Targetting the illusive 'Y-generation' - thoughts from Jane McDaid

Image by morgan, courtesy of dublinstreets

The below is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the current issue of IMJ.

Working with brands to impress and engage youth audiences, the most fickle, sussed-out and media savvy bunch that exists, is often considered the most challenging. But it’s what whets the appetite of Thinkhouse and is what has defined the agency.
For brands and agencies, determined to make their brand feature in the brains, hearts and ultimately the pockets of 18-35 year olds, what’s necessary?

Firstly - the product. A good product (or service) will engage and win the hearts of any audience. A product that is beautiful, useful and memorable. A product that matters and has a place in today’s society. A product that innovates and actively seeks out ways to outperform the competition. And while many PR professionals think that product development is outside their control – why should it be? Good marketing and brand teams should have PR at the heart of every brand stage, right from conception to launch.

Secondly – the message. Catering for today’s Y generation means communicating to them in a way, and an environment, that they are comfortable in. As today’s youth audiences are just as likely to be found tapping away on social networks as they are plonked on the couch watching the latest episode of SKINS, that’s where brands need to be. In a very fragmented media environment, connecting with youth audiences is done on many levels; from on-street and online to traditional media and word-of-mouth.

Thirdly – them. Today’s Y generation want to be involved. They are more willing than ever to contribute to brands. We can see this popular trend almost creating ‘user generated’ brands - brands that are ultimately designed by and for the end users. By interacting with the brand developer – usually online- brand fans are creating their own trainers (NIKE ID) Credit Cards (Permanent TSB) Flavours (Ben & Jerry’s) Teams (The Guardian Fantasy Football) to name but a few.

Lastly – engagement For an audience that digests endless brand messages from their mates, from their desks (YouTube; Facebook ; Twitter) from their heroes and from the media, today’s youth generation know marketing as well as we do. Once we recognise that, we’re on-side. Once we capitalise on that, we’re winning.

In a brand-bashed environment only brands that ultimately understand the nuances of youth culture, communication styles and techniques will be effective in engaging and ultimately winning younger brand fans.

Thinkhouse, specialists in youth communications. www.thinkhousepr.com