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Tag Archive: Consumer Trends

The Face of a Generation: Marketing to Gen-Y

Written on March 29, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

I can remember the first day I started to get Facebook invites in my email. At first, I didn’t even pay attention to it but as time went on I started to get more and more. Eventually I caved in, we all did. For one reason or another, we all wanted to be a part of it. We added anyone we could think of for any reason we could think of. People we never spoke to in high school, strangers we’ve met on vacation and anyone we’ve ever had a drink with on a Saturday night were all instantly considered friends.

Now, 400 million users later, Facebook dominates the social networking realm. It’s part of our everyday life. “I saw it on Facebook”, “I talked with them on Facebook” and anything “…Facebook” is becoming a common part of our everyday language. It’s absolutely not a bad thing, we’re just in the process of building new media. Just as tv and cable started off a half century ago, the same is happening with social media but at lightning speed.

Social media is the face of Gen-Y and it represents all that this generation is about. They are about convenience, customer satisfaction and conversation. And Gen-Y doesn’t fall under the practices of the old. You cannot simply just sell to Gen-Y. They know what they want and where to get it. They hate to be hassled into buying something they already know they’re going to buy. And if you do give them a hard time, they’ll find somewhere else to go buy it with no problem. But the most interesting thing about it is, Generation Y will talk to everyone and read everything before they buy anything.

Chances are, if they have a Blackberry or an iPhone, everyone knew they were getting one before they bought it. They’ve read about all the deals, reviews, opinions and whatever else they could find on the topic. And if they didn’t understand something, they would make it their Facebook status and someone most likely answered it.

After reading all this, you might think of Generation Y a certain way but how could you not expect that from people that have always been a click away from instant results. When product selection now is so great and diverse an element of customer satisfaction could easily be the deciding factor. All of which they will talk about and broadcast around the net.

Simply, Gen-Y doesn’t ask for it, they demand it. It’s probably why understanding how to market to them through social media is not that easy though it’s not impossible. But first, trying to understand them might help.

Earth Hour or Edison Hour, Which One Are You?

Written on March 27, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

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Most of you have heard through one means or another that later tonight the whole world will literally be celebrating and taking part in Earth Hour. And when I mean literally I mean 125 countries and territories. Talk about a great and powerful initiative. People from all over the world will be coming together in a unified event to take a proactive step in tackling climate change and helping better our environment. But that isn’t the only global initiative taking place tonight.

On the other side of the spectrum, something called the Human Achievement Hour, or more popularly known as Edison Hour, will be taking place at the exact same moment. Pioneered by the Competitive Enterprise Institute or CEI, Edison Hour reflects the accomplishments of Thomas Edison and all other great things we as humans have been able to accomplish. Where Earth Hour will be turning off the lights, Edison Hour will be keeping them all on, as many as they possibly can.

So, Earth Hour or Edison Hour, which one are you?

And I already know what some of you are thinking. You’ll be an Earth Hour supporter and you’ll think how utterly ridiculous Edison Hour is or you’ll be the opposite. Maybe you really don’t care about either. Well the reality of the situation is we support one as much as we support the other. Earth Hour will really only last for one hour at best but we’ll be keeping on the lights every other hour of the year, all 365 days (minus the one hour of course).

The question really is whether or not you as the consumer are willingly to support change. By change, I mean consuming in a way that’s more environment friendly. I know having “consume” and “environment friendly” seems like a contradicting statement but it really isn’t. We as people will always consume, that’s just how it is. And if we will be consuming, all 6 billion of us, why not try and make the same product a little better for the world we live in and better for us.

The real issue of change is what does this change mean for business and what will it bring to the consumer. Of course, there have been steps taken by business to appeal to this consumer want with products like concentrated Tide and Cheer, the introduction of ebooks and hybrid cars, and although the idea of having products that are more environment friendly seems to slowly be taking place, it cannot be denied that it’s not happening or that its not being wanted. But rather than choosing to be part of just Earth Hour or Edison Hour, it kind of makes sense to take the best of both.

The Perfect Storm

Written on March 25, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

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What would you say if I told you to make something that would get a billion views? You would laugh. And then if I told you that before you start doing anything, maybe you should go ask Lady Gaga how to do it. Again, you would probably laugh. But in reality it’s no laughing matter, as her videos alone have passed a billion online views, and for the time being, it makes her the sole member of the billion views club.

The world is changing. I know it’s a pretty obvious comment and it’s definitely an over-used statement but the fact of the matter is the world is actually changing. We’re reaching a point in time where something great is happening. Its what I like to call the perfect storm. And I’m not saying the world is ending in anyway and I’m definitely not talking about hurricanes, what I’m talking about is the generational differences that exist. Where the three biggest generations, the Boomers, Xers and Gen-Yers, are battling it out.

By foreversouls

Each generation has had its pro’s and con’s, and Gen-Y has already left an impression. Though young, literally the oldest of the generation being around 30 or so, Gen-Yers are literally changing how we look at the world. Being, arguably, the first global generation is a powerful characteristic. We seem to be absolutely everywhere, riding the wave of social media. You can watch anything about everything on Youtube. Facebook is becoming a personal characteristic. And you can’t count Twitter out, its misunderstood use make it seem beyond our time. Not to mention the new and upcoming stuff like Foursquare and Chatroulette, just to name only a few.

The perfect storm exists because we’re breaking down the old and adapting it to the new, and now we’re beginning to see some of the remnants from the storm. Smartphones are everywhere. The Kia, Nissan and Scion brands are reinventing how cars look. And everyone wants anything to do with Mac. Organizations have spent the last century building and figuring people out, and Gen-Y, along with some help from Lady Gaga, have seemingly swept that all aside.