Category: Consumer behavior

Gen Z Women Driving the Digital World: A Look At The Ambivalence and Open-Mindedness Behind It

On By William HauserIn Consumer behavior, TechnologyLeave a comment

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Image Source: Pew Research Center

Its been known since the beginning shift of the digital world and its relentless growth that young consumers are typically the most digitally connect. Yet, after conducting studies researchers have found that Gen Z women (mid-1990’s to early 2000’s) generally prefer products that offer the latest technology, but interestingly enough are very ambivalent to them despite their partake in use. Gen Z women’s interest and adaption of new digital technology is “eight percentage points more than American women overall, and five points more than millennial women” (Mahoney).

Despite this prominent trend of Gen Z women being one of the most adaptive users of innovative technology changes, marketers looking to sell their products have also noticed these women are much less likely to want to always be reached and hold strong opinions that new technological advancement is greatly hurting society (opinions you wouldn’t expect from a group that greatly uses new technology).

After noticing these kinds of demographic and psycho-graphic trends in Gen Z women, what does this mean for marketers, advertisers, researchers, inventors etc. who are looking to target their products to this large market segment? Well to start, they will have to begin focusing on digital devices and other services that Gen Z women can appreciate and view as a solution to some of their opinions. This could include devices that are aware and programmed to reflect this groups desire for privacy at times and helps diminish their skeptical view on technology’s overall well-being to humanity.

“Only 34% of Gen Z women say they’re optimistic about tech’s impact on society, 15 points below U.S. women overall, and 16 points below millennials” (Mahoney). Large technology companies will have to gradually adjust their products in order to stay ahead of this curve in the market. Tech giant Apple has already shown some progress towards this factor by incorporating applications on their market dominating product, the iPhone, which allows users to monitor and track their daily time spent on the device, which essentially helps counteract Gen Z women’s view of the problematic amount of time spent on digital devices.

It is clear how much time and money is implemented on researching different market segments in order for these companies to develop products that not only appeal to these groups, but understand their opinions and viewpoints especially on the digital age’s effect on society. If these businesses are looking to continue to gain the approval and use of specific groups for their products, innovation and recognition must come into play.

Sources:

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/341939/gen-z-women-tech-bivalent-fiercely-open-minded.html

https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/01/17/generation-z-looks-a-lot-like-millennials-on-key-social-and-political-issues/

 

 

How Pinterest Built One of Silicon Valley’s Most Successful Algorithms

On By andreabecassisIn Algorithms, Consumer behavior, Content Restriction, TechnologyLeave a comment

Image and text: https://onezero.medium.com/how-pinterest-built-one-of-silicon-valleys-most-successful-algorithms-9101afdfd0dd

This Medium article talks about a modification Pinterest’s algorithm for its feed. It is interesting to see how tech companies are molding themselves based on true human reactions that come from their users, with the popular and necessary purpose of generating more tailored content. Pinterest has been facing some problems regarding bias and how they channel content towards their users based on two simple questions at the time they create their profiles: their age and gender. Pinterest, like other tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter, want interactions to be more humane and substantial.

The company’s main goal in its first year as a public company is to diversify its algorithm enough and grow beyond its user base of white suburban women. The most complex part of this process is to achieve this goal without alienating their loyal crowd and, at the same time, not stereotyping newcomers. The way Pinterest has been filtering content towards users in the past seems to not be satisfying users who see themselves as exceptions to the norm. “Internal data might tell you that welcoming male users with a bunch of macho images boosts activation rates. What it might not tell you is that some subset of male users is turned off, or even offended, by the implicit assumption that they’re into “man caves” or pictures of “beautiful celebrities” who are all women.”

What Pinterest is finally trying to do is placing users into finer subgroups using an algorithm that lets you modify its understanding of your browser data. A woman who just broke off her engagement might, for example, never come back to Pinterest after joining it for the first time and seeing an overflow of wedding dresses. The new algorithm, then, allows users to manually increase personalization by “turning off” subjects they are not interested in despite it being part of their online behavior. 

This update, however, goes against the general tech rule of not giving people too much power to personalize their own feeds, as that might actually decrease engagement. The idea is to provide users with a news feed that knows better than the users themselves what they want to see. Pinterest, on the other hand, admits that tech’s assumptions and bias might not always put out the best content for their users, and hopes that this new algorithm will reduce complaints and make the app work better for everyone. It is important to point out that this new feature is completely optional, but it will definitely filter out trash content for specific tribes.

Apple Notifies When Their Users’ Location is Being Used

On By marlaynebIn Consumer behavior, Online SafetyLeave a comment

106170365-1570549735005uber-trackingArticle and Image: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/08/apples-new-location-alerts-show-how-often-other-companies-track-you.html

Third-party app tracking has been an issue for the past 5 to 7 years. As our technology becomes more connected, people start to see the dangers this connectivity can pose. Todd Haselton of CNBC wrote an article talking about how Apple’s new iOS software will alert its users when an app is tracking the user’s location. Many phone users keep their location services turned on because it gives them easier access to map and GPS services, they get alerts for the area they are in, and some apps have filters for the user’s location. Haselton urges users iPhone users to pay attention to this alert because location services is how apps like Facebook or Uber target ads to you, they sell all your data to third-parties and allowing them to have your location means they will track you all day and understand what a user does day-to-day. How much time one spends at work, do they buy lunch or pack lunch? Do they eat lunch at all? Do they use public transport? etc. Apps that can track a user’s location can learn all this information and Apple warning users is a great step towards better privacy.

Another interesting point brought up in this article is the use of Bluetooth as a mode of tracking. Android and Apple phones are both making a big push towards wireless everything. Anyone with an iPhone 10 now has airpods, which are headphones that require the use of Bluetooth. Hasleton talks about how apps like, “Dunkin’ Donuts, ESPN Fantasy, GroupMe, CVS, Amazon and others had access to Bluetooth, which could give them the ability to track my location through Bluetooth beacons on storefronts and in other public venues” (Hasleton 2019). Personally, I did not know that Bluetooth connectivity could help track location. It is a bit scary that storefronts have receptors to collect your data while you shop. This phenomenon is not new, but this is a new way to track customers. I knew that apps automatically turn on every permission, but it is a bit annoying that phones do that without the user’s knowledge and then bury the app permissions, so the user has to dig to stop this. It is good on Apple for reminding the users that these apps are using their information and location past when the user allows the app to use it. Although there are so many more steps to take for users to feel safe, this move from Apple will hopefully have users (not just Apple users also) wake up that their data is always being collected.

45% Might Cancel Netflix If Favorite TV Network Shows Depart

On By khelt0In Consumer behavior, Netflix, StreamingLeave a comment

A recent study based on Netflix subscribers found that almost half of Netflix’s subscribers would consider canceling their subscription if networks pulled their content. Networks like NBC, Fox and AMC have content on Netflix that draws a pretty big audience, and some people may even use Netflix strictly for those programs.  Programs like “Friends”, and “The Office” are fan favorites on the app, and NBC could make a lot more money if they streamed “The Office” strictly  on their own services. Other media companies like Marvel have started to take down their content from Netflix for when they release their own streaming service.  We are in a time where every big media company and TV network is starting to come out with their own streaming service to house their content.  There is a big shift from cable to streaming, and the networks are trying to make the most out the opportunity with their top watched content right now on services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime. 

            Netflix started to make some noise in the industry with their original content like Bird Box and Black Mirror.  Netflix has a lot of great in depth  documentaries on a lot of different topics. That is not the majority of their income, so it is going to be interesting to see how they will adapt if the networks follow through with pulling their content. Will they shift their focus, or will they just put more money and time into their original content. 45% is a very high number of subscribers and if those talks are semi serious I would be concerned if I was Netflix. I would be putting a lot of time into think about how we will adapt if those reports become reality.

Twitch opening doors to more diverse content

On By William StroughIn Consumer behavior, Streaming, Technology, Video GameLeave a comment

Twitch.tv, a mostly video game streaming service, is opening up its platform for more than just gaming. The platform that saw over three months 2.7 billion hours of content being viewed by users is far and above the largest streaming platform right now for video games. At peak times more than a million people in just a single category but twitch is looking for how to create a more diverse platform than just gaming. 

At the annual twitch con, which is held in San Diego every year, it was announced that twitch would start creating more categories and avenues users can upload and explore other than gaming. Their new slogan “You’re already one of us.” exemplifies the new mindset of twitch that anyone even you can be apart of the community twitch has created. New talk-shows where users can share anything they want without having to play a game or using the platform to help inform people. This past year, the Great National Debate was released on twitch. Produced by the French government, they streamed for more than 10 hours of debates to reach the young audience of twitch in a way the audience would never find out about any other way. 

Twitch has even entered the sports market with partnerships with Major League Baseball and National Football League. Twitch users can stream the game hosted by streamers in their browser and have a direct chat with the broadcaster. Something non existent in sports broadcasting today. Users can ask questions, interact with each other, and interact with the broadcasters and creates a community while watching sports. This interactivity does not seem to be going anywhere with the advances in technology and could very well be the future of how we receive and interact with the content available to us.

“Disney is mining nostalgia to make Disney+ a success”.

On By marlaynebIn Consumer behavior, Media Covergence, Partnerships & Copyright, StreamingLeave a comment

Disney+ Showcase Presentation At D23 Expo Friday, August 23Article and Image: https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/25/disney-plus-nostalgia-play/

This article is written by Edgar Alvarez of Endgadget. The article discusses the content available on Disney’s new streaming service and how they’re gathering a very large following of people who would use their platform. Alvarez discusses how Disney is sealing the deal to make their platform a huge success and lock in the views. He says Disney is doing this by ensuring all of their content is available to watch. They struck a deal with Pixar and will have every Pixar movie on Disney+ along with every Marvel movie and Lucasfilm productions. Alvarez quotes, “Never [has so much of] our content been previously available, whether you’re nostalgic for your childhood favorites or simply need Baby Groot”. By November 12th, Disney+ will offer over 500 feature films and more than 7,000 show episodes. The other way Disney is attracting even more audiences by rebooting their old TV shows, they rebooted That’s So Raven and just released the promotional clips for their new show Lizzie McGuire, a reboot of their show by the same title from 2001.

I found this article interesting because Disney has a very interesting marketing scheme. They understand the power they have and how much they can produce and their expansive library. By rebooting these d-comm classic shows, they are appealing to millennial’s and gen-z’s. Along with having all their movies from the past and their classic Disney princess films. While reading this article I even found myself thinking, “that’s a really good deal”, because they have so much content that their competitors won’t. They are successfully using nostalgia to sell their new platform because baby boomers will appreciate their nostalgia for Steamboat Willie and other classics, while Gen X, Y, Millenial’s, and Gen Z will appreciate the 90s classic films and the shows they grew up with. They have successfully created a platform every age group will enjoy, which is mind-boggling. It brings up the concern about any competitors although. How will independent artists get found? Will every show and filmmaker have to go through Disney to get their content out to the masses? It’s really interesting to see how competitive these platforms are going to get to ensure they have the most viewers. It also brings a fear about how limited entertainment will get with this much consolidation.

I’ve talked about Disney+ on this blog before but hearing more and more about how Disney+ will be the only streaming service a person needs and that is their goal, is very interesting. Alvarez also mentioned about how Disney might run into huge problems because the sheer scale of their content library might overwhelm their site. I too am curious to see how Disney+ will change Disney and streaming services since if one is to compete with Disney+, they probably have to own their own channel/content conglomerate.

Meet SoundCloud’s Rival Audius

On By khelt0In Consumer behavior, Music, Nielsen, Streaming1 Comment

SoundCloud has been one of the last free streaming services for music and a home for new and upcoming artists. Many artists have made their names public due to the exposure that they received on SoundCloud but that could change. Fan and musicians are sick of SoundClouds expensive hosting costs and their take downs. On the technical and interface side of things, the app and website are slow and lagging to many consumers so that is a concern as well. Audius is supposed to be the exact opposite of SoundCloud and it’s supposed to be a new home for artists and music lovers. It is said that the artists who put their content on Audius will be available to earn 90% of revenue earned. That alone will be a good incentive for some artist to consider putting some of their music on the platform. Another incentive will be that the platform can not take down music themselves.
I found the article interesting because I like competition. I like to hear about a company coming into the market that tries to knock out the top dog. I use SoundCloud occasionally, but because that it doesn’t have a lot of music that I want, in the right versions I tend not to use it as much. It will be interesting to see how many artists begin to make a switch from SoundCloud to Audius and also how many new artists will blow up from the new platform. Audius is incorporating cryptocurrency into the app as well which is new to me, but could be something that can be picked up in the near future if proven successful. https://apple.news/AEbZw042JRKWJjHHok3ut4w

Nike’s Political Commercial wins Emmy

On By Chris ColeIn Consumer behavior, Sports, Streaming, YouTube1 Comment

Nike’s “Dream Crazy” commercial wins an Emmy for “Outstanding Commercial” at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards Ceremony.  This is the first time since 2002 that a Nike commercial has won this award. There is much debate regarding Colin Kaepernick’s relationship with Nike. Many people fully support their collaborations because Kaepernick has become a symbol of justice and equal rights. While others, like President Trump, view him as an overdramatic, sub-par athlete. When this commercial came out the mixed reactions showed in Nike’s stock. According to CNBC, Nike’s stock closed the day after the ad’s release after dropping roughly 3.2%. Despite the drop in the stock market, Nike’s online sales saw a major spike. According to Edison Trends, a digital-commerce researcher, Nike product orders rose 27 percent a few days after the ad’s release. Many contribute this spike to the fact that many customers want to support a brand that speaks on political and social issues. Nike does just that and has made this image a key piece of their brand. They recently announced a pro-hijab campaign with dri-fit hijabs to wear while exercising. They have also been known to toss ideas if they are racially triggering. Nike has successfully branded themselves as trend setters and social innovators. Hopefully, Nike will continue this going forward as they continue to receive support from people of many different backgrounds across the world.

Picture Credits

Time Spent Watching Online Video Expanding To 100 Minutes Daily

On By khelt0In Consumer behavior, Netflix, Nielsen, Streaming, UncategorizedLeave a comment

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/340714/time-spent-watching-online-video-expanding-to-100.html

Time spent watching online video is predicted to expand more than 20% over the next 2 years. The time spent watching online video has been growing at an average rate of 32% a year between 2013 and 2018. The amount of time watching these videos online has continiously increased due to the improvements in the media devices that displays them. Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the massage ” meaning that the channel that the message is transmitted is more important than the content/message. The power of computers increase every 2 years according to Moore’s Law, so the devices to indulge in media will continue to get better.

The content creators like Netflix, Hulu, Premium cable channel’s, put a lot of money and time into original content designed to keep you hooked. In the ending season of Game of Thrones, HBO spent upwards to $15 million in each episode. I’d assume that if a company is willing to put that much money into one episode they are pretty confident that they will make that money back and then some. It is going to be interesting to see who is at the top of the streaming charts in about 5-10 years. Netflix has been the king for the past couple of years, and has created serious buzz with their original content. However, a lot of their subscribers use the service for network TV shows like The Office, Friends, Breaking Bad, Marvel shows and movies. If those networks, and companies were to take their content back like Marvel started to, will Netflix still be at the top of the list. Media giants like Apple, and Disney are coming out with their own streaming service in the near future so it will be interesting to see how things shake up.

Facebook Takes Down Numerous Fake Accounts

On By tue65232In Consumer behavior, Fake NewsLeave a comment

On September 19, Facebook took down 244 accounts, 269 pages, 80 groups, and 7 Instagram accounts that were being run by a Ukrainian PR agency called Pragmatico. The primary reason why the accounts were taken down was due to Facebook believing that the accounts were using the social media platform to manipulate people. Facebook’s head of cybersecurity, Nathaniel Gleicher, stated:

“We’re taking down these Pages, Groups, and account based on their behavior, not the content they posted. In each of these cases, the people behind this activity coordinated with one another and used fake accounts to misrepresent themselves, and that was the basis for our action”.

Facebook went on to discuss how these accounts in particular were acting as if they were celebrities and/or news outlets. The accounts that were taken down were housed in Ukraine and Iraq and the Ukrainian PR firm was spending $1.6 million on Facebook and Instagram ads in order to influence the masses.

This is extremely concerning to me because myself and many individuals get their information from social media platforms and its harder and harder to tell what is real and what is fake. I think we can all appreciate how Facebook is taking action and doing what needs to done in order to keep the social media platforms secured for their users.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-swats-ukrainian-pr-agency-that-spends-million-on-ads-for-fake-accounts-2019-9