(Originally published July 2005)

David Gensler is considered one of the leading marketers
for the youth and young adult market. He coined the now widely used
term MASH CULTURE and has applied his thinking to brands across
fashion, music, cars and beyond. Last week, IF managed to tempt David
into Manhattan from his native Brooklyn to discuss with us the impact
of Mash Culture on branding, marketing and society as we know it.

Tell me about who you are and what the KDU does?

I am a designer, brand strategist and entrepreneur. Our overall
company, THE KDU, serves three distinct functions. First and foremost
it is a network for some of the top designers, artists, brands and
business leaders. The network brings together top talents with similar
interests and agendas, and then helps to develop and promote whatever
they are pushing.

The "company" side of the KDU is focused on developing family brands such as the Royal Magazine or JB Classics footwear or SVSV
fashion. We share resources such as press or creative development. It
is a great way to keep the infrastructure lean and keep all energies
focused on growth.

Lastly, the KDU functions as a Creative and Strategic service
provider. We consult with some of the worlds top brands, as well as,
smaller hotter brands primarily focused on global youth markets.

How did you get here?

11 years on non-stop work, no vacations and a relentless inability
to settle. I will simply not stop working until the goal is reached. I
also try to look at every problem from multiple POVs. Most people tend
to look at things head on and they spend their lives running into walls.

One of your vocal viewpoints has been about Mash Culture and how brands get adopted by Mash Culture? What’s behind this theory? 

Oh it is more than a theory, and I had little do with its
"invention." I was just looking at the horizon while everyone was
gazing at their shoes singing the praises of the power of "urban."

Brands that thrive in this market segment tend to be radically
different on a number of levels. They tend to place "design" high on
their list of priorities. Whether it is in their packaging or campaigns
or products - design is king.

These brands also tend to avoid convention like the plague. They
understand what to do and act on instinct. They move fast and fluid,
not stopping to test the market’s response, rather, they believe in
themselves and it shows.

These brands are adopted by Mash Consumers, who actively and
aggressively consume, promote and even alter the brands. This happens
organically and can’t be bought or manufactured.

Tell me about the mindset of a Mash Consumer

The mindset is simply what analysts and forecasters have been saying
for years - youth consumers hate to be marketed to, but now technology
has allowed for them to take real action. They can create their own
brands easier and faster than a trip to the local retailer.

They demand the ability to participate, interact and alter the
brands - a notion most traditional brand managers can’t wrap their
heads around.

OK, so are they an easily identifiable demographic then?

Well the easy answer is you "just know", but that is hard to sell to
a large brand looking to penetrate this market niche. The complex
answer… well it is complex. Each case is completely contextual. This
is NOT a demographic - it is a behavior. A shared behavior that exist
globally. It is not a fad or trend. It is here for as long as the youth
market or mass market continues to build connections to each other via
technology.

You say it is not a fad but some might argue with you - where do
you see the influence of Mash Culture in the medium / long term?

Again - this is far from a fad. Also - to get things perfectly clear
- it has little to do with urban culture or hip hop. I have read a lot
of articles recently that are saying "Mash" is the new "Urban"… oh
hell no. That could not be further from the truth. Hip Hop fueled the
Urban buzz which was the last "big thing", and now we are talking about
Mash, but the connections end there. This has nothing to do with
rappers wearing dress shirts. This has to do with globalization and the
youth markets ability to build and control their own media.

Mash has to do with the reinvention of consumer value systems…
naturally created constructs of value and demand. It is funny to see
all the so called hip hop marketing companies scattering to find a new
catch phrase to recapture the momentum they once had. Hip Hop marketing
was simply based on fear and ignorance - primarily white corporate
managers who did not and still continue to not understand that youth
consumers tend to want an easy to understand solutions.

So attaching your brand to a hot fad seems to make sense, but like
most things, what once worked is now the kiss of death. If I see a
rapper flaunting a brand - it is the kiss of death. Rap killed BAPE
which is one of my favorite brands. I loved BAPE and still think it is
an innovative brand. But it’s use of hip hop as an exposure platform
create an over saturation. Now it is as common as any other mass brand.
It is the new Fubu.

We’ve seen some well-celebrated examples of Mash Culture online. What else is happening digitally that you think is important?

Online retail has destroyed most traditional distribution channels
targeting teens. Everyone saw this coming, just no one knew how fast it
would change things. The music industry is still chasing it’s tail
trying to figure out how to make money. These consumers, in the time
span of 3 years, completely reinvented the entertainment industry’s
distribution system. The speed of that change is truly amazing. The
next stage of this will be the mass acceptance of homegrown e-commerce.
Fueled by the mass popularity of Ebay, everyone and anyone old enough
to cash a check can run a store. The technology is already there, it is
already happening. This puts consumers in the driver seat as creators
and sellers. It forces brands to offer goods and services truly
innovative and unique. It also forces traditional retail to re-invent
what it is - why would I EVER buy a CD? Why would I EVER go to a
grocery store? In the near future the mere idea of these activities
seems barbaric.

Maybe there will be a trend to consolidate physical retail space
into giant distribution hubs and the old spaces will be recaptured by
nature? I am not a tree hugger, but I think the world could use more
woodlands and less Wal-marts.

So, who has got it right with this audience, or at least made a good attempt at it?

Apple obviously does little wrong. They understand their audience
and they do not react to trends. They create mass behaviors. I wish
they would develop more deep reaching participation programs for
creators and artists. They are a bit cold outside of their traditional
retail experience. They should promote creation more and use it has the
cornerstone of their marketing efforts. Dancing silhouettes can only
get you so far.

I
like a lot of transportation brands such as Wally Yacht, Confederate
Motorcycles, Morgan Auto and Spyker cars. I think fashion companies
like CP Company, Stone Island or Acronym, that are dedicated to product
innovation are great.

I can’t honestly believe I am about to say this but, the ROC,
especially Roc-A-Fella and RocaWear, have shocked me with their massive
comeback. They cut the dead weight and under the guidance of Jay-Z have
made the all time greatest comeback. No other urban brand can hold a
candle to their credibility or heritage. Like it or not, they weathered
the storm and keep going strong. If they are able to continue to clean
their house and restructure their upper management, no other brand
could match their reach.

http://www.davidgensler.com
http://www.svsv.net
http://www.thekdu.com