Task 1 - Audience Investigation

1. Audience Investigation
The Grid
Task 1, 2 & 3
Unit 10: Engaging with an audience in creative media production
Lucas, Olivia, Stephen

2. Audience Research
Investigation and Profiling

3. Demographic
The audience we will are investigating are young people specifically 16–24-year-olds. We will be investigating what this
type of audience enjoys and why.
Despite their age, this audience carry significant sway when it comes to the bottom line for brands. Fast Co research
[Fast Company, 2018] says Gen Z will account for 40% of consumers by 2020 and they already influence more than $4
billion in discretionary spending in the US alone. Basically, they're a big audience who influence a lot, they're catered to.
Selfhood a program devised by Zak a company that helps businesses mould their marketing towards certain
demographic have said "16-24 is the age you develop your identity. You understand who you are, how you want to
come across to others and what those people may think of you. This period of brain development is underpinned by
growth in what’s called the social brain".

4. Existing Platforms – Instagram, Evolution of icons to the correlation of
audience growth
Throughout the years of Instagram's existence, like most companies, they have slowly and
subtly updated their brand image. This change perhaps coincided with the Apple update
ios8 when they made their app icons simpler, this happened in 2014. They've gone from
looking like the real-life objects to icons with a more abstract design. It seems Instagram
followed suit, originally Instagram's concept as a social media platform was about
photography hence the original logo being of a polaroid camera, next a slightly more
simplified approach but nothing too drastic, you can see detail in the camera lens, body,
flash and some colours on the left. Then 3 years after ios8, they updated their logo again,
being incredibly more simplistic with limited shapes – a square body, circle for lens and
dot for the flash. The colours are a blend of dark blues, purples, light reds and dark
yellows.
This change in branding can be seen across all different social media platforms such
as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. They have all opted for a more clean, simple look
with shapes and colour. This could've been triggered by Apple's demographic shifting
from 2007 (the year the first iPhone was released). The demographic being 25 – 36 and
37 – 55-year-olds before then a phones purpose was to call or text people, so an
expensive phone wasn't necessary until phones got more advanced adding social media
apps. These apps were more accessible and easy to use rather than using social media on
a laptop, platforms such as Snapchat and Twitter succeed as they flourish when people
can use them all day every day. This expanded the demographic for Apple moving to
a younger set of people to 16 – 24 year-olds. Phones have become more than just a
communication device.
With this shift in the demographic the companies slowly
altered their brand image by simplifying their logos to
appeal more to that younger audience. Simple is modern
and modern is gen Z who are the new young generation,
the new young audience.
Age demographic charts for Instagram
and iPhone users

5. Netflix
Netflix started off in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph who had an idea to rent DVDs by mail. By
2007 streaming was introduced so Netflix members could instantly watch series and films. With more
than 200 million subscribers in more than 190 countries, Netflix is the largest subscription video on-
demand platform in the world.
Since 2001 technology has massively progressed
with most people now streaming series and films
on different platforms. From the start of 2001
around 200 million people have subscribed to
Netflix.
When looking at demographics as
to what teenager's (16-19) watch the top three
shows that came up were: Riverdale, Stranger
things and On My Block.

6. Twitter demographic
Twitter is a large social media platform with over 290 million users every month. 62% of 18-24 year
olds use the platform. This tells us that well over half of this age demographic use twitter. Using this
information, Twitter could be a suitable platform for our product.

7. 16 – 24 year-olds general
interests
Film
Cameras
Productions
Music
socialising
Clothing
Working towards
the future
Cycling
Earning money
Social media
Cinema Photography
Veganism
Computer
Football
Editing
Art
Animated shows
Cars
Hobbys taken from survey
Gaming

8. 16 – 24 year-olds general
interests
Film
Cameras
Productions
Music
socialising
Clothing
Working towards
the future
Cycling
Earning money
Social media
Cinema
Photography
Veganism
Computer
Football Editing
Art
Animated shows
Cars
Interests grouped
Gaming
SPORT
FILM & TV
SOCIAL LIFE
PLANS AND DEVELOPMENT
OTHER INTERESTS

9. We conducted a survey to determine and
narrow down what specific interests they
have and why. The first two questions are
general, just determining how is
answering the survey. Gender and age
are vital parts of the demographic. Most
people who answered were male, only
two above female. The largest bulk of the
age are the younger, earlier part of the
demographic. These are still the
developing years; they are still finding
their identity. This will inform what they
are currently gravitating towards. A slight
anomaly is someone in the age range of
25+ answered, their answer will be
interesting to compare to the others. To
see the difference in the demographic.

10. These are the main things mentioned in the responses. Clearly music outweighs the rest of the words. Music has a big role to play in people's lives, no matter their
age. It's a constant form of escapism, most young people walking around have earphones plugged in. Music allows us to reflect on our lives, it gives us space to
think, the song playing is relevant or not. Most musical artists hold views these young people agree with. This demographic want successful young people to look
up to, hence the huge following of artists like Hailee Steinfeld, Shawn Mendes and Billie Eilish (all of which are under 25). Other interests that showed in word
summary was sports and although sports in a big part of young people's lives, no everyone likes it. With music and film, everyone has a favourite song. Most people
(even if you're not huge fans of these) will listen to music and watch the occasional film monthly. Not with sport, if you don't like sport you don't engage with it full
stop.
Here, this graph shows us what categories people chose as what their interests
are. As we can see Film and TV came out on top with 6 people choosing it, that's
more than any other category. This category is very general, and your everyday
person will enjoy certain shows and films, so this doesn't tell us much. What
shows? What films? And why do they enjoy them? From the Netflix research
conducted, most young people like to watch characters similar to themselves.
Shows like Riverdale and Stranger Things, the characters in those shows will be
the same/similar age to the demographic watching. These characters will be
going through the same developmental struggle. This demographic like
characters they can latch onto, relate to, connect with. While the audience also
won't be fighting inter-dimensional beings, they will be probably suffering the
same worries and anxieties the characters are. So, these shows could help in the
sense of being cathartic, and comforting. While this audience loose
themselves in events that would never happen and are very far from reality the
emotions, they are experiencing are very close to home.
Again, the category of sport shows up again in second place. The other
categories are all on the same level of interest. This showing us that fewer
people are actively interested in these subjects.

11. Breaking Down The Grid
Breaking down what 'the grid' means. The Grid being the chosen name of this brand. We need to
create branding around this. A logo that both communicates what content is created and what
The Grid stands for. When I first heard the phrase 'the grid' I thought of linear lines making
squares, interconnected. It's also a tool you use to compose an image, the rule of thirds used in
camera composition. It suggests linear, planned, they dictate pattern.
The dictionary definition “a network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for
locating points on a map).” Grids also have connotations of architecture, with blueprints having a
grid to help draw up the dimensions of the proposed building, this shows organisation and
efficiency.
Other interpretations of the grid being the phrase "off the grid" which means staying completely
away from civilisation, no internet, not social interaction. The complete opposite of what young
people connect to. This could be an interesting thing to explore.
You can also create grids with different patterns and combinations, for example beehive hexagon
style. Grids can make up intricate patterns and algorithms. It can also make up mazes, of course
are things people have to navigate and find their way out of- potential metaphor to use in
branding?

12. Demographics
Age: 16-18
Gender: Males
Characteristics
Personality:
Interests:
YouTube, Social
media, Socialising, Clothing,
Cinema, Music.
Description
Our audience is aimed at 16–18-year old's who are in the developmental
stage of their lives and making plans for their future.
Location: York
Education: York College
Audience Profile
Key psychographics
Key consumers of clothing and
entertainment.
Loyal to a brand.
Social media users.
Music listeners

13. Brand Identity Development

14. Outline for Branding Concept
Our branding will focus on being on relevant, modern and connecting with our demographic
audience. The logo and all the branding that goes with that should be recognisable, the logo should
be able to turn into a symbol, taking away the text. The shapes will be simple, abstract and the
colours should be easy on the eye. We are creating a content social media platform for music, why
and how young people engage with it. How music affects them and where this comes from. It will
also look at how young people react and engage with art. These elements will be tangible and will
connect with this audience while examining them.
Rationale for concept
We are making this because we feel there isn't enough content dealing with, supporting and connecting with
this demographic. It should be fun and insightful. We will make a space for them to enjoy this content and
share their thoughts and ideas.

15. Ideas
Music
Comparing genres of music
Documentary- what types of music young people like and why. Variety
of music taste of the demographic. Interview random people in the
street. Modern, fun to watch. Edited and structured like a song.
Potentially create smaller video content, it's all in the
branding – titling these smaller or larger content
videos. Make them interesting and fun. Perk the
interest of the audience.
Interviews with music creators
Vox Pop
Content Idea Development
Music through the time
Tie in with the themes of the
future and time
Film, video content
We know this audience like
modern

16. Logo Ideas and Plans
First Draft Final logo
Here are two of the logo designs, on the left are
the first drafts with no colour added. One of the
designs focused on the music aspect since that is
what we will be creating content around, the
other simpler using lines to show the grid and to
symbolise a maze. Once colour was added,
ultimately the more music centric logo looked
better.

17. Mood Board
When looking at branding on different platforms one
thing that we liked was the styling of the logo. Nearly
all the existing products used bold bright colours with
simplistic designs. Aesthetically it is really easy on
the eye.