A research firm waves the “skew younger” flag for marketers everywhere; what might follow “Blair Witch” and “Cry Wolf.”
According to PackagedFacts, consumers aged 15-24 will dominate marketing strategies that utilize text messages and the Internet for future promotions.
Marketers, particularly in the entertainment industry, seem to be thinking the same way. With the continued adoption of broadband in US homes, more of the coveted 15-24 demographic gets its media content from the Internet. That shift has lessened the impact of traditional media advertisements.
“Companies that target the 15-24-year-old crowd need to realize that traditional marketing and advertising venues may not be effective for young adults,” Don Montuori, acquisitions editor of Packaged Facts, said in a statement.
“Along those same lines, marketers should note that women in this age group are more likely than men to use a computer, and more likely to own a cell phone and use it for text messaging.”
The Blair Witch Project built substantial word of mouth with a subtle Web-based presence. Built around a fictitious account of three youths who disappear in a Maryland forest, the 1999 film was bolstered by a mythology crafted by the filmmakers and posted online.
AOL has went beyond the Internet with its promotion for the horror film “Cry Wolf.” The company will promote the September 23rd movie with a game that utilizes interactivity and its AIM service, ultimately offering a Chrysler Crossfire coupe to the grand prize winner.
More marketers of all stripes will look to mobiles for potential promotion opportunities. It seems likely that one area ripe for mobile handset reinforcement of its message will be the political arena.
Howard Dean’s failed presidential campaign built a head of steam thanks to the grass roots efforts of its online presence. Perhaps the 2008 US elections will be preceded by attempts to mobilize party loyalists via a combination of Internet and mobile messaging campaigns.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
