Gen C is not an age group like Gen Y. They are identified by their attitude and mindset, and are a powerful force in consumer culture. Gen C cares about creation, curation, connection and community. They are the YouTube generation.
There are 8 defining characteristics of Gen C:
· Gen C is a state of mind
80% of millennials is made up of Gen C, Youtube’s core audience. But Gen C is more than an age-group; it’s a mindset defined by creation, curation, connection and community.
· Gen C strives for expression
Call it ‘narcesistic’ or ‘striving for expression’, 67% of Gen C uploads their own photos, videos, memes, mash-ups to social networks.
· Gen C is a taste-maker
Gen C sets the trends and determines what’s going to be popular next, with an influence that accounts for $500bn of spending a year in the US alone. 85% of Gen C relies on peer approvals for buying decisions.
· Gen C defines the social network
Gen C’s are what they share, like, +1, comment on, and retweet. 65% of Gen C updates their social profile daily.
· YouTube is Gen C’s habitat for entertainment
Gen C is twice as likely to be a YouTube viewer than the general population and 40% more likely to be only a light TV viewer.
· Gen C is constantly connected
91% of Gen C sleeps next to a smartphone.
· Gen C connects on YouTube on all screens
With falling data costs and rising network speeds, mobile video is set to explode. YouTube has the same reach with Gen C on smartphones as it does on desktop – in fact
80% of Gen C with a smartphone watch YouTube.
· Gen C values relevance and originality
39% of Gen C aren’t opposed to ads when they are relevant.
There are now 317 YouTube channels with more than 1 million subscribers. People are spending more time than ever before watching and engaging with online videos. And YouTube is not just online. There’s now events, like this on in Australia, where you can meet & greet famous YouTube ‘stars’.
As brands are finding increasingly creative ways to tell their stories, YouTube is a medium for them to now capture the attention of millions of viewers. For instance, top Youtube brand channels are: Red Bull (2.5 million subscribers), Google (1.7 million subscribers) and Apple (1.3 million subscribers). Following closely are GoPro Camera, Nike Football, Pepsi, DC Shoes Film, Google chrome, Oldspice and Google Dev.
What does all this mean? It means that you have to take a user-centered approach. If you understand your audience and provide them with authentic content that is relevant, they won’t just watch your advertising – they’ll share it.
If you want to know more about using Youtube as a marketeer, have a look at these Key Lessons for Success on YouTube.
Introducing Gen C – The YouTube Generation
Image: http://concept5.com/no-nonsense/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/youtube-ecosystem.jpg
