Social Media? Eh?
I spent a while today with one of my JMA colleagues who is 22 years old.
This is Tayo – despite her age, a tremendous brand strategist.
We spoke about some client work and then on wider topics – one of which was ‘social media’.
As it happens, me and Alan Moore are running a series of courses on ‘Social Media and Mobile Marketing’ starting on the 24th September 2009 in association with Figaro Digital (more details will be on the Figaro site soon).
What is fascinating is that ‘social media’ doesn’t even register as an entity for those who have grown up with online networks, blogs and high-speed connections.
‘Social media’ is simply just the way life is.
Recently, Tayo went to speak with a leading PR agency and they were puzzled that she hadn’t been raving about Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, whatever…
..but why would she?
It’s the way life is. It’s only ‘special’ for those who treat it as a novelty.
Sure things are different now than before – for many people.
Sure, the differences demand a change of mindset.
..but for the younger generations, this isn’t a big deal and they sure as hell don’t use the terminology we do.
when i was younger, i used to call “sweets” “food”, but now i know the difference. and i know there is a time for “sweets” and a time for… “bacon sandwiches”.
Just because “young people” call it all “stuff you put in your mouth” doesnt mean that each “type” or “genre” of food is the same. there are differences and are useful in different ways…
same with all the different varieties of “social media”… and each can/should be used/interacted with/ differently…
not sure if this is all very deep, or utter bull…. am sure you'll let me know JMac!
Nope – its a good point – however, the point I am making is that our talk of '2.0' this and 'social media' that is alien to those who use these tools as commonly as we use email.
Due to this, I find it interesting that we continue focus on a silo that is only created as a function of our understanding rather than an element of reality.
How's your eye?
Hi JMac,
Demographically the “Twitterati” still remain a small minority of the buying public in total. Whilst its important to focus on the young and digitally savvy who will grow as an overall proportion of the population over time, anyone who ignores “the rest of us” is being a fool unto themselves…
The key has got to be to create a blended approach to marketing that encompasses both the online twits and everyone else – unless you have a specific proposition for one or the other.
It would be interesting to see if the widespread adoption of social media amongst the young will lead to some kind of backlash movement – rejecting all of this as uncool in the same way as the Punk movement of the late 70's, which you were far too young to remember of course…