Smart phones killing the family dinner?

Hot on the heels of our recent insights on how to reach today’s teenagers (Gen Y...Where are You? via slideshare) comes the latest research from Ofcom which suggests that nearly a quarter of adults and a third of teenagers have used smart phones during mealtimes (Are we addicted to smartphones? via BBC News). Despite the mini boom of eating at home during the recession it would be too easy to jump on this and write off the family dinner as a thing of the past (anyone remember the Bisto Promise TV advert earlier this year?) Yes, the rise of the digital world, or digitalisation, is a current mega trend but it’s not an either/or kind of trend. Think of it as a blurring of the digital and the real world, so while we are increasingly connected via Facebook and Twitter we are also hankering after real experiences like family time or live events. Want proof? Phipps’ recent Tapas Fantasticas event in London was attended by over 15,000 people of all ages in just two day, and last week’s Riesling Week boosted footfall to independent wine merchants by 11,000 lovers of Germany’s finest wines. Family dinners will continue but we may have to get used to the fact that there is a new family member at the table…the smart phone. 

Posted by Toby Schuster

Fickle, cynical and vocal…welcome to Gen Y and the world of youth marketing

Today’s 16-24 year olds are a hard (but not impossible) to reach audience. Yes, they are fickle and extremely marketing-savvy but also a brand’s ideal customer thanks to their disposable income, brand loyalty and unprecedented ability to digitally spread your word. The decline of traditional media and advertising as marketing channels mean that knowing how to reach this audience has become the Holy Grail of PR. Especially when it comes to food and drink they are equally swayed by both various social media platforms such as Tumblr or Facebook and their parents (Faith Popcorn called their tendency to inherit their parents’ brand preferences ‘Brand-Me-Down’ way back in 2003). One thing is worth noting however – they rarely produce the content they so like to share. And this is where food and drink brands have a tremendous opportunity to connect. It’s precisely how the Forbes Magazine blog recently described the key to successful youth marketing but, maybe counterintuitive to this insight, is our belief that in today’s digital world 16-24 year olds also long for real experiences with real people. What does this mean for PR or brand managers? To find out follow the link to Phipps’s presentation on Gen Y…Where Are You?

Posted by Toby Schuster