When I was a girl growing up in Queens, all I wanted to do was watch Three’s Company. My parents forbade it, but that didn’t stop me from sneaking over to my friend Celias to watch it (while wearing a crop top that rivaled Chrissy’s get ups, no less).
Today, the way young people consume media goes beyond the traditional television and movies, but the idea is just the same. Young people want to associate themselves with the content they love. For instance, instead of being inspired by Suzanne Summers, young women follow fashion trends from YouTube’s Bethany Mota. The American youth market has had strong value to marketers for generations, and at a current estimated worth of$140 billion, it’s not a demographic your brand can ignore.
As Likeable prepares for this year’s Youth Marketing Summit New York, I’ve thought about the companies that produce content that is relevant, entertaining, engaging and in line with the voice of the youth demographic. These brands know where young people are and how to speak to them.
Contiki: Contiki organizes group travel for people 18-35 years old. The Contiki social media team posts user-generated content, catchy captions, video and fun hashtags to show why people should travel with the brand. Content features everything from people in their target demographic having fun traveling to breathtaking locations. You’ll also see featured celebrities that are popular among the target demographic, like The Buried Life and Natalie Dormer from Game of Thrones. Contiki is also good at making community members feel valued. It frequently chooses community member posts to feature on its social media platforms.
Tumblr: Tumblr is especially appealing to young people because it has such a wide variety of content types; users can express who they are with a lot of leeway. The network features stories, photos, GIFs, music, videos, and more. A great deal of viral content got its start on Tumblr, including the McKayla Is Not Impressed Meme and, more recently, The Dress. The Tumblr team uses video, user generated content, creative hashtags, and humor to captivate their target demographic. Similar to the Contiki team, the Tumblr team showcases user generated content. The material is funny and relevant to the target demographic - because they made it!
Conde Nast: The Conde Nast social media team uses GIFS, videos, relevant articles and blogs, and their unique access to influencers to engage with youth. The team clearly understands the importance of video. (They even created a separate vertical dedicated to it called The Scene.) Clearly geared towards a younger audience compared to Conde Nast’s other verticals like The New Yorker, The Scene features videos for a younger demographic on Buzzfeed, a site with an enormous amount of traffic from people within their target age demographic, and lots and lots of cat GIFs. These videos include funny references to things most millennials have experienced like FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), how to respond to people who won’t text back, and the right emoji to use for each and every awkward moment.
Fresh Direct: Fresh Direct prides itself on how well it knows its customers and strives to provide the best user experience. Its team utilizes social media platforms not only to provide great customer service, but also to attract and engage with fans using what they know best: food. Witty copy and appetizing images help attract a younger demographic that may not necessarily list “grocery shopping” as one of their favorite activities. Their Instagram boasts emoji food images, cool food-themed accessories, videos and giveaways — it’s basically a young foodie’s dream.
Live Nation: The Live Nation team uses interactive content, user-generated content, influencers, contests and video to create content that is relevant and engaging for millennials. And the community is responsive. Followers submit questions for Q & A’s with celebrities, reply to content, and regularly share what they like. The Live Nation Instagram features humorous content with emojis, popular memes, short concert videos and behind-the-scenes clips with celebrities.
