generation c - a look into their world by dan pankraz
DESCRIPTION
A quick deep dive into Generation C, what makes them tick, what they are into, implications for marketers. Enjoy. DanTRANSCRIPT
Generation CBy Dan Pankraz
C for…..?
Content CreatorsConnectedCo-creationCustomise
CommunityCuriousControl ‘C’
“The spread of digital technology has exploded the number of video moviemakers, bloggers & bedroom musicians. Suddenly we're all poets & publishers. Are we witnessing a creative renaissance?” Idealog
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GEN C
1. They love creating and ‘mashing’ content2. They are not passive, they form ‘active
communities’3. They thrive on social media sites where they can
get involved in ideas and cultural conversations4. They’re in control of their own lives and are
happy with complexity5. Gen C aspire to work in more creative industries
with less rigid social structures
MYTH: Gen C is exclusively teenagers
…is the age Gen C most wish
to be
THEY’RE DIGITAL STORYTELLERS, CONSTANTLY CAPTURING AND SHARING
THEIR LIVES
96% of wired Aussies under 21 have joined a social networking site
Source: Universal McCann Global study on social media trends April 2008
WHO LOVE THEIR ‘15 SECONDS OF FAME’
And crave constant stimulation…
…there is NO OFF SWITCH
THEY’RE WORLD IS BASED ON CONTINUOUS PARTIAL ATTENTION
iTunes
MP3MMORPGs
Avatars
iMovie
CGI
YouTube
iPodDV cam
Blogs PSP
Xbox
Apps
Wii
AV remixes
USB MySpace
Chat rooms
IMCamera phones Twitter
Mash-upsSkype
Sidekick / Hiptop
UGCNokia
Online profiles
iPhone Flickr L8R ;-)
File sharing
WiFi
WikiHDWidgets
Torrent
VOIP
WITH HUNDREDS OF DIGITAL ACRONYMS TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED
THEY’RE CREATIVITY HAS EXTENDED TO AN EXPLOSION IN BODY ART
Cuprocking.com Andy Uprock bringing his graffiti revolution to the world..thanks to Aussie brand Mooks
AND A RESPECT FOR BRANDS WHO CREATE CULTURE, NOT MIMIC IT.
THEY HAVE A PASSION FOR LEARNING NEW SKILLS
• Comical instructional footage on how to improve your photoshop skills
WHILE NOT TAKING THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY
AND FLOCK TO BRANDS WHO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IDEAS
LIKE VOTING ON HOW AN AD CAMPAIGN ENDS
Flickr Sightings
Source:runcactuskidrun.com
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE CUSTOMISABLE
AS THEY TREAT CONTENT AS COLLABORATIVE AND RECOMBINANT
The ‘Control C Generation’
LIKE SPOOFING THEIR FAVOURITE CHARACTERS ON YOUTUBE
Movies are now being created based off gaming platforms
GAMING NOW DWARFS HOLLYWOOD
Gen C see real and imaginary worlds as one….their personas can be fluid and malleable through these different worlds
GEN C LOVE PLAYING WITH ‘AVATAR’ CREATION TOOLS THEY CAN PASS ON
BRANDS WHO INTRIGUE THEM WITH BRANDED CONTENT WIN
OR WHO SIMPLY MAKE THEIR LIFE BETTER
FIAT ECODRIVE HELPS GEN C BECOME MORE FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVERS
THEY’RE INSPIRED BY BRANDS INVITING THEM TO BE PART OF BIGGER WORLD
ISSUES
VIRGLE..THE 1ST PERMANENT HUMAN COLONY ON MARS
GEN C LOVE MYSTERIOUS CHARACTERS… NOT THE CLEAN CUT
Experimental
Torah BrightRestless
Imaginative
Mysterious
Challenging
Bam Marguerra is THE cult Gen C hero….He’s dark, constantly rebelling and doesn’t take himself too seriously
THE GEN C LOOK IN 2008/09
Casual coolFluid
UnisexUnderstatedAnti-colour
Industrie
Terminator 4
Tip: HYPER REAL AND SCI FI MOVIES WILL CAPTIVATE GEN C IN 2009
Transformers 2
Watchmen
Wolverine
10 THINGS TO TAKEAWAY
1. Focus on sparking conversations in culture, not on one way messages2. Foster their creativity and allow for participation/co-creation in all your ideas3. Treat Gen C as ‘active communities’ who can spread your message NOT
target audiences you’re aiming to hit4. Make sure your brand is always in BETA mode..never fixed or static5. Plan for content you don’t create, building flexibility into your marketing
programs6. Create useful stuff like widgets and applications that’s relevant to their lives.7. Treat real and virtual worlds as one..ensuring ideas live seamlessly across all
platforms8. Don’t treat your brand too seriously…stick to a core idea, but allow for lots of
different manifestations to keep Gen C interested9. Don’t be scared of complex ideas which ‘build’ across different media
platforms….don’t just plaster one message everywhere10. Think about how your brand can make a meaningful contribution to gaming
culture
