Loved that piece in BrandWeek on Friday that “Today's marketers will have their work cut out for them in trying to reach tomorrow's major consumers: teenagers.” This apparently from a study conducted by BBDO, Chicago. Hello! Isn’t BBDO one of the worst offenders when it comes to throwing dumpster loads of money via stupid TV campaigns at this demographic? According to the study, “A vast majority are highly apathetic about brands (only 37% percent say they "like wearing brand logos." Some 64% believe there is "too much advertising and marketing in the world"). Does this mean BBDO is about to tell all their clients with products aimed at the teen market to stop advertising and donate their budget to Greenpeace! Naaah, we all know research is a crock… Get out there and run some more TV ads. 
Yeah... Just give us the money. We'll open an agency!
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Heres something that might be a good bit of advice for agencies and clients trying to reach teens and young adults:
Stop
Making (and asking for)
Terrible
Ads
Its really that simple.
Do you expect people to engage themselves with your brand if you produce rubbish?! Of course not. Maybe you have to think differently about how or where you advertise, dont just go "er tv please".
Teens are mostly smart enough to realise that there will always be lots of advertising whether they like it or not. What agencies need to do is try and stand out from that pile, and give the teenagers something to respect and identify with.
Posted by: Rob Mortimer | February 6, 2006 3:47 AM | Permalink to Comment