A Wired, Wired World
By Vina R. Sy-Santos

“For the first time in history, children are more comfortable, knowledgeable an literate than their parents about an innovation central to society….the Internet has triggered the first Industrial Revolution in history to be led by the young.”

– The Economist, 2003

What has traditionally been described as the information highway has evolved. In a talk delivered during a John Clements conference, marketing expert Nestor Balce emphasized that being wired is important because it is a means for Millenials (age group composed of teenagers from 14 to 17 years old to young adults from 18 to 24 years old) from various countries to reach out to one another as part of a global community, as well as express their individuality and views.

Global Community

Social network sites are the new tools for hooking up.1 Who hasn’t received an invitation to Friendster, LinkedIn, or Tagged? Although a review of the top social network sites ranks Friendster as 13th in the United States2, social networks traffic indicates that there is more Friendster activity in the Philippines.3

Dawn Winchester, Executive Vice President of Client Services for New York digital ad agency R/GA commented in an article regarding advertisements that emulate MySpace.com that “social networking places are megatrends that are cutting across online everywhere, they are at the heart of where people come together around their passions. It makes sense for the right type of brands to be engaged in that type of communication.4”

One’s Own Terms

Millenials, according to Nestor Balce, have a new definition for success: Self-Activism. They have the opinion that “I will contribute in my own way, on my own terms5.” He added that in a scary world with no rules and no guarantees, they define their own goals and crusade to attain them. They are rebels for their own cause, and this translates into the products they buy and consume. The Vans website, for example, which allows buyers to design their own shoes, is quite popular with this demographic. He also identified four groups in this generation: Creatives, who seek to express themselves (30 percent); Thrill Seekers, who seek fun and intensity (29 percent); Traditionals, who honor duty and authority (21 percent); and Strivers, who work toward upward mobility.

The Creatives are more wired—they use search engines, personal computers, send emails and instant messages, and are usually online. One could imagine that they made the Craigslist, an online source for everything both illegal and legal, popular. They enjoy mashing things up, building on something existing and making it cooler. Marketing executives have taken advantage of this and know that sensation is key—products that aim at sensory experiences have higher mentions and repeat rates.

They have taken creativity and self-expression to the next level and made it the new currency. Just ask anyone who has seen deviantart.com, where they post their views and artistic creations. When viewing sites online, content is ‘King,’ and brands no longer have boundaries. This is a sizeable group around the world, particularly in the UK, France, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Taiwan.

While these amazing developments are taking place before our eyes and transforming the world around us, nothing replaces what is real—taking time out to be with friends, real relationships, and outdoor sports. But being wired opens a world of alternatives at the click of one’s mouse. Who could resist?

1 Wrigley Futurist Studies, G14 countries 2007
2 Market Share of US Internet Visits to Top 20 Social Networking Sites, HITWISE
3 Valleywag, June 2007, Valleywag.com
4 Seeking Teens, Marketers Take Risks by Emulating MySpace, Theresa Howard, USA Today, 5/22/2006
5 Wrigley + eBBDO Worldwide Study 2006, Wrigley Futurists Compilation
6 Wrigley + eBBDO Worldwide Study 2006