Hope & Optimism Still Live: 2007-2037

Way back in 2007, AARP held a YouTube contest asking Millennials to answer the question, "Where do you see yourself when you are 50?" This video is a striking example of the hope and optimism of the Millennial generation. We certainly saw it at work in the Obama campaign. Of course, it was pre-Recession era. However, Yankelovich has identified Hope, Optimism and Responsibility as key values at work in consumer life today, as they track consumer's growing engagement in community, charity and civic life. A coming together for the common good.

A trend that inspires!

The Zeitgeist Now?

This wonderful video retrospective by Slate shows how GM tapped into the zeitgeist through the years of its advertising. GM's latest campaign shifted to what Yankelovich has defined as a key, defining value of our times: "Civic Renewal." Consumers coming together for the collective good. A new focus on community life and civic re-engagement. A time where we re-prioritize what's important. A new context for how we consume and give back.

The Millenial generation is on the cutting edge of this new value realignment. Yesterday, I read that most of the 2009 graduates who worked on the Harvard Crimson have decided not to enter journalism, a major shift from previous classes. These grads know journalism is in flux, Many are deciding to "wait it out," by enrolling in civic programs like Teach for America. For these kids, it's not all about altruism. For the very few who have decided to enter journalism, they are keeping it quiet among their peers because they don't want their peers to consider them "schmucks." And for those who are choosing community goodwill, they see this as a productive way to ride out the recession.
Source; Slatev.com, GM The Telltale Heart of America

Engaging Moms in the Great Repression

About 3 years ago, AdAge reported that Renatta McCann (media guru at Starcom), would not approve a media plan to go out of the big house without an online ad strategy. It's an understatement to say times have changed. Today, it seems to make sense that every media plan should have an engagement strategy. Alas, many don't...or won't.

J&J has always been an online pioneer. They just launched a social media initiative targeting moms via MySpace and YouTube. Big-time mommy bloggers and celebs were hired to help spread the news. What's really interesting is the recession message overlay that encourages voluntary acts for the collective good. J Walker Smith (Yankelovich) identified the return to civic life as a "watch-for" trend for 2009. This is one of the first CPG initiatives I've seen that embraces this trend. It's smart to tap into the deep generosity and creativity of new moms.

Excerpt from AdAge:

"The recession aspect is a bit more subtle. The YouTube contest aims to provide new opportunities for moms to use social media to supplement their income. The MySpace program looks to let women who may be out of work remain active by volunteering for causes important to them and enable working women to help out charities whose coffers have been depleted by the recession. "

BTW: the videos on the brand's Youtube channel are darn cute. Every repression needs some cute to uplift us!