CONSUMERFOCUS
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The Problem With Teen Marketing
By Al Berrios
(contact Al Berrios)
I'm sure you've heard that you've got to get them virally. That you've got to
develop them into brand advocates. That their excitement and spending power
are key to growth. Their tastes influence everything. That they're not as skeptical
as their parents, and like ads. Teens are analyzed until there's nothing left
to analyze, but every time, the most obvious things get overlooked. If you have
a teen at home, you probably still don't notice his/her habits. I've had over
50 pass through my offices, and believe me, no research could possibly understand
them. But I can tell you these facts:
TEEN FACT #1: teens may lead the world in emailing, but they will only email
probably once every 2 to 3 days, and only when it's not a responsibility. To
them, email is as whimsical as talking on the phone.
TEEN FACT #2: teens have an inherent need to use instant messaging. It's the
first and last thing they do upon sitting in front of a computer, whether it's
theirs or not. They will even download the technology if they realize a computer
doesn't have it.
TEEN FACT #3: you have your techie teens that know a computer and software inside
out. And you have your non-techie teens that will run a computer until it just
doesn't turn on anymore, and then it's the computer's fault, not theirs. To
watch a teen use a computer is enough to make you mentally exhausted just watching.
Speed demon multi-taskers
TEEN FACT #4: teens are generally broke. To them, $10 is a lot. However, since
they don't have a strong sense of budgeting, (typically buying things with/for
friends, which again, is a limited number of things that all friends can use),
their expenditures only seem as though they have sound spending logic. Don't
kid yourself.
TEEN FACT #5: Teens are clique-y. But when they're forced to work together,
without cliques, what they can accomplish as teams is mind-boggling.
BOTTOM LINE: There you have it, Al's guide to understanding teens. P&G actually
believes that they can get "taste-maker" teens that influence larger
groups of peers to join some marketing thing and promote their products via
emailing each other Get real, P&G! Any teen knows that the only effective
way to get teens talking about stuff is instant messenger. It's real time, or
you'll never hear from them again.
READ MORE:
P&G
Targets Teens With Viral Campaign
Disclaimer:
The recommendations, commentary and opinions published herein are based on
public information sometimes referenced via hyperlinks. Any similarities or
likeness to any ideas or commentary from any other sources not referenced
is purely coincidental. al berrios & co. cannot control any results occurring
from advice obtained from this publication nor any opinion(s) conveyed by
any reader of this publication.
(c) 2001-2005. All Rights Reserved. al berrios & company, inc. Published
by al berrios & co. This Report may not be reproduced or redistributed
in any form without written permission from al berrios & co., subject
to penalty.