Organizations that continue to cling to old media are refusing to open themselves up to new results.  Old media, including newspapers, television broadcasting and radio has been declining in effectiveness for marketing.

So, why do organizations still cling away?  Because old media is strong media.  Erik Schonfeld said in his TechCrunch blog:

industries that are used to control don’t like to give it up. Old media is like that. Even in this day and age, its struggle with control issues continues. Old media knows the relationship with its audience has changed, but it is still not quite sure how to deal with it.

Because they are not completely sure how to handle the situation they just keep plugging away with their current efforts.  Because they print case studies that say traditional advertising is still very effective, the masses believe it.  In reality though, traditional advertising is loosing it’s effectiveness and isn’t reaching as many true impressions.

Businesses can improve marketing results by finding new methods of marketing – through capitalizing on the social media and TEXT GENeration phenomenon.  Read these articles to see how this can be done:

Get Digital :: Get Noticed

Viral Video Marketing

Marketing for the TEXT GENeration

This age group is made up of teens and young adults who use advanced technology multiple times a day to communicate, work and learn. They frequently use some or all of the following:

• Social Networking – 75% have a Facebook account
• Text Messaging – 94% own a cell phone
• Instant Messaging – 76% use instant messaging
• Blogs – 44% read and 28% write blogs
• mp3 Players – 60% own an mp3 player
• peer to peer file sharing – 49% download music via file sharing
• SOURCE: Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa Connecting to the Net.Generation: What higher education professionals need to know about today’s students, NASPA; First edition (March 29, 2007)

Before now, terminology for this age group has been so diverse (called Y or Z Generation, Internet Generation, Millenials, etc.) that it was very confusing as to who is who. A coworker of mine coined the phrase TEXT GENeration and it has stuck at our marketing firm. It is more fitting than all the other naming terminology because it incorporates the word TEXT. If a person is more inclined to use TEXT than SCRAWL they can be considered the TEXT GENeration. Some might argue that this is too diverse a group in that some elderly are quite “hip” on technology and use text messaging, instant messaging and social networking regularly. They are the exception though.

To keep in mind when you market to the TEXT GENeration:

• They have embraced technology and uses it in their every day lives.
• They understand computers and technology and are not afraid of it.
• They are the busiest generation yet. As such, they are rarely at home.
• They watch less television, listen to less radio and read fewer books and magazines.
• Many are keen on marketing and can easily say no to traditional advertising calls to action.