The Next Big Marketing Challenge: Centennials

Here come the Centennials.

Marketers are constantly on the lookout for the next opportunity to reach their target audiences. For years now, they have focused on reaching the millennials, those reaching young adulthood in or around the year 2000. As millennials are growing older, marketers are beginning to shift their focus, or rather, realize that centennials, also called Generation Z, are the next challenge.

Who are the centennials? Centennials are classified as those born around 1997 to the present and are aged up to 18 years-old. Although only 23% of the population, this demographic will be entering the workforce, as well as college. What are their characteristics? They’re more realistic, and while they like having fun, they won’t take too many risks. Cynicism also is a trait. Their outlook is more tempered. And only 52% of centennials have an active Facebook account.

How to reach centennials?

Being true digital natives, centennials are savvy with all the technology that is available to them. They are, therefore, heavily mobile-dependent. Brands will need to reach centennials across as many platforms as possible. And brands will have to be intelligent about how they go about doing this. Will the message fit into a context? If not, centennials will ignore you. As marketing is becoming more and more personal, your message will have to relate to the specific centennial.

Since cynicism is also a trait, a brand will have to prove trustworthiness. According to The Futures Company, “Centennials are slow to trust established systems, which means they’re wary of traditional, one-way brand messages. Earn their trust by allowing them to share their experiences and adjust their preferences, or design authentic branded experiences that align with their interests. Giving centennials control over their experience with a brand will make them more comfortable.”

They also want to stand out. “Standing out is the new fitting in,” said Megan Hartman, head of Red Peak Branding’s youth-oriented division, Red Peak Youth. “This generation really is about making your own mark and being an individual” in a recent article on AdAge.

Be a trustworthy brand, whether trying to reach millennials, centennials or any other target audience.

Not sure how to reach your target audience? Contact SPARKS! to see how we can help you.

Micro-Moments Are All Marketers Have

Micro-Moments are all marketers have to capture their audience.

As mobile marketing, and marketing in general, continues to change as fast as the speed of light, it seems, marketers are constantly challenged with how to capture their target audience’s attention.

According to Google, mobile has seen an increase by 20% on the past year of users’ online sessions, while at the same time, there has been an 18% drop in the time spent per visit. In other words, mobile users are getting on and off as soon as they find what they want.

You no longer have a moment to capture your audience. You have a micro-moment. As defined by Google, “Want-to-know moments. Want-to-go moments. Want-to-do moments. Want-to-buy moments. Or as Forrester defines them as “brief interactions where developers can get customers’ attention — and anticipate their needs.” Google itself defines micro-moments

Think about why people go online, besides checking e-mail or going on Facebook. They want to find something, they want to know about something, they want to buy something or go somewhere. And they will do this with the device that’s nearest to them, which, these days, is a mobile phone. If you can meet the needs of your customers, you’ll be ahead of your competition.

Baseball’s Marketing Challenge

Opening Day has come and gone. Millions of Americans that have been eagerly awaiting baseball’s first day can sit back and watch their teams slug it out for the next several months. However, only the diehard and occasional baseball fan knows when opening day is and looks forward to it.

This is becasue baseball is still behind other sports when it comes to marketing. In terms of popularity, basketball players such as LeBron James are more well-known than players like Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw. But MLB is trying to change that.
[Read more…]

Marketing Tips with Renae Olver

What challenges are facing companies when it comes to marketing? What are some companies getting wrong? Renae Olver answered some questions for SPARKS!, sharing her deep knowledge of all things marketing. In the past 30 years, Renae has gained extensive experience in her marketing career, working with clients such as Union Trust, SECU, Sandy Spring Bank, Hollander, Cohen & McBride, and First National Bank of Maryland. SPARKS! was thankful for the opportunity to speak with her. [Read more…]

Digital Marketing

SPARKS! helps companies to plan and implement practical marketing solutions. We help our clients to learn more about their customers, their competition – even about their own companies. Then, we help them to develop creative strategies to reach their influencers, users and decision makers. And, we keep score along the way with regular marketing reviews and data analysis that identifies leads and tracks activity and conversions.

Learn More>>

2015 Marketing Trends

Well, that was quick. 2014 is already long gone. Here we are in 2015 and much of what seemed cutting edge is forgotten about. Like technology, marketing always seems to be changing, with new ideas and ways about reaching your target audience and getting the most effective ROI.

While strategy or campaign may change, basic marketing principles will always remain: know your strategy before your tactics; know your market; differentiate yourself from your competitors; your message must be consistent; your brand must deliver on its promise. [Read more…]

How to Reach Your Target Audience

How do you reach your target audience that comprises of employees in different levels of each company? What is the best strategy?

Instead of going with one strategy and one social platform, your best method is to diversify, while keeping consistency in your message. [Read more…]

Internal Marketing Must Be Done

When speaking of marketing, many of us tend to think of external marketing, trying to find ways to keep existing consumers and to gain new ones.

These are important obstacles that must be overcome. However, we tend to miss out on the first group of people companies need to reach – their employees.

Any employer or marketer must ask himself the following question, “Do I have a team that embodies the company’s brand?”
[Read more…]

Traditional Marketing: Still Needed

It’s no surprise that mobile usage continues to rise in the U.S.

More and more marketers are keen on this fact, and companies are investing more time and money into mobile ads, seeking to reach consumers.

However, while mobile usage is expected to rise, and mobile marketing has become a necessary part of a company’s marketing strategy, traditional advertising cannot, and should not be discounted.
[Read more…]

Claims of "The Best" Can Backfire

Your new product has come out. Of course, you want your target audience to hear about it and to purchase it. Like many companies, you tout your new product as “The Best” and you begin an ad campaign which utilizes comparative advertising. Your competitors cannot top your product or service, your ads imply, or outrightly declare. Naturally, you think this is good advertising.