Media Post: Teen Marketing Online: Know Your Audience

I had a meeting this week with a major record label, where we discussed this topic in depth. For ages I've been beating my drum, criticising the way companies attempt to create buzz online. My major complaint being that they tend to use tactics that are so transparent, and so ineffectual, that they are close to pointless, and often counter productive. In short marketers often treate the internet's most sophisticated user base as if they were punch drunk idiots.

Anyhow, I was encouraged to find that this particular record label shared my views on this topic - forget guerilla/online street marketing through chat rooms and forums - teens are not stupid.

Marketing to teens is about inspiring positive involvement. That takes clever creative, and a true commitment to delivering value. As far as teens are concerned, if you market at them online, that is as bad as spamming them, and they will ignore you.