Are you wanting to engage, and market more products to tweens, teens & 20-somethings?

What’s the secret to attracting and keeping these GenY, Millenials or what I like to call the GenMe?

It’s all about them. 

Well most research points to the fact that youth culture is more self-obsessed today than it was decades ago. Jean Twinge, a psychologist at San Diago State University, California pulled a little nugget out of the annual American Freshman survey of college students that stated, 52% of the students surveyed rated themselves as having a higher level of social self-esteem than the average population, as compared to 30% in 1966.

Is it really all about them?

If you look at how self-obsession has taken hold, then you invariably track back to key themes around:

  • poor parenting – overinflating children’s egos in a more competitive environment
  • access to more open information via the internet rather than than from respected elders or teachers
  • prosperity and positive life events
  • the rise and rise of celebrities
  • access to credit

So it’s no surprise that our children are more self-obsessed, however this doesn’t mean that they are easy to market to.

Self-obsession does not equal self-belief

On the contrary they are probably the most fickle, dis-loyal, impulsive, schizophrenic, and difficult generation to build a long term marketing connection with.

Why? The secret is self-belief.

I was reading a recent research paper on ‘Willpower, rediscovering our greatest strength’, and found it fascinating that many parents have forgotten to teach their kids how to control their impulses and persevere at tasks. Parents are too busy these days and find it all too easy to cave in to a child’s self obsession.

So it’s actually all about us!

If we focus on encouraging good habits and real achievement rather than meaningless praise and overindulgence, then as parents we’ll succeed.

And as marketers you should do exactly the same.

Focus on self-belief with the GenMe and show them how your brand or product can really help THEM achieve THEIR goals. And if you get it right you’ll turn GenMe into GenUS.

And if you add the internet i, then you’ll be a youth marketing genius! 🙂