In a keynote speech at YMS, the speaker emphasizes the importance of marketers earning the attention of young audiences, particularly those aged 14-21, who are constantly evolving. They outline three strategies to connect effectively with this demographic: leveraging technology, maintaining honesty and transparency, and genuinely engaging with youth culture. Successful campaigns will derive from understanding youth needs through research and social engagement, ultimately increasing brand uplift and purchase likelihood.

2. We marketers are so focussed on KPIs, targeting and tight
deadlines… I wonder how many of us stop to think whether
we’ve done enough to deserve attention?
In my keynote speech at YMS on March 11th 2015 I
suggested 3 things we should do to earn that attention.
Director of Community
The Student Room

3. The ages of 14 – 21 in particular is the craziest time
of our lives.
No one has a spare 60 seconds – we have to earn
that right of attention.
And it’s a particularly crazy time because young
people are always changing. Our brains are still
developing until at least 24, if not later in our
twenties. And we’re still learning things we simply
didn’t know before. Youth opinions can change, in
the blink of an eye.
Food, Lectures, Revision on laptops, Using mobiles,
Socialising BUSY BUSY BUSY!

4. We all have a stream of engagement:
If you truly listen and tune into young people’s stream, you can…
• Target relevant ads
• Inform with research, ask, surveys, data
• Hard! involves insight, PR/viral, emotional entertainment or long
term social and content
• Join social conversation, add useful content
• Help them swim faster and better
Or get it wrong and wee in it… (I don’t have a cat photo for that)

5. Since humans first picked up the first rock and killed a
badger, tools have made us more powerful, little super
powers
The internet is the ultimate tool – from here, I can control
my flat’s lights, see the temperature and humidity and live
stream my cat Rumbles… I can even talk to him.
Young people have always lapped up tech to improve their
lives, How does your brand add to the superteens’ powers?
Can be life changing, or it can be as small as telling me a
chocolate bar is out I haven’t heard of before
If you want to add an enhancement to the superteen, make
sure you’re compatible
• Youth want honesty and transparency
• You can’t be their friend one minute and
a corporate brick wall the next
• Works, just make sure you genuinely are
• Don’t be David Brent, be yourself
• Always works, if you’ve mapped the stream,
can you build a speedboat?

6. Objective of increasing brand and sales
They listened properly – they drank (guzzled!) from the stream:
surveys, data, workshop of trials filmed on camera
plus they managed to divert the stream of focus with
engagement on the hub
Results were amazing and delivered on objectives, as well as
a shift in brand uplift, a 7% more likelihood to purchase vs
competitors
24 month partnership
They drink with research, surf with messages in ads, swim
with content and social, then give their speedboats top ups of
fuel from Mark their social manager who is brilliant.

8. hello@thestudentroom.co.uk
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