Jeff Jarvis asked pithily the other day what might be the best POV for a Toilet Tissue advertisement. He had been revolted by an ad that claimed that this brand did not leave bits behind as it were.
Maybe the best POV for any company today might be it's social role not some silly claim about a commodity product. Maybe the claim to our support should be mainly about how the company in question acts in the world?
If this sounds outlandish to you then check out this research that tells us that this this how the young of today feel and that there are going to be a lot of them out there. A lot of them who are themselves very connected who have the power to reward or to punish as never before.
Students Rule: According to the 8th annual College Explorer study from Alloy Media, the largest class in history, with 13.6 million college students (ages 18-30) arriving on campus this year brings a record $237 billion in consumer spending, up 20% since '07 and marking the largest jump reported since the study's inception.
Dana Markow, VP, Senior Consultant, Youth Center of Excellence, said "This year's class reveals an empowered group of consumers. From their purchasing decisions and media consumption to their pull at the polls, this college consumer is clearly in control and showing their strength in numbers."
College students demonstrate strong commitment towards the brands they feel are contributing positively to world issues and the environment, and students' preference for brands they perceive to be socially responsible is on the rise. 41% of respondents prefer socially responsible brands, compared to the 37% reporting last year and a 24% increase since '06 figures.
At the top of corporations high status with students, 69% expressed "donating money to a cause or charity" or "using eco-friendly or "green" business practices," 68% stated "fair labor practices," and 49% say that social messages incorporated into advertising have an effect. As the nation heads towards an important election, says the report, the survey finds a vast majority of students (9 in 10), planning to cast their presidential vote in November.
The study documented Obama's apparent rise in popularity with college students and, measurably, the wide use of the web as preferred platform to gather information about the Presidential candidates. Candidates' presence on social networking sites became just as vital as a campus town hall and with 88% of students reporting engagement with social media. 85% claim to be "promoters", passing along and sharing information to their wide social "peer" networks. For students who have created a social networking profile (81%), popular activities reported include posting applications, and almost 1/3 posting videos. 1 in 5 use their profile to show their support for the causes they believe in.
Samantha Skey, EVP, Alloy Media + Marketing, notes that "Perception of social responsibility remains critical to garnering college students' brand loyalty. In current collegiate environment it is very cool to be 'good'. Brands who enable college students to reflect their own social responsibility... have an advantage." commented (The Centre for Media Research)
Here is Dick Fosbury winning the Gold in 1968. His new way of jumping was utterly rejected by the adult world that had of course invested completely in the straddle. But the kids could see that this was the future and now the Flop is the only way. I can't see the next generation going back to the "straddle" not to our silly ways of being in the business or political world. I think that how you really are as a person and how your organization really is - will be the deciding factors in whether people want to do things with you.
So this is what excites me about the potential for public media. Our biggest worry is that we don't have a young audience. Most of us think it is because we have the wrong content. That might be true in some aspects. But we have a better chance of aligning to the real desires of the young today.
We can legitimately work for the betterment of our communities. Being good will increasingly be good business. Just as the Flop is now normal, so will authenticity!
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