A slap which caused many to rethink their copy

Known the "Bobo" ("bourgeois-bohemians"), the "nonos" (fierce adherents of non-consumerism and the dictatorship of the marks). The decryptor drive of trends will now have to familiarize themselves with a new community: "Generation Participation" or "generation P". In an eponymous book subtitled "of the society of consumption society of participation" (), the marketing consultant Thierry Maillet, already author, in 2001, in the terminology of "consumers ' actor", describes the Genesis, then the rising power, finally seized power "generation, which is first class values, more than an age class, even if less than 25 years who grew up with Internet and mobile phone are predominant.

A new avatar marketing intended to fill the "conso" of the newsmagazines topics Step exactly. In a first part historical, educational, and searched the author strives to demonstrate the nuances and the shadow of this ambiguous generation areas. Born of the double shortness of our model of intensive production overexploiting natural resources and the disillusionment of our model of consumption "a hypermodern individual become a hyperconsommateur by the hyperchoix", cruelly summarizes the book "Generation P" arises as a chance for civil society and businesses in need of innovations... as long as they know use the intuitions and needs of that one.

So far, nothing more difficult than to attempt to "scan" this apparition generation between 1995 and 2000, more sweet horizontal exchanges on the Web and its mobile consumption, and surinformée with his multiple connections to the sites. A generation that was able to take advantage of this additional information by developing a strong pragmatism, privileging the strict use of the products value on their ability to produce the dream or emotion. But it is no less a series of questions for businesses. Thus, in the United States, the generation Participation places Google and MSN at the top of their favorite brands, Nokia, Coca-Cola and Microsoft. While no car or clothing brand is in the Top 10 of this ranking (study Global Brands think/BBDO Brussels, 2005-2006). A real puzzle for them.

So far, the advertising could not ignore the phenomenon, so in January 2006, "Marketing Magazine" published a provocative observation: "44 of officials of consumer companies believe that their advertising strategy has not been effective in 2005." A slap which caused many to rethink their copy. "The recent Coca-Cola campaign entitled"The Factory"is symptomatic of this change, says Thierry Maillet.". For decades, Coca has been the mark symbol par excellence of the values of "the american way of life", in particular, the 15-25 years... There, that shows the spot signed by the US Agency Wieden & Kennedy Quite simply, how it manufactures a Coca-Cola. Nothing more.

A steep way to emphasize vanity or impotence of all those who, like Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi (Publicis), continue to build on the ideology of "Lovemarks". On the interest of restoring the emotional link décousu between brand and consumer. Implicitly, Thierry Maillet seems to find lost in advance approach, believing that the economic sphere has been back to the marketing of the application, when the company produced the needs of the consumer, instead of Walnut under a profusion of offers: "50,000 references in France for 750 products purchased annually by a family with two children and 35.000 references for 18 products purchased in twenty-one minutes in American supermarkets"quote the author.

A promise of change

Therefore, the P generation would be developing, according to the second part of the work, to assume the title of new dominant class. Already, she shared with her a portion of the power of decision. Because it is the P generation which dictates now, consumer business, sometimes informally, and sometimes collaborative manner, the design of their products in a spirit of more citizen than its predecessors. "Relativizing the importance of market research, companies build relationships with real consumers, then insists the book. Following the idea of open innovation, Procter & Gamble has improved the efficiency of its R & D unit by transforming it into a platform of creation called Connect Developp. The Group has deepened his knowledge of mothers to the point that other companies do not hesitate to buy him his expertise.

But the how is not Lone Wolf. In France, the manufacturer of food products Marie created "Consumer Direct", a tool dedicated to an understanding of the consumer: "the speech is of less and less down the brand to the consumer, but is in addition to the dialogue." "The program is for us a centre for studies in vivo", feel its leaders. In the same spirit, Unilever has developed a portal that would be the third women's portal in France with 600,000 monthly contacts. The Anglo-Dutch leader offers women to test products to then give their opinion.

Thus, the consumer and the producer are they brought to coconcevoir and then coconstruire the purchased product, leading to a redefinition of their role: "the producer becomes a claimant, while the consumer may become a user," writes Thierry Maillet. A change of status as a promise of renewal for these companies.