In the article: "How To Innovate In Your Marketing: Ask a Teenager," author Ann Handley draws marketing inspiration from the way today's young digital natives might use new technology to navigate age-old teenager scenarios. Handley, the Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs.com, says that big brands should look to teenagers for innovative marketing ideas. "And not because you want to market to teens," writes Handley, "but because teenage behavior draws a kind of road map to where marketing is going."
Wanting to look awesome at the prom is not new territory for a teen. But there's a whole new way to shop for and choose that prom dress. Handley points out that if dress-shopping is so different--as indicated by teenage behavior--why shouldn't the marketing of all dresses be totally different as well? Take Snapchat, for example. Handley points out that McDonald's is using Snapchat, and jokingly adds that she hopes the brand is getting help from a teenager. Teenagers use Snapchat when they don't have anything in particular to share. So what's the corollary for brands? Does it mean brands should be less formal and calculated about what they choose to post? Handley may not have the answer--but she probably knows a teen that does.
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Amy Moore writes about how marketing, sales, and customer service professionals can use storytelling techniques to better engage their customers. Follow Amy on Twitter @moore_words.
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