Respect their wisdom. Some might say that one's BS detector becomes more fine-tuned with age. While there are always people who are easier to fool than others, don't tailor your message to the lowest common denominator when it comes to boomers. And assume that they'll be onto you if you do.
Respect their real lifestyle. Boomers lead active lifestyles. When determining how to speak in their language, imagine your audience as embarking on new challenges, not settling into the tired roles associated with the "retired" archetype.
Respect their work ethic. Unlike younger generations that value their leisure time, members of this generation tend to work hard and even work far past the government-defined retirement age ... because they want to.
Respect their digital savvy and communication skills. While Boomers haven't been quick to adopt texting, they've been quick to adopt other digital platforms like email and mobile. One thing we can say for certain of many boomers is that they're comfortable communicating in long form -- which these days, can mean any message that's longer than 140 characters. Start a conversation with them online by piquing their interests or giving them information that will bring value to their lives.
Follow up with them by email, and offer them tools they can access on their mobile phones. Keep the conversation going, in other words. Not just because they're comfortable with, and even crave, it, but because they're more apt to spread the words to their friends in real-life conversations and become reliable "recommendation engines" for you in the process. Or, alternatively, they're more likely to tell everyone about their horrible experience with your brand. Paging basic customer service ...
Respect their desire to make a difference. The final lesson we've gleaned as we work with our client is that Boomer-centric marketing efforts should tap into their desire to be a part of their local communities and make a difference. They want to be involved in volunteer work, see the tangible results/effects of giving back, and get down and dirty in support of grassroots initiatives. Is your brand helping them connect to their values and helping improve lives and communities? If so, they're more likely to try your products.
 | Michael Perry is CEO of House Party, responsible for overall company vision, business diversification and development, and management. |
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Break the Demographic Stereotypes
When I worked in the radio business, our stations were judged by the age of our listeners.
The web doesn't discriminate.
From Mediapost:
Really.
Does your top management team know this? Do they realize we live in new world where the 50+ consumer is fast becoming the major driver of the U.S. economy?
Is your organization ready to claim your fair share of the $3.5 trillion spent annually by Boomers and older adults on consumer goods and services? By the way, younger adults spend around $2.3 trillion, or about a third less (according to the latest Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Adults 18 to 49, ha!
Look. It is time for all organizations -- from Fortune 500 corporations to non-profits to government entities to local retailers -- to get up-to-speed on what is happening to the demographics in the U.S. and what to do about it.
Over the next two decades America and most of the world will undergo a profound, transformative, industry-changing, revolutionary and permanent change: there will be fewer younger people and greater numbers of older people than ever before. This change will be as dramatic and all encompassing as the change that happened between Aug. 6, 1991, and today, some 20 years later.
That's right, on that day Tim Berners-Lee announced to the online world that he had created the World Wide Web (sorry, Al Gore was not in the room at the time).
If you could go back to that day, knowing what you know now about the impact of the Web on literally everything, what would you do differently? Not just in 1991, but in '92, '93, '94 and so on? How would you have capitalized on the change, as it happened?
(Yeah, yeah, you'd have invested in all the right Internet stocks and now be retired.)
Our belief is that the inevitable age shift is as profound, transformative, industry-changing, revolutionary and permanent. Knowing that, what should your organization start doing differently? Now, in 2011, and in '12, '13, '14 and so on.
We see three courses of action:
1. Become "Age Aware." The simple facts about the size and spending of the 50+ consumer segment ought to be well known by anyone running an organization today. Here's another demographic time bomb few seem to grasp: Between now and 2031, the 18-to-49 age segment is expected to grow in size by 12%, reaching about 153 million. The 50+ segment will expand by 34%, reaching 135 million, almost as large. Focusing only on young adults -- about half the market -- is a fast way to ruin your business.
2. Get "Age Ready." Once your organization has a grasp on the demographic realities, it is time to plan for the future. The longer-trend, permanent shift in the age composition in America will impact every industry and every organization, but not all at the same time in the same way. Does your organization have any game plan for capitalizing on this future?
3. Plan to become "Ageless." Few organizations can afford separate marketing programs for different generational or age segments. The ultimate goal is to change how you approach marketing so it is truly "ageless." A good place to start is by reading David Wolfe's Ageless Marketing. Finding a path forward that enables you to effectively market to both young and old is not difficult. It starts, though, with your organization coming to grips with the reality that such a move is demographically necessary.
Let us say it once more: the coming age shift means every organization needs to get Age Ready.
It is the only sure-fire way to create your own "Glory Days."
* Source: Billboard 2009 Concert Tour Revenues
 | Boomer Project founder/president Matt Thornhill is an authority on marketing to today's Boomer Consumer. He has appeared on NBC, CBS and CNBC, in "BusinessWeek," "Time," "Newsweek" and "The New York Times" and countless others. Matt is also the co-author of the business book "Boomer Consumer." Boomer Project is a marketing research and consulting firm and has done work for Johnson & Johnson, Lincoln Financial, Samsung, Hershey's Foods and Home Instead Senior Care. Reach him here. |
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Me & My Kids
I'm a Boomer, and they are Gen Y.
From Mediapost:
Yes, you read right.
In some ways Millennials are like the Baby Boomers marketers know so well.
Take their life goals, for instance. Our recent research showed four things consistently ranked in the top five life goals for Gen Yers, Xers and Boomers:
- Having a good relationship with my family
- Having excellent physical/mental health
- Having a happy marriage
- Having close friends
The actual ranking varied a little, but the consistency is plain. Additionally, Millennials, too, embody the American dream. In fact, they're so traditional that goals like having children, having a regular 8-to-5 job and owning a home are actually more important to them than older generations.
Yes, they may text on a phone faster than you type on a keyboard, but Millennials are actually, well ... normal.
Before the shock sets in fully, keep reading. The normalcy continues.
Generation Y doesn't just have the same goals, they share the same mindfulness about achieving and being satisfied about those goals. Millennials are often thought to be wide-eyed, happy-go-lucky youngsters blissfully unaware of how they are fumbling through life as an adult. But in reality, Millennials are quite aware of where they are falling short.
When comparing the importance Millennials place on a goal relative to the satisfaction they feel with that aspect of their life, Millennials say they fall quite short on four of their top five goals -- family, health, marriage and career success. These social butterflies even think their friendships aren't quite where they should be either.
Essentially, it boils down to this -- despite their appetite for technology and fun, people and relationships still matter the most to Millennials, just like for Xers and Boomers.
I said it earlier, but it's worth repeating.
Millennials are normal.
So, what does that mean for marketers?
Honing in on similarities can enable messaging to transcend generational boundaries and focusing on differences will allow you to target Millennials specifically.
 | Sharalyn Hartwell is the executive director of Magid Generational Strategies at Frank N. Magid Associates. |
And Yes, that's me with the pink ears from about 11 years ago! Sphere: Related Content
Mobile Mommy
I know a few of these....
(Originally published by Mediapost)
Here's what I do know: Moms are driving an emerging trend that combines location-based services, social sharing, and the camera -- all converged in mom's mobile devices. Said another way, LoSoPhoMo:
- The Lo is for local
- The So is for social
- The Pho is for photo (or video) enabled
- The Mo is for mobile
It's a powerful combination. What's more, it's an experience that's unique to smartphones and tablets. And when you consider the sheer size, buying power and mobile adoption rates of moms, that's a game-changer for brands looking to connect with them.
Choosy Moms Choose Smartphones
The first indicator that moms are driving the LoSoPhoMo trend is in smartphone sales themselves. According to the 2011 Mobile Mom report, the rate of smartphone purchases among moms has increased 64% in less than two years. And more than half the moms polled at BabyCenter said their smartphone purchases were directly related to becoming a mom. Whoa.
Moms are power users of mobile. They can deftly navigate through the trifecta of mobile search, mobile web, and mobile apps, while multi-tasking a hundred different duties between breakfast and bedtime.
But as mobile search gives way to more app usage by moms (for now, anyway) the shift in focus for brands is now on apps -- an over-abundance of options for every life-stage imaginable:
- Conception (BioClock)
- Pregnancy (BabyBump, iPregnancy)
- Picking a name (Name Shake)
- Mastering contractions (ContractionMaster) -- sorry fellas, you're really useless now.
- Breastfeeding (Baby Tracker: Nursing)
- Potty training (iGoPotty)
- Documenting poopy diapers (Baby Tracker: Diapers)
- Keeping tabs on sleeping infant (BabyMonitor)
- Getting kids to brush their teeth (Time2Brush)
- And there are oodles of apps for mobile food ordering (and if you're lucky -- curbside service -- a blessing to moms everywhere!)
And so it goes. As kids get older, the apps get richer, and developers everywhere rejoice.
The Media Behavior Institute says that Gen-X moms have the least down time of any moms and the most time spent care-giving. So what do Moms want in apps in light of this insight? We asked one:
"The best apps help me stay organized," says Theresa C., a GenX mother of two, ages five and one. "I keep my grocery list on Ziplist. I've got the usual suspect apps that help me stay current with friends on social networks. I've got a few games that keep me entertained while I'm standing in line at the store. And I've got some specifically for my daughter -- doodling games, learning games. They come in handy at restaurants."
Theresa isn't alone. Moms everywhere seek entertainment and utility before downloading. What's more, 25% of the apps they download are for their kids. (For more info about moms and their apps, follow the conversation at the MomsWithApps group on Facebook. It's a collaborative group of parent app developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.
Even more interesting for consumer products manufacturers, moms are becoming more dependent upon their smartphones when they're out shopping. In a Brunner survey, moms reported they used apps in the store to:
- Compare prices (49%)
- Read product reviews (35%)
- Get and/or redeem coupons (34%)
- Review nutritional information (31%)
Smarter, faster indeed. There's no question, apps are where it's at (today). But if you're a brand or a developer that's creating an app specific for mom, remember your LoSoPhoMo. The best apps today include at least one or more of these features.
 | Shaun Quigley is VP, interactive practice area leader for Brunner, an ad agency and digital marketing firm. |
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
The Shrinking Majority
When I was a kid, we had 6 to 8 radio stations and 3 tv stations as our only form of local electronic media.
1 radio station, WOWO commanded a 60+ share of the market in the morning drive time.
That means more than 6 of every 10 persons age 12 and older listening to the radio between 6 and 10 in the morning, listened to Bob Sievers.
With the expansion of choices has come fragmentation of audiences.
This applies to more than just measuring radio listenership. Check out this report from Marketing Profs:
The End of the 'Average American'
 |
"Fifty years ago, the concept of John Doe, an average American in a relatively even society where vast numbers of people had similar consumer needs, was real," writes Karen Talavera at MarketingProfs. But results from the 2010 census—due to be released this summer—will show just how much that picture has changed. For marketers, the message is simple: There's no such thing as an "average American" anymore.
- No racial or ethnic segment is a majority in our two most populous states—California and Texas—or in our ten largest cities.
- Households headed by married couples are now a minority, down from a two-thirds majority 25 years ago.
- Life expectancy is up, and elders often live with children and grandchildren.
"One-size-fits-all messaging isn't going to cut it," argues Talavera. "It will seem wildly off-base and irrelevant, especially if you attempt it in your email and social media marketing—avenues in which instantaneous feedback and listening is expected."
She has advice like this for your online, mobile and social media strategies:
Segment, segment, segment. The more you know about individual customers, the more relevant your messaging can be. Age, gender, location, household composition, marital/family status and ethnicity all matter. But don't forget about life stages like new parents, families with children and empty nesters.
Trust, but verify. As the population diversifies, customers might find themselves in multiple segments, making hard-to-predict decisions. Solicit their preferences with frequent surveys, but compare their responses to demonstrated behavior.
The Po!nt: "Until you dig deep into your customer data—demographics, offer responses, media preferences, survey answers, and more—you may have assumptions about your customers that are entirely untrue," concludes Talavera.
Source: MarketingProfs.
Sphere: Related ContentSunday, June 19, 2011
The Multi-Tasking Generation
from Mediapost:
This doesn't mean doomsday for the effectiveness of television advertising or engagement with television programming. In fact, it is likely the very opposite.
Once again, Millennials are the reason.
Rather than fighting or fearing Gen Y's natural inclination to multitask, markers should embrace it. Networks are even starting to pave the way, particularly CBS and CW.
According to a New York Times report, CBS touted its 100 million fans on social media and CW even announced specific opportunities to allow advertisers to connect with their viewers through social media during upfront presentations last week.
As the networks provide the infrastructure, advertisers can build successful integrated campaigns when they know who they are most likely to reach (Millennials) and what favorable multitasking behaviors they exhibit (keep reading).
Our research found that Generation Y is more likely than Generation X or Baby Boomers to exhibit complementary multi-tasking behaviors like these:
- Nearly four out of 10 Millennials regularly text or exchange emails about a TV program while watching it live
- One-third regularly post comments on a TV program's Facebook page while watching it live
- Slightly more than one out of four Millennials tweet about a TV program while watching it live
- Nearly one out of four Millennials who accessed the Internet during the Super Bowl this year looked up information related to Super Bowl advertisers and products.
Girls are often perceived as a marketer's BFF because they share brand recommendations, but in the case of positive multitasking, male Millennials are the new BFF for marketers.
Forty-one percent of male Millennials post on a TV program's Facebook page, compared to 23% of female Millennials, and 42% tweet about TV programs while watching, compared to just 15% of female Millennials.
These Gen Y guys are also twice as likely as their female counterparts to text or email their friends about a TV program.
Considering that TV commercials and TV shows are the top ways Millennials discover what's cool and the hottest things to buy, according to a Magid Generational Strategies finding, marketers should be thrilled Millennials like to multitask so much -- especially the Gen Y guys.
Add in the finding that these guys say their friends are very involved in a number of their purchase decisions (e.g., movies they see, electronics they buy, cell phone carriers they use) and marketers have just struck gold.
They're seeing your product on TV.
They're engaging with it.
They're telling their friends.
And, they're listening to what their friends tell them.
Looks like Gen Y guys can make the ideal marketing equation of one plus one equals four not just possible, but probable.
There's nothing annoying about that.
| Sharalyn Hartwell is executive director at Frank N Magid Associates, Inc. |
