Gen Y
Talking with 2.5 Million Teen/20-sums: DoSomething.org COO Has Tips
Old Crank Hijacks Blog to Carp About "Kids These Days"
By Marc Dresner
As I sat down to write this post I had two depressing thoughts
and I figured I might as well drag you down with me:
and I figured I might as well drag you down with me:
1. I am
officially 'old.' (And if you're 26 years of age or over, sorry, but so are you.)
2. I am
out of touch. (And if you spend a lot of time talking about 'youth culture,' might
be you're out of touch, too.)
That first fun fact came courtesy of
DoSomething.org under a section on its website dubbed 'Old People' that
unapologetically states: 'If you're 26+ we
consider you officially 'old.' This is an org for young people.'
DoSomething.org under a section on its website dubbed 'Old People' that
unapologetically states: 'If you're 26+ we
consider you officially 'old.' This is an org for young people.'
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| Aria Finger source: Crain's New York |
(Well I didn't want to join your stupid org anyway! Pbbt')
The second bit I deduced'but only after chasing some
teenagers off my lawn'from a comment made by DoSomething.org's COO, Aria
Finger, who suggested that old people who talk about young people in sweeping
generalizations probably don't understand them as well as they think.
teenagers off my lawn'from a comment made by DoSomething.org's COO, Aria
Finger, who suggested that old people who talk about young people in sweeping
generalizations probably don't understand them as well as they think.
'You hear people generalizing a
lot. 'Oh, young people like to share,' and so on,' said Finger. 'We need to
remember that young people are diverse.'
lot. 'Oh, young people like to share,' and so on,' said Finger. 'We need to
remember that young people are diverse.'
''Young
people' isn't some homogenous panacea.'
people' isn't some homogenous panacea.'
''Young people' isn't some homogenous panacea,' she added.
She's right, of course. And we're
all guilty of it.
Marketers and researchers, in
particular, love to label and wrap blanket statements around entire
generational cohorts.
particular, love to label and wrap blanket statements around entire
generational cohorts.
It's how we make sense of (and
market to) the world. Show me a statistician who doesn't dehumanize people for
a living.
market to) the world. Show me a statistician who doesn't dehumanize people for
a living.
Now, no one is saying that
there isn't any truth (or utility, for that matter) to statements like 'Young
people like to share,' etc.
there isn't any truth (or utility, for that matter) to statements like 'Young
people like to share,' etc.
But we probably make or accept them more often than
is advisable for the sake of expedience.
is advisable for the sake of expedience.
Myth:
Teenagers are usually on the cutting edge of technology
Teenagers are usually on the cutting edge of technology
We all know, for example, that Gen Z' er, Post-Millennials?
Gen Next? 'What are we calling these kids we're generalizing about anyway?!?
Gen TBD?
Gen Next? 'What are we calling these kids we're generalizing about anyway?!?
Gen TBD?
Whatever they are, they're 'digital natives,' right?
The teens are into all the cutting edge technology, right?
The teens are into all the cutting edge technology, right?
Wrong. Finger says that's a big misconception.
Well, ok, but they sure seem tech-savvy. (Help me with my DVR, please!)
I mean, what about their smartphones? All the kids
have smartphones. We didn't have smartphones when I went to high school...
have smartphones. We didn't have smartphones when I went to high school...
And most middle-class teens in the U.S. today still
don't, Finger noted, which is why SMS text remains such a powerful communication
tool.
don't, Finger noted, which is why SMS text remains such a powerful communication
tool.
And just where does she get her information, you ask?
Why from DoSomething.org's 2.5 million members ages
25 and under, of course.
25 and under, of course.
'We can send a text to 1.6 million young
people and get up to 70,000 responses in minutes.'
people and get up to 70,000 responses in minutes.'
'We can send a text to 1.6 million young people and
get up to 70,000 responses in a matter of minutes,' Finger told The Research Insighter.
get up to 70,000 responses in a matter of minutes,' Finger told The Research Insighter.
(For
any out-of-touch oldies, DoSomething is a pretty-big-deal-not-for-profit dedicated
to 'making the world suck less' by connecting teens and early 20-somethings to
social causes that matter to them.)
any out-of-touch oldies, DoSomething is a pretty-big-deal-not-for-profit dedicated
to 'making the world suck less' by connecting teens and early 20-somethings to
social causes that matter to them.)
Finger
is also president of TMI, DoSomething's agency subsidiary specializing in
research and consulting services around youth, technology and social change.
is also president of TMI, DoSomething's agency subsidiary specializing in
research and consulting services around youth, technology and social change.
As a
result, Finger knows a thing or two about the kids and how to communicate with
them.
result, Finger knows a thing or two about the kids and how to communicate with
them.
And in this podcast with The Research Insighter
interview series, Finger shares some tips for talking with young people, including:
interview series, Finger shares some tips for talking with young people, including:
' Why 'if you build it they will come' isn't a great
mobile strategy
mobile strategy
' How to keep an authentic two-way text dialogue
going with thousands of young people
going with thousands of young people
' Why brands shouldn't necessarily just take the
kids' word for it when it comes to preferences, and more'
kids' word for it when it comes to preferences, and more'
Editor's
note: Aria Finger will present 'Using Mobile and Data Insights to Activate
Youth' at The Future of Consumer Intelligence Conference taking place May 19th
through the 21st in Universal City, California.
note: Aria Finger will present 'Using Mobile and Data Insights to Activate
Youth' at The Future of Consumer Intelligence Conference taking place May 19th
through the 21st in Universal City, California.
SAVE 15% to attend The Future of Consumer Intelligence when you use code FOCI14BLOG today!
For
more information or to register, please visit www.futureofconsumerintel.com
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| Old Crank |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR / INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner is IIR USA's sr. editor and special communication project lead. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the marketing research and consumer insights industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.