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August 27, 2004 CONTENTS >Guest Column: Marketing to the New Breed of Couch Potatoes Has someone forwarded this newsletter to you? Sign up for your own free subscription at our web site, http://www.technologymarketing.com. GUEST COLUMN
Ten years ago the Department of Commerce initiated a social and economic impact study of Internet accessibility. It coined the term "Digital Divide," distinguishing between those with and without Internet access. Today the rural versus urban gap is closing rapidly, but a Digital Divide still exists. The rift is no longer socio-economic -- it's generational. During the keynote address to the National Association of Broadcasters, FCC Chairman Michael Powell warned broadcasters, "Adapt, evolve or die," referring to drastically changing trends in viewing habits. TV viewership among 18- to 34-year-olds and their 12- to 17-year-old successors is changing, according to Nielsen Media Research. They have exchanged the remote control for the keyboard. Once epitomizing the couch potato, this new breed -- these "Rifters" -- now have a wide range of media alternatives. Most would willingly sacrifice their TV for their PC, but don't mistake their preference as just a fascination with gadgetry. It is an avowal of their aversion to mass media. Rifters have watched hours of news about scandals, capital crimes, cover-ups and armed conflicts -- courtesy of CNN's 24/7 news coverage -- and millions of advertisements. More recently, they've witnessed equity brands like Ben & Jerry's, Firestone, Microsoft and Martha Stewart depreciated by mergers, scandals and impropriety. Small wonder that "Trust no one" has become the Rifters' maxim. Consequently, they are wary consumers and jaded ad critics. Still, as opinion leaders, their persuasion and buying power are indisputable. But Rifters understand the correlation between programming and advertising. Aware of the convergence of media and marketing attempting to influence their perceptions, the potency of the message becomes diluted and the messenger discredited. They are even conditioned to look beyond provocative images and sound bites. Marketers beware. Fox's "American Idol" tried to circumvent this by incorporating product placements for Ford, Old Navy and Herbal Essence into its programming. Though it goes against conventional brand ideology, tactics like these are doing more to breed distrust among Rifters than to win their confidence. Major League Baseball and Columbia Pictures were wise to scale back their "Spiderman 2" promotion due to public outcry, as Rifters are an important audience for both venues. Armed with Froogle, CNet, personal web blogs and news groups, Rifters confer with their peers and consult the web before making critical purchasing decisions. Marketers can reach this demographic through "brand evangelism." Thus, Rifters exalt great products and incomparable service, while overt marketing ploys are not. P&G had the right approach several years ago when it launched Tremor, teens participating in product and marketing development. But the initial buzz has been followed by speculation of its effectiveness. Thus, marketers must focus on interactivity. Traditional approaches such as brand sampling and couponing can be combined with e-mail polls, interactive landing pages and message boards. Pepsi is targeting this demo effectively with its WB television program "Pepsi Smash." It combines televised performances of musical artists with online voting and sweepstakes. The ratings have been high among 18- to 34-year-olds. DELiAs.com is a favorite Web site among teen girls because the online catalog incorporates teen fashions with multimedia quizzes, puzzles and games geared toward 12- to 17-year-olds. Alloy magazine and energy drink Red Bull have followed a similar path. Both companies target Rifters by allowing them to interact with their brands online. Alloy.com has quizzes, entertainment updates and even "Issues and Advice" message boards on its homepage. Known for its sampling and branding campaigns, Red Bull also attracts youths by online marketing, including its Red Bull Music Academy applications, Red Bull Air Race World Series schedules and the Taurus World Stunt Awards. It's ironic how the oldest form of advertising -- genuine third-party endorsements -- combines with the newest digital communication technology to bridge the gap. Successful marketers need to heal the underlying distrust among Rifters and re-establish corporate integrity. The old adage, "as good as your name" has begun to mean something again -- which brings branding full circle and mends the rift in the Digital Divide. Vincent Thomé is an interactive developer and Karen McCallum is a
media supervisor for McKee Wallwork Henderson advertising based in New
Mexico. They can be reached at vthome@mac.com and kmccallum@growingfast.com.
Edited by Scott Van Camp. For advertising information, contact Jacki Leigh.
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