#21 Mini Series – how to influence Generation C “1″
October 30, 2009 by Jake Pearce
After a wee delay, I’m back. I’ve been overseas and then got sick, so I’m very sorry I haven’t been blogging regularly – however it’s back to normal now!
So, today I begin a ‘mini series’ of VLOGS talking about Digital Influencers.
Why? Well, Generation C is a psychographic, ageless generation which is typified by a love of the digital media (whether that is full on internet involvement or just texting) and a desire for control in the digital environment. And to discover how to engage Generation C, digital natives, we must understand how to identify Digital Influencers to help achieve that engagement.
To begin this exploration I sum up Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Tipping Point’ which showed that you don’t need many people to grow a movement/influence lots of people.
Check out the video - less than 4 minutes…
In summary there are 3 types of people necessary to spread the word on any particular matter per Malcolm Gladwell:
- Mavens: these people know loads of stuff about areas they are interested in and really enjoy passing on information e.g. where to find the cheapest deal on a car, whether the new release from Microsoft is any good. Then Mavens pass on information to…
- Connectors: they are people who are socially very networked and can be famous, and/or thought leaders and/or just very well connected in a wide range of spheres. And Connectors know…
- Sales people: these are very persuasive people who are great at passing on information in a highly engaging way that ignites action in the people they tell.
While this is a very powerful overview of how the few engage the many, it misses something vital which we will be exploring.
Namely, that Connectors have huge networks and usually don’t see/connect with all those people in their huge networks regularly. So how do we get the word out to people more regularly that Connectors can? Who do we need to influence Generation C – digital natives more immediately/immediately?
We’ll start to look at that next week J
Do you have a system to find Maven’s, Connectors and Sales people? If not, why not? What tools do you need and do you want some help 
#20 More on marketing to Generation C
September 21, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Here’s video 2 of of Abe Dew talking about Generation C – more thought provoking stuff.
To repeat a key quote from Abe:
“We in advertising love things in boxes…it’s incredibly dangerous with Gen C it’s the fringes that are important…you see wave after wave of new ideas coming forward and it scares people witless… Marketing will move to be more like jazz and less like precise orchestral piece.”
Abe’s 2 videos are real thought twisterd and really makes you think, here are some key points.
Here’s the key points from Video 2 of 2:
- Community is the content – all technology is an extension of the human mind – community is the need behind technology.
- People are more complex than ‘boxed stereotypes’ – we need to engage community to ‘get people’ properly again.
- Academic studies show that the more collective a culture is the less they go online – so social media’s explosion is a function of less happy societies!
- If Generation C want control we need to surrender it!
- Apple get this. Apple’s new apps – only 5% survive – they rely on open source creativity to provide new apps and the street to weed them out – in other words they let go of control.
Do you think you’re brave enough to let go of control when marketing to Generation C?
#19 Think outside the box to market to Generation C
September 11, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Sorry folks – been overseas and my blog plan melted badly!
So – I’ve been meaning to share this video of Abe Dew on Generation C – there are some great thoughts here.
“We in advertising love things in boxes…it’s incredibly dangerous with Gen C it’s the fringes that are important…you see wave after wave of new ideas coming forward and it scares people witless… Marketing will move to be more like jazz and less like precise orchestral piece.”
Abe’s 2 videos are real thought twisterd and really makes you think, here are some key points.
Here’s the key points from Video 1 of 2:
- Déjà-vu now vu-jade – representing existing things You Tube really aggregated things that were all there.
- David Shrigley – Glaswegian cartoonist shows a cartoon with a bit missing. People don’t know what they want all the time – the gaps are where the new futures are: http://www.davidshrigley.com/thingstobuy/thingstobuy.html
- Don’t pretend to know all the answers – brands need to move from being a ‘fixed’ idea to a narrative – like a book it’s the ‘unsaid’ that say a lot. The same is true of brands.
- Marketing will move to be more like jazz and less like precise orchestral piece.
How do you think we should market effectively to Generation C?
#19 Sarah Newton on the differences between Generation Y and Generation C
August 12, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Sarah Newton, Generation Y expert and writer of GenYGuide comments on the differences between Generation Y and Generation C.
In summary Sarah covers:
- A clear rebuttal of the ‘selfish’ label for Generation Y
- An exploration of how Generation Y is a product of its upbringing – e.g. embracing a more balanced life where work is less important
- Generation Y are not ‘all into digital’ media
My thoughts are:
- I have a different view on the social implications of Generation C
- Essentially Generation C have become the ‘leaders’ of Generation Y in terms of an online opinion and have a significant social and marketing impact on our world.
- Technology is a key factor in Generation C’s profile and leadership is a defining characteristic, hence Generation C is the 10% who leave a comment etc
Thanks again to Sarah Newton for taking the time to do this video for us – we really welcome the conversation.
So – what do you think are the key differences between Generation Y and Generation C?
#18 Generation C – Saatchi & Saatchi Digital on the future of communication
August 3, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Tony Gardner – Head of Saatchi and Saatchi Digital New Zealand talks about the future of communication.
Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi&Saatchi has a particularly high regard for the quality of thinking coming out of New Zealand – so much so that Procter & Gamble have a special innovation unit based with Saatchi&Saatchi in New Zealand.
Tony makes the following points:
- There is a lot of ‘stuff’ on the internet – and a lot of it is ‘rubbish’
- However it is crucial to stress that one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold
- Corporates in particular risk making value judgements over what they ‘regard’ as rubbish
- Tony stresses the need for change – in particular the existing slow and drawn out process of generating communication (campaigns etc) which is not suited to the fast paced, ever changing modern world which we all live in
- In a fast changing world, more than ever – brands need a ‘lighthouse’ idea (per Kevin Roberts) which is a guiding principle for internal behaviour and external communicaiton
My thoughts on this issue
I agree with much of the above with one key issue – the concept of a lighthouse idea faces a number of key challenges due to the nature of Generation C.
- Historically, agencies have been paid to come up with the ‘big idea’
- Culturally,
- And clients have wanted to ‘control and manage the ‘big idea’’
- The challenge we have in relation to the light house concept is one of origin:
- In the future the ‘big lighthouse idea’ needs to be co-created between customer and brand
- This flies in the face of how both agencies and clients traditionally have operated
- And the fastest growing generation – Generation C – value co-creation because they are motivated by control.
We’ll come back to the future of communication – next week we’ll be looking at the future of banking, music and targeting Generation C influencers.
So – is a lighthouse idea enough – yes or no?
#17 Generational motivations – Baby Boomers and Generation X, Y and C
July 25, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Today we are talking about the motivations of generations and talking about why it’s important to look at what motivates a generation (as human beings) rather than what their behaviour is (as human doings).
This video is 3 minutes 46 seconds long and covers the following:
- A quick definition of Generation C
- Why we need to understand the motivations of different Generations – Baby Boomers, Generation X, Y and C in order to be target generations effectively
- A summary of the motivations of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Y and C
What do you think are the motivations of these generations and does it matter?
#16 Why Generational stereotypes are incorrect
July 21, 2009 by Jake Pearce
This week I’m looking at why generational stereotypes are incorrect.
Generational studies usually focus on a demographic or age based analysis and define each generation by what they do.
For example when thinking about the Boomer generation, they talk about their activities – music, protests, hippy movement etc.
The key is that they are missing the point – to understand a generation the key is to look at the motivation that defines them. After all we are human beings not human doings
For Boomers it’s all about freedom or being free and they demonstrate this by the music, hippy movement, political protests that their generation are noted for.
So Generation C isall about Control and show this by wanting to have the power to choose how to define their environment, be heard and share with other people in the digital world.
The video is 3 mins 48 seconds. Hope you find it useful.
How do you think generations should be defined?
#15 Quick definitions – Generation Y, X, Z, Boomers & Generation C
July 13, 2009 by Jake Pearce
This video is 4minutes 30 seconds long.
There is a lot of confusion over the the differences between all the different generations and how Generation C fits with them.
To start defining them, I look at the demographic/age based generations briefly, Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z. Unlike Generation C, which is a psychographic generation that is ageless, the following generations are typically defined in generational studies based on common experiences in their late teens/early twenties.
A quick and useful start to check what generation someone belongs to, is to ask them what their formative music format was
- Boomers – Vinyl was their format 33’s and 45’s
- Gen X – Tapes were dominant format
- Gen Y – CD’s for older Gen Y
- Gen Y – mp3’s/itunes for younger Gen Y
- Gen Z – Work In Progress as they are ‘generationally’ born from 2001 onwards and haven’t hit late teens yet!
- Gen C – like digital online formats and enjoy sharing and comparing for example to Last FM
Generation C is the global, ageless Digital Generation – no accident then that they love Twitter
In short, Generation C is more important than any other generation because it’s not defined by a narrow demographic – do you agree or disagree?
#14 Generation Y versus Generation C – what’s the difference?
July 6, 2009 by Jake Pearce
This week I’m looking at the difference between Generation C and Generation Y, with some big implications for marketing and society at large.
The video is 5 mins 53 seconds long and covers the following:
- A recap of a definition of Generation C itself
- Defining Generation Y commenting on two authorities: Peter Sheahan and Howe & Strauss
- Looking at why these two authorities have radically different views on the characteristics of Generation Y
- Explaining how Generation Y relates to Generation C
- The implications for marketing and society in general.
So – what do you think – is Generation Y selfish or selfless?
I look forward to your comments.
#13 What does the “C” stand for in Generation C
June 26, 2009 by Jake Pearce
It’s time to clear up the confusion about what the “C” in Generation C stands for:
Some very learned people from Digital Hive, Saatchi and Saatchi and more have come up with their thoughts on defining the “C”.
This video is 3 mins 30 secs long and deals with:
- Various views on what the “C” stands for
- The impact of defining a generation based on what they do rather than what motivates them
- What I believe the “C” stands for and why
What do you think the “C” stands for?