Generation Y. Millennium Generation. MySpace Generation. Echo Boomers.
Despite the comic cheesiness of these titles given to us by those who feel the need to categorize everything, it is accurate to acknowledge a new group of people this day and age a group of people who interact with each other and the world around them in many ways different from those of the past.
The article Generation Y by Ellen Neuborn defines this “Generation Y” as those born during 1979-1994. Ellen attributes several characteristics to this group. She mentions the racial diversity, a common single parent nurturing pattern, working mothers, and technologically savvy of this new age of human beings. It is certainly true that all of these are notable differences between Gen-Y and Gen-X and the baby boomers. Furthermore, Ellen goes on to describe what these new characteristics mean to marketers. This is where it gets interesting.
Ellen says that old marketing techniques no longer work, and companies are being forced to find new ways to break into the fragmented Gen-Y that has developed as a result of the internet. I agree that companies must continually find new ways to attract my attention in order to stand out among the mass of products and brands. I constantly overlook magazine ads, website banners, and TV commercials directed at me because I don’t find them unique in any way. Ellen is right on track when she says that companies need to get to know their customers before they can reach out to them. I found it interesting to read about Levi’s movement to become relevant again. Personally, I only buy Levi’s. How did they win me over? Simple. Every year at SXSW, Levi’s teams up with Fader Magazine and rents out a warehouse in downtown
Business Week released a podcast about the “MySpace Generation.” Again we have old people trying to put my generation in a box that they can explain and understand. I agree that social networking sites like MySpace are playing a huge role in shaping our generation. We do spend a lot of time on website such as MySpace. And since this webcast, Facebook, an even more powerful tool, has taken marketing to a whole new level. With Facebook, a company like REI can send advertisements to specifically targeted groups, such as people who list camping in their interests. That way instead of just assuming that the right people get the message, they are 100% positive it goes direct to the right customer.
I think it is important for my generation and marketers to realize that this new form of highly specialized target marketing is beneficial to both of us. I don’t have to waste my time looking at celebrity magazine ads, and People doesn’t have to waste time and money putting them on my computer screen. The reason? My Facebook profile doesn’t list any interests remotely related to celebrity gossip, so their ads aren’t programmed to come to me.
That being said, marketers need to understand that we are fully aware of their desire to latch onto us and suck up all of our disposable income. If they want to understand us better, know that we are naturally cynics. If your marketing techniques don’t seem authentic, or they come off as the marketers trying to hard, then I will move on to the next thing. And thus, I give you my list of things marketers should know about me. Consider yourself lucky, snooping marketers:
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I am a cynic. You need to give me a reason to trust you.
I am busy, and thus time is a precious commodity.
I am only loyal if you continue to impress me.
I change my ideas and opinions as I learn, but I always stick to my principles.
I don’t have a lot of money.
I believe in strong ethics.
I like to be seen as an individual.
I have a need for constant improvement.
I care about my friends. Win them over, and you have better chances with me.
I can always offer you my word of mouth, if I have reason to.
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