ENGAGING GENERATION C

‘The Connected Collective’By Dan Pankraz

Dan Pankraz

Youth Planning Specialist

Based in Sydney, Australia

Follow me on twitter.com/danpankrazEmail me on danpankraz@gmail.com

The changing media and consumer landscape

The Rise of Generation C

Creating a Collective around your brand

Evolving the Communication Model

THE CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE

... is an umbrella term that defines various CONSUMER

activities that integrate technology, social interaction

and the construction of words, pictures, video and

audio.Source. Wikipedia.org

My Social network

People share information in Social Media

SOCIAL NETWORKS VS SOCIAL MEDIA

We talk about• Family• Life • Work• Socialising• Sport

MORE SIMPLY PUT….

Social Media is about people having

conversations and sharing online

GLOBALLY, PEOPLE ARE INTERACTING AND SHARING LIKE NEVER BEFORE

September 14, 2007 client name or logo

AND IT’S PRETTY DAMN BIG IN AUSTRALIA TOO

• 4.3M Australians on Facebook• 2.3M Australians have created a blog• 7.1M Australians read one or more blogs• 1.6M Australians ongoing update their blog since creating

it• 84% of Australian internet users use Web 2.0 for sharing

content such as photos, links and video• 83% consume Consumer Generated Media content• 78% of Australians download and stream audio and video

content• 39% of Australians create online content in the form of

uploading video and music

*estimates based on the Australian online universe aged 14+ of 2.652 million as of January 2008 (source: Nielsen Media National Readership Survey – Quarter 4 2007)

AUSSIE YOUTH IN SOCIAL MEDIA

98% Of all Youth connected on the Internet

52% Report increased usage of the Internet from previous yearand expected to grow

3.4 Hours a day on the Internet

Synovate research12 Feb 2009

36% Read other peoples social network profile pages

35% Regularly update their profile pages

41% Have searched for information on products and services

THE RESULT: MEDIA DEMOCRATISATION WHERE ANYBODY CAN BECOME AN

AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, FILM MAKER OR STAR

The Rise Of Generation C

…they’re NOT an age cohort, but a Collective of creators whose interests and behaviours are expressed across the technologically progressive backdrop of social media….

GEN C’S PRIMARY NEED IS TO BELONG

TO A COLLECTIVE

GEN C MOVE AS ‘SWARMS’

WEB 2.0 HAS ENABLED ‘SWARM BEHAVIOUR’

MOVE AS ONE

NO ONE LEADER

ACTIVE

SHARE

FAST

‘The Nature of Marketing’ by Chuck Brymer

IN CONTRAST, GEN X AND BOOMERS TYPICALLY DISPLAY ‘HERD’

BEHAVIOUR

MOVE

INDEPENDENTLY

WAIT TO BE LED

PASSIVE

SLOW

…accelerating the ‘social graph’

Whether Gen C FLOCK OR FLEE

depends on...

WHETHER YOU’RE PERCEIVED AS A

OR

PREDATOR PEER

GEN C ARE THE CONNECTED COLLECTIVE CRAVING CONSTANT

CONTACT WITH FRIENDS

Always searching for ‘CULTURAL CAPITAL’ to talk about

THEIR MOBILE PHONES ARE THEIR SOCIAL HUB

DELIVERING ON THREE KEY NEEDS

EXPRESSIONISM

Creativity

COLLECTIVISM

Belonging

ESCAPISM

EntertainmentCompetition

WE’LL SEE AN OUTBREAK OF O.L.D. – ‘OBSESSIVE LIFESTREAMING

DISORDER’

Gen C’s need for belonging and social significance has led to the constant archiving of one’s memories, words, photos and detailing every-day life

for public sharing .

Streaming your life in 5 minute intervals

AND THERE IS AN UNDERLYING COMPETITIVE PRESSURE WITHIN

THESE COLLECTIVES TO BE IN THE KNOW

‘SNOOPING’ PHENOMENON Who is with who?

Where are people going ?

Who is/isn’t invited?

Wearing?Style?

Status...

THEY COLLABORATE ON EVERYTHING

Peer influence has made purchase decision making a ‘Team Sport’

EVEN GAMING HAS SEEN A SHIFT FROM INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT TO

‘COLLECTIVE FUN’

Group play of Wii and MMORPG’s more popular than Xbox 360

REAL AND CYBER WORLDS CO-EXIST

Their personas can be fluid through these different worlds

C FOR CONTENTYoutube is the new TV, they don’t want

‘appointment to view’

The swarm gravitate towards content that gives them something to talk about with friends

GEN C COMPRESS 38 HOURS OF ACTIVITY INTO A DAY

Living in a state of continuous partial attention

REQUIRING CONSTANT STIMULATION‘Always on’ attitude

AND AN EVER CHANGING LIFE

C FOR CO-CREATION AND REMIXING

Gen C are our partners in communication

Source:Faris Yakob blog

Creators

Critics

Collectors

Joiners

Spectators

Inactives

Publish a blogPublish your own Web pagesUpload video you created Upload audio/music you createdWrite articles or stories and post them

Post ratings/reviews of products/servicesComment on someone else’s blogContribute to online forumsContribute to/edit articles in a wiki

Use RSS feedsAdd “tags” to Web pages or photos“Vote” for Web sites online

Maintain profile on a social networking siteVisit social networking sites

Read blogsWatch video from other usersListen to podcastsRead online forumsRead customer ratings/reviews

None of the above

Source: Forrester Research ‘Technographics Profile’ Australia 2008

ALTHOUGH IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE ‘TECHNOGRAPHIC’ PROFILE

IT IS MAINSTREAM IN AUSTRALIA

26% Influence

65% Influenced

C FOR CREATIVITY

An insatiable appetite for creativity in the palm of their hands

THEY HAVE A PASSION FOR LEARNING NEW SKILLS

WHILE NOT TAKING THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY

PUTTING THEIR OWN CREATIVE SPIN ON SNACKABLE IDEAS

Make it simple, easy, random and addictive

Make it simple, easy, random and addictive

THEIR CREATIVITY HAS MANIFESTED TO AN EXPLOSION IN BODY ART

The ‘Ink Tribe’ is pervasive across all Gen C subcultures and a form of cultural capital

5 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN ENGAGING WITH GEN C

1. It’s about doing, not saying

2. If you don’t stimulate conversation and give them something worth talking about… it’s over

3. Not a Target Audience, but partners in production, modulation, development and distribution of brand ideas.

4. ‘Subversive Communications’ is the future - when Gen C feel like they’re ‘in the know’ in regards to a brand idea, they then propagate within their collective

5. A brand must be inspired by the culture of the collective you hope to reach

HOW DO YOU CREATE A COLLECTIVE AROUND YOUR BRAND ?

3 KEY PRINCIPALS TO GET THE GEN C SWARM ‘FLOCKING’ TO YOUR BRAND

CONVICTION

CREATIVITY

COLLABORATION

CONVICTION

• Stand for a belief system and inspire

• Have a point of view on the world

• Be real and honest

• Have a peer to peer conversation, don’t talk down to them

INSPIRE ME..HELP ME ACHIEVE

NIKE FOOTBALL ‘BOOTCAMP’ HELPS YOU TRAIN LIKE A PRO

NBA 2K9 ‘THE OTHER SEASON’ ALLOWS GAMERS TO BE DRAFTER INTO AN ONLINE FANTASY LEAGUE OWNED BY 9 REAL NBA PLAYERS

THE ‘BEST JOB IN THE WORLD’ $150K TO LIVE IN PARADISE AND REPORT TO THE

WORLD

GIVE ME SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN

ORANGE ‘ROCKCORPS’ GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO GIVE BACK

4 HOURS OF YOUR TIME TO A COMMUNITY PROJECT =

1 AMAZING GIG TICKET

THE GREAT SCHLEP MOBILISED YOUNG JEWS TO CAMPAIGN FOR

OBAMA...24,000 OF THEM

DON’T BULLSHIT ME..BE HONEST AND REAL

WITCHERY IS MORE KNOWN FOR DECEIVING US THAN CREATING A

COOL CONVERSATION $3.99

There’s a fine line between being ‘deceived’ and being let in on a secret

CREATIVITY

• Do something remarkable

• Deliver brand utility – it’s about doing, not saying

• Stimulate conversations in culture, then participate

• Be a discovery brand, let them uncover interesting and surprising things about you, or create them yourself

DO STUFF FOR ME...DELIVER BRAND UTILITY

THE ‘FUTURE FILM FESTIVAL’ IS FOR BUDDING DIRECTORS, ACTORS, WRITERS

(AGED 13-25) GIVING THEM THE CHANCE TO GET UP CLOSE AND LEARN FROM GURU’S IN

FILM..ALL FOR FREE

AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS, GARNIER OFFERED TEEN GIRLS THE CHANCE FOR A

QUICK MAKEOVER..FOR FREE

GIRLS LINED UP FOR 3 HOURS IN 32 DEGREE HEAT FOR A QUICK MAKEOVER

AND A $30 GARNIER GIFT PACK

NINTENDO CREATED THE Wii TENNIS CLUB GIVING YOUNG TENNIS PLAYERS THE CHANCE TO COMPETE AGAINST THEIR

HEROES… AND EACH OTHER….

CREATE CONTENT I’LL WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND SHARE

ZOO YORK’S ‘SPREAD THE WORD’ TURNED FANS INTO MESSAGE CARRIERS

SPARK CULTURAL PHENOMENON, NOT CAMPAIGNS

MOOKS BRINGS ‘CUPROCKING’ TO THE WORLD VIA ANDY UPROCK

COLLABORATION

• Try to motivate ‘collectives’ not the individual consumer

• Invite manipulation of your content, have flexibility and fluidity with your ideas

• Enable relationships to develop around common interests

• Listen to what your fans are saying ‘swells’, then give them something interesting

• Experiment

RELINQUISH BRAND CONTROL AND INVOLVE ME

MOUNTAIN DEW LET TEENS TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR BRAND VIA

‘DEWMOCRACY...A NATIONAL ELECTION TO CREATE A NEW FLAVOUR

PROBLEM:Create a closer connection with Dew drinkers.

SOLUTION:‘Dewmocracy’ campaign, a national election to create the next Mountain Dew flavour.Oct 07 at dewmocracy.com teens could create all aspects of new drink, colour, name, flavour and the ads for it.Top 3 drinks were voted on and tried out.Mountain Dew ‘Voltage’ won with 42% of vote and hits in Jan 09.

RESULT:1.6m unique site visitors350,000 votes on dewmocracy.comMassive social buzz & excitement

YOUTH CAN NOW DESIGN SHOES VIA THEIR MOBILE WITH NIKE ID

LET ME GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL...VIA MEDIA AGGREGATION

ADIDAS BASKETBALL FOR ‘ALL STAR WEEKEND’ LET YOU FOLLOW DWIGHT

HOWARD AROUND FOR THE WEEKEND....HE UPLOADED PICS, VIDEO FOOTAGE AND

TWITTER’D

GIVE ME TOOLS TO REMIX AND RE-IMAGINE IDEAS

Source: Mr Truffle’s Flickr photostream

LISTEN TO YOUR BRAND FANS, THEN REACT

HOW TO LISTEN IN SOCIAL MEDIA

• Create profiles on the following websites

• Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Bebo, Google

• Search for conversations relating to your brand

• Collate the results in one place and make sense of what consumers are saying

EA SPORTS RESPONDED TO A YOUTUBE USER COMMENT ABOUT A ‘GLITCH’ IN THE

PGA ‘WALK ON WATER’ VIDEO GAME

BURGER KING CREATED THE ‘WHOPPER SACRIFICE’ WHERE YOU GOT A FREE WHOPPER

IF YOU SACRIFICED 10 FACEBOOK FRIENDS

EVOLVING THE COMMUNICATION MODEL

THE OLD WAY OF COMMUNICATING TO THE ‘HERD’ HAS LIMITED SUCCESS

WITH GEN C

BECAUSE THE CONVERSATIONS ARE NOW HAPPENING WITHIN

COMMUNITIES

SO IT’S NOW ABOUT GETTING CLLECTIVES TO TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT YOUR

BRAND THROUGH MORE ORGANIC COMMS MODELS

Source: David Armano Blog

AND SHIFTING HOW YOUR BRAND BEHAVES IN MEDIA

TRADITIONAL MEDIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Brand in control Consumer in control

One way delivery

Repeating the message

Informing,Entertaining

Solely company created content

Co-creation where relevant

Influencing, Involving

Adapting the message

Two way, part of aconversation

The ‘Best Bits’Complete Honesty &

Transparency

I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOUTH BRANDS CAN INTERACT IN

SOCIAL MEDIA

‘DO GOOD MARKETING’MOVEMENT

‘SUBVERSIVE’MOVEMENT

Big mainstream brandsEg: Coke, Nike

Underground niche brandsEg: Zoo York

Give back to community,Provide utility

Honesty, bigger causesSelf enhancement

Hoaxes, tricks, rebellion

Disrupt/agitate the community

VS

VS

VS

Feel good stuffSquirm worthy

stuffVS

Mainstream youth culture Youth subculturesVS

5 KEY QUESTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT YOUTH BRIEF

1. What SWELLS in culture can you contribute to?

2. What COMMUNITY should we engage with?

3. What CONVERSATION can we get people talking about?

4. What’s our POINT OF VIEW on this conversation?

5. What CRISIS plan will we have in place?

REFERENCES

• David Armano ‘Logic & Emotion’ blog

• Faris Yakob Blog

• Peeyosh Chandra (PC), Social media guru at DDB Radar Sydney

• Sally Hrouda, RAPP Sydney

• Mike Arauzo Blog

THANKYOU