Visual Marketing Key in Helping Brands Attract Teens

Sharalyn Orr – Executive Director / Frank N. Magid Associates

As the first generation of digital natives, teens have grown up in an increasingly visual world, and retailers have to keep up with them when it comes to visual marketing. Sharalyn Orr, executive director at Frank N. Magid Associates, spoke with eMarketer’s Lisa Barron about how critical visuals can be in capturing the teen market.

eMarketer: In using digital technology and media, to what extent are teens more inclined to look at things than to read things?

Sharalyn Orr: Instagram, and to a certain extent, Snapchat, are a lot more visually based than some of the older social networks. A lot of it comes down to the image. When teens are looking on YouTube, the thumbnail pictures on the videos have a lot to do with what they’re selecting and what they’re choosing.

eMarketer: Conventional wisdom says that no alternative will replace Facebook the way Facebook replaced Myspace. Do you agree?

“Facebook did what Myspace was trying to do. … It’s hard to imagine something coming along that’s going to get that mass and that will do it in a more effective way.”

Orr: It’s a long way from being replaced by the younger group. Right now, they’re just not going to spend a lot of time there.

Facebook did what Myspace was trying to do. Facebook allows you to stay in touch with your friends and family in an easy way. It’s hard to imagine something coming along that’s going to get that mass and that will do it in a more effective way than how Facebook is doing it now.

eMarketer: To what extent has there been a rise in the use of second-screen and simultaneous media consumption?

Orr: That is completely on the rise. It’s this concept of separate togetherness. For a long time, especially when we were back in a three or four broadcast network world, the TV was the magnet that pulled everybody together into the living room after dinner.

Today, families are again coming back to the living room, but they’re bringing their own devices. They’re having a group experience with whatever is playing, but also having their own individual experiences as they’re using their second screen.

eMarketer: Does teens’ immersion in digital media make them more or less inclined to shop in brick-and-mortar stores?

Orr: It’s all about the omnichannel experience. Even among teens, there’s great evidence of showrooming, reverse showrooming and webrooming. Shopping is still a social experience, something that you want to do together that is part of that teen experience.

Digital media is making teens more informed when they do go into stores. And, there are things that a store can be doing. Nordstrom is doing some interesting things in their partnerships with online shopping community Wanelo, and they’re doing some interesting things with Pinterest as well.

Courtesy of eMarketer