Tags containing: "millennials"

Univision Builds a “Billennial” MCN to Make the Most of Social Stars’ Influence

July 31, 2015 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

U.S. teens are bigger fans of YouTube stars than they are the best-known celebrities in film, TV and music so it is no surprise that media companies and brands are experimenting with ways to bridge the gap and incorporate these new media phenomena into the mainstream mix. Disney took the acquisition route when it purchased Maker Studios last year, however Univision decided to build its own multi-channel network (MCN) of content creators from platforms such as YouTube and Vine. The new Univision Creator Network is also an effort to build Univision Communications’ connection with bilingual millennials or “billennials.”

There are many roads you can take to reach this demographic, according to Steven Benanav, VP of Content Partnerships and GM of Flama at Univision Communications (UCI). “But working with the digital talent is a very direct path,” he says. “They’ve already got their audience and fan base and they know what these fans love.” Benanav says that he can see why younger audiences are so enamored with digital stars, “Because of the medium they are able to form relationships and connections with their fans that celebrities haven’t been able to do in the past; there are no walls between them.”

The creators that Univision will be working with boast a significant audience: 118 million video views per month for the dozen or so creators signed at launch. And while those numbers say a lot, Benanav got a first-hand view of the passion their audiences feel for them at VidCon, when they announced the launch of the Creator Network. “I can only say that it was what I imagine Beatlemania to have been like. Their fans go crazy for them.”

And even though they all already have great audience reach and connection, Benanav says these successful digital stars are excited about the possibilities offered by partnering with Univision. “For a lot of them, the Univision brand is really powerful; it is a brand they’ve grown up with and they have a sense of pride in being part of the Univision network.”

That brand affinity isn’t the only appeal—there are also the additional resources Univision offers including access to Univision studios in Los Angeles and New York City; access to a massive music library; an ecosystem that will extend the creators’ brand across TV, digital, radio and live events; and, of course, revenue opportunities that will benefit UCI, the creators, and brands alike.

Benanav notes that they see the network as a “sharable backbone” and that any group within Univision—including Flama, Fusion and El Rey now has access to this digital talent to develop new and different products that are authentic for them and their audiences. It also “quickly expands the reach we’re able to deliver to sponsors,” Benanav points out.

UCI advertising partners will have access to the Univision Creator Network to expand their marketing efforts through branded content integrations across the creators’ networks and applicable Univision properties. While there has been a learning curve as UCI’s sales approach increasingly focuses on developing larger packages that leverage the breadth of its network. To that end, The Univision Creator Network has a point person dedicated to supporting the sales and marketing side to educate, inform, and foster growth of the opportunities it presents.

Given that millennials now outnumber baby boomers in the population and that Latinos will account for more than 80% of the growth in the population of 18- to 29-year-olds over the next few years, UCI’s “billennial” focus makes sense. Benanav says that he loves seeing the company go in this new direction. “It is a really exciting, smart and bold move that extends our reach and helps us find a new and bigger audience.”

Industry-Research | Video

TV is Now the 2nd Screen for Kids

July 14, 2015 DCN

In our latest study on kids’ preferences in viewing TV content across devices and platforms, we find that in a majority of family households with tablets and smartphones, TV is no longer the first choice for entertainment, with 57% of parents saying their child prefers a device other than the TV to watch video content. Mobile devices offer versatility, simple user interface and a ‘personal’ viewing experience.

As such, in households where tablets and smartphones are accessible, they’ve now taken the lead with kids as the preferred way to enjoy, explore and discover video content. In fact, 58% of kids in households with tablets have their own, making it even easier for them to watch the video content they want to watch, whenever and wherever they want.

TV as Punishment?
TV has become the ‘second’ or even third screen of choice for many of these kids – so much so that nearly 50% of parents say that when their kids misbehave, to punish them, they take away their tablet and make them just ‘watch TV instead’– creating a generation of kids for whom ‘TV is punishment.’

Additionally, when given the choice between dessert or more time on their tablet, 41% of parents say their child would choose the tablet over dessert, compared to just 33% choosing dessert over the tablet.

More Please…
And, in true ‘more is better’ fashion, kids are not limiting themselves to just one screen at a time – 56% of parents say it’s not unusual for their children to be watching different content on different devices at the same time – and 39% are, at times, watching the same content on different devices simultaneously.

This trend in media and platform preferences has implications for TV networks, cable and satellite companies, streaming services and content creators as they market and develop entertainment for the next generation.

Self-Directed Viewing is Here to Stay’
|As TV content providers watch their audiences rapidly shift from traditional viewing to streamed and digital, this study shines a light on kids as the ‘canary in the coal mine,’ showing a need to redefine audience reach expectations, programming and creative development, as well as measurement and monetization strategies sooner rather than later.

In effect, streamed content services are now eating into linear TV audience share, just as a large percentage of audience share shifted from broadcast to cable only a couple of decades ago – but at a more rapid pace and without a solution in place to measure viewing on new and preferred platforms.

In a meeting with a major network client the other day, I was earnestly asked – ‘Don’t you think that when they grow up, they’ll want to watch live TV just the way we do – or just turn the set on and channel surf?’ my response was ‘when they grow up, you’ll want to provide them with access to your content however they want to access it – on any platform or device, at any time and on their own terms – and the time to figure out how you’re going to do this is now.’

Robert Miner is the CEO and Founder of Miner & Co. Studio, an audience insights based strategic consultancy with a focus on trends, innovation, show concept development and brand positioning serving major television networks, content creators and digital video providers.

*Study included in-home ethnographies and a survey fielded among 800 moms and dads of kids ages 2 to 12 who live in the United States and watch at least some video content on a tablet and/or smartphone.

The margin of error is +/- 3.46% 3.4

Perspectives

Inside DCN’s Next Conversation: Millennials

April 14, 2015 DCN

This is the second segment in our three-part series from the DCN The Next Conversation dinner — an event we hosted inside the Digiday Publishers Summit in Vail, CO on March 26th. This time we cover a topic that’s arguably over-analyzed and bordering on eye-roll inducing: Millennials. But this demographic is increasingly prevalent in our workforce and we need to make the most of them in our organizations as we seek to engage them as audiences. So we felt it was an important discussion to have with the folks gathered around our table — the media leaders who are hiring and managing the next generation of talent and are the cultivators of organizational culture.

Some highlights:

“I think there’s a great amount of discourse and discussion and openness that comes from employing people who say ‘why’”.

–Brendan Spain, US Commercial Director, FT.com

“…We’re not all like that. Treating us like everyone else is really important. BusinessInsider embraces Millennials but they don’t call us ‘Millennials’”

–Michelle Denhart, Sales Development Director, Business Insider

“Hire young people who are smart and do cool things around them and you’ll be fine. Let them shape the workplace.”

–Neil Vogel, CEO, About.com

“A Facebook audience is very different than a Twitter audience which is very different than a Snapchat audience. As a publisher I’m going to publish and promote content in each of those individual areas based on what I know about that audience in that area. So, I’m not doing it specifically for a Millennial.”

–Lauri Baker, VP, Brand Strategy, Huffington Post

Industry-Research

How Millennials Get News

March 16, 2015 Research Team—DCN

Millennials consume news and information in strikingly different ways than previous generations, and their paths to discovery are more nuanced and varied than some may have imagined according to a new report by the Media Insight Project, a collaboration between the American Press Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Among the study’s findings:

While Millennials are highly equipped, it is not true they are constantly connected. More than 90 percent of adults age 18-34 surveyed own smartphones, and half own tablets. But only half (51 percent) say they are online most or all of the day.
Email is the most common digital activity, but news is a significant part of the online lives of Millennials, as well. Fully 69 percent report getting news at least once a day — 40 percent several times a day.
Millennials acquire news for many reasons, which include a fairly even mix of civic motivations (74 percent), problem-solving needs (63 percent), and social factors (67 percent) such as talking about it with friends.
When Millennials want to dig deeper on a subject, search is the dominant method cited by 57 percent (and it is the one cited most often as useful), followed by news sites (23 percent). Only 7 percent cite checking Facebook to learn more.
And when Millennials do dig deeper, the most important qualities that make a destination useful are that they know the source well (57 percent) and that this digital source is transparent and rich with references and links (52 percent).

Read the API’s full report, How Millennials Get News: Inside the habits of America’s first digital generation.

Industry-Research

How Kids’ Media Palate Changes as They Age

March 6, 2015 DCN

A Nielsen analysis found that as young viewers cognitively and developmentally change, so too do their cross-platform habits.

According to Nielsen, kids’ media consumption across age ranges is akin to transitioning from strained peas to silverware—with distinct differences in taste, viewing and listening preference, and even who they’re viewing with.

For example, while more than 95% of all kids (2-17) prefer to watch traditional television over 20 hours a week—with Hispanic kids averaging about a half-hour more—the analysis found that older kids and teens go online on computers more, as about 29% of teens 14 to 17 years old were online via computer for at least one minute in March 2014.

Read the Nielsen post: Grow and Tell: As Children Age from Toddlers to Teens, Their Media Palate Changes

Industry-Research | Video

Digital Dominates Millennial Content Consumption

March 4, 2015 Research Team

DEFY Media has announced findings from its third annual ACUMEN Report: Constant Content. The report, conducted in partnership with Hunter Qualitative and KnoWhy Research, focused on teens and young adult Millennials to examine their content consumption.

According to the report, digital dominates their content consumption with 13-24 viewers revealing a considerable 11.3 hours weekly watching “free” online video and 10.8 hours of subscription online video weekly – nearly twice the time reported for free online TV offerings from broadcast and cable networks (6.4 hours) or 8.3 for regularly scheduled TV. And, while 96% of those surveyed say they watch online video, only 57% watch free online TV and 56% watch recorded TV with no differences across the age range.

This segment also finds online personalities to be the most relatable and influential. For the millennial set, YouTubers are the today’s role models. Among the younger 13-17 segment, 32% responded they are more likely to look up to a YouTube personality over traditional celebrities, while the older 18-24 set reported a slightly higher affinity towards TV and movie stars (36% vs. 26% for YouTubers).

Perspectives | Research

More than Millennials and Mobile: Looking Behind the Headlines of Multiscreen Preferences

February 17, 2015 DCN

Not since the introduction of the television have entertainment and media consumption shifted so rapidly. It’s easy to overgeneralize that this rapid shift in media consumption means that everything goes mobile (particularly for younger audiences). However research we released last week in our Getting Audiences Right report, shows that the real headline is the extent of audience fragmentation across both media consumption and shopping behavior.

Nonetheless, this is not a disorganized fragmentation, rather we see that screen engagement coalesces around two organizing principles: the generation which an audience is a part of (we studied Millennials, GenX and Boomers) and the digital task which an audience member will perform.

The Audience Generation
Generation is so important in how we understand media consumption and channel receptivity, because generation rolls up not only life stage events (career, children, and retirement), but also a set of beliefs that that cohort holds about itself (consider, for example, a 2010 Pew Research poll that asked audiences of these generations if they thought their own generation was unique, about 60% of Boomers and Millennials said yes, in contrast to half of Gen Xers). These life events and world views influence generations’ preferences for channels, devices, and even how they purchase.

In our Getting Audiences Right Research we see three generational trends emerge:

Millennials have moved to mostly mobile (particularly smartphones) and have moved away from traditional entertainment channels (like network and cable TV) for more curated entertainment (like Netflix and YouTube);
GenX is task-dependent and gender plays more of a role for men in entertainment consumption than any other generation (for example 68% of GenX men report using YouTube on a weekly basis compared to 47% of GenX women).
Boomers, who often pride themselves in their facility with and use of technology (31% of them shop online via their laptop more than once a week and 18% shop online with their smartphone once a week) still prefer traditional channels for entertainment (cable TV is still the screen they’re most likely to watch on a weekly basis — 68% of women watch cable on a weekly basis and 62% of men).

The Task at Hand
Nonetheless, in the consumer path to purchase, all generations lean towards PCs as the device of choice.

Even Millennials rely heavily on PCs and laptops for shopping activity. The largest proportion of Millennials had searched or purchased consumer packaged goods using their laptops/PCs (39%) and the same was true for consumer electronics (36%) and financial services (31%)

GenX was most likely to use a laptop/PC for all purchase paths and were particularly strong adopters of laptops for the search or research of consumer packaged goods (49% of GenX had purchased or researched consumer packaged goods on their laptop in the past 6 months, compared to 27% having used smartphones for the same). Interestingly, GenXers use of tablets for CPG search/purchase was higher than that of other generations (20% of GenXers had used a tablet to research or purchase consumer packaged goods in the past 6 months).

Finally, Boomers shared a preference for laptops (54% of them have used a laptop in the past 6 months to search/research consumer packaged goods, 46% for consumer electronics and 41% for researching or purchasing travel).

All audiences stated that the primary drivers of their screen preference were screen size and the performance and speed of the device. However, our research also reveals that task time plays a large role in screen preference. Almost all audiences (81%) prefer to complete a five minute task on a smartphone. However, that percentage drops to 43% for tasks over 10 minutes.

The Message for Marketers
Task and generation are so important because advertising is much more successful when contextualized and when the advertiser’s call to action can be heeded without switching tasks (or devices for that matter). We think that these findings give rise to the following three considerations for marketers:

The marketers who are beginning to consider how time shifting and on-demand viewing affect their full communication plan will be a step ahead, particularly with audiences under 50 (GenX and Millennials). The use-case for YouTube may be easier to grasp as marketers begin to understand the elements of good pre-roll, but the marketers who understand the role of advertising and the type of advertising that is effective in over the top will have an advantage.

GenX is the perfect generation for experimentation with a brand’s media mix, because GenXers still consume traditional television content (though more on cable than network TV), but have also moved to emerging channels like over the top (OTT). Given GenX’s omnichannel behavior, marketers must consider the ways in which messages can be sequenced across the channels. They must also be mindful of whether the content running on the channels ladders up to the branding objective for that channel.

Even though mobile resonates with younger audiences, Millennials (and the emerging Gen-Z (audiences under 18) still lean to laptops for lower funnel purchase behaviors. Continued expansion of and investment in the PC/laptop consumer journey is still essential in achieving maximum digital ROI.

——————–

Note: Millennials: Born after 1980 (18 to 34); Gen X: Born 1965-1980 (35 to 50); Boomers: Born 1946-1964 (51 to 69)

Joline McGoldrick is a Research Director at Millward Brown Digital. Joline was an early member of the Dynamic Logic Team, beginning in 2001 and is well versed in studying how audiences respond to Digital advertising. Joline is a product designer and marketer and a frequent speaker and panelist on understanding the digital audience experience. Joline’s work has been featured in Forbes, Adweek, AdAge, the Economist, Media Post, and Mobile Marketer and she has spoken at conferences including the ARF, MRIA, OMMA, MRMW, the Market Research Event and AdTech.

Joline is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Carnegie Mellon University

Perspectives

3 Things the Experts Taught Us About Millennials in 2014

December 15, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Given that at 80 million plus, they are the largest demographic in the country, there’s no ignoring the importance of courting the millennial consumer. While they are no more or less mysterious to those in older generations than the young people of any age, they have grown up in a digital world and that has shaped their behaviors and expectations. While most Americans are never far from their mobile devices, 80% of millennials actually sleep with their phones. They also spend almost twice as much time on social media sites. However they also switch their attention between media platforms 27 times an hour. This generation also consumes an unprecedented amount of media, almost 18 hours/day (though much of it is consumed from several sources at once). So while the opportunity—in terms of audience size and quantity of media consumed—is enormous, gaining the attention of this generation and making an impact is certainly a challenge.

Here are three things we learned about millennials during our discussions with digital content experts this year that should help:

They are loyal, but not blindly so. Build and maintain trust to attract and engage millennials.

Above all else, young people value quality and honesty…What happens when you consistently provide premium, honest stories to your readers? You can create loyalty.
—Jonathan Hunt, VP, Global Marketing and Partnerships, Vox Media
@jonathan_h @voxmediainc

Authenticity is paramount. More specifically, having a clear perspective, being transparent, and fostering meaningful dialogue are assets for attracting and retaining millennial consumers.
—Gabriel Lewis, EVP Development & Strategy Maker Studios
@TheGabrielLewis @MakerStudios

For Millennials, [the] key aspect is trust.
—Catherine Salazar, Managing Partner, Practice Lead MEC
@MECideas

Earn trust or die. Millennials are the driving force behind the shift from an attention-based economy to a trust-based economy.
— Andrew Hanelly, SVP of Strategy at McMURRY/TMG
@hanelly @McMurryTMG

They are not passive consumers. Interact to engage millennials.

It’s the first generation to be raised in an environment where direct feedback to brands is very, very public. Millennials aren’t just consumers, they’re participants…and they expect to be treated with an appropriate level of respect in that conversation.

The explosive growth of social media among millennials is indicative of this dialogue-driven culture shift. Audiences can now connect directly with brands and creators that resonate with them.
—Gabriel Lewis, EVP Development & Strategy Maker Studios
@TheGabrielLewis @MakerStudios

Most agencies and consultants will tell you that the key to social is listening and responding. That’s a nice start, and listening is necessary, but you have to participate to gain traction and build trust.
— Andrew Hanelly, SVP of Strategy at McMURRY/TMG
@hanelly @McMurryTMG

When it comes to marketing to millennials, don’t. Market with them to succeed.
—Claire Tavernier, Managing Director, Channel Flip Media
@CTav @channelflip

Mobile Matters. Mobile and multiplatform are the foundation of millennial consumption.

“We are finding that certain brands are more attractive to the millennial target. And the way they are accessing our sites has changed. They use the content at different times and are doing much more on mobile devices.”
—Andy Wilson, Meredith Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Meredith
@meredithcorp

“Non-linear content [is] becoming a key component of the media behavior of the target and that mobile was the primary platform for digital media usage.”
—Catherine Salazar, Managing Partner, Practice Lead MEC
@MECideas

“For younger and international audiences, mobile video has been an opportunity for us. We do see that our video skews younger so it introduces new audiences into NYT premium journalism.”
—Sara Poorsattar, The New York Times’ Director of Video Products
@saraparveen @nytimes

“Particularly among millennials, there is a shift away from TV to online, set top boxes and mobile. Sooner or later, it will hit a point of no return.”
— Andrew Lipsman, Vice President of Marketing & Insights, comScore
@comScore

Innovation | Perspectives

Q&A: Gabriel Lewis, EVP Development & Strategy Maker Studios, on Media for Millennials

November 20, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Q: Do millennial readers have brand loyalty as a rule? How do you develop brand affinity/loyalty with them?

A: Brand loyalty for millennials is less a rule, and more of an ongoing dialogue. They’re the most media-savvy generation, having been raised in an ever-expanding ecosystem of platforms and content that gets more and more niche and targeted. As these choices become greater, brand affinity becomes more valuable for consistency of voice and identity (and identification, i.e. “this represents who I am, my values, etc.”), but the flip side is that it’s easier to move on when and if a brand betrays their trust. It’s also the first generation to be raised in an environment where direct feedback to brands is very, very public. Millennials aren’t just consumers, they’re participants… and they expect to be treated with an appropriate level of respect in that conversation.

Q: Do you approach the development of user experience or content differently for the millennial audience?

A: At Maker, our core business is short-form content, and there continues to be a trend for shorter and more snackable digital video. The length of the average online video dropped 27% in the past year from 5.1 to 3.7 minutes. Once you start factoring in mobile video consumption—something 98% of millennials do every day—it’s inevitable this trend will continue for a large segment of digital content.

This leads to a broader conversation around producing the appropriate content for the platform it will live on. User behavior varies from platform to platform, and more than ever it’s important for content creators to have a distribution strategy in mind before going too far down a path developing the actual content. Just taking it across four typical distribution paths–TV, OTT, Web, Mobile–will yield a different approach to how the content is developed and produced. Within each of those distribution paths there’s also an additional layer of UX that will inevitably dictate how audiences interact with that content; the key is to be as far upstream and as aware of your goals as possible.

One of the most important questions any content creator can ask before starting any project is: “what does success look like?” It seems pretty basic, but I’ve oftentimes found myself in conversations with marketers or producers who start with the love of an idea or strategic approach and then try to force it into the proper lane to find success, as opposed to starting with a goal, e.g., audience, brand affinity, engagement, conversion, etc., and then developing their content and distribution strategy accordingly.

Q: When working to attract and retain millennial media consumers, what would you say are the most important things to consider?

A: While the word has become a bit commoditized, I would say authenticity is paramount. More specifically, having a clear perspective, being transparent, and fostering meaningful dialogue are assets for attracting and retaining millennial consumers. The explosive growth of social media among millennials is indicative of this dialogue-driven culture shift. Audiences can now connect directly with brands and creators that resonate with them. The elimination of gatekeepers and the continuing evolution of audience expectations are quickly relegating legacy approaches to content creation (and marketing) obsolete.

Digital platforms have opened up a world of opportunity to create content that leverages data and direct feedback. While programming has always been both art and science, at this point the science is getting more and more robust, and the artistry needs to start adapting accordingly.

Gabriel Lewis serves as Executive Vice President of Development and Strategy at Maker Studios, leading the company’s development of original content across platforms and strategic programming partnerships. Maker is the world’s largest network of short-form online video bringing together a diverse community of YouTube creators and global franchises as part of The Walt Disney Company. The company is home to the biggest digital stars and leading programming such as the hugely popular online series “Epic Rap Battles of History.” Prior to Maker, Gabriel served as Head of AOL On Originals, overseeing creative development, production, marketing and strategy for AOL’s original series and branded entertainment initiatives. Gabriel also served as Vice President of AOL Studios, where he co-created and launched the award-winning live streaming network “HuffPost Live.” Prior to AOL, he worked as a writer and producer for a variety of television and film projects. Gabriel is a graduate of Ithaca College and holds a B.S. in Communications.

Innovation

Q&A: Philippe von Borries, Co-founder and CEO Refinery 29, on Media for Millennials

October 31, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Q: In your opinion and experience, do millennial readers have brand loyalty as a rule? How do you develop brand loyalty with them?

Millennials do have loyalty, but the challenge is in building it. Brands–whether they’re a publisher, beauty brand or tech company–need to be aware of a millennials’ aspirations to live mindful lives. They need to understand the values of millennials and inform his or her needs. In our case, our audience wants content that appeals to her passions, her goal-driven sensibility, and that ultimately empowers her expression. Brands need to make their message experiential and craft it around her personal life – it is all about being relatable and driving purpose.

Above all else, millennial women are passionate. While their mothers might have loyally read Vogue or always used Dove soap, when millennial women find a brand they love, they don’t just buy it, they talk about it, post it, save it, share it. They become a spokesperson for that brand, not just a consumer.

Research shows 70% of millennial consumers want to hear about brands from a trusted source. 82% agree that they only share brands that they are truly passionate, so building that affinity is critical.

Q: Do you approach the development of user experience or content differently for the millennial audience?

Absolutely. At its core, Refinery29 aims to inspire our audience to live more stylish, well-informed, and creative lives. But, there’s nothing one-dimensional or unilateral about our approach. Millennial women are (obviously) multi-faceted and their interests reflect that. Refinery29 reflects that as well. At any given moment, you could find a hair braiding tutorial next to an interview with Chelsea Clinton, alongside a comprehensive guide to fall shopping and a thought piece on hashtag activism or an essay by Sandra Fluke. We know our audience thinks about and cares about style and creativity just as much as they care about entertainment, feminism, and technology. And you can best understand this on our mobile feed, where you see all of our content, across all of these categories and more, living in harmony in one continuous feed.

Q: When working to attract and retain millennial media consumers, what would you say are the most important things to consider?

For us, it is all about user engagement. We want our audience to interact with our content in a meaningful way—and we want to get in there (in the comments on the site, on every possible social platform, and in person as well) to create real dialogue with them. It’s not about relentlessly scaling your audience, but about finding the right audience that really cares about what you are producing.

Millennial-minded women take a deliberate and thoughtful approach to their daily lives, and we approach our content in this way as well—not least of all because a large chunk of our editors and writers are millennial women. It’s this approach to engaging and inspiring our audience that has led us to become the largest independent style and lifestyle site in the US.

Philippe von Borries is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Refinery29. He founded the company with his friend Justin Stefano from a kitchen in Brooklyn in 2005 with a mission to inspire people to lead smart, stylish and creative lives. Philippe oversees Refinery29’s content, product and marketing teams and drives the strategic direction of its content strategy which has been the driving force for the company’s growth. Philippe got his start in digital media working at The Globalist, a DC-based international affairs startup. He graduated with a degree in history from Columbia University.

Innovation

Q&A: Jonathan Hunt, VP, Global Marketing and Partnerships, Vox Media on Media for Millennials

October 16, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Q: In your opinion and experience, do millennial readers have brand loyalty as a rule? How do you develop brand affinity/loyalty with them?

A: Yes and no. Above all else, young people (and frankly everyone) value quality and honesty. If another media brand can come along and offer a superior product then they have an opportunity to usurp loyalty. The fact is we live in a time when we’re getting our information from hundreds of different sources — publishers, social feeds, mobile apps, our friends and family and coworkers — all day every day. This is referred to as an Attention Economy. So more so now than ever qualities like utility, entertainment, honesty, and personality can easily trump loyalty.

But what happens when you consistently provide premium, honest stories to your readers? You can create loyalty. It’s easier said than done, but that’s our approach to every aspect of our business and why we’ve been on an explosive growth trajectory.

Q: Do you approach the development of user experience or content differently for the millennial audience?

A: We have to, but again I wouldn’t say this is relative to Millennials only–it’s a fundamental shift in how we all discover and share content, it just so happens that young people are quicker to experiment and adopt new ways of getting what they want when they want. At Vox Media, we’re platform and content agnostic. We’re not precious when it comes to how we get in front of as many people as possible; this is how we’ve been able to scale so quickly. So you may experience a Vox Media brand through one of our responsive sites, or on Tumblr, or as a video or a cinemagraph, through Xbox or Yahoo, or on a partner’s mobile app. As long as I can reach you and give you a reason to care about what we have to say, I know I have a better chance of getting you to experience our brand through other more premium experiences that impact our P&L.

Q: When working to attract and retain millennial media consumers, what would you say are the most important things to consider?

A: This is a question with no single answer. You want to cater to consumption habits (you going to them vs. them always coming to you); content formats (speaking to them through the types of content they create and share themselves); and providing them stories or news that have utility, are unique and entertaining, aren’t pandering, and don’t attempt to frame your brand as something that it’s not. This is the smartest generation ever, and they know it, so the best litmus test when building something for this audience is to ask yourself, “Who cares?” If you can’t answer that question unequivocally then there’s a good chance the answer is, “No one.”

Jonathan Hunt is the Global VP of Marketing at Vox Media where he leads audience development and distribution, co-sales partnerships, paid media strategy, and comms. Prior to Vox, he was the Global Marketing Director at VICE Media.

Innovation | Video

Meredith Builds its Multiplatform Strategy with Debut of Better Homes and Gardens on Connected TV

September 5, 2014 Michelle Manafy, Editorial Director – DCN

Meredith reaches 60% of millennial women adults across its platforms. That’s more than MTV or Netflix. And, just over a year into her tenure as Vice President, Video Production and Product for the Meredith National Media Group, Laura Rowley plans to deliver content to this audience exactly when they need it and where they want it. To that end, Meredith recently announced that its Better Homes and Gardens brand has made its way onto Connected TV.

According to Rowley, this is a natural progression for Meredith, given its significant push into video over the past two years (the company now boasts more than 10,000 video titles across its sites). That progression, she believes, was a necessary one given the preferences of younger audiences. “We’d be crazy not to do a deep dive into digital video. We know that it is how Millennial women want to consume information. And they want it on whatever device suits them –tablet, mobile and, increasingly, Connected TV.”

The launch of the 30-minute Better Homes and Gardens streaming program marks Meredith’s first foray into Connected TV. As Rowley points out, Connected TV is rapidly growing in popularity, with three-quarters of TV’s predicted to be internet-connected by 2017. “So extension to this platform is key.”

The Better Homes and Gardens show will air twice a month on Net2TV’s Portico TV service, which is distributed to more than 30 million screens via smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sharp and Philips; on Roku-connected TVs; and on Toshiba tablets and notebooks. The shows will also available online at www.portico.tv.

Rowley feels strongly that among Meredith’s 14 magazine titles and nearly 100 special interest publications, the Better Homes and Garden brand was the right title to begin with. “It is an ideal launching pad for Connected TV because it not only has the widest potential audience, but also the best content for a lean back experience.” That, she feels, is the sweet spot for Connected TV, as opposed to lean-in moments that are better suited for desktop or mobile.

After looking at “a whole lot of possible hosts,” Jackie Tranchida
(NBC’s First Look) was chosen to host the new Better Homes and Gardens show because of her genuine, personable style, one that Rowley feels is consistent with the brand. Maintaining that brand authenticity is essential as Better Homes and Gardens continues to build out its multiplatform strategy. Collaboration with the editorial team is a key factor in ensuring this consistency. “Meredith is one of the most collaborative companies I’ve ever worked for,” says Rowley. “Our editorial team is at the heart of our video creation strategy.”

She also credits Meredith’s emphasis on audience understanding as a crucial component in building out its content strategy. “I come from the Huffington Post, so the marriage of science and inspiration is natural for me. At Meredith, we have hundreds of data points on our audience of women and we are already at the center of the conversation they are having about better living and style.” Connected TV, says Rowley, “is the next step in a multiplatform strategy to empower her passions.”

She also says Meredith is continuing to experiment on content including quality, subject matter, duration and delivery. Next month, as part of the Meredith Originals strategy, the Parents brand will debut a web-based reality show called Baby Sleep 911. The series will follow a baby sleep-whisperer who offers tips and expertise for sleep-deprived parents.

Meredith has an “incredibly connected audience and we want to do everything we can to help her needs in the moment,” says Rowley. For her, the opportunity to lead this strategy is even more personal, “it is a thrill to create video for an audience so deeply invested in these brands. There’s so much video out there, but we are someone these women can trust.”