Ways to Engage the Next Generation

8/9/2019 Ways to Engage the Next Generation

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1. WAYS YOUR COMPANY CAN ENGAGE THE NEXT GENERATION;2.3.4. When getting into Social Media, have a reason to get into it. It's not for every business

and that is ok.5.6. Create a product that is truly amazing and unique. Or one that is better and shinier

than your competition.7.8. When creating your web site, remember the people who are going to read it, and look

at it and have to figure out how to navigate it.9.

10. Know that if it is a trend, it is not a branding strategy, but rather something that willhave a short shelf life. If it's a trend and you are just realizing it, you missed it. Letit go and look for something else.

11.12. Don't look for the next trend, create the next trend. Don't make Myspace 2, make

Twitter. Don't be the Zune and play catch up, find an iPod and let people catchup to you.

13.14. As soon as they come close to catching up, create the iPhone and kick everyone else

in the balls.15.16. Hire people that care about your brand. They are your advocates first and foremost. If

they hate your clothes, products, etc how can they turn a window shopper into afan?

17.18. Hire people that aspire to have your job and beyond. Passion trumps skills in Next

Gen, we can learn anything, we cannot, however, get excited for something wedislike.

19.20. Find the next celebrity, not the "IT" celebrity. Case studies - JUNO and Nick and

Norah's Infinite Playlist21.22. Surprise people by helping the little guy, the small nonprofit that can do more with

your donation and will become advocates of yours forever vs the large nonprofitswho only care about your bank account. Next Gen will appreciate that.

23.24. Get people to answer your phones. You are losing more business than money you

are making by having that shitty automated system.25.26. When a young person learns about your product at a concert or event, and they go to

your site, say something about that event. Better yet, make a mobile site ormicrosite based solely on that event and how they can get involved, buy yourproduct or learn more.

27.28. Train your event staff and hourly employees better than the spokesperson in your

commercials, they are the ones interacting with kids at events.29.30. Find local trends. The internet makes this possible. What teens like in Orlando is

different than teens in Paducah, KY.


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31.32. Listen, don't respond, LISTEN some more.33.34. Next Gen doesn't buy cars based on your commercials. Car commercials are some

of the worst commercials ever made for turning anyone into a brand advocate.35.36. Phones that do everything are the future, if you do not have a way for kids to access

you on the go, you will lose to the company that is.37.38. When advertising on a Social Network, make the ad relate to what we are doing. If

you advertis on Pandora, make us a cool play list or introduce us to an artist thatyou care about.

39.40. Stop hiding. We do not like walls.41.42. Get us involved. Email the cool blogger and invite them to brainstorm for your next ad,

blog post or podcast. Find a great photograph on Flickr and ask the person to doa shoot for you. You will get results that are not so cookie cutter like every otherad agency.

43.44. Seek out great talent. Don't wait for that great resume to find you, find the next great

person in your organization through building relationships, and knowing yourideal candidate.

45.46. Be transparent. Lying is for politicians and we see right through his crap.47.48. Do not place products in music videos if it doesn't work. It makes us hate the band too

and that doens't help you out in the long run.49.50. Find the thing that makes your brand GRAB our attention in between the millions of

logos, interruptions, commercials and brand names we hear every day.51.52. When the youth grab your product and make it part of their culture, find a way to keep

the momentum withouth chastizing every last penny out of it to make quarterlygoals. Instead, grow organically and you will see long-term success and a brandthat grows for generations. Look at Levi's or Dickie's.

53.54. Realize that just because you gave away some cool free swag at Warped Tour or the

X Games, it does not make you cool. How did that product relate to Next Gen,make their experience better? How can they get back in touch with you whenthey need what you offer?

55.56. Myspace is dead, sorry. Again if you are just getting on the train, you missed the one

with the cool kids.57.58. There are going to be more smaller groups that make an impact with Next Gen, than

one big group. How can your brand be a part of many groups without ruining yourimage?

59.60. Realize that kids are going to talk about your brand in ways you never imagined. They

will pick on you, call you names and ignore you on the shelf. How you bounce
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back the next season is important. Think the not so cute girl who grows up a bitover the summer and comes back to get the QB.

61.62. Mash-ups are a great way to grab an audience that you want.63.64. Create a culture, not a logo.65.

66. The co-sign is dying. Co-signing is term that was used in hip-hop when an artist cameinto the game on the strength of an acquaintance. Basically, it boils down to thefact that you need to stand on your own feet and get respect without that of majorbacking. Think Scion, it would survive to Next Gen without Toyota's name dueto the culture it built.

67.68. Free is not a solution. We will pay for things that we believe in, but if we can find it for

free, more than likely we will use that price point. What is so awesome aboutyour business that is going to make me BUY.

69.70. There is more competition than ever. Optimize your entire business plan. The youth

search for things any and everywhere and way. Optimize your content to showup everywhere that we are, have an RSS Feed, Twitter account, Facebook page,mobile site, iPhone and gPhone app, SEO for Google, etc.

71.72. Get back to basics. Why do you want to reach the youth? What do you gain by

focusing on them? What do you lose if you miss?73.74. Get back to focus groups. Again the Internet makes this easy and powerful..

Mercedes did a good job of getting teens involved in their brand focus and itseems to be working.

75.76. Get offline. Sponsor events that matter, but don't just cut a check, get involved and

really be passionate about the things you invest in.77.78. Educate your staff. If you have an iPhone app and your employees have no idea it

exists, then why have it?

Care about what you are doing.

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Ways to Engage the Next Generation