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Daniel Anstandig, VP Adult Formats/
McVay Media
Daniel's experience includes stints as General Manager at DAER Radio, Program Director of Jim Brickman's syndicated show, and various on-air stops. Among the clients Daniel has consulted are Clear Channel Radio Interactive and their 800+ online brands, recording artists Jewel and John Tesh, Mental Floss Magazine, The White House Commission on Remembrance, Internatonal Publisher Glencoe-McGraw Hill, Sonrise, Clear Channel R&D, TM Century, Legato Cafe, and various AC, Hot AC, and Christian broadcasters around the country. Daniel also serves on the Board of Directors for Radio Conclave.
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The young adult market is increasingly important to marketers. Companies like State Farm Insurance, Ford, Nabisco, Sony, Sears, and Toyota have taken a deliberate and calculated approach to growing their companies via marketing to 25-34 year olds, and their enchantment with young consumers is becoming contagious. Often, I take part in strategic marketing and programming sessions where there is an emerging priority to reach younger listeners.
While 12-24 year olds are pursuing education, may be living with their parents, and have more discretionary income (to the tune of $200 billion annually), their 25-34 year old counterparts are buying homes, raising children, starting careers, and generally have less leisure time.
Is your brand 25-34-year-old proof? Here are five points to consider when weighing the relevance of your brand for the 25-34 year old audience.
1. Bullet-Point Me
In a recent conversation with Chase, Operations Manager at Emmis Radio/Austin, he put it this way, “They don’t have time for you. Don’t feel bad about that, because they don’t have time for anyone.” Long-winded pitches and excessive ramp-ups to your point will result in losing the ear of your target. This is the first generation of consumers that speaks in bullet points. In 256 characters or less, a text message between two members of this demographic can plan an entire weekend. Get your point across as efficiently as possible without sounding gruff. Chase says, “It’s important that we stop taking ourselves so seriously and start talking to our listeners on their level.”
2. Advertising Immunity
Like no generation ahead of them, 25-34 year olds are immune to advertising and marketing cliché’s. This generation is the aftermath of the highly targeted and desired baby-boomer market. They think they’ve seen everything, so your marketing message is immediately scrubbed against a bridle and ruthless mental filter based simply on its inherent classification as a “marketing message.” Multi-platform marketing is important to your success. Engaging street teams, using an interactive platform or website, and SMS text messaging, combined with a traditional marketing plan can help you to capture more “mind equity” among a scattered young audience.
3. Transitions in Lifestyle
The young portion of this demo (25-29) has more people exploring and finding their place in a big world. The older adults in this group (30-34) are beginning to shift their focus to family life, starting new careers, and more discretionary time and income is devoted to their families. On either end of the demo, these consumers are exploring new brands and products. Breaking through and earning attention means relating to the major life transitions that shake the world of 25-34 year olds. Tommy Chuck, Program Director at WFLZ/Tampa says, “CHR stations typically do well with 25-34 year olds when they are not childish or immature. Rather, they keep their audience plugged into the hot trends in music and pop culture. At 25, you begin entering into your adult life. You try to be responsible while also holding onto your youth. This audience is an a lifestyle transition.”
4. Abundant Options
It’s important that your brand specifically answers a need/want with the 25-34 year old listener. While all consumers are faced with infinite options in any product category, the 25-34 year old demo is the first group of consumers to grow up knowing only “complete abundance.” This generation fearlessly searches for new flavors, new destinations, new entertainment, new appliances, new services, new relationships, new artists, and new information. If they don’t like their options, they just keep looking with confident knowledge that someone has created what they want… they just have to find it.
5. Eclectic Music Tastes
Today’s 25-34 year old listeners graduated high school between 1991 and 2000. “During their ‘cool years,’ rap was already an accepted form of music, and in most cases considered mainstream,” says Chris Pickett, Program Director at WNOU/Indianapolis. “Rock was cool when it was edgy, and Nirvana, STP, and Soundgarden were played on Mainstream CHR’s.” Pickett points out that Hot AC can easily become dull if it doesn’t convey some of the edge that became hip in the 90’s. Successful Hot AC’s have range, meaning that they do not exclude rhythmic music from the playlist entirely because it is rhythmic. While some stations must be more cautious than others based on their market, achieving “variety” in this demo means resonating with different types of music.
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