Generation 'Me'
The raft of companies now targeting their marketing campaigns and structuring their branding around You is symbolic of the Me Generation – a self-obsessed, impatient generation that feels more comfortable writing text messages than picking up the phone.
These days it’s completely normal to invite your friends to a party via facebook, dump a girlfriend via text message and – apparently – submit an assignment written entirely in ‘text speak’.
Is this r8ting styl da nu norm?
Apple was the first corporate to cash in on Generation Me with the launch of the iMac in 1998 and again with the launch of the iPod in October 2001.
Marketing to this generation has since gone viral.
Kraft made international headlines during the broadcast of the 2009 AFL Grand Final when the new cheese-vegemite – the iSnack – was launched.
The branding was greeted with a hefty dose of skepticism, with many sighting clever marketing as the new name ‘controversy’ caused awareness of the new Kraft product to skyrocket.
Now the finance industry’s taken the same tack.
Ubank (a division of NAB) and Youi insurance are prime examples of how financial institutions are marketing to the Me Generation and clearly targeting younger, more tech savvy and cost conscious consumers.
Even the once local Bendigo bank is now looking to attract new customers by putting You in the middle of its latest advertising campaign (see below).
An interesting approach for a company which does not have a ‘U’ in its name and who is competing against Ubank.
2 Comments on “Generation 'Me'”
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Chris says:
I understand the marketing, but I’m not convinced that the label the “Me” generation is correct. Lot’s of people have differing views on who the “Me” generation is.
Example: http://bestoftheblogs.com/Home/27987
Rodmet says:
And then there is the My generation. MyBus, MyTrain, MyDog, MySuper – just to mention a few.