Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Blog 1: Generation Y & The Myspace Generation

Times are changing....
If I were doing this assignment a century ago, I’d probably be sitting in my room writing on my spiral notebook (if I were a female it’d probably be the Lisa Frank brand), listening to my hip cassette Walkman, all while watching an episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Now in 2009, I’m typing this assignment from my Dell laptop, listening to songs on my iPod, all while still watching an episode of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (now viewable online). Times are changing. From the way I call my friends to the way I can now enjoy my favorite television shows, technology and modern advancements have altered my way of life. So now marketers face a seemingly difficult task of unveiling what makes me and the rest of the Generation Y’ers tick, while keeping up-to-date with the latest trends.



Although the current state of the economy is worse than it has been since the Great Depression, teens still find ways to stay on top of the latest and hippest movements and fads. It’s clear to see internet rules (even on cell phones), and through this medium it has made staying ‘fly’ so easy a caveman could do it. This has been a popular and effective starting point for marketers in big industries to attack the new wave of consumers. Moving away from traditional television and newspaper ads, companies now seek to find new customers by launching online marketing campaigns right smack in the faces of its’ target market. Bright and colorful ads that pop-up were recently once thought to revolutionize online marketing, but now merely annoy and scare away potential customers. Customers now simply block these pop-ups which lead marketers to alternate paths of getting to this new generation of customers. Direct techniques that were thought to work with past generations are exactly that…a thing of the past. Times are changing…



Marketers now wonder whether they should be direct or discrete with their techniques to properly capture this oh-so precious stream of potential revenue. So by strategically placing an array videos, games, and images on certain websites, companies now try to appeal to its younger generation tastes’. Funny and surprising images seem to get the younger crowd talking about their products or promotions and in turn spreading their seed to other potential customers. Also buzz marketing has played a significant role in reaching the younger generation. By simply giving free products to ‘social leaders’ (extroverted and popular individuals that have influence over certain crowds) and allowing them to use the product in front of their peers gives others confidence in the product at hand. This technique contributes to the word of mouth section of marketing that seems to be fairly effective on many members of Generation Y (including myself). Marketers have partially understood that this generation of customers needs to be reassured of what they’re buying, and by using peer leaders and thus spreading word of mouth, companies have been able to gain positive exposure to this generation. By using modern marketing techniques such as these, companies have been able to spread their name out without even having to bombard customers with traditional in-your-face, blatant advertising.
However it is still difficult to say these companies have mastered the art of persuading their market via the online and offline world completely. We (Generation Y) as a whole do not think the same way. Marketers need to realize we react to different things than the past. Times are changing. For instance, although John Byrne is correct on stating much of the generation is addicted to social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook, marketers should know that each social networking site has its’ own distinct market base. Research has shown that many members of these social networking sites are not the same. Companies might look at users of any social network and may categorize them as the same when in reality they may be completely different customers that are attracted to different marketing strategies. I for instance view Facebook users as more mature and simple, while Myspace users are typically more flashy and younger. This may not hold true in reality, but this is my perspective on these particular networking outlets and might be the same view of many others in my generation. In this respect, I feel that I hold similar views to those of my generation. I personally feel companies should try to recognize that customers hold different beliefs and interests, even if they are using similar services/products (such as Myspace and Facebook). Too many times do companies associate the same thing with customers that purchase similar goods. Just because I buy a pair of jeans from Express doesn’t mean that I think and dress exactly alike to next guy who bought the same jeans. Although this might be difficult for marketers to track, taking a closer look at what customer’s needs, wants, and thoughts might make a significant difference in the long run. Marketers just need to keep on their toes and look out for deeper insights on what we want. And trust me, we want A LOT. But we all need to realize, once more, times are changing…

Friday, January 23, 2009

A First Time for Everything....

I've never blogged (blog'd, blog'ed???) before so this should be interesting....
Hope you guys can enjoy my insights to Customer Insights.