Youth’s 10 Don’ts for Digital Branding

PSFK friend Ruby Pseudo recently published a nice collection of insights on marketing to teens: the Teen Commandments, a primer for brands trying to reach youth in the digital world.  One of Ruby’s compelling findings from her continued research in teen culture was that youth are showing a growing disinterest in social network marketing, with one young research participant stating:

I generally hate – with a passion – all Facebook applications. I currently have 500 unchecked applications. They are of no interest to me whatsoever. I don’t care what celebrity I look like; I don’t care whether I’m hot or not and I don’t have time to draw silly pictures on walls.

Ruby’s full list of ‘Teen Commandments’:

1. Don’t be too flippant and give youth the basic facts they’re looking for; i.e. – What it is? Where can I get it? How much does it cost? etc.
2. Be approachable and accessible to youth.
3. Don’t redirect visitors to another site.
4. Don’t use background music. Youth can see through a false ‘hip’ image.
5. Don’t create a Facebook profile for your brand.
6. Don’t target the emotionally vulnerable with insincere “‘Single? Broken-Hearted?”" questions.
7. Don’t target a small age range, allow your brand to grow with its users.
8. Don’t blatantly rip and appropriate youth-produced content onto your site.  This once again presents a false image, of which youth can see through.
9. Don’t use pop-up advertising.  It irritates rather than entices.
10. Don’t push the boundaries of social network interaction.

…you’re in their (digital) space: they didn’t ask you to be there, and they can’t very well ask you to leave, so talk nicely. And if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all…

The basic message to brands: youth see through false images.  They are aware and skeptical of online branding invading their social networking spaces.  And amongst this growing DIY generation, creativity – genuine, authentic creativity – is king.

[via Ruby Pseudo Wants a Word]