I recently heard Don Tapscott speak at a conference about his latest book, Grown Up Digital, and immediately got a copy and read it. It is a fantastic demographic study of our culture with particular focus on youth, which he calls the "net generation" -- people born after 1977. It is an invaluable reference for anyone wanting to understand the impact of technology on the modern world. In the first chapter, he outlines 8 basic ways in which the net generation differs from the ones proceeding it.
They are all key factors in driving innovation in today's marketplace:
1. They want freedom of choice and freedom of information
2. They customize
3. They want transparency and the ability to scrutinize everything
4. They require transparency and integrity in the brands they want to buy and work for
5. They want entertainment and play to be part of our work, education and social lives
6. They collaborate
7. They have a need for speed
8. They value innovation
Don has hit the nail on the head and anyone in marketing needs to understand how they are activating these consumer needstates with messaging. I'll write more about later chapters soon, but in the mean time, here is the video of the talk that I inspired me:
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