crowd dna and the metro: "the social city"

THE SOCIAL CITY Crowd DNA research for Metro, 2010

WHY THE SOCIAL CITY?


The Metro doesn’t want to rest on its laurels...

It has Urban Life, a panel of 4,600 urbanite Metro readers that’s widely regarded as one of the most credible

But what about the next generation -what’s important to them and what will brands need to do to engage with them authentically?


A previous project paved the way...

In late 2009 we tracked the movements of an array of Londoners via Twitter

We got to understand different usage patterns of the city, and the role that content, media and social media played


We wanted to join the dots between social media and the city...

This is the first generation (16 and 17 year olds) let loose in the city with all the experience gained from having first used social media

Surely this impacts on their behaviour?

Best practice in the social city - Nike GRID: London as a board game...

BRANDS UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SOCIAL CITY

A single day initiative created by Wieden+Kennedy in which you’re invited to ‘claim your streets’

Best practice in the social city - BMW Unstoppable: GPS doodles…

Campaign from 180 Amsterdam for BMW, emphasising the GPS device on the bikes by encouraging riders to use it to create drawings via Google Maps


Best practice in the social city - Nike PHOTOiD: colourways from the real world…

AKQA initiative allowing users to photograph interesting colourways from the world around them, then customise/buy trainers using the selected colours


SOCIAL MEDIA GOES MOBILE

In just four years, social media will be accessed more often via handheld devices than laptop/desktop devices

Facebook users accessing the service via mobiles are twice as active

Everything looks set for the perfect storm...

We need mobile access of social media to make this really work…

OUR RESEARCH METHODS

RESEARCH METHODS #1

Desk research...

Literature review and social media tracking to assess the changing nature of teenagers’ collective relationship with the city

RESEARCH METHODS #2

Expert interviews...

Stephen Greene, CEO of RockCorps volunteering organisation

Jon Savage, author of Teenage: Creation of Youth Culture

Sharmadean Reid, stylist, brand consultant, blogger and entrepreneur

RESEARCH METHODS #3

Blogging diaries...

Ten 16 and 17 year olds updating us on their media and social media behaviours; also their plans and encounters in the city

RESEARCH METHODS #4

Build A City creation activity…

Twenty recruits tasked with creating their ideal city via an online app

Asked to layout how the city would look – from work to leisure to housing to government to what role brands might play

Next to building their own city, we asked them to comment on each others’ cities

RESEARCH METHODS #4

User: Nick BName: Royal HangletonPopulation: 300,000 Interesting Fact: The city is twinned with Victoria on Vancouver Island

Build A City co-creation activity - example cities...

RESEARCH METHODS #4

User: Laura CCity Name: LariaPopulation: 1,000,000 Interesting Fact: There is a floating multi-faith religious centre preventing sectarianism and extremism

Build A City co-creation activity - example cities…

RESEARCH THEMES - THE SOCIAL CITY

THESOCIAL

CITY

CONNECTEDOPPORTUNITIES

MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&

OVERSHARINGSOCIALCITY

RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING


The symbiotic relationship between the city and social media, and why young people need live experiences and interactions more than ever

Isolated people?

An early 21st Century cause for concern: that increasing internet usage would lead to decreased real world interaction

But the findings from our research are counter to this argument

Increased social media interaction among our participants results in a similarly increased need for offline experiences to fuel their online conversations

Too much time online, and not enough time enjoying the real world, can lead to “unfriending”


Sharmadean Reid (blogger, stylist, young entrepreneur) told us why repetitive isn’t exciting...


“They’re definitely on the hunt for more things to do because it can be quite boring for your friends or fans if you go to the same place all of the time.”

“Chatroom fear is over…”

Another early 21st Century concern: the danger of the chatroom

More optimistically, most of our participants believed that online interactions with strangers have a positive role to play

“Chatroom fear - that’s like something from 2005.”


Human beings are deeply social and teenagers are more social than most…

“I usually update my status twice a day and it’s a personal rule of mine that it has to be interesting or something funny or amusing.” (Hasif,16, Dunstable)


RESEARCH THEMES - CONNECTED OPPORTUNITIES

THESOCIAL

CITY


MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&


RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING

Amid hectic urban environments, social media helps you organise, influence and seek advantage


Online and offline, young people recognise the power of networks…

Sharmadean Reid (blogger, stylist, young entrepreneur): “If you don’t have an online presence it’s ridiculous. Nobody knows your mobile number, let alone your home number. But no one wants to miss out on the opportunity or that connection.”


Wisdom of the crowd…

“Online makes the offline possible. We discuss, we organise, we do it!” (Sannie, 16, Birmingham)


A ruthless streak among ‘friends’...

Facebook friends are described as their ‘fans’ by some


RESEARCH THEMES - MAPPING THE CITY

THESOCIAL

CITY


MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&


RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING

Creating visual diaries from the city and the significant potential for location based media


Today, “it’s about documenting the moment, pure imagery…”

Our teenage participants love sharing content in all forms but “creating visual diaries” is most popular and status-benefiting of all


Even dinner is worth sharing…

Close up of Ginger Chicken from Wagamama


Location based media - they haven’t got it yet, but they intuitively get it…

Location based digital provides true connectivity and makes the city social like never before


RESEARCH THEMES - FILTERING & OVERSHARING

THESOCIAL

CITY


MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&


RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING

Controlling ‘too-much-information’ and getting your online identity and personal brand just right


When access to information is limitless, how do you control the flow?

For most of our participants, the starting point is that they don’t control the flow

But then they change: the more experience you have using social media, the more you see the benefit in limiting your exposure


Why limit your exposure?

Leaning to manage and filter data are vital skills for life beyond teen years and our participants understand the significance of this

“I’m thinking a lot more these days about what I say on Facebook and what it says about me as a person.” (Ayla, 16, London)


Brands have identified the perils of being deemed a teenage oversharer...

Pringles have launched a ‘Help The Oversharers’ campaign

Several of our participants felt Facebook should add an ‘overshare button’ as standard


RESEARCH THEMES - SOCIAL CITY RESPONSIBILITY

THESOCIAL

CITY


MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&


RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING

Getting young people to engage with local communities and what brands can learn from this


Teenagers build communities of friends but can they relate to local community?


Stephen Greene, CEO of RockCorps: “Teenagers want to be recognised as a part of their local communities but are often ignored or demonised.”

The motivational significance of the live experience...

Stephen Greene, CEO of RockCorps: “You can’t download a live experience.”


But you can upload a live experience!

RESEARCH THEMES - TOWN PLANNING

THESOCIAL

CITY


MAPPINGTHECITY

FILTERING&


RESPONSIBILITY

TOWNPLANNING

Young peoples’ ideas on cities for the future, plus the role that brands can play


Building cities for the future…

We invited participants to sign in to our Build A City device

Briefed to lay out their perfect city

To name it and describe it

To illustrate how urban spaces could be used and the roles brands can play

To comment on each others’ cities


The Social City is writ large through their creations…

A high emphasis in their creations on stability and equality, working hard together to build fun, safe, exciting environments

Cities in which ambitions can be realised; and in which self-improvement is paramount

Adaptable public spaces which can be used in different ways

“Random, fun events - that what we need!” (Naomi, 16, Brighton)


Building commercial and social success in partnership with brands…


Thomas (17, Blackpool), creator of a city called Utopia, suggests: “Virgin could help my city’s hospital if it came into trouble.”

Hamza (17, London), who wants spontaneous treasure hunt-style events in Freedom, his city, which “every single citizen takes part in. Amazing spectacles put together by brands.”


THE SOCIAL CITY

THE SOCIAL CITY

Increased social media usage means young people need offline, in-city interactions more than everThe Social City

THE SOCIAL CITY


Young people recognise that networks create advantage and, like never before, can help them to get onConnected Opportunities

THE SOCIAL CITY


Young people recognise that networks create advantage and, like never before, they can help them to get onConnected Opportunities

Visual content powerfully shares offline encounters online; location based media is all set to take the Social City to the next levelMapping The City

THE SOCIAL CITY




Controlling the information flow sets new challenges for people - and similarly tough challenges for brandsFiltering & Oversharing

THE SOCIAL CITY



Visual content powefully shares offline encounters online; location based media is all set to take the Social City to the next levelMapping The City


Getting young people to engage in local community is an important task; brands clearly have a major role to playSocial City Responsibility

THE SOCIAL CITY





Getting young people to engage in local community is an important task; brands clearly have a major role to playSocial City Responsibility

Our participants want cities in which ambitions can be met, with brands granted permission to educate, inform and support Town Planning

THANKS FOR LISTENING!CROWD DNA, 6.03, TEA BUILDING, 56 SHOREDITCH HIGH STREET, LONDON, E1 6JJ +44 (020)7739 2885 / [email protected] / WWW. CROWDDNA.COM

Thanks for listening!

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crowd dna and the metro: "the social city"

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