Engaging with a young generation is neither simple nor easy, but it helps to have the right data to inform the creation of content that truly speaks to audiences.
“What they care about is seeing stories about themselves,” Maureen Polo, SVP of Fullscreen Brand Studio, explained to AList. “They want to feel that they’re relevant, that they’re spoken to and that they’re part of the conversation.”
Fullscreen is focusing its efforts to produce content for Gen Z and beyond. That includes original entertainment, influencer marketing, branded entertainment and social content marketing. “There’s a misnomer that the younger generation doesn’t want to engage with content for more than 30 seconds,” said Polo. “We’re actually seeing that at the height of some of our video content, they’re super engaged 14 minutes in.”
While Generation Z is largely (if not entirely) consuming media from their phones and mobile, leading marketers to emphasize digital platforms, not all influencers are looking to remain exclusive to those channels.
Polo explained that “[creators] want distribution everywhere.” They want the credibility that traditional platforms such as magazines and billboards offer, and enjoy being written about by credible journalists that they respect. Sophisticated influencers are thinking about multiplatform futures and formats where their voices are relevant, ranging from OTT and beyond.
Fullscreen is at the intersection between creators, brands and consumers, Polo says, and the company leverages its unique position by educating brands about how audiences behave across platforms. Specifically, it relays how young audiences react to creative content and what motivates them to engage and interact. She notes that the line between creators and consumers can often blur.
While brands must educate themselves technology must also adapt so that more impactful content can be produced at a faster rate, with results that can be measured more meaningfully. But Polo also warns that, even with all the technology and data at their disposal, companies shouldn’t underestimate the value of human creativity.
To underscore this Fullscreen makes a point of putting together teams that match those with high creative intuition with data scientists and strategists to benefit from both worlds. Using data from its direct-to-consumer content, the company is able to inform brands and produce original entertainment, particularly through live events.
Polo predicts that micro and niche communities will continue to grow and evolve with more opportunities for interest groups and those affiliated with them to publish compelling content. At the same time, she believes that influencer marketing will remain one of the most effective ways to reach young audiences in the foreseeable future, as these creators continue to maintain a deep understanding of their audiences.
