Grown Up Thinking

The latest crop of college students face one of the toughest economic climates in recent history, compounded by rising tuition costs and bleak job prospects. Hard realities shape the outlook and values of this generation, and it is reflected in the video content they watch. After visiting with four students during last week’s panel discussion at OMMA Video in San Francisco, it is clear that they don’t have the time or patience to wade through advertising that doesn’t provide a clear and practical benefit.

LIVE FROM OMMA SAN FRANCISCO

So how do brands build advocacy through video content? Mr Youth hosted a panel discussion with four San Francisco Bay Area students to get their candid and honest feedback on how they engage with video advertising. Watch the full conversation unfold here (Click to watch OMMA Video Panel Discussion) or continue reading for our observations and highlights from our student panelists.

(Pictured above, seated left to right: Senior Director of Marketing: Nick Fuller, Student Panelists: Daniel, Monika, Monique & Kristen)

While carrying a full course-load, students still manage to squeeze in plenty of video content each day across numerous devices and platforms. They don’t appear to be playing favorites among online sources, so long as the content is free. Pay-walls for exclusive content (Hulu Plus or Netflix) aren’t as big of an issue, given that the alternative is a costly cable package, which is resulting in nearly 86 percent of students preferring to take their viewership online (– Mr Youth “Class of 2015” study, August 2011). According to our panelists, game consoles are replacing cable boxes, with all four panelists either owning or having access to one for the specific purpose of watching video content.

Daniel: “If I share something, I am putting my approval stamp on it, claiming that I approve of this message.”

When brands get the message right with this generation, the opportunities are endless.  Members of this generation admittedly share video advertising and other content daily across their social networks, with 70 percent actively seeking new sources of content via peer recommendations online (Mr Youth nationwide poll, October 2011). Our panelists recognize the power they have over brands through recommendations across their social graph.

YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS TO HOOK THEM

Daniel: “I know if the ad is something I will continue watching within the first five seconds.”

A generation skeptical of advertising requires a straightforward approach to your marketing pitch. We do mean “pitch,” since our panelists suggest that the direct benefit of watching the advertisement must be communicated within the “first 5 seconds” or they will instantly tune out.

Still, they know video ads are a small price to pay for free content. Our panelists preferred pre-roll ads best, with the option to select between ads from the same brand. Consider this an opportunity to learn more about their preferences, while increasing the likelihood they will watch. And don’t even think about interrupting their viewing experience with a rollover or other non-linear variation–at best, they find these highly annoying and disruptive.

BE ENTERTAINING, UP FRONT & ON BRAND

Monique: “If you are straight forward, clever & humorous, I am more likely to watch.”

The good news for marketers is that this generation is still very receptive to video advertising. Developing successful content requires paying attention to a basic formula that revealed itself through our panel conversations:

Clear Intention + Entertaining + Intelligent + On Brand = Successful Content

Our panelists view a clear distinction between ads that “try too hard” to be funny or entertaining, and ads that entertain while conveying a clear product benefit. They prefer the latter, and ask that video ads begin from a place of honest intentions (be straight forward about what you are selling, and keep the message on brand) while also making it entertaining.

Daniel: “I like it when a brand is able to make fun of itself & not take itself too seriously. It shows me that they get our generation.”

None of our panelists felt it would harm a brand to crack a small joke about itself every once in a while. They expressed that “big brands take themselves too seriously,” and find brands more relatable when they are willing to poke fun at themselves.

Monika: “It is exhausting to watch a commercial that is pulling at your base emotions & over stimulus. We are rational people & would like to make rational decisions.”

For all of the reasons above, they love the recent Allstate “Mayhem” video campaign. The intention of the ad and benefit to the consumer are clear: Allstate Insurance will cover its customers against the inevitable “mayhem” that happens in everyday life. They appreciate the witty humor and candid nature of the pitch. In contrast, our panelists view advertising as misleading and deceptive when using too much “visual stimulus” as a way of pulling on their emotions. They appreciate advertising that treats them as intelligent, rational decision-makers.

THEY APPRECIATE THE UTILITY OF HOW-TO VIDEOS

Monique: “How-to videos make things functional & relevant to our lives. If you could inject a product into a video while showing me how to use it, I would totally watch it.”

This generation is resourceful and willing to roll-up its sleeves to solve every day problems. How-to videos provide brands with the perfect opportunity to sell-through education, demonstrating the unique benefits of the product while helping the consumer complete a specific task. All four panelists seemed to enjoy these videos and reinforced the value they provide. They also mentioned that they would be very likely to remember the products demonstrated while watching.

THEY GET BEHIND BRANDS WITH SIMILAR IDEALS

Monika: “Brands needs to communicate a bigger ideal to be remembered, more so than any image or name. When I find a video, I want to understand the POV of the person (or brand) that is producing it.”

Genuine advocacy requires more than just creating funny content and hoping that it goes viral. Brand advocates want to know the purpose behind the brand and its advertisements. They want the “POV” of the content curator, whether it is a famous Indie film director, or Annie’s Mac ‘N’ Cheese. They are likely to share commercials that convey important messages, or are attached to a social movement or cause they care about. Our panelists actively research brands and products (ingredients especially) when considering a purchase. Ensure that they find all the right answers when they look it up online.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While our panel consisted of only four students from the San Francisco Bay Area, they did reflect many of the same views as the college students we spoke with over the summer in a larger, nationwide study on the college freshmen “Class of 2015,” (Read our study on “5 Ways To Friend The Class Of 2015” at: www.Meet2015.com). Our panelists desire straightforward video ads that provide a benefit for watching and a clear product benefit from which they can make rational judgments. Tie your message to a bigger purpose or ideal, and they will reward you–not only with their attention, but also through their online sharing and endorsement.

This Thursday is National Social Media Day! With only two days left to prepare, how will you celebrate? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

- Pick a social media personality and claim it for the day. I recommend being the Fail Whale or the crying Foursquare girl with the crown  Make sure you dress to fit your part like this guy!

- Set some resolutions for the next year of social media. Example: “I will tweet more often because I haven’t in months” or “I will tweet less often because my friends want to slap me.”

- Make a video and upload it on YouTube. Need ideas? Start simple with a demonstrative speech – like how to make a sandwich, how to make a scene at work, or how to make a grown man cry.

- Get your favorite social media infographic and make it your desktop background. Like this one.

- Throw an internet meme party. I will make my friends wear narwhal horn party hats (and bring my pet narwhal), dress as chubby bubbles girl, put Double Dream Hands on repeat, Ice all the bros in attendance, and insert photo bomb seal into all of the party pics (which I will then make into animated gifs). Friday will be boycotted, though, since it will only be Thursday…

Happy Social Media Day to you and yours! Tell us what you’re scheming for the big day.

On January 28th we posted our POV on the social media blackout in Egypt. Social media played a remarkable role in the ability for revolutionaries to communicate and mobilize, and this is not the first instance where social enabled incredible change for a country and its people.

With knowledge of the political and cultural power of their sites the executives of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, and others have unique approaches to their resulting responsibility and democratic role.

Google isn’t afraid of taking sides. Becoming part of the revolution, they worked with Twitter to create Speak2Tweet, allowing the people in Egypt to skirt the online access restrictions. YouTube also played a role on behalf of the protesters by quickly curating submitted content to be shared with the world.

While it is unquestionable that Facebook knows their power as a tool for social change, there is no intention to partner with movements as Google and Twitter have done. In part this is a crucial stance on behalf of social justice. If Facebook promoted themselves as a tool for uprising or gave statements in support of this activity, the site would be blocked by some regimes in a precautionary attempt to avoid a repeat of Tunisia or Egypt.

Some advocates for human rights see this as a mistake (more on this specifically in this NY Times article). The trust and authenticity we find so appealing about Facebook can be devastating to citizens of more oppressive nations as it stems from the prohibition of false identities. Facebook’s response is always in defense of overall user protection, so this policy is not currently up for negotiation.

This does not mean that Facebook will idly stand by. Last month we all jumped on the security upgrade to prevent stolen passwords. This was Facebook’s response to actions taken by the Tunisian government, worded as a technical solution across the board for greater user security. Facebook has also shut down activist pages with falsified admin names, solidifying their stance against overall abuse to their terms.

All social media sites have been threaded into historical progress. What do you think of the differences between Google and Twitter putting themselves in the front line and Facebook sticking to the sidelines?

Nearly three months after the U.S. military gave the “affirmative” for online social media use, an intriguing thing began happening: the soldiers went viral. Up until now, the military had very strict policies on sites such as YouTube or Facebook. No longer. The latest trend of music video-inspired mayhem is being created (quite creatively, by the way) by America’s few and proud. And they’re hamming it up in renditions of Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus for all the world to view, share and “Like”.

I have a wild theory. Call me crazy, but I find this new wave of humanized soldiers (“They’re just like us!”) to be a brilliant, if unintended, underground marketing scheme to recruit soldiers. These men are rocking boot camp and risking their lives–sure–but they’re also gaining worldwide exposure and having a blast, too. Signing up now seems a lot more “Animal House” than “Apocalypse Now”. And that’s a good thing for luring new soldiers to enlist in an uncertain time of turmoil in the middle east. Time will tell if recruitment numbers go up, but I think this is a fascinating trend worth following. In a time of war, it certainly won’t make the numbers go down. Not when there’s a new Gaga parody to be performed in the barracks, right? See for yourself:

An hour-long high school dramedy series that’s a musical? Let’s face it: Glee initially had everything going against it. Time will ultimately tell, but skeptics be damned. This year’s Golden Globe winner for Best Comedy Series turned out to be a runaway hit that has yet to lose steam as it heads into the second part of its freshman season. Above all, the show’s writing is top notch by melding a perfect blend of edgy dark humor and a lot of heart. The talent of the young cast is undeniable. And Jane Lynch turns anything into comic gold. But producers were faced with some tough challenges right from the start. How to get people to actually tune in? Enter social media and a relatively risky gamble on an aggressive interactive marketing campaign.

First of all, Fox chose to debut the pilot episode months before its actual season debut in order to capitalize on its 20+ million captive audience from American Idol. They then utilized the down time to really gain traction online by engaging with their most passionate fans (or ‘Gleeks’). Currently, @gleeks has a nearly 50,000 person following on Twitter and almost 2 million fans on Facebook. Mix that with its very own YouTube channel with exclusive content, PR-worthy appearances (Oprah!) and even nationwide mall performances. Yep, everyone’s all abuzz over the little show that could.

Blurring the line between fan and fiction even further, Glee has since launched a national casting campaign for new characters to appear on the series. Fox also recently released an interactive “hypertrailer” allowing viewers to click and “fan” the show’s cast members on Facebook, who also participate live on-air in weekly re-run episodes (or “Tweetpeats”) much like the cast commentary on today’s DVD and Blu-ray discs.

So what’s so significant about Glee’s marketing strategy, anyway? At its core, it is truly a niche show. But a very enthusiastic niche crowd at that. And Glee is giving that very core audience exactly what they want: access and interaction. At a time when studios are shuttering unauthorized playback of content and guarding creative copyrights like a fortress, this show is practically shooting it across America through a t-shirt cannon. Whether it be the show’s music content (consistently charting week after week on iTunes) or capturing that “underdog” spirit in everyone, Glee has succeeded in truly crossing all media types, including a forthcoming iPhone/iPad app. That makes it one of the very first scripted shows to actually achieve results in reaching out to a young, digital audience with significant viral success. That’s definitely a social media coup to be gleeful about. I, for one, am proud to be a Gleek. Who’s with me?

Glee resumes its season on Tuesday,  April 13 on Fox.

Though I missed the Super Bowl entirely, I did manage to catch up on all of the ads after the fact thanks to YouTube’s glossy showcase of Super Bowl commercials: AdBlitz .

I diligently viewed every ad from all four quarters of the game, and have outlined here a list of all the ads that made me LOL. Which, if you caught my previous post, you know that is something of a rarity.

Here’s the rundown of the most LOL-worthy spots of Super Bowl XLIV:

1. Snickers: Game (featuring Betty White)
For whatever reason, I’ll watch pretty much anything that involves Betty White. She’s delightful. But this spot in particular had me howling like Tom Hulce in Amadeus. Delight turns to pure magic when Betty delivers her first and only line.

2. Vizio – Forge (featuring Beyoncé)
This spot is a close second in my book of LOLs. The real clincher for me is the YouTube Celebrity/Meme theme: particularly, David at the Dentist’s inclusion is nothing short of comic genius. I’m a sucker for traditional and new media cross-pollination!

3. Doritos – House Rules
Cute little kid shows us who’s boss. This LOL smacks you right in the face with some LOL-worthy sass.

4. Dodge Charger – Man’s Last Stand
This commercial epic and comic ode to any man who has lived with a significant other or experienced a serious relationship. As a guy who’s lived through both, I had to resist the urge to bust out my air guitar at the climax of this spot.

5. Kia Sorento – Big Game
This commercial harkens back to something many of us wonder as children- do our toys have thoughts/feelings? Oh, maybe that was just me? Anyway, this commercial brings to life some hilarious fantasies from our favorite childhood toys.

That’s a wrap! Hope you enjoyed Super LOL 2010 – feel free to post your own Super LOL list in the comments!

Much like Dave Carroll and his 2008 plea to United Airlines to fix the guitar they busted, Freya Svensson has turned to song (and YouTube) to air her concerns about customer service with a huge brand (this time, it’s Volvo).

Instead of writing an angry letter, consumers will now write scathing blogs posts. Instead of asking to speak to the manager, they’ll turn to their social networks. Thankfully, these examples show less vitriol and far more humor, but act as a definite heads up for brands to listen and respond.

A recent video response by Kristina, a 21-year old student on the topic of communities working with brands, seemed to touch on so much of what Mr Youth has found to define the new consumer. While older generations might question the placement of advertising into personal blogs and You Tube channels, Consumer 2.0 struggles to see how this is any different then attempting to bombard them with a brand’s message via traditional channels. Kristina identifies how much more contextual and relevant marketing via peers and communities is. She explains how off putting “shoving commercials down our throats is” and how brands who take the time to think through ways to engage them and “work with them” have a much better grasp of how to positively communicate with their generation. Marketers could learn a lot from this 21-year old.

We all know how annoying it can be to hear a song in an ad and not be able to find it anywhere. Apparently enough people felt that way about the latest Ritz ad that the brand responded in a very interesting way. Ritz learned through comments on YouTube that consumers were searching for the happy tune featured in the spot, but were unable to find it online.  The brand responded by posting a video stating  that they would turn the 30 second jingle created specifically for the ad into a full-length song if the video achieves 10,000 views on YouTube.  The song will be available on iTunes with all profits going to the artist.

At the time of this blog post, the video had just over 7k views, so it looks like this ditty is destined for a full-length future. Though the whole backsory may be faked by Ritz’s agency and most would argue that 10k views does not a viral video make, this is still a smart way for a brand to use social media as both a messaging and listening tool.  It also goes to show that sometimes the most compelling social media executions are the simplest.  Contrived or not, this one, like the product itself, is like “buttah.”

Recently I came across a Vanity Fair article covering Anomaly’s partnership with YouTube sensation Lauren Luke to launch a makeup line soon to be sold at major retail stores. Its excellent to see this type of entrepreneurial output from a talented YouTube star. For those out of the loop, there are many YouTube phenoms with excellent audience bases, many with over 100k+ subscribers to their channels.  These new-aged Video Stars  generate over 5+million video views, some even with 30+ million views and armed with the ability to quickly produce mutiple videos under their belts that satisfy the appetities of their online crowds. This viewership is the type of stuff advertisers beg for. While beauty seems to be a hot button for online tutorials, other brands have found partnership opportunities and endorsement deals around YouTube celebs. Recently iJustine did a video promo on for Sanyo and tagged a contest to promote their video camera. In short, the news on the Lauren Luke make up line is truly in stride with the gospel we hustle; authenticity is key and credible voices are often more powerful than celeb pay to play voices..  While there is still a lot of parody, spoof and nonsensical videos on YouTube there are some budding stars that brands can align with in a low-cost, high-reach, and immensely authentic manner. In the coming weeks we will share some news on an exciting project Mr. Youth has been working on with a viral sensation. Till then you can check out the list of YouTube celebs on Wikipedia.