Moving the Target to Gen Y

Many historically conservative brands which have targeted Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are beginning to refocus their efforts toward Gen Y. This is a curious concept which begs the question, is the older audience disloyal and moving on? Or is it simply that as Gen Y is getting older, brands are realizing what a large opportunity is available? Additionally, aiming at Gen Y widens the gamut of advertising channels. Gen Y can be targeted through avenues which older generations cannot, such as social media.

Southwest Airline, P&G’s Herbal Essences, and politicians are among the many who have refocused their efforts.

Southwest, an airline which has traditionally targeted business travelers through low price and customer service, recently announced they will be sponsoring the Midnight Gaming Championship (MGC) 2008. This sponsorship of the video gaming season is targeted at gamers aged 16 to 25 who will be tomorrow’s business travelers. “The ‘Southwest Airlines Ultimate Gamer’ promotion and MGC sponsorship speak to young adults and gaming enthusiasts--a demographic far removed from the traditional frequent business traveler that Southwest typically targets with low airfares and timely plane departures and arrivals,” states a MediaPost Publications article. This “Ultimate Gamer” promotion is a sweepstakes in which two grand-prize winners will each receive two roundtrip tickets on Southwest to Las Vegas, tickets to the Video Game Awards, a Sony PlayStation 3, a Microsoft Xbox and a Nintendo Wii. Southwest is making an obvious long-term attempt to capture this audience early, which may show no short-term payoff.

Herbal Essences, an almost 40 year old brand, was in a “long-term decline” when P&G acquired it in 2001. P&G’s marketing team found that the target audience for Herbal Essences was too broad. A BusinessWeek article states, “By 2006, [Chairman and CEO A.G.] Lafley and P&G's beauty business chief, Susan Arnold, knew something had to be done with the tired brand. ‘We had three choices,’ Lafley says. ‘Abandon it, divest it, or frankly, reinvent it and resuscitate it.’” They chose the latter. In finding that no competitors were targeting Gen Y specifically nor meeting their specific needs, Herbal Essences decided to prioritize their efforts on this generation. Through not only redesigning packaging with youthful designs and curved bottles which fit together, but also renaming the specific products (different lines renamed “color me happy”, “body envy” and “totally twisted” - as opposed to bland titles for color treated, volumizing, and curl booster), Herbal Essences was able to drive up sales by targeting Gen Y.

Barack Obama’s campaign has notoriously been targeting the younger voters. By using social media venues, Obama has been able to reach out to his young supporters in a way that other candidates have not embraced, giving him an advantage in this demographic. Strategically targeting Gen Y through Facebook, where he has over 1 million supporters, and Twitter, where he has over 43,000 followers, gives this audience an insight into his campaign in a way that is more appealing to them. He also posts photos from his campaign trail to Flickr, and has just over 5,500 followers there. Additionally, MTV has now decided to accept political ads, but only from candidates and party committees, not from third parties. In the past, even as recent as primaries earlier this year, MTV had refused political advertising, even throughout its Rock the Vote and Choose or Lose voting promotions. MTV Networks is encouraging the youth vote, which gives the candidates even more access to reach Gen Y.

Understanding the marketing opportunities available to reach Gen Y will be an important tactic for brands in the near future. However, it will also be important that these aging brands not abandon nor alienate the earlier generations who may still be loyal consumers.

Send Barack Your Baby

Traditionally politicians have had issues reaching out to the youth in America. That was until the current Presidential race. By inviting the youth in America to question their potential leader through online debates, politicians have successfully created a youthful following. It appears that in return for the politicians reaching out to Gen Y, Gen Y is paving the way for their candidate of choice. By setting up websites that further a political message or just creating buzz about candidate’s qualities, the Internet has become a major political tool. Viral campaigns are not limited to products and companies. “Obama Girl” and the popular Republican video entitled "The Incredible McCain Girl are examples of Gen Y viral campaigns. Combined, these two videos have had over 10 million views.
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It’s not just videos that are attracting the attention of Gen Y. Websites like www.sendbarackyourbaby.com have gained popularity by poking fun at those who take politics a little too seriously. This website offers comic relief to for the politically overwhelmed.
Gen Y is known for embracing technology to further causes that are dear to them in this case Gen Y has chosen politics as their cause. By observing how Gen Y has embraced this years political candidates businesses can get a clearer understanding about how to reach Gen Y.

Gen Y in the Workplace

While doing research on Generation Y, I continuously came across articles talking about hard it is to work with Gen Y. At first I was taken aback by what I was reading. I began to question not only the work ethic of those around me, but my own desire to succeed in the corporate world. Suddenly, I realized that the arguments on the screen in front of me were the same talking points that were aimed at every previous generation I could think of.

In the eyes of an older generation the youth of today will never be as efficient or dedicated as their own. Many of the arguments sited issues with dress code and inexperience. I personally believe that Gen Y is just as capable if not better equipped to flourish in a corporate work environment.

Though these arguments are flawed, many of them point out several of the eccentricities associated with Generation Y. We are, and will continue to be, an individualistic generation who loves their flip-flops and jeans. However, I can’t imagine that for many a dress code would be a professional deal beaker. Speaking from my experience, uniforms have been something to adhere to since grade school. To me, being asked to dress appropriately isn’t an outlandish request; it’s to be expected when in a professional situation.

Since the dress code argument was null and void in my mind, I moved on to the inexperience argument. Each generation faces a time when they, too, are new to the corporate work environment. Regardless of what we learned in school, the knowledge of books can never surpass the knowledge gained in a real work environment. I believe that, thanks to Generation Y’s virtual upbringing, our knowledge of the way things work has far exceeded the marker set by previous generations when they entered the work force.

Though I can see why an older generation would be leery to accept Generation Y into their corporate family, it will be necessary for growth in the marketplace that both the Gen Yers and corporate leaders learn to adapt to their new family members.

Streamlined Branding for Gen Y

Highly media savvy, Generation Y may be the generation most conscious of being marketed to. As a result, they constantly scrutinize ads and branding with which they are continuously bombarded. A San Francisco research firm conducted a survey of 100 “trendsetter panelists” in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami to better understand what brand communications Gen Yers receive best. An article by Kevin Ransom, “Reign of the Plain: Survey Finds Gen Ys Prefer Brand Simple”, shares the results of the survey which state the Gen Y trendsetters are drawn to brands which approach them in a "straightforward and stripped-down way, use plain packaging, and avoid excess." Another article by Sarah Perez entitled “Why Gen Y is Going to Change the Web” says that these digital natives are also more concerned about their friends’ opinions than about ads. She quotes retail analyst James R. Palczynski who said Gen Y responds less to traditional ads and more to “humor, irony, and the unvarnished truth."

You will notice that the top 15 brands listed from the survey results not only offer clean, simple ideas in their design and packaging, but also in their no-frills attitude which bleeds through to their products. “Reign of the Plain” notes that these highly respected brands offer consumers a convenience which may be related to Gen Y’s responsiveness to environmental concerns. This article concludes saying, “The bottom line ... is that any company that is inconvenient or confusing, or that used over-designed imagery, is seen as out of touch and too ‘corporate.’”

The 15 Most Trusted brands determined by the trendsetters in the survey were:

1. Apple
2. Trader Joe's
3. Jet Blue
4. In-N-Out Burger
5. Ben & Jerry's
6. Whole Foods
7. Adidas
8. American Apparel
9. Target
10. H & M clothing stores
11. Levi's
12. Volkswagen
13. Converse
14. Vitamin Water
15. Red Stripe beer
    

“Brands that succeed in the future will be those that open a dialog with their customers, admit their mistakes, and essentially become more transparent,” says Perez. For the most part, these characteristics are representative of the brands above. These 15 brands not only use stripped-down marketing and plain packaging, but many also use humor or are known for their non-bureaucratic corporate cultures.

Is it possible that the adversity to excess displayed by Gen Y could be related to their shrinking attention spans? It is repeatedly studied and reported that younger generations have shorter attentions spans, allegedly as a result of heightened media bombardment and constant exercise of mental fast-twitch muscles through video games. Or perhaps the desire for straightforward information is simply a sign of Gen Y’s tendency to be information and text scanners, as seen in web reading studies. It could be that this generation is simply adapting to the increasing amount of information immediately available at their fingertips. Bottom line: if you’re targeting Gen Y, get straight to the point.

Jones Soda Reaches Out To Generation Y

With Generation Y coming of age, having to find new ways to adjust to the ever-changing demands of my very individualistic generation. Jones Soda, a small Soda company out Seattle, Washington, has continuously embraced Generation Y. They have reached out to their target audience and encouraged them to get involved with the brand. By using photos that people have submitted on their label, they have not only identified themselves with their consumers, but also created an air of excitement around their product.

I know that I look forward to picking up a bottle of Jones Soda to see what crazy photo will be on the front, and I know I’m not alone. Jones has once again out done themselves by allowing consumers the opportunity to have customized bottles made. For thirty dollars you can go on their website upload a photo, and pick out which of the twenty-two flavors you would like your photo to appear on. Then, in about a week’s time you will receive a six-pack of Jones in your mailbox. It’s an absolutely amazing idea! I know that it’s just the type of thing that my generation will cling to… personalized soda bottles (kinda makes you like a celebrity). As a generation, we are constantly looking for the next thing to make us feel important and special, and Jones Soda has set out to deliver what we want.
From a marketing standpoint what Jones Soda is doing with their customizable sodas is a strong and realistic way to reach out to Generation Y. Individuality is something that has been ingrained into the heads of my generation. Our parents fostered a deep-rooted sense of individuality unseen in past generations. It is because of this need to feel special that my generation embraces brands that appear to accept them as individuals. By selling to the individualistic side of Generation Y, Jones Soda has secured it’s self as one of the popular refreshments of Generation Y.

The Evolution of "Live" Entertainment

The days of traditional marketing are fading away in the music industry, especially in this age of the digital music era. However, DeepRockDrive.com has come up with new and innovative ways to market music. DeepRockDrive.com seems to continue where Myspace has left off, I've always felt that Myspace was a great place to hear all genres of music, from legendary songs to brand new hits. However, I've felt that Myspace has never given users many options when it comes to online video viewing of fan’s favorite musicians and artists. Well, DeepRock does an exceptional job of marketing musicians and artists in a unique and interactive way.

It blends the excitement of live shows with the interactivity of online video games. They state that they've created the most popular destination on the Internet for interactive live performances. At a DeepRock concert, you just don't watch. You also support the artists you love by participating with them "live" in real time. You get the chance to tell the artists how you feel about their performances, while also voting with other fans on which songs get played. Another cool feature of the site is that you can pick which camera angle through which you want to view the show. These interactive features give fans the rare opportunity to interact with musicians and give input on what they want.


Traditionally, music has been promoted several ways including through radio and word-of-mouth. However, word-of-mouth is a strong and successful method in marketing music to my generation. From personal experience, I've learned and grown to love many musicians through word-of-mouth from close friends. DeepRock does a great job at using the word-of-mouth method to ensure their site is heavily promoted. Their site offers users the option of creating a digiposter to spread the word to others. The digiposter can be e-mailed to friends or posted on various sites such as Facebook. Once you join DeepRock, you can also petition to determine who will perform live. When the number of requests hits 1,000 votes, DeepRock calls the artist to try to book a show. Personally, I feel their method of marketing and promotion will help their website be successful especially among those in my generation. It’s a fresh and different way to promote new and upcoming musicians or even well-known musicians. It gives fans the rare opportunity to interact with musicians, while giving input on what they want. This will help bring fans continually to the site excited to hear and see more.


The idea of virtually giving fans free tickets to a concert with no tickets, no lines and no hassle, but best of all, from the comfort of your own home is brilliant. As an avid music fan, I truly like the idea. I recently fell upon the website through music forums, however it immediately caught my interest. At first glance, it may seem like your typical video-sharing and viewing music site. But, DeepRock isn't a typical video site, but rather it is evolving what "live" entertainment truly means.

So grab a seat and experience DeepRockDrive.com yourself!

Breaking digital barriers in Hip Hop

I recently reviewed an article on Adweek that informs that several Hip Hop artists and producers are breaking down barriers in the mobile mediaspace and in turn they can serve as models for brands ranging from packaged gods to autos trying to reach consumers. Be as this may,Hip Hop is an 16 billion dollar industry. My point is, you would believe that technologically speaking that the industry would be doing a lot more to sustain a digital presence. I'm not sure if Gen Yers realize but Hip Hop as an industry s way behind the curve when it comes to technology. A good number of organizations are still putting up album release posters on light poles to announce releases. Now there is nothing wrong with making that one phase of your plan. But, that can not be your only effort! Another example is myspace. We all know that everyone who has wanted to pick up a mic indeed has, and there on myspace! Now once again this method is good for one phase of your campaign, but this can not be your sole means of promoting your acts.


Hip Hop in a perfect world would include change and innovation as two of its key pillars. Instead there is an air of, let me just follow whats working and leave a handful of people to pave the way. Gen Yers should take note, pave your own road! Build the industry up so that you do have somewhere to go when its raining outside. Businesses should definetly take the time out to evaluate there strategies and take a look in the mirror and ask themselves, DO we have enough of a didgital presence to sustain future and furthur growth?
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Yahoo! Live Makes Webcasting the Next Big Thing for Gen Y

One of the big stories today on the social news site digg.com is the new Yahoo! Live service.

Fast forward to 2008 and we see this new service put together by Yahoo!. We now have the infrastructure to support video streaming, and YouTube and other video sharing sites has been exploiting that for some time. Yahoo! has decided to take out the lag time between capture and connect by allowing users to broadcast themselves live to whoever is out there to view.

We've pondered here on Gen Y Voodoo whether people will pay to put themselves out there - a dollar to rise to the top of a social network. That may not work as well in the US because we want to see instant gratification - and that is what Yahoo! Live provides.

Anyone can open up their Webcam-equipped MacBook and broadcast for a half an hour between classes and make new friends, or just be goofy. They can create their own channel (a la YouTube) and even pull a regular audience with a simple url: live.yahoo.com/username. Niche groups can even recapture the synchronous qualities of television that we have all lost to bring people together at a set time to learn and interact about things that they love.

In the minutes that I spent checking it out today, I played rock, paper, scissors with a guy in Korea who was wrapped in what appeared to be toilet paper (some people will do anything for attention) and attempted to communicate with a kitty who somehow figured out how to use a webcam (he didn't respond however, he must not have mastered the keyboard yet). Did I mention niche audiences?

With the opportunity to embed these feeds, it opens up a lot of opportunities. Did you ever expect to go to someone's MySpace page and actually see them hanging out - live? I can't wait to see what other opportunities sprout from this and what will be developed when Google tries to one-up this service.