Introduction to an Audience
1. A) Define the terms target audience, niche audience and mass
audience
B) Give an example of films that were made for each of
those audiences
Target Audience: a specific group of customers most likely
to respond positively to your promotions, products, and services (in this case
you film/media product). It is fairly broad and targets a large bracket of
customers who may be interested. For example, your target market may be based
off demographic groups such as age, gender, incomes, geographical location etc.
Defining your target audience is about establishing relevancy. If
what you offer and the media you present match what your audience is looking
for, you’ll be more likely to gain a customer. A movie produced for a
target audience would be Despicable Me.
This
movie was generated for the genre of children which is a broad specification of
the demography of age.
Niche Audience: A niche audience is a subgroup of a
company’s main targeted audience. This specific audience is a selective group
of people who have specific wants, needs and interests. Niche audiences are so
valuable because they are often more engaging, and attract a response in users
due to the fact that the product are tailored specifically to them. The media is
increasingly zeroing in on precisely defined racial and gender groups. In doing
so they cut advertising costs to such a wide audience, and are more able to
successfully lure their specified audience in ways that are appealing to that
category of people. For example the movie, The Duff is targeted specifically at
teenage girls. This specialization of both age and gender allows the produces
to analyze exactly what their market preferences are. The trailer of the movie
may have been projected before YouTube clips, considering that a lot of
teenagers watch YouTube. If other audiences such and older women and men viewed
this movie also, then the movie studio would have counted this as an extra, and
would have been majorly relying on the movies success within teenage
girls.
Mass Audience: A wide audience that is comprised of many
subgroups, such as differentiated niche audiences that are all subject to
watching and engaging with one product of the media. The size of audiences for
the same content in any mass medium has been dramatically reduced with the
widespread diffusion of technological developments such as the web and
satellite broadcasting. Achieving a mass audience has become increasingly hard
due to the diversity of choice and specialized media content. Movies that have
achieved such mass viewings are called mainstream or blockbusters. One may
include the movie Aquaman (2019) receiving worldwide returns of $1,146,894,640, with
a production budget of only $160,000,000. Its genre was action/adventure
and its rating was PG-13. This is a movie that attracted a wide audience
including families, teenagers as well as adults of both males and
females.
2. Name and define the generations for audience study
(Gen Y, Millennials etc.)
3. Think about the
culture and world each generation is growing up in and analyze how you think
technological developments may impact on their viewing habits and how they
consume media (provide examples).
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
Consumerism and size of market:
The generation that often gets overlooked is that first
one—baby boomers! This generation was aroused by the boom in births
following World War II. After the war finished, families wanted to restore
order and a sense of stable normality and the solution for this was found in
raising families. This resulted in the arise of the Baby Boomer generation.
(Qu2)
When it comes to the 50+ demographic, only 10% of marketing
budgets are used to reach this generation. With a population of 111 million, the 50+
demographic is the number 1 consumer-age demographic in the world. This
sizable group will increase by 16 million over the next decade, more than
triple the pace of younger demographics. In fact, not only are Boomer numbers
growing exponentially, but they are living longer, better and more youthful
than any of their predecessors. Retirement homes, for example, are providing
more and more activities catered for the ever thriving, social network of the
older generations. In America, 63 percent of all financial assets are owned by
Baby Boomers, making them a serious economic force to be reckoned with. The 50+
generations accounts for half of all consumer expenditures, so overlooking the
50+ demographic is a major marketing mistake.
Trends in Media
Consumption and Key Characteristics:
Baby Boomers are known for sticking to their roots, but are
surprisingly open to new formats. of media networks. Baby boomers were
raised in an era where resourcefulness was a necessary trait. Many of their
parents lived through the Great Depression. Adapting to any new available
resources and scrapping together very limited resources became normalised. This
is why this generation who started off their lives with limited technology, has
become quickly adapted to current changes in society and technology. As such,
this generation can squeeze every ounce of usefulness out of the online
activities, exercises, and tech tools.
Unlike
more recent generations, baby boomers know how to keep their minds focused on a
particular subject or topic. They have amazing attention spans, which
enables them to stay on track when they are engaging with media sources. This
also means that they may take a bit more time with an online context such as
news websites, recipes instructions etc., as they painstakingly pay attention
to every detail.
Another
of the Baby Boomers' strongest characteristics, is their strong sense of
community. They thrive in social, team orientated environments. This is partly
why they are adapting faster and faster to technological networks that provide
social interaction such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram etc.
According to a study by Google, boomers and
seniors spend more time online than they do watching TV. 82% of boomers who
use the Internet have at least one social media account. As of 2017,
about 75% of baby boomers actively use Facebook. Furthermore, out
of its two billion monthly active users, 10% are boomers, while only 3% are
from the younger demographic.
Despite
Baby Boomers' quick adaptation, they have been proven to be very selective
in the use of new and emerging technologies. This generation is very interested
in assisting technology such as personal assistants and connected intelligence
that are aware of their needs and improves their daily lives. They are
unsurprisingly more cautious in adopt new technologies, particularly those
which have a profound impact upon traditional approaches to interaction. Google
statistics present that only 15% of Baby Boomers perceive new technologies as a
beneficial advancement.
In
advertising to Baby Boomers, in order to get their attention, it is best to cater to them visually through
videos. Boomers are more likely to act on what they see online and are more
likely to respond to product and service advertisements. According to the
Google study, three of every four online video watchers have taken action after
watching a video. They are therefore one of the most responsive to
advertising, and leaving out Baby Boomers in promotional efforts would be far
from wise.
In order to successfully capture senior audiences, the best
way to do so would be through visually simplistic videos. This is because
Boomers often struggle with information overload when it comes to watching
things online. Facebook is the biggest online network being used by Boomers so
if I were to advertise my filming to Baby Boomers, I would pay to advertise
film trailers into Facebook YouTube is also the number one site that Baby
Boomers stream videos off. Furthermore, YouTube videos are integrated into a
diverse array of other network platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
Therefore I would create trailers for the beginning of videos, such as documentaries, or news
articles, that an older generation tend to have a liking to. Due to Boomers'
long attention spans, I wouldn't be afraid make my trailer a little more drawn
out and simplistic, than if I were advertising my film to younger generations
such as Gen X'ers. On top of these strategies, I would market my film adds in
the early morning to the late morning (5-12 am). This is the time (unlike other
generations) where Baby Boomers are most active online. It is also likely to be
the time when advertising is cheapest, as the majority of demand will be
advertising in the evening when Millennials and Gen X'ers are most
active.
Gen X
Characterization and Trends:
Researchers and modern media critics typically use birth
years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s to the early 1980s to define Gen X
ers (now ages 35 to 55-years-old). There are around 50 million Gen X'ers, while
both the Baby Boomers and the Millennials each have around 75 million members.
Although Gen x'ers comprises a small part in society, they are crucial in
economy with a whopping 31% of total income dollars. Gen Xers are on the brink
of taking over companies and politics from the Boomers, meaning they hold an
enormous amount of influence both at home and in the workplace. Gen X has more
spending power than any other generation. For this generation, the work-life
balance is especially important, as they find time more valuable than
money.
Despite this, they
are known as the 'sandwich generation', as they bridge between
Boomers and Millennial and are therefore so often forgotten about by
marketers. However because they bridge these generations, Gen Xers have more
influence than marketers even realize, due to the fact that they are
financially supporting both ageing parents as well as young adults.
Generation Xers were children during a time of shifting
societal values and as children were sometimes called the "latchkey generation". They had reduced adult
supervision as children (compared to previous generations), due to
increasing divorce rates and maternal participation in the workforce.
Child neglection was also because they grew up prior to widespread availability
of childcare options outside the home. This may have resulted in rebellion of
any Internet restrictions when the Internet surfaced in 1983, when Gen Xers
were teenagers, which may be why so many of Gen X consider themselves as tech
savvy/ tech natives, and because they turned towards technology to fill the gap
of family interaction (broken families were very normal in they time).
More than any other generation, Gen X likes to research
while shopping online. They are characterized by their insatiable curiosities.
They read more reviews and visit more opinion sites than any other generation.
Due to their keen curiosity, Gen X'ers are the best educated with 29%
obtaining a bachelors' degree.
Generation X values sincerity, authenticity, and
independence. They approve of companies that acknowledge that every
consumer is different and they do not respond well to a generic marketing
approach. In fact, Gen Xers want retailers to provide a personalized brand
experience. This is why when consuming media content, they sway towards
tailored niche markets. This is also derived from their key characteristic of
having high levels of skepticism, and a 'what’s in it for me', attitude.
Gen X'ers have been studied to use their desktop and TV far
more than their cell phones. Only 40% use their cell phones for more than one
hour each day compared to Gen Y/ Millennial where 60% of people use their cell
phones more than one hour each day.
Members of the generation X are known to be more resistant
towards current trends, however, they support altruistic values of companies.
Therefore, they are more likely to support a company that offers products and
services that somehow benefit the society, communities or the
environment.
Our
research revealed that, although they aren’t typically considered digital
natives to the extent that millennials are, Gen X economic leaders are
just as likely to be comfortable integrating technology in the
workplace. Nelsen (a professional market
researcher) found that Gen Xers use social media 40 minutes more each week than
millennials. They were also more likely than millennials to stay on their
phones at the dinner table and spend more time on every type of device — phone,
computer, or tablet. Their curiosity and desire for knowledge, leads them
straight to the Internet, which is the richest and most accessible source of
information.
Marketing to Gen X'ers(Qu4):
Due to this generations' family instability during childhood
and economic turmoil, their skepticism to media marketing will be abnormally
high. They can sniff out a sham, or dishonesty a mile away. Therefore, I will
have to overcome this trait of skepticism with authenticity. I would make sure
the shorts to my film would be short, yet accurately portraying the heart and
climate of the film, so they get a precise advert.
By knowing that Gen X spend a lot more time watching TV than
using their cell phones, I would advertise my media productions on the
television. Gen X'ers have more traditional values than millennials. Therefore
they are less likely to respond positively towards email marketing and social
media advertising in favor of adds on TV, YouTube, websites and other
informational networks.
I would perhaps tie in the social benefits in my film advert,
such as 'a great film when you want to take some down time away from the hustle
and bustle of life'. Knowing that the main source of content that Gen X engages
with pertains to healthy living, they will want to know that what I have to
offer will benefit their well-being.
Due to the fact that Gen X are bigtime into their research
and reviews, I would encourage people to send positive reviews after viewing my
film. I would perhaps create a rating chart (out of five stars) to pop up after
my film. I would also request my pears to post reviews on popular websites such
as IMDB.
Millennials/Gen
Y (1982-2002)
Consumerism and size of Market:
Researchers and modern media often classify 1980s as starting
birth years and early 2000s as ending birth years. Millennials are sometimes
referred to as "echo boomers" due to a major surge in birth rates in
the 1980s and 1990s, and because millennial are often the children of the baby boomers. Millennials, whom we define as
ages 20 to 35, numbered 71 million in 2016.
Millennials grew up in an electronics-filled and
increasingly online and
socially-networked world. They are the generation that has received the most
marketing attention, and since being exposed with all sorts of traditional
market methods since a young age, they grew up immune to these pitches.
Salesmen, and market agencies needed new, ingenuitive ideas to lure the newest generations into
expenditure.
50% of millennial college students say they don’t need a
physical classroom. (10) 53% believe that online colleges are reputable. And
39% view the future of education as being more virtual. [According
to Millennial Branding]. In growing up with the Internet, this generation
changed societies' use of technology. They normalized it as a tool, and source
of entertainment that can be relied upon and Incorporated into everyday
use.
Studies show millennials rely heavily on trending
articles and major headlines on platforms like Facebook, Instagram,
Snapchat, and Twitter. They have the highest average number of Facebook
friends, with an average of 250 friends vs. Generations X's 200. Due to their
diverse array of information from technology, Millennials chose which media
views they believe/ trust and are therefore very influential on their children’s'
perception of things such as political affairs.
As the most ethnically diverse generation, Millennials tend
to be tolerant of difference. Now more than ever, diversity in ethnics,
race, upbringings, and even gender equalities, are being represented in the
media due to the influence of this generation. Many were encouraged to 'follow
their dreams', due to their parents' perception of there being much more
opportunities and resources nowadays that they never had (such as better
education, job pathways, and technologies). This is why Millennials are known
for their tenacious confidence and optimism. Optimism has led to even further
advancements in technology such as advanced smart phone technology, space
travel etc. It has enabled millennials to push the limits of what thought
capable for human civilization.
Millennials tend to adjust readily to new programs,
operating systems and devices and to perform computer-based tasks more
quickly than older generations. However in saying this, when technological
problems do arise, tech savvy Gen X ers, are much more suited to sorting out
the problems. This because when new technologies came out, Gen Xers were used
to assembling parts by hand, whether the millennial, growing up with
technology, have had no such experience.
Although it’s been proven that multitasking is not
usually an effective way to work, Millennials may be the employees that are
most likely to pull it off. Since being bombarded with devices since an early
age, millennials attention spans are shortening by the second, and this has
resulted in excessive multitasking. Whether flicking from screen to screen, or
switching from device, to homework, back to devise.
Millennials are generally comfortable with the idea of
propagating their whole life open to online inspection. Privacy, in the millennial
eye, is mostly a concern of functional settings limiting who sees their online
shares. This comfort with social media means they are good at self-promotion
and fostering connections through online media. They are also 54.7 percent
inclined to sharing memes than Baby Boomers. Millennials use cell phones to view
content more than any other previous generation, and 7 in 8 millennials
own one. Millennials spend 25 hrs per week online. Out of these twenty
five hours, millennials spend on average, 03:34hrs browsing the Internet,
03:12hrs on social media, 02:19hrs watching live TV, 01:47hrs playing video
games (according to The Wall street Journal).
Over 2 in 3 (68%) of millennials said that promotional emails
impacted their purchase decisions at least on a few occasions (Fluentco,
2017).
Most millennials spend time consuming content in the late
evening (8:00-11:59pm)
Millennials, whilst stray from traditional ways of consuming
content, engage most highly with shows that are non-fragmented (continuous) and
have to be watched from start to finish. These include dramas, sitcoms and
shows which require a viewer’s attention throughout. They also do anything in
their power to adapt content to fit their schedule, this may mean recording TV
programs, or even switching to networks such as Netflix or Lightbox that
require a fee, but allow the viewer freedom to when they choose to view
content.
Marketing to Millennials
(Qu 4):
I were to market my film to millennials, I would create my
trailer and place it across multiple platforms. This is because millennials utilize
the most diverse array of networks daily. I would also put my promotional
content onto networks that can be easily accessed on a desktop, since this is where
millennials spend most of their screen time.
Due to the fact that they majority of millennials are much
familiar with technology, I would probably integrate my film into links on
adverts. For example, I would create a social media platform (since millennials
spend on average 3:12hrs per week on social media), with an aesthetic visual
promoting the look and feel of our film with an easy to access 'click the link'
attached to the visual.
Due to the fact that millennials have been inundated with
technology since childhood, and their attention spans have decreased due to the
variety of media content available, I would make any video ads for my film very
brief and full of action, in order to capture their attention.
Millennials are very open to new programs/ creative pathways
in technology, and therefore I may branch out with my advertising, straying
from ineffective traditional promotions. I may add in a fading effect to short
film promotions to encourage viewers to view my content before it fades
away.
Or perhaps Ill
interact with my audience by creating a platform where they have to swipe the ad
either into a trash can or into binoculars (if they want to actually view our
film). In creating something extraordinary, I will lure my audience, who are
more often than not readily accepting to new creative promotions.
For future films, I
would scout out the possibility of show casing our movies into cinemas, due to
the fact the millennials are the highest generation likely to visit the
cinemas, spending 1:15hrs per week on average at the cinemas. (According to the
Wall Street Journal).
Gen Z
Gen Z is the newest generation to be named and
were born between 1995 and 2015. They are currently between 4-24 years old.
They comprise of roughly 25% of the population, which is the largest generation
ever.
Fast Company suggests that “Gen Z have a carefully tuned
radar for being sold to and a limited amount of time and energy to spend
assessing whether something’s worth their time. Getting past these filters, and
winning their attention, will mean providing them with engaging and immediately
beneficial experiences.”
Like their parents, Generation Z have used the
Internet since a young age and are comfortable
with technology and social media. While Gen Z follows millennials closely, these two generations are not
entirely identical when it comes to the social media networks they visit, the
devices they use and how much TV content they consume. Firstly, Gen Z
consume 13.2 hours of TV content per week—significantly less than boomers and
Gen X. Where Millennials main media consumption was from desktops, Gen X ers
mainly consume media through their cell phones. The generations also differ in
their demands. Many studies have suggested that millennials are looking
for great experiences, not great products. But the same is not necessarily true
for Gen Z. A study by Deep Focus showed that 60% of Gen xers are looking for a
cool product over a cool experience.
Other
Statistical Facts
·
Gen Xers spend around 1 in every 3 minutes spent online is
devoted to social networking and messaging, with digital consumers engaging for
a daily average of 2 hrs 40 mins among 16-24s.
·
On average, Gen Z uses their smartphones
15.4 hours per week—more than any other type of device. (Vision Critical)
·
Gen Z consume 13.2 hours of TV content
per week—significantly less than boomers and Gen X.
·
Platform research's incites suggest that
the majority of stories that Gen Z ers post is on Snapchat.
·
72% of high school leavers wish to start
their own business one day.
·
70% of Gen Zers use YouTube for two hours
per day
According
to an infographic from
Upfront Analytics, Gen Z customers respond to
edgy and visual marketing tactics. Videos—especially short ones like those
created via the social network Vine—work particularly well with young
customers. However, Gen Xers not only consumer media, but this “post-internet
generation” help create and shape it.
Wilder expands further by saying that, Gen Zers,
‘Are empowered, connected, empathetic self-starters that
want to stand out and make a difference in the world. They have created a new
Cultural Currency that values uniqueness, authenticity, creativity, share-ability
and recognition. What’s different for this generation is not as simple as the
internet or technology. Technology is an important component, but what’s
changed is this generation’s relationship with culture.'
Furthermore, 80 percent of Gen Z say finding
themselves creatively is important. Over 25 percent post original video on a
weekly basis, while 65 percent enjoy creating and sharing content on social
media.
As 'digital natives', a large majority of Gen Z will be
connected online for at least one hour, and close to half Gen Zers use the
Internet for a whopping ten hours a day! Their total hours online may be the
result of having five screens available to them: smart phones, TVs, laptops,
and tablets which are used simultaneously. This is why the attention spans of
Gen Zers average at 8 seconds.
Generation Z who is most receptive to
influencers. According to a report by Google, 70% of teen YouTube
subscribers see their favorite YouTube influencers as more relatable than
traditional celebrities. For Gen Z, influencers are more than just afternoon
entertainers. Like their predecessors before them, Gen Zers can sniff out
in-authenticity a mile away, especially when it comes to marketing. They are
the most likely generation to install add-blocking software, and hate more than
ever to be pestered by ads. So how do marketers sell their products to Gen Zers
most successfully? They use Influencers who appear more genuine, they
carry their own loyal audiences and the content they produce tends to
outperform the content most brands create internally.
In my marketing approach, I would firstly aim to raise
finance necessary to promote my film through using influencers. Special
mentions in YouTubers videos, or Instagram stars' comments. I would also write
a blog, of create an Instagram to inspire fellow Gen Zers into creating videos,
like we have done. Inspiring their creativity, I hope to positively engage
them, and thus, they will view our film as an example of what is possible for
the teens of today. It will also evoke an authenticity if consumers know a bit
of our back ground and how we have come together to assemble such films.
I would create a
short video to promote our film, since videos are the most common form of media
that Gen Zers connect with. I would make it less than 8 seconds (the expanse of
our attention period). Instead of just showcasing a short video of the
footage itself, I would add snippets of behind the scenes. This will ensure
again that they are engaged with the creativity of the product, not just how
the product can entertain them, which is very hard considering their saturation
of exposure to all sorts of professional short films.
The major
networking program that Gen Zers are progressively using, is Snapchat, so I
would aim my marketing to Snapchat. I may also create my ad to be blinking with
a time limit, to which if they fail to click on the content, they miss out on
viewing it. This will hopefully create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out)
that will encourage Gen Zers to click on my content. I would also play short
video promotions before YouTube videos that are specifically targeted towards
Gen Zers who are interested in creating media, such as before Premiere Pro
tutorials, and other media editing software technologies. This will ensure that
I successfully target Gen Zers who are more likely to view my film than other
Gen Zers, saving my promotional/advertising costs, and making sure any
promotional costs are utilized in the most effective, cost efficient
ways.
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