Top Youth Marketing Trends

1. Remember that attention will be your biggest cost
2. Never assume that the youth wake up thinking about your brand
3. What is the social currency of your product?
4. Marketing isn’t something you do to youth, it’s something you do with them
5. What is a brand if it’s not about serving its customers?
6. Awareness means nothing – you’re aware of Aston Martin, but when was the last time you went out and bought one?
7. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool
8. If the brain only processes 5% of what it perceives then how is your brand worthy?
9. Being good is no longer enough, now it’s all about relevance
10. The two primary motivations driving youth are the need to belong and to be significant
11. Good youth marketing is focused on share of the customer, not share of the market
12. Focus on creating a legacy, not just a campaign
13. They don't care what you know, unless they know that you care
14. Building grass roots results in forming grass routes
15. Customer service is your best youth marketing strategy
16. Prove that you are worthy
17. Customers don't need educating, we do
18. Insight is king
19. We are moving from an era of looking for consumers for our products to looking for products for our consumers
20. Sell your values
21. Everything trivial has a social value
22. Being a youth icon means nothing unless you are able to maintain your relevance - look at Harley Davidson, now effectively a dying brand appealing to an older and older audience
23. If you want attention, give something first

Youth Media has spent a decade investing in the creation of innovative and relevant communication solutions for brands looking to target the youth market. Part of that process has involved a thorough understanding of what it means to be a young consumer. If you are looking for effective student marketing solutions, click here to find out more.

Information courtesy of '50 Youth Marketing Trends for 2009' Graham Brown mobileyouth.org