MTV WHY US

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THE STATE OF THE VIEWING AUDIENCE TODAYTodd
CunninghamMTV RESEARCH PLANNING
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WHY US?
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RESEARCH TOOLS

• Tracking Study
• 200 Focus Groups Per Year
• Auditorium Music Video Testing
• Viacom Leisure Time Study
• Documentary Series (Ethnography)
• Quad Segmentation Study
• TrendSetter Research
• Weekly Callout/Music Testing
• Online Research Panel
• Bi-Monthly Polls

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WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TODAY?

• Clear difference exists between the younger end
  of our countrys population (Gen Y) and the older
  contingency (Gen X)
• Gen X vs. Gen Y
• Beyond all the differences talked about, there
  are more similarities which exist today than
  differences -- more than ever before, in fact
  (KEY FINDING!)

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Approximately 18-24
GenX
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GenX

• THEIR OWN PERSON
• TRUST THEMSELVES, NOT YOU
• SAVVY

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GenX

• PARTICULAR SOCIETAL CONDITIONS
• Breakdown of traditional household
• World in decay
• Threat of death
• Video savants

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GenX

• RESULTS

• Independent
• Realistic Pessimistic
• Savvy Skeptical
• Can feel stupid worthless
• No sense of permanence or trust

• Nostalgic (play my kind of music
• Demand newer, different, better
• Ushered in the alternative, I-dont-want-to-be-a-
  rock-star rock star movement

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GenX
WHATS HOT

• Males
• MP3s/mini disc players
• vespas
• royal elastics

• Females
• body packs
• kerchiefs/hand-held dvds
• braille jewelry

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GenX
WHATS NOT

• Males
• bar hopping
• platform shoes
• swing

• Females
• chick flicks
• capri pants
• real hair

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Approximately 12-17
GenY
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GenY

• OPTIMISTIC
• STILL FINDING THEMSELVES
• WANT TO ASSOCIATE WITH BRANDS

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GenY

• PARENTS AS ROLE MODELS
• ASPIRATIONAL
• CHOICE-DRIVEN
• VALUE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS
• SOMEWHAT LESS TRADITIONAL EDUCATION (TV!)

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GenY

• PARTICULAR SOCIETAL CONDITIONS
• Empowerment of young encouraged
• Computer whiz kids
• Diversity rules

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RESULTS
GenY

• Hopeful
• Realistic Optimistic
• Smarter than you
• Individual, but not fiercely independent
• Trust friends over others

• Empowered
• Entrepreneurs
• Ushered in vagaries of new music world
  fractionalization of music industry
• - Hip Hop - House/techno
• - Pop - Rap stars
• - Ska - World music

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WHATS HOT
GenY

• Males
• star wars
• soul searching
• IMAC

• Females
• fake hair
• chinese symbols
• bermuda bags

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WHATS NOT
GenY

• Males
• hemp jewelry
• alternative music scenes
• plastic techno clothes

• Females
• neon colors/baby Ts
• north face
• teen heartthrobs

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WHO ARE THEY TODAY?
GenY

• No majority culture
• Media is their bridge Music and Fashion cross
  where people dont
• Nothing to rebel against -- otherness is the norm
• The media generations (born with 72 channels,
  MTV, computers)

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THEY ARE POP CULTURE JUNKIES
GenY

• They must know what is going on around them
• They are rabid consumers of all forms of
  entertainment (much more so than the regular Teen
  or 18-24 year-old)
• Also bombarded by all forms of entertainment and
  media
• But, they want TOTAL CONTROL!!

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BUT ITS NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES
GenY

• Their time is stretched thin
• The speed of life is stressful
• And the future is scary
• They worry most about
• School/grades
• Their future
• Dying young

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WHAT ARE THEY INTO DOING RIGHT NOW?
GenY

• Listening to Music
• Watching TV
• Talking on the phone
• Being with their friends
• Just hanging out
• Playing basketball
• Reading

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BOTH
Biggest issues facing our generations

• 1998 1993
• Violence 48 30
• Education 40 22
• Healthcare 30 12
• Environment 10 36

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THINGS WEVE LEARNED

• How do you market to them successfully?
• Like to be catered to (72 channel mentality)
• Little loyalty though
• Part of a push-button society in fact, leading
  it
• CHOICE IS KING!!

continued...
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THINGS WEVE LEARNED contd...

• B.S. Meter is very high
• Talk in their language (not so hard today its
  everywhere)
• BE OPTIMISTIC -- build on this trend
• Like music thats for them!