Introduction
Group 3: Katushabe, Msangi, Al Salehi, Tieman & Diepeveen
Generations are becoming increasingly digital- savvy owing to the new developments in technology. With this, Social Media Marketing is also becoming increasingly important, not only to producers of goods and services but also to consumers who turn online to find out what others are talking about certain brands before they make a purchase decision. Social Media Marketing has helped facilitate a unusual discovery of new content through the use of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, You tube, Flicker, etc. With this growing trend, a new digital generation is born, generation C.
Who is Generation C?
The letter C stands for content. This applies that any person out there with the smallest creative talent can and will be part of this generation. So what is Generation C all about? The phenomenon is derived from the inundation of consumer generated content available on the web. Be it videos, text in form of blogs or websites, images, audio.
The rise of Generation C
The main drivers fuelling this trend? (1) The creative urges each consumer undeniably possesses. We’re all artists, but until now we neither had the braveries nor the means to go all out. (2) The manufacturers of content-creating tools, who relentlessly push us to unleash that creativity, using their ever cheaper, ever more powerful gadgets. Instead of asking consumers to watch, to listen, to play, to passively consume, the race is on to get them to create, to produce, and to participate. Moreover, there is an increase in classes and courses aimed at improving generation C ‘s creative skills (after all, what are all tools and software programs worth if consumers don’t know how to use them to their full potential). Finally there is a proliferation of ‘personal showrooms’ helping generation c to instantly display its creations to a global audience.
Examples
- Canon telling aspiring directors and photographers that “professional digital photography is no longer just for the professionals”, while Sony speaks directly to Home Movie Directors and DVD Producers.
- Companies like Vodafones and Oranges and AT&Ts and T-Mobiles and O2s and Sprints and NTT DoCoMos enticing consumers to go snap-crazy with their camera-phones, uploading pics to dedicated MMS websites. Conservative estimates are that by 2008, more than 380 million camera phones will have been sold worldwide. With the first 1.3 MegaPixel phone already spotted, the upcoming deluge of cam-pics and movies will be of biblical proportions.
- Reddit a news website for real-time journalism where the user s are provided the opportunity of active journalism by reporting various news events within their proximity.
- It’s Blogger offering you “instant communication power by letting you post your thoughts to the web whenever the urge strikes”. Which is exactly what 5 million people have done so far, and what tens of millions of others will soon do, too.
A study conducted in 2009 by the Nielsen group and IBM on Social Customer Relationship Management revealed an ever growing social adaptability regardless of age and race around the world. According to the study, and ever growing generation C is inevitable. Below is a table representing the conducted study.
What does this trend imply to marketers?
As the saying goes, “fish were the fish are, listen for a need and master corporate courage by stepping into real-time. “ It is ever evident that marketers ought to engage more in social media by acquiring the right social media competencies. Why is social media of importance?
There is no doubt that the driving force behind the Generation C are the social media outlets. As discussed before, consumer activities vary from actual engagement (co-production) with the brand through the exchange of ideas on social media channels to brands unleashing various creative consumer talents.
It is essential to engage in creating customer equity and value through social media. Since the tradition marketing techniques do not work effectively anymore, marketers ought to step aside from being the main producer to being co-producers through the effective use of social media outlets.
For the icing on top of the cake, included is a stream of Youtube videos which provide more information on Generation C.
Jake Pearce on why is Generation C so important
Conclusion
Gary Vaynerchuck, a social media brand consulting agent once said, “ content is King, but marketing is queen (and the queen rules the household). The rise of generation C has evidently brought with it a new form of relationship between companies and the consumers. Marketers can no longer create needs without actively engaging the consumer. An effective use of social media can help marketers spot the opportunities involved with the generation C and henceforth tap their potential to ensure long lasting customer relationships as well as high brand equities.
References
- http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/generation_c.htm
- http://www.booz.com/me/home/press_media/management_consulting_press_releases/article/48598682
- http://socialmediatoday.com/node/488295
- http://windmillnetworking.com/2012/05/21/social-media-influence
- understanding-the-new-generation/. http://www.strategy-business.com/article/11110?gko=64e54
