Gen Y to Marketers: Engage Us with Experiential Marketing
Thursday, 01 December 2005
Generation Y is one of the most coveted consumer segments around, and for good reason: these young consumers, who comprise today's tweens, teens and college students, make up nearly a third of the U.S. population, with an estimated $170 billion in spending power. Yet "Gen Y" is also difficult to reach through traditional mass media. Not only are they highly fragmented in their viewing habits-surfing the Internet and playing videogames are favorite activities-but coming of age in the Information Age has made them skeptical of "hard sell" tactics, and technology such as TiVo and spamblockers enable them to block out messages they haven't invited.
So how can marketers tap into this critically important demographic? The answer, according to proprietary research conducted by global agency Jack Morton Worldwide, lies in nontraditional marketing events that enable marketers to reach Gen Y face-to-face, weaving products and brands into lifestyle activities that today's young consumers value and welcome.
Data from a survey of 2,574 US consumers commissioned by Jack Morton and conducted this year demonstrates that Gen Y consumers-also known as "millennials"-respond strongly to live marketing events, which they prefer over TV and Internet advertising:
- 70% of 13- to 23-year olds surveyed say experiential marketing is
extremely or very influential on their opinion of a product or brand.
- 65% of 13- to 23-year olds surveyed say that participating in an
event would cause them to act more quickly to purchase a product.
- Proving that events add value to other marketing investments, 76% of this demographic say that participating in an event would make them more receptive to the brand or product's advertising.
- Demonstrating that events can inspire value-added buzz marketing, 74% of 13- to 23-year olds say participating in a live marketing
experience is something they would tell others about.
Chuck Santoro, a youth marketing expert and a commentator on the toy industry and children's lifestyle on programs including "Good Morning America" and VH1 before becoming a Creative Director at Jack Morton Worldwide, explains: "Today's youth market demands what is hip and cool for them right now. More and more marketers are faced with a difficult task. They must capture Gen Y's attention, go beyond traditional advertising efforts and use an event to create a one of a kind experience that is truly differentiating and really makes an impact. The experience needs not only to grab the demographic's attention, but also make a positive brand impression that will last-and be the talk of the lunch table, chat room or mall the next day. The answer is experiential marketing."
Recent examples of Jack Morton's portfolio of youth-oriented experiential marketing programs include:
- Cotton Incorporated: Jack Morton collaborated with Cotton Incorporated to create the Cotton "Dirty Laundry" Tour, a multi
platform college campus tour that educated young men and women on the
attributes of cotton as well as on buying and caring for their
clothing and decorating their dorm. The tour was designed to engage
college students as they began to experience life away from their
parents and all the freedom and responsibility that it entails.
Recognized as a leader in lifestyle research, Cotton Incorporated
viewed this 10-college tour as an opportunity for cotton brand
interaction through this participatory experiential marketing program.
- Nintendo: Jack Morton has worked with Nintendo on many promotional
programs to create awareness with targeted consumers for multiple
games aimed at youth demographics. The agency partnered with
Nintendo to create Nintendo World Grand Opening events, and events
for the product launches of new games Nintendogs and Pokemon XD.
According to Jack Morton CEO Josh McCall, the agency, which creates over 1,000 live events annually for clients around the world, is seeing increased demand for experiential marketing programs aimed at Gen Y consumers.
McCall says that "Marketers increasingly recognize that young audiences value two-way communication and face-to-face interaction, and therefore that experiential marketing needs to be integral to the overall strategy." He continues: "Where Jack Morton can really add value is in creating experiences that play to and enhance the incredibly strong lifestyle associations young consumers have. With this group, it's not just about identifying an age; it's about identifying their attitudes and lifestyles."