January 31, 2014
Call them what you like, Generation Me, the Lost Generation but they remain top of the lust-list for advertisers and companies alike.
This new sub-demographic spawned from Generation Y can be described as “the most sophisticated and therefore the most important media consumer that the planet has even known”, and appealing to their interests means big success for businesses.
According to Jay Lauf, publisher of online magazine Quartz, the acronym stands for “Smart, Young and Bored At Work” and they are “the people who are driving the internet today in terms of traffic.” If you’re in a digital business in any way, this crowd is your currency. Why? They’re often fresh out of uni and are looking for intelligent content, irrelevant of whether it comes in the form of an article, app or video.
This crowd are in their twenties and thirties, early on in their careers, and as Lauf says “mildly under employed” which means more time spent in front of screens – be it in or out of the office. Whether at work or through their smartphones, they are always connected to the internet and social media. Crucially they are driven by a desire to share interesting things on social media. Their social capital relies on building a reputation with friends and family as the first to share something smart, funny or surprising.
Chelsea Fagan, an editor at Thought Catalog said:
“A huge part of the social media generation is feeling like what you’re doing is valid, and that you’re not alone in whatever you’re doing. It has a lot to do with craving approval and being comforted that the choices you’re making are the right ones. I know that when I read an article that echoes a part of my life, I want to share it with my friends and talk about it.”
Now that the SYBAW have been recognised I would predict seeing many more companies looking to exploit their love of distraction and spending power over the next five years. That means more apps, products and content designed to appeal to their novelty addiction. Ignore them at your peril…if you’re not on their screens, you’re dead on the web today.
What are your experiences of SYBAW? Share a comment or tweet @iftweeter[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][dt_quote type=”blockquote” font_size=”normal” background=”plain” animation=”none”]I am test text for QUOTE. Click edit button to change this text.[/dt_quote][/vc_column][/vc_row]