The Ypulse 2007 [Y]ear In Review: Part Two
Posted by anastasia on 12-12-2007Below are five more trends that stood out to me in 2007. Again, feel free to post any you think I've missed in the comments.
Print finally embraces the web
Magazine and YA book publishers really began embracing social media this year. Conde Nast launched Flip.com, Hearst bought eCRUSH/eSPIN and began producing webisodes for Seventeen on MySpace. Whether these efforts will succeed still remains to be seen, but they are a huge leap forward nonetheless. At the same time social networks like MyYearbook launched their own online magazine, embracing a more traditional writing and editing format and independent niche magazines continue to launch online and in print. Book publishing also looked to the web to find its YA readers with Penguin really leading the way. Between its ugc cover design content with Piczo, leap into virtual worlds with the YA version of An Inconvenient Truth in Whyville or Penguin UK's launch of the teen-spearheaded Spinebreakers site, Penguin is trailblazing for the rest of the book biz. Harper Collins isn't too far behind with its successful site Harper Teen Fan Lit…YA authors are also getting the message, too, with character blogs and posting videos on YouTube. And of course, now there's Amazon's Kindle as well.
From the Ypulse archives:
What Will The Kids Think Of Kindle?
Can Video Save Teen Magazines?
DIY Web Zines Showing Up On Flip
Teen Review: Flip
It's Too Early To Call 'Flip' A Flop
Ypulse Exclusive: myYearbook Launches myMag
Ypulse Interview: Anna Rafferty of Penguin UK
Ypulse Interview: Amy Gibby, President, eCRUSH
The year of the widget
What began as the MySpace ecosystem, a bunch of sites and applications to add to your MySpace profile expanded into Facebook applications and the new Open Social effort from most of the leading social networking sites. Teens have driven the success of widget makers like Photobucket, RockYou and Slide as well as one of their own, Ashley Qualls, the teen founder of the layout site Whateverlife. You know when the story hits USA Today, it has gone mainstream. Most of these widgets are fun distractions or ways to decorate or personalize your profile though there are some, like Causes on Facebook, attempting to spread doing GOOD. Hopefully Ypulse can join the widget world with our own socially conscious addition in 2008.
From the Ypulse archives:
Maybe Facebook Should Have Partnered With Comedy Central
Ypulse Interview: Lance Tokuda, CEO Of RockYou
And from BusinessWeek Online:
The MySpace Ecosystem: A Survival Guide
The new hit show
Broadband, DVRs/Tivo and Apple's video iPod and iPhone have all transformed how we watch TV, and especially how young people are watching TV. They want it on demand, whenever they feel like it and on whatever screen they choose. They still love their scripted long-form TV shows as long as they can also download them from iTunes or watch them online, but they also are consuming more vlog-like yet professionally produced webisodic shows like Prom Queen and Quarterlife. The combination of DVR ratings, ranking on iTunes, views on MySpace and YouTube and buzz in the blogosphere are all redefining the new hit show.
From the Ypulse archives:
Online Video Is The NewTeeVee
Fast, Cheap & Made For The Web
Prom Queen Wants To Be Your Friend
Social networking for GOOD
I mentioned the Causes application in the Year of the Widget trend, but there has been growth in companies and organizations using social networking for GOOD. Joining existing youth activist networks like YouthNoise and TakingITGlobal are IMPACT on MySpace and Think MTV, not to mention green social networks like Riverwired or all of these. Organizations like Do Something and PETA have also made their sites much more social. It's easy to overlook all of the positive ways young people are using social media when there is so much reactivity and panic around what can go wrong.
From the Ypulse archives:
Think MTV: Can You Have Too Many Sites Doing 'Good'?
Tweens saving what's left of the music business
Personally, I think the battle against music piracy has been lost, and that it's time for the industry to really focus on reinventing itself. It's ironic that it's older artists (meaning older than Gen Y) like Radiohead, Trent Reznor, Madonna and Prince that are publically saying this and experiementing with new models. But in 2007, it was really tweens that added a shot of adrenaline to sagging music and concert ticket sales. Between the artists hatched from Disney and Nickelodeon, and the parents of tweens who are purchasing the music and paying top dollar to see Hannah Montana, the tween music biz is doing just fine.
From The Ypulse Archives:
Lessons From Radiohead
Tweens, Music & Milk
A Little 'Secondhand Serenade' For The Long Weekend
More 'Secondhand' Goodness For Your Weekend
Disney's Secret
December 12th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I think you missed something here. I think there is one thing that people fail to realize. Look at the core demo of HSM and Hannah Montana.
It's comprised of young children who live on a short leash. While a lot of minivans are full of children listening to their own music, parents are a lot closer to what they are listening to at younger ages - before they fully hit teen and start experimenting musically on their own.
What are the odds that a copy of Hannah Montana in the minivan is a pirated copy or downloaded from Limewire? In the category of under age 10 I think you'll see the least amount of tolerance for pirated music by parents - especially when trying to teach right and wrong. That's where the power is.
In years past these CD's would've sold just as many copies, but not achieved as high a spot on the charts. That's simply because the majority of acts have fallen off the map as a result of the music business failing.
In addition, they've done a much better job of getting these CD's in parents faces. Just check out the endcaps at Target, Wal Mart and other big stores (even in JC Penneys Hair Salon).
Also, the never fail to capitalize on holidays. Everything is really picking up now, and even instances of the Easter Bunny had dramatic results as well. HSM and Hannah had a healthy pop and Hilary Duff's release was off the charts as parents looked for a 'safe' gift.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:56 am
This is also the year that marketers began to really harness the access created by the big and niche social networks. There was a time when playing on the socnets meant a not insignificant effort on MySpace. The options are so much broader now as marketers have more destinations and micro universes to choose from (like Facebook, Bebo, eSPIN.com, etc) but they also have teens as a distribution agents to carry their brands to basically anywhere. Recent examples: Ford widgets anchored on AOL, Penguin cover contest on Piczo, Coke Bubbles on Joost, Old Spice on Xbox/360Live.com. The implication is that order is good (and Facebook has really made hay out of that desp need), and with order comes clear measurement of value and the confidence of marketers willing to try new things.