CRUNCHY NUGGETS: Just in time for the weekend, I’m ready to fill your brain up with two tasty tid bits. They’re phrases I just read about today. So go ahead and open your mind to the nuggets, I’m about to pour them in…
Gen C — You’re all familiar with Nielsen, right?! (Even cave dwellers know Nielsen, please.) Nielsen and NM Incite just released a study on US media consumption, specifically calling out “Generation C.” Who is Gen C and why call them that? Well, thanks for asking…They found that Americans 18-34 make up 23% of the U.S. population, yet they represent an outsized portion of consumers watching: online video (27%), visiting social networking/blog sites (27%), owning tablets (33%) and using a smartphone (39%). So the “C” stands for “connected.” Media consumption, in general, is trending towards multi-tasking — meaning, not just watching TV, but watching TV while on the internet, or a smartphone, or a tablet. And so Gen C is definitely part of this trend, and poses a challenge for marketers in terms of finding the right time, right place, right channels for messaging. Gen C — got it? OK, great. Moving on…
Social Pairing — The NY Times talked about it today in the context of finding someone to sit next to on an airline. And then one of my favorite trend sites, PSFK, shared a whole host of other examples. Social Pairing the act of bringing people together based on matching through social network profiles (likes, demos, interests, etc.). How is it being used? Again, you’re just good about asking just the right questions…Travel — European airlines such as KLM are allowing passengers to choose their seat mates on flights before the date based on LinkedIn information (funny, but LinkedIn would never tell you if the other person is an arm-rest hog or a snorer, hmm). Events — Ticketmaster is letting folks tag themselves so when their friends go to find seats, they can find their companions. Farmers Coops — Matching up singles to share leftover food. Neighbors — There is a network called Nextdoor that literally lets you and your immediate neighbors share reviews on local resources. There are more examples, but you get the idea. If you need, here is the URL: http://www.psfk.com/2012/02/social-pairing-sxsw.html. OK, Social Pairing, got it? Great.
Hey, I hope your brain feels good now with a lil’ more smarts tucked inside. Feel free to use both in conversations over the weekend, try ‘em out. Enjoy! TASTY TREND: Socially Acceptable; Here and Now; Multi-Tasking Media
