For years, marketers and pundits have struggled to find a label that accurately describes the current group of young adults – everything from “Generation Y” to “Millennial.” But in this increasingly digital age, it makes more sense to define a group based on their online behaviours, rather than merely birth dates. Enter Generation C: the connected generation.
Gen C can roughly be defined as the group between 18-34 years old. But with so many millions of people connecting worldwide, this generation is so much more than that. “It’s a term we use to describe people who care deeply about creation, curation, connection, and community. It’s not an age group; it’s an attitude and mindset defined by key characteristics,” Google explained in a research study released in March.
An astounding 91 percent of Gen C is so constantly connected that they sleep next to a smartphone. But they are not just connected, they are creators; 67 percent upload their own photos to social networking sites. The youngest members of this generation are “digital natives,” having been immersed in the web, instant messaging and mobile phones from an early age. Today, most of this generation connects across multiple screens throughout the day – even multiple screens at the same time.
And they’re not just taking “selfies” – they’re hugely influential in setting trends in both technology and culture. Google estimates that Gen C accounts for $500 billion of spending a year in the U.S. alone, and this group will form 75 percent of the workforce by 2025.
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Digital analyst Brian Solis points out, “With every day that passes, Gen Y becomes far more important to the economy than we can realize. Yet the gap between how Gen Y communicates and connects and how businesses, educators, governments, et al. approach them is only widening.”
Businesses, no matter what size, must understand and respect the values of this connected generation in order to thrive in this new setting. Gen C relies on recommendations through social networks in order to make purchasing decisions. They expect brands to be authentic, and to answer them when they have complaints or questions via Facebook and Twitter.
Tools like YouTube and Instagram have also made it possible for consumers to create and publish content like never before. Smart brands are encouraging customers not just to passively consume advertising, but to participate in producing content that can be shared.
Social Media Week Toronto, hosted by Entrinsic, will take place this year from September 23-27. Our theme for 2013 is “Looking Ahead to 2015″ and we will explore what changes and trends will arise in the next 12-15 months. Learn about Generation C and more as we feature thought-provoking sessions with industry leaders and hands-on master classes. http://socialmediaweek.org/toronto/