Disrupting the Noise – Being Bold in Today’s Marketing Chaos

Reaching the Digital Natives

In 2001, Mark Prensky, an education consultant, wrote an article entitled Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. The Digital Native term has widely grown, and refers to the next generation entering the education and workforce soon. This is a generation that has grown up completely immersed in digital language. They use emojis to talk; they’re highly visual and always connected. They are truly the Snapchat generation.

According to Deep Focus, a research company, 67% of Digital Natives prefer narratives and storytelling. This generation likes authenticity, engagement, and they want an action or response almost immediately. You need to capture them in the moment with something worthwhile, not just an ad with an offer. True engagement today is going beyond the coupon cutting generation of yesterday.

Not every brand can be on Snapchat or live stream on Periscope, but every brand and business has the opportunity to be authentic and real. Whether you’re on social media, writing a blog, or creating a how-to video on YouTube, think about how you can be bolder, realistic, engaging and provide value to your audience. Go beyond the noise and create something genuine.

One of the best examples is Georgetown University. They create real and engaging content by utilizing their student base to create it. They work with students on an ongoing basis to create “Georgetown Stories” a series that helps recruit new students and talks about what life on campus is like. They also give control of their Snapchat and Instagram to certain students each month and it gives an inside look at what being a student at GU is really like. It’s authentic and entertaining, and most likely recruiting plenty of students.

So, avoid the noise and create something that’s truly bolder than your competition.