At 23, even I feel out of touch with youth culture. But as I sit here on my Mac, drinking a Mountain Dew, watching Cooking with Coolio on YouTube, I’ve had an epiphany of sorts. You can’t outsmart teens. After all, they know it all right? To quote Thomas Jefferson, “At 17 I knew everything…” you know, maybe it’s best NOT to quote Mr. Ten Dollar Bill. From an all worldly, intellectual perspective, you can crack teens, you just can’t use their code to to it.
Let’s face it , no other demographic has more time on their hands than this age group. And no other target uses and analyzes media better than teens do. I think they can smell us coming.
Are teens impressionable? Absolutely. But by whom? Certainly they can read through advertising drivel the way lawyers read through jargon. There’s parity there. Both use a language far too complex to convey even the simplest of messages, but perhaps the languages are used to keep the lay world from understanding it.
Sadly, this article doesn’t offer any answers. If it did, do you think I’d be WATCHING Cooking with Coolio? No. I’d be Cooking with Coolio. I dunno, a fresh dish, Sumpin’ New. (yes that was a pun). I digress. When it comes to teens, I don’t know how to reach them as easily as other targets, but I’ve noticed a few things that will push them away.
1. Don’t lump age groups – 14-18 sounds like a small demographic to us old fogies, but do you remember high school? The freshman-senior hierarchy is very real and very much in play, not to mention the maturity levels more diverse than a U.N. summit.
2. Don’t talk their talk – Honestly, using youth slang is lightning in the cesspool. It will only accelerate the evolution of their language. For example, I recently explained to my mother how to correctly use the term “Boo-yah!” I will never use it again. Honky Tonk Badon Kadonk anyone?
3. STOP USING SKATEBOARDS! – Yes those capital letters are me screaming at you! (exclamation point = still screaming) Wheels do not define an age. You wouldn’t target 55+ with wheelchairs, so why would you lump the most diverse demographic into one activity? These teens are searching for their own identity and will be damned if they let you brand one on them.
4. Viewer created content generally sucks – “We don’t know how to reach our audience, so why don’t we have teens talk to teens and do our job?” Trust me, if VCC was that awesome, not only would I not be learning how to make a stir-fry from Coolio himself, but I would gladly hand over my career.
5. Pizza Parties: Now a layer of hell. – Teens eat a lot, but pizza is no longer a draw. It’s like having a “free soda party” circa 1986. You have to find a better reason to bring teens into meetings. Maybe have something worth selling. If that doesn’t work, try a taco bar.