#30 Mini Series – How to influence Generation C “10″
May 30, 2010 by Jake Pearce
Hi there! Welcome back to the Gen C mini series on influence
In Mini Series “1″ we explored Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” as a way to get a few influencing ‘the many’ with Mavens, Connectors and Sales people.
In Mini Series “2″ I identified that Connectors are only half of the picture when it comes to broadcasting a message – you also need Conductors,which I define in overview.
In Mini Series “3″ I broke down the four types of Conductors briefly to start to understand how they can influence people – naturally including Generation C
In Mini Series “4″ we investigated further the key differences between Connectors and Conductors and their relative regularity and visibility of influence
In Mini Series “5″ we reviewed the 4 types of Conductors (Information, Debate, Social and Club) and what kind of people they are how they influence their networks
In Mini Series “6″ we consider how Conductors and Connectors fit onto a map so we can effectively target particular groups
In Mini Series “7″ we had Christmas (!) and defined the map of human networks as looking like an airport with particular strong hubs of influence that are irregularly placed. Further we noted that the 80/20 rule applies when finding those influencer hubs.
In Mini Series “8″ we confirmed that the good ole airport map is the ‘right’ map for human networks – so it’s about unevenly powerful hubs that we need to find in order influence Generation. Once again the 80/20 rule applies when looking at relative importance of hubs. We also busted 6 degrees of separation as a global myth to help understand how message flow in human networks.
In Mini Series “9″ we looked at the number of links required between social groups to make information travel fast.
This week (video of 3 mins 55 seconds) we are looking at how to use these links to speed the passage of information and what that means for us a marketeers.
How do you think we should engage different social hubs to drive the speed of information movement?
I look forward to your answers
Jake
#26 Mini Series – How to influence Generation C “6″
December 20, 2009 by Jake Pearce
HAPPY ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!
So – welcome to the sixth in our mini series exploring how to influence Generation C – ageless, digital natives who love “Control”.
In Mini Series “1″ we explored Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” as a way to get a few influencing ‘the many’ with Mavens, Connectors and Sales people.
In Mini Series “2″ I identified that Connectors are only half of the picture when it comes to broadcasting a message – you also need Conductors,which I define in overview.
In Mini Series “3″ I broke down the four types of Conductors briefly to start to understand how they can influence people – naturally including Generation C
In Mini Series “4″ we investigated further the key differences between Connectors and Conductors and their relative regularity and visibility of influence
In Mini Series “5″ we reviewed the 4 types of Conductors (Information, Debate, Social and Club) and what kind of people they are how they influence their networks
So – check out this video (3 minutes 17 seconds long) and ponder:
- How do Connectors and Conductors fit together on a map?
- The new science of community behaviour as explored in “Linked”
- An overview of three types of maps of human networks
Each of these has huge implications about how to target and influence Generation C.
So which is the ‘true’ map of human networks? Let us know and be in a for a Christmas prize!
Cheers
Jake
#24 Mini Series – How to influence Generation C “4″
November 21, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Welcome to the fourth in our mini series exploring how to influence Generation C – ageless, digital natives.
In Mini Series “1″ we explored Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” as a way to get a few influencing ‘the many’ with Mavens, Connectors and Sales people.
In Mini Series “2″ I identified that Connectors are only half of the picture when it comes to broadcasting a message – you also need Conductors,which I define in overview.
In Mini Series “3″ I broke down the four types of Conductors briefly to start to understand how they can influence people – naturally including Generation C
In this (the 4th of our Mini Series on how to influence Generation C) we investigate further the key differences between Connectors and Conductors.
So – watch this video (3 minutes 30 seconds long) and understand:
- the relative regularity with which Connectors and Conductors influence Generation C; and
- the relative visibility of either type of influencer to Generation C
So – were you influenced by a Connector and/or a Conductor this week? Let us know!
And – if you want a laugh – check out this blooper when I was videoing the VLOG 
#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?
#12 Generation C – who are they and why are they so important?
June 22, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Check out this video and find out more on these 3 reasons why Generation C is so important:
1. They are a psychographic not a demographic generation – this is the first time a generation isn’t bounded by just age
2. It’s a growing generation as people are both born and adopted Generation C – both born and adopted Generation C love communicating digitally
3. They are digital influencers and it’s vital marketeers understand them – in Malcolm Gladwell terms – they are the generation that will make change happen
What are you doing to understand Generation C and how it will affect your organisation?
#9 Will ‘independent’ Generation C be as entrepreneurial when they have ‘grown up’?
April 27, 2009 by Jake Pearce
True or False?
Will ‘independent’ Generation C be as entrepreneurial when they have ‘grown up’?
The key question that generational researchers get wrong is extrapolation. For example – if you took the Woodstock generation in the 1960’s, then the world would have been a music loving, sharing, free spirited paradise long ago.
So what happened? Did the Woodstock generation, better known as the ‘Boomers’ sell out completely? Did their values change or did their values remain the same?
This is a key issues for generational predictions.
Ben Young is what we would call ‘born Gen C’. In his video, Ben makes these key points:
• On average IQ increases each generation
• As a result Generations are genuinely different – it’s not a case of the young are the young or the old are the old
• It is more ‘normative’ or usual for Generation C to be expected to self help in relation to life in general
• In relation to business – Generation C like solving their own problems
• As a result Ben says to corporate – make what GenC want or they will do it for themselves.
This great talk heated up a lot of discussion.
Here are some comments made by people attending the conference – Ben’s talk was thought provoking and polarising for the audience:
• All young people go through a phase of being entrepreneurial – it’s a right of passage – Gen C are no different
• All ‘young’ generations see themselves as special as they get older they see they are more alike than different
• DIY is what Gen C is all about – Ben has hit it on the head when he says Gen C will sort things out themselves
• Every generation has stand out stars – to generalise from a few is not realistic
• It’s not Gen C that are into DIY – it’s just the tools are there (the internet to make it easy) to allow people to do things themselves.
For next week:
In my view the issue is about being normative. Not everyone in the 60’s was musical and into drugs – yet the stand out icons for Boomers – like Bob Dylan reflected those iconic values. In the same way – stand out icons for Generation C are born Generation C doing things for themselves.
Much of marketing is all about the person you’d like to be – the person you aspire to be. With this in mind, we need to explore further how Generation C’s aspirations will evolve.
#7 Generation C steals share from other Generations – but they still talk more than they type…
April 6, 2009 by Jake Pearce
Generation C is a growth Generation stealing share from Generation X, Y, Z and Boomers.
Why?
Well that’s because more and more people use a range of digital media and become ‘adopted GenC’. The Pew research shows that effectively a wide range of demographic generations are ‘converting’ and debunks the myths that Generation C is all about the ‘young’. For example….
• Gen X – are most likely to bank, shop on line
• Boomers are most likely to book travel on line
• Silent Generation (64-72 years old) are up there with Gen Y on e-mail
• The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 is in the 70-75 age group
Check out Pew Research on generations online – it’s great info.
In effect – Generation C started out being those who were really into matters digital and were young but that’s rapidly changing. For example Mitch Olson co-founder of
Small Worlds – told us the average age of those in Second Life is 35. The net result is that those who were the digital influencers are becoming cross generational influencers – and ironically influencers used to be hard to find and now are often openly accessible on digital mediums like twitter.
So what are the implications? Well I feel one will come – a digital backlash because of the demographic blurring inherent in Generation C. One key point that seems to be forgotten is that 80% of all ‘Word-of-Mouth’ comes from the gob not the keyboard.
In short the importance of ‘matters digital’ for marketing people is growing but right now may be overhyped. Generation C talk more than they type and that’s a fact that has been lost on many people.
Watch this space for video footage exploring this fascinating ‘non-demographic’ generation.