Some great thinking on using search and content to DOMINATE

Thanks @Ben_Phillips

Converse Domaination from Ross Martin on Vimeo.

Teens - love the web, but not blogging or twitter

Couple different articles on the PEW Research's latest look at online teens. My out take - most people are consumers, rather than creators (hence the blog stats levelling out) and they still want all the content that sits outside the social web, but they want to be able to choose when and where they get it i.e. mobile, social site integration, etc. And twitter... well to me it just feels a little too restrictive, and one sided, for what teenagers what from digital interaction. Thoughts?

First the Guardian's POV:
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Teens prefer reading news online to Twitter

While most teenagers reject Twitter and blogging, 62% of them like to read their news online, US research reveals

Will the next generation read news reports? It looks like it. Some 62% of US internet users aged 12 to 17 are going online for news and political information or find out about current events, said a study conducted by the Pew Research Center published yesterday. During special events such as general elections news consumption rose to 77%.

This is indeed an impressive number, even more so if you compare it with the 73% of teens who use social networking websites or the 89% of boys and 70% of girls who report they have a game console.

It also stands up well compared with the 72% of adult internet users who get their news online, a number that has held fairly constant since 2002 according to Pew. In general, it says the use of online news has increased dramatically since its first analysis, in 2000, when it found just 35% of online adults were reading political news online.

As was expected in all age groups educational attainment and income are positively correlated with getting news online: 81% of college educated internet users get their news online, a figure that drops to 59% with a lower education.

Blogging isn't mainstream, social networking is

Blogging, on the other hand, may become more and more of a side issue. In fact, among all the content creating activities the decline in blogging among teens and young adults is striking as it looks like the youth may be exchanging "macro-blogging" for microblogging with status updates. Since 2006 blogging among teens has dropped from 28% to 14% and among young adults (aged 18 to 29) by 24% to 15%. Some 11% of those aged 30 and over now maintain a personal blog, and 14% of them maintain a personal website.

According to the research, 26% of adults post comments online, a while 30% share online content. Teens on the other hand are enthusiastic online commenters within the social networks. A massive 86% of social networking teens post comments to a friend's page or wall on a social network site and 83% post comments on friends' photos posted to an online social network.

They don't really like to use Twitter, though. While 19% of adult internet users use Twitter or similar services to post short status updates and view those of others, only 8% of 12- to 17-year-olds do so.

Young adults lead the way when it comes to using Twitter or status updates as a third of 18- to 29-year-olds post or read status updates, and they are also the only age group which prefers to use laptop computers to desktop computers.

Mobile internet access is becoming more important

However, the study found out that access to the internet is changing in general. Teens and adults no longer access the internet solely from a computer or laptop but now go online via portable devices such as mobile phones or game consoles as mobile access to the internet becomes more and more important.

And finally some more background figures: 75% of teens and 93% of adults aged 18 to 29 now have a mobile phone. Some 93% of teens aged 12 to 17 go online, as do 93% of young adults aged 18 to 29, and even an impressive 74% of all adults aged 18 and older. Among them, Facebook is currently the most commonly‐used online social network as 73% of online adults have a Facebook profile. More than half of them say they have two or more different profiles.

So what do these figures say, apart from the fact that teenagers obviously like to read the news?

Conclusion

Mobile access to the internet is on the rise, and the reading of news on the platform is likely to follow this development. Offerings such as the New York Times's Times People or the HuffingtonFacebook are likely to become more common to encourage young people to share articles and debate with their friends. Post's deep integration of

That might be a reason why social networking sites such as Facebook are taking over from blogging – as it appears that blogging has levelled out at a figure of about 15% of internet users.

Pew Internet drew data from a survey conducted in the second half of 2009 among 800 young people aged between 12 and 17, and compared these figures with previous research.


And now from Mashable
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Teens Just Don’t Blog or Tweet [STATS]

*/

A new study published today by Pew Internet finds that teens and young adults are blogging less and using social networking sites more, with the prominent exception of Twitter.

Pew’s Report surveyed 2,253 American adults and 800 U.S. teens to get a reading of how they use the Internet, which gadgets they own, and which social media tools they use the most.

Some of the data will surprise you.

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The Internet’s Everywhere

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Here’s a no-brainer: Young adults use the web far more than older adults. In its study, Pew found that 93% of teens and young adults go online, compared to only 38% of adults over 65 years of age. It surprises us that 7% of 12-29 year olds still don’t browse the web, but some just don’t have or can’t afford access.

Among those teens going online, 63% say they go online at least once a day, with older teens more likely to go online than younger teens.

Most are connecting with high-speed connections as well. Seventy-six percent of families with teenage children have broadband connections, while 10% still use dial-up, 8% have no computer and 4% have a computer but no Internet access. For comparison, 49% of families used dial-up in 2004.

The Internet’s getting faster and more accessible. As computer prices drop and Internet access becomes more readily available, we should see these Internet usage numbers continue to rise.

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The Laptop Is More Popular than the Desktop

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In terms of gadgets, more teenagers have cell phones (76%) than a computer (69%). More than half of 12 year olds own a mobile phone, while a rather impressive 83% of teenagers carry a cell phone in their pockets. That number only rises with age — a full 93% of 18-29 year olds own a cell phone.

The mobile trend even continues into the computing realm: Laptops have overtaken the desktop for those under 30. Sixty-sex percent of adults 18-29 own a laptop, while 53% own a desktop. Other interesting trends: Males are more likely to own a cell phone, income dramatically affects computer ownership but not cell phone ownership, and race is a non-factor when it comes to the percentage of adults using cell phones.

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Teens Just Don’t Blog. Or Tweet.

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As you might have guessed, Pew found that teens are avid social networkers: 73% of 12-17 year olds, in fact. They are posting pictures, commenting on status updates and sending IMs.

What they aren’t doing much of, though, is blogging and tweeting.

Pew’s study finds that blogging has dramatically decreased in popularity with the younger crowed since 2006, where 28% of teens reported that they were bloggers. Now that number has dropped to just 14%. Interestingly enough, lower income households (under $50,000) report more blogging than higher income ones. With Facebook (), Twitter () and other social tools to keep your friends updated about your life, blogging just isn’t as necessary.

Perhaps we shouldn’t include Twitter in that list of social media tools teens use, though. As we’ve reported on multiple occasions, teens don’t tweet, and Pew’s numbers don’t disagree with that assertion:

Yes, only 8% of teens use Twitter, remarkably small when compared to most social networks. Only one in 10 high schoolers use Twitter. Among this small group though, the girls are more likely to be microblogging: 13% of 14-17 year old girls reported using the service.

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Conclusions: Teens Aren’t Heavy Content Creators

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First, it’s important to note that most of this data was taken from September 2009. A lot changes in social media in a five-month period.

With that said, though, the trends seem clear: Teens love to be online, but they’re not terribly interested in writing blog posts or maintaining a stream of tweets. Creating content takes time and energy that they’d rather exert on Facebook, texting, YouTube () or other online activities. And of course, they have school and friends.

Let’s face it: Teenagers haven’t had the time to build up expertise, life experiences or a career that would merit content creation. Without that expertise, fewer people are inclined to listen to what they have to say, and without that knowledge, teenagers have less to talk about.

As my colleague Barb Dybwad also brings up, a teenager’s social circle is far smaller and more closely defined than an adult’s network. Perhaps this is why more closed networks like Facebook are more appealing to teenagers than Twitter, which is a completely public experience. Blogging was a more intimate experience a few years back, which could also explain why more teens have abandoned personal blogs over the last few years.

Combined, it means that Twitter just might not be for the average teenager. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Microsoft's Kodu Turns Programming Into a Kid-Friendly Creative Medium

Thanks Next Great Thing for this on microsofts' KODU. This kind of thinking would do well applied to adults!

Do you think HTML is short for Hotmail? Is Java something you drink in the morning? A computer-savvy kid would instantly recognize these as programming languages. So while we have long joked that kids and adults speak different languages, thanks to computers this is becoming quite literally true. Now, a new programming language from Microsoft will make these even more of a reality, deepening the “digital divide” and preparing our kids for the Information Age.

The new language, called Kodu, is made specifically for creating games and is designed for kids. The language is simple and entirely icon-based. Kids program using the Xbox and use the game controller for input. The Kodu language is designed specifically for game development, and programs are expressed in physical terms, using concepts like vision, hearing, and time to control character behavior. While not as general-purpose as classical programming languages, Kodu can express advanced game design concepts in a simple, direct, and intuitive manner.

So the idea is simple; kids can create their own game, play it, and even distribute it to the Xbox live community. In this way, Microsoft is looking to further “programming as a creative medium.” So just as the “creative class” could create their own blog or avatar, now they can program a game and share it with the community.

You can compare this Microsoft move to what Apple did with the desktop and then the iPhone. They basically turned widgets into giant icons, simplifying the idea that the web could fuel lots of individualized utilities. Thanks to computers and phones—and the quickening pace of our lives—we are becoming an increasingly visual culture. The graphically-driven interface of Kodu just reinforces this.

The implications of this and similar efforts will be quite remarkable. Kids today are growing up in a world where they have complete control over their media and experiences with it. As previous generations witnessed the release of the CD, the boom of the Internet, or the emergence of mobile phones, this generation is actually taking part in it; they are protagonists, the programmers of progress. They are learning the tools they will need to further shape the future, to craft and direct our increasingly digitized world.

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The microsoft research post on Kodu: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/

Kodu

Kodu is a new visual programming language made specifically for creating games. It is designed to be accessible for children and enjoyable for anyone. The programming environment runs on the Xbox, allowing rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input.

Programming as a Creative Medium

The core of the Kodu project is the programming user interface. The language is simple and entirely icon-based. Programs are composed of pages, which are broken down into rules, which are further divided into conditions and actions. Conditions are evaluated simultaneously.

The Kodu language is designed specifically for game development and provides specialized primitives derived from gaming scenarios. Programs are expressed in physical terms, using concepts like vision, hearing, and time to control character behavior. While not as general-purpose as classical programming languages, Kodu can express advanced game design concepts in a simple, direct, and intuitive manner.

Screen Shots

(Click to open a larger image a new window.)

Game load / community screen.

"Physical" sensors are used as rule input.

Yes, we have a turtle.

Stick can't walk but he packs a wallop.

Key Features

Kodu provides an end-to-end creative environment for designing, building, and playing your own new games.

• High-level language incorporates real-world primitives: collision, color, vision
• Uses Xbox 360 Game Controller for input — no keyboard required
• Runs on XBox 360 and PC
• Interactive terrain editor
• Bridge and path builder
• Terrain editor - create worlds of arbitrary shape and size
• 20 different characters with different abilities

Mobile Devices For Kids On the Go

Thanks Next Great Thing

June 23rd, 2009 by NGT

For many young people, the mobile phone is a status symbol and an extension of identity. For aspirational young kids and tweens, this is no different. For them, getting a phone is a rite of passage, and the age at which this happens is getting younger and younger. According to Nielsen Mobile, the average age a kid starts using a borrowed cell phone is 8.6, and they typically get their own at 10.1.

However, most handset manufacturers don’t cater this this market — only recently shifting their adult-centric view. Parents may also be relutant to pass back their new iPhone (though we’re seeing this as well). This has opened up a market for special mobile devices just for kids. Here are some of the players:

• Fisher-Price offers the Pixter, a PDA-style portable activity center for kids. It has a color touchscreen and stylus with which children can draw, color and play with, not entirely unlike Adobe Illustrator. Separate software adds more features like math lessons, and an extra snap-on digital camera makes the “phone” just like Mom and Dad’s. While the Pixter is a fun tool, it still seems more like other handheld gaming devices for children than an actual mobile.

• If realism is what you’re going for, Bandai has you covered there with the “Mobile Communicator Smart Berry” for kids. This Japanese “toy” lets users actually email, text and play online games with each other as long as they’re within 10 meters of one another. It works on a wireless network and comes with a keyboard and an LCD touchscreen. Following this TotBerry trend, LeapFrog recently introduced the Text & Learn, affectionately known as the ‘baby BlackBerry.’ It even looks like a giant, colorful version of the real thing. Made for kids ages three and up, the Text & Learn features a full QWERY keyboard and pretend browser, and encourages little users to “text” with the virtual guide Scout.

• For slightly older children with a desire for phone-like capabilities, there’s Firefly Mobile, “the mobile phone for mobile kids.” It has actual voice services and a pay-as-you-go-plan. However, it’s made for smaller hands and instead of a regular dial pad, there are just five keys. Parents use a PIN to program up to 22 outgoing numbers into the phone, putting adults in charge of just who their kids are talking to. The Firefly has struggled to find a market though. Tweens, who now increasingly own real phones, find it too babyish, while younger kids have less of a need since they are almost always with adults. Still, the Firefly can be seen as the training bra of a mobile lifestyle.

• Aware of tweens’ fashion sensibility and love of “real” phones, another contender for the tween market, Kajeet, offers LG, Samsung, and Sanyo phones that parents (with their kids) can customize. The Maryland-based company offers shared payment plans (the kids can pay the texts, the parents can pay the calls), limits for call or text usage, blockable contacts, and GPS for the restless children. On the other hand, Kajeet does not offer any kind of data service, a crucial feature for generation Y.

So what does this mobile mania for pre-teens mean? Some are concerned. In France, there are even new laws in the works that crack down on children’s use of mobile phones. Advertising these devices to children under 12 will be prohibited under the legislation and steps will be taken to ban the sale of any phone designed to be used by kids under six years old.

However, if the trend we’re seing in youth adoption continues, pacifiers will soon come with keypads. If nothing else, we’re breeding a tech savvy generation who will be the next wave in mobile innovators.

Answers to Questions from Twitter on Teen Practices

Thanks Futurelab for this Q&A on teen Twitter usage and attitudes

by: danah boyd

Before I headed to Atlanta to do fieldwork, I asked folks who follow me on Twitter (@zephoria) what questions I should ask teens. Many of the questions that I received were more general questions about teens, rather than questions for teens. Still, I'm going to take a stab at very briefly answering some of the questions that I received based on what I know and what I learned. I am not answering the larger questions that would require pages and pages and my apologies if my short answers are not sufficient but I wanted to at least respond. Thank you all who contributed questions and my apologies if I didn't answer yours.

To all who asked questions about Twitter: average teens don't use Twitter. They may in the future, but they do not now. Those who do are early adopters and not representative of any mainstream teen practice. Because of Oprah and celebs, some teens are starting to hear about it, but they don't understand it and they aren't using it.

@connyb: Parents' concerned with what kids do online, right? I'd ask teens if they know what exactly their parents do at their dayjobs.

Teens do not tend to know exactly what their parents do, nor do they particularly care. (It's important to note that parental concern stems from a position of power, not interest in the actual activities.)

@mauraweb: when they're searching for info, how do they know what info to trust? esp. w/internet searches

Media literacy amongst teens is extremely varied, but the short answer is that most don't know what to trust. They know that they are not supposed to trust Wikipedia because it's editable (and they automatically recall Wikipedia when you ask about trustworthy information.. that's so actively hammered down their throat, it's painful). One girl told me that she trusts websites that "look" like they are reputable. When I asked her about this, she told me that she could "just tell" when something was a good source. And besides, it came from Google. Le sigh.

@AlterSeekers: According to Facebook Era, Teens see email as a "work" tool and prefer to Facebook message. Is this true among these teens?

I was surprised to find that email is deader than ever among teens. As more of their parents and teachers are getting on Facebook (or MySpace), they see little reason to email with anyone. Thus, email is increasingly needed for having an account on various sites and for getting access to or sending attachments. But even when teens do use email for "work", they do not use it for social purposes.

@mirroredpool: What borders to teens place of social networking sites and education? How would they react to using an SNS to do class work?

@annejonas: i'm curious if they want schools involved in social networks or if they like it as a social space outside the realm of formal edu.

This is messy. Many teens have ZERO interest in interacting with teachers on social network sites, but there are also quite a few who are interested in interacting with SOME teachers there. Still, this is primarily a social space and their interactions with teachers are primarily to get more general advice and help. In some ways, its biggest asset in the classroom is the way in which its not a classroom tool and not loaded this way. Given that teens don't Friend all of their classmates, there are major issues in terms of using this for groupwork because of boundary issues.

@shcdean: What future do they see for FB or Twitter.

They don't use Twitter. When asked, teens always say that they'll use their preferred social network site (or social media service) FOREVER as a sign of their passion for it now. If they expect that they'll "grow out of it", it's a sign that the service is waning among that group at this very moment. So they're not a good predictor of their own future usage.

@lazygal: Do they really care about/use school library websites? Twitter? Pageflakes? Libguides? or only if teacher insists?

Nope, they don't. All but Twitter are categorized as school tools and are only used when absolutely necessary and Google won't suffice.

@anindita: My favorite question: read anything good lately?

I asked "Recent book that you enjoyed" on my questionnaire. Half said "none" and most said books they read in school (with a *). Books that were mentioned: City of Bones, Ashes & Glass, A Year of Impossible Goodbyes, The Outsiders*, Drama High Series, Mice and Men*, Catcher in the Rye*, The Poisonwood Bible*, Twilight series (twice).

@texas_sooner: I'd be interested to know if teens denied access to SNS (by parents/choice/SES reasons etc ) feel left out/pressure to join, etc.

Parental restrictions are a huge source of frustration because of a sense of isolation. (As a result, they are typically ignored.) SES is not actually a predictor of non-use at this point except in more rural regions where Internet access is generally absent for the majority of teens. In these cases, teens don't feel left out because they aren't being socially isolated by it.

@SavvyPriya: what is one thing that teens are passionate about?

This varies across teens, but God comes up a lot. The only thing that really competes is friends. Family is also important to some teens. School and sports are also important to some teens. And then some teens have particular hobbies or activities that they love. But God and friends really dominate the passion list.

@paullowe: where do they get their news from and what kind of news do they want to get

Teens primarily get their news from word-of-mouth, not directly from any particular source. School current events and TV time are the other dominant place I hear about. Otherwise, it's generally osmosis. They walk through the living room when their parents are watching the news. Or they pass by a news article when they get online. But they are not directly and intentionally consuming much news at all.

@thornet: ask 'em how they judge whether a news outlet is credible.teens r good @ spotting fakes & phonies;wonder what their news criteria r

They don't watch a lot of news and they have no media literacy training and they're not even thinking about credibility of news.

@andrewmiller: how does having a smartphone change their interactions w/each other on SNS? more photos/videos? faster rumors? have/have-not gap?

A gap is definitely occurring. A smart phone means more more more more more - more SMS, more web consumption, more status updates, more photos, etc. Certain smart phones are desperately desired items. That said, teens are also doing quite well with the iPod Touch + wifi as an alternative. Smart phones are helping them stay more engaged and connected.

@shawncalhoun: Were teens more engaged in politics by Obamas #socialmedia storm? If so has engagmnt continued evolved in2 something new or faded?

Most teens are pretty oblivious to his social media practices. That's actually hitting the college/20-somethings more.

@alexleavitt: Ask them if they feel like they'll want to develop the social Net when they get older: eg., developers developers developers.

No. Most don't associate using social media with computer science or developing software whatsoever. And the classes on programming in their schools aren't helping.

@pbernard: do they still care about changing the ringtone on their phone, even though they make less and less calls?

Ringtones are tricky with American youth because it very much depends on who pays for the phone/ringtones. Among teens who can change their ringtones whenever they want, there's still motivation. The phone still rings (and beeps with new SMSes) and having a cool sound is desired. But of course many teens spend most of their day with their phones on buzz-only.

@harraton: Do they care about their privacy?

VERY much so. But what constitutes privacy for them is often quite different than what constitutes privacy for adults. Privacy is not dead.

@simonchambers: I'd ask how they see themselves helping to solve problems like climate change and extreme poverty...

They don't. Most teens are not that engaged with larger societal issues (except as activities to get into college). This makes sense - they are not part of public life. They have no voice. They don't hear the debates. They aren't exposed to much beyond their narrow worlds. And, for most of them, their parents aren't involved either.

@dougthomas: Teens; what are their thoughts about downloading songs? films? software? without paying for it.

They want access. Their parents won't pay for it. They don't have credit cards. They get what they are looking for by any means necessary. And those who get access to it traffic in that content among their peers who may be less technologically savvy/economically privileged.

@jamesb: how does their mobile contacts differ from social network contacts? When do they crossover?

Mobile consists of their closest friends because of the economics of the phone. Social network sites are their broader peer group. Their closest friends are a subset of their broader peer group.

@alfredtwo: Do teens view all adults in social networking the same or are parents a special case? Young relatives friend me not their parents

Depends on the teen, but many are happy to connect with adults who don't directly hold power over them or who they "trust" - aunts, older cousins, youth pastors, "cool" teachers, etc.

@mjmantey: how aware are they of general advertising/marketing ways and means?

If it has advertising, they think that it means that it'll be free for a long time. But they don't really think much about it.

@mojo_girl: how many email accounts do they have that parents don't know about- do they use same password 4 all #socialmedia ? #teens

They don't use email so it's more a matter of which ones they forgot about. They often forget their passwords so I would guess that they don't use the same password consistently. Of course, they also share certain passwords with their closest "trusted" friends so that gets messy really fast. And they change it when there's a breakup.

@matlockmatlock: OMGSEXTINGWTF?

Continuing to be present and very very messy. Sharing of naked photos seems to be more prevalent in certain teen groups than others and I'm still trying to work out what this means.

Original Post: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/05/16/answers_to_ques.html

Tags:

• danah boyd
• digital living
• online behaviour
• social media
• teens
• Twitter
• young

Great Superbowl ads

(THanks to Futrelab for this post by: Roger Dooley)

Most of us have gotten over our short-lived obsession with the 2009 Super Bowl ads, but at neuromarketing firm Sands Research technologists have been slaving away analyzing all 72 of those commercials. Sands measures viewers’ EEG activity to gauge both emotional and cognitive responses to ads. In addition, they collect questionnaires before and after the ads are viewed.potato_head_RD.jpgWhat makes an effective TV commercial? Dr. Stephen F. Sands, Chairman and Chief Science Officer, says,”We have found that an engaging story that maintains the viewer’s attention throughout the commercial, like this year’s Bridgestone Tire’s Taters (Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head) commercial or Coke’s Heist spot with the animated insects stealing a bottle of Coca-Cola, provides an overall strong and sustained brain response and a better measurement of favorable brand opinion.” Here are Sands Research’s top 10:

1. Bridgestone / Taters - 5.04
2. Coke / Heist - 4.62
3. Pixar / Up - 4.40
4. CareerBuilder / Tips - 4.40
5. Budweiser / Clydesdale Circus - 4.39
6. Universal / Fast and Furious - 4.37
7. GE / Scarecrow - 4.29
8. Taco Bell / Overrated - 4.28
9. Pedigree / Crazy Pets - 4.23
10. NBC / LMAO - 4.20

The number following each ad is what Sands calls the Neuro-Engagement Factor (NEF).

The worst scoring ad in 2009 was E-Trade’s Talking Baby ad, which scored a mere 2.61 on the NEF scale. Sands attributed the poor showing, at least in part, to the fact that a similar ad had been running throughout the preceding year.

Check out the complete comparative scoring of the 2009 Super Bowl ads at sandsresearch.com.

Click here to go to the original post

Mattel to Expand Online Focus in 2009 with Development of Mattel Digital Network

Thanks Businesswire: Unprecedented Demand for New Digital Play Experiences Drives Aggressive, New Initiative For World’s #1 Toy Manufacturer

2009 International CES

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel announced today at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Kids@Play Summit that it will be transforming the company’s online strategy from brand Web site platform to interactive programming and content provider. The aggressive initiative is called the Mattel Digital Network, a new online destination for kids and families that is being driven by the company’s experience and observations about how kids play today. The Network is a gateway to a world of open-ended online play – it will be user-focused and will become the portal to Mattel’s powerhouse brands, such as Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox® and Radica®.

“Today’s kids don’t recognize technology, they recognize magic that engaging play experiences deliver,” said Chuck Scothon, General Manager and Senior Vice President Mattel Digital Network. “Mattel is known for providing magical play experiences through traditional toys, and now with the launch of the Mattel Digital Network, we extend our great play experiences into the digital space for kids of all ages.”

The network is being created with a simple, defining touchstone - that it will be “the place where the kid in all of us comes to play.” Even its name, the Mattel Digital Network, was thoroughly dissected. More specifically, it is truly an all-brand initiative (Mattel), ensures a continued focus specifically on the space (Digital), and requires an ongoing commitment to keeping both the content and each target audience - from kids to tweens and teens to adults and collectors – in mind when building their online experience (Network).

“To put it simply, we will be moving our users into the driver’s seat to let them decide how to interact with our brands, to consume the content they want and even to be a participant in content creation,” Scothon continued. “Through it all, we also recognize that the digital space requires us to iterate and optimize forever – we will never be done nor satisfied. So, when the Mattel Digital Network launches, we will almost immediately start changing the experience and then learn every day how to keep improving it.”

Phase one for the Mattel Digital Network will:

• Discern the age of a child and provide a different experience depending on gender, interests, and level of active participation.
• Be a kid-safe environment with content that is screened, approved and appropriate for children at each age.
• Provide tools to harness the creativity of brand fans to make it not just a place to consume content, but also to provide content.
• Deliver on being a site “for the kid in all of us” – from ensuring our channels will support the personality of each to providing a shopping solution for gift givers.

Deep History Online

An intellectual property powerhouse, Mattel has consistently ranked at the top of digital destinations for several years, behind only traditional broadcast and media players. The company’s online success has been based in an understanding that, for kids, the heart of their online experience is rooted in play, which is what Mattel delivers like no other. From better understanding kids and moms, and their desire for a strong and positive play experience, the company has built a world class online experience that provides a solid and strong foundation upon which to build. This understanding has been at the foundation of every brand website since Mattel’s earliest entry into the digital space with the launch of HotWheels.com™ in 1996, up through today’s fastest growing virtual world ever, BarbieGirls.com™, and beyond. It was also the foundation for a proprietary interactive research tool called the Mattel Playground, which has opened a daily dialogue with hundreds of real moms.

Mattel Products at CES:

Mattel is continually looking for new ways to merge traditional and online play, and is unveiling a variety of innovative products at its booth (Kids@Play Summit – Sands Expo and Convention Center #72600) including:

• Mindflex™ - Have you ever dreamed of moving an object with the power of your mind? Mindflex™, the new mental acuity game from Mattel, makes that dream a reality! A lightweight headset containing sensors for the forehead and earlobes measures your brainwave activity. When you focus your concentration, a small foam ball will rise on a gentle stream of air. Relax your thoughts and the ball will descend. By using a combination of physical and mental coordination, you must then guide the ball through a customizable obstacle course – the various obstacles can be repositioned into many different configurations. Mindflex™ combines advanced technology with the power of thought to create an interactive experience unlike any other – a game where players compete in the ultimate mental marathon!

• Barbie® Digital Nail Printer – As the first product unveiled under the Barbie® brand’s new “Beautronics” line – where beauty meets electronics – the Barbie® Digital Nail Printer connects to your computer and allows you to print custom designs directly onto your nails; it takes only a few seconds and the designs last for days! You can select from 1000s of intricate designs, and even upload your own photos to create a custom manicure perfect for any occasion. The Digital Nail Printer uses thermal inkjet technology and specially-formulated cosmetic grade ink to print directly on the nail surface in full color. A built-in color video camera lets you model nail designs before printing.

• UCreate Games - Ucreate Games puts mash-up creativity and game creation into the hands of kids. Using your computer screen and the Ucreate Games tablet, kids can build and customize unique games using hand drawn lines and a library of fun, interactive game elements, including: drawing templates, photos, sound effects, and recognizable game components. Ucreate Games uses a unique, photographic interface that automatically recognizes game activities and captures the user’s creations. This customizable gaming experience provides an endless variety of challenging game play that the user controls. Ucreate Games includes: drawing table, folding camera, USB connection, software, dry erase drawing supplies, and game template booklet.
• UCreate Music - Ucreate Music is an easy-to-use digital music making system that allows kids to become the ultimate DJ. Kids and tweens can express themselves through creating their own songs and re-mixes with a fun and innovative interface. They can record samples, mix and match loops and create their own music tracks using an assortment of rifts, instruments, runs and backbeats. Plus, kids can share their creations with friends and update and explore new content on the Ucreate Music website. For added entertainment, kids can add in their own voice and sound effects or distortions to their track.
• Xtractaurs™ - Extract, Combine and Fight Online!™ Xtractaurs™ provides kids with the tools to build the ultimate dinosaur online. The Xtractaurs™ experience begins with the Starter Kit, which comes complete with a T. rex action figure, software and Extraction Gun. Connect the Extraction Gun to your Mac or PC and then insert into the dinosaur figure to “extract DNA.” Once extracted, the DNA will unlock an action-packed online gaming experience. As boys collect new dinosaur figures, they will continue to extract dinosaur DNA, unlocking new games and special attacks. Boys can then mix and match online various dinosaur DNA traits, characteristics and fighting abilities to create the ultimate Xtractaurs™ figure. A player can boost the power of his figure in five arcade-style games, collect new DNA in dino action games, and ultimately take on the mighty Megavores™ in battle! But every Megavore™ requires new strategies. Build the wrong Xtractaurs™, and it’s back to the drawing board!

• U.B. Funkeys™ Game Factory Tool - U.B. Funkeys™ is a popular PC-based interactive game where vinyl toy collecting meets casual gaming. The U.B. Funkeys™ virtual world continues to expand as players collect figures and interact through in-game activities and challenges. The Game Factory tool enhances the user experience by allowing kids to unlock new gaming functionality within the U.B. Funkeys™ world. With each 2 Game Factory figures, kids can create their own U.B. Funkeys™ online game and post it to UBFunkeys.com where friends can play and rank their game. *Name subject to change.
• FAMPS™ (Feelings, Attitudes, Moods and Personalities) - Connecting, expressing and sharing are the basic elements of social networking and are core to the way girls stay connected! FAMPS™ takes this form of communication and brings it together with collectible figures that connect and communicate with your Mac or PC via USB and RFID. FAMPS™ figures - Feelings, Attitudes, Moods and Personalities - allow girls to reflect their various emotions through their virtual space. Each figure creates a unique emotional makeover so girls can express themselves in all kinds of fun new ways via their desktop, e-mail, widgets and IM. Girls can also create custom wallpapers, e-cards and more based on their feeling, attitude, mood or personality at that time. Additionally, girls can expand their FAMPS™ world by collecting the individual FAMPS™ characters that can be carried with them as key chains, displayed on their desks or traded with girlfriends.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT)(www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica:® and Tyco® R/C, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. Mattel is recognized as one of 2008's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE Magazine. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands—today and tomorrow.

Digital Moms

Some summary outakes from Razorfish + cafe moms new report ' Digital Moms'. Get the full deal here: http://digitalmom.razorfish.com/publication/?m=4248&l=1&p=1

Here's Going Social Now's outake:

Digital Mom's Purchasing Behaviour Changes When Kids Turn 12, Razorfish study
By Shiv Singh on February 2, 2009 2:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Razorfish just released the results of a study done in partnership with Cafe Mom that examined how Mom's live in a digital world. Digital Mom consists of two companion studies. The first study, conducted by Razorfish focuses on how digital moms are adopting social and emerging technologies. The second study, prepared by CafeMom--the largest social networking site for moms-- concentrates on the role that social media play in helping to inform purchase decisions, among other key trends.

1,500 "digital moms"--defined as women with at least one child under 18 in the home who have engaged with two or more emerging technologies and who have researched, sought advice or purchased a product online in the last three months. Results confirm digital moms have moved beyond email and search, and are now active users of Web 2.0 technologies. The majority of moms are using social networks (65%) and text messaging (56%). More than half of these moms are also gamers, with 52% of them playing games online or via a console.

Some of the Key Findings include:

• Moms with children 12 and older are motivated to adopt new technologies to stay in tune with their children. Of those who use social networks and blogs, almost half (47% and 40%, respectively) monitor their children. Likewise, digital moms of children 12 and older, versus moms with children under 12, are more likely to watch online video, (40% vs. 34%), game (57% vs. 51%), read online consumer reviews (38% vs. 30%), and watch or listen to podcasts (13% vs. 9%); This trend can be explained by different leisure time patterns among women with older children and a compelling interest in understanding their teenage children's digital lives.
• The gap is closing between TV and digital channels in terms of creating awareness and affecting product decisions, and social influence channels are increasingly important. Although TV still has the most impact on creating initial awareness for a product (31%), social influence channels such as online consumer reviews, blogs, social network sites and RSS are highly influential in the learning/researching stage (29%).
• Moms' interests are broad; some interests change by life stage, and some do not. More moms show interest in clothing/fashion and food than in parenting information, with the exception of moms with children under six.

Take a look at the report which is freely available here and let me know what you think. Needless to say, Mom's are an important audience for any marketer and their use of digital technologies is changing at a rapid pace. It's no surprise that word of mouth and social influence marketing play a large role in their worlds. The study was led by Terri Walters who's our VP of Emerging Media and a partner in crime for all things Social Influence Marketing too.

And here an overview from Adage:

Technology No Longer Just Kid Stuff. Plugged-In Parents Still Spy on Their Children, but Most Take to Texting, Social Networking to Feed Their Own Interests
by Beth Snyder Bulik. Published: February 02, 2009

YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- Everyone knows a mom who's joined Facebook to check out what her newly off-to-college daughter is posting (Please friend me. Or else. Love, Mom). Or the business-traveler dad who plays games with his tween son to stay connected while away.

But guess what: Parents aren't online just for the kids. Today's digital moms and dads are texting each other and hooking up with their own friends on social networks. Blending parenting and technology isn't easy, however -- 70% of moms say they have it tougher than moms did 20 or 30 years ago. Razorfish surveyed 1,500 online moms to find out what the 27 million digital moms are doing, and CafeMom surveyed 1,700 members to understand the different types of moms and what marketers can do to engage them.

First of all, "moms use [digital media] for themselves primarily and secondarily for their kids," said Terri Walter, VP of emerging media, Razorfish. They're most interested in fashion and food, regardless of age and their use of online video, blogs and DVRs have become mainstream, in the 29% to 36% range, while podcasting, RSS feeds and mobile-web browsing remain niche channels, used by 10% to 21% of respondents.

They learn about new products from TV, friends and magazines, followed by e-mail, websites, podcasts, search engines and mobile-web browsing. Among mobile-internet users, web browsing was almost as important a new-product source as search engines in brokerage, telecommunications, electronics and cars.

Moms are also watching out for their kids online (or, as the kids might put it, spying). Moms with children 12 and older are more likely to watch online videos and play games -- and are more likely to be doing it because they're monitoring their children. Almost half of the social-network users monitor their children's behavior online; and 40% of blog readers mind their children's blogging habits.

CafeMom identified five segments of digital moms; and three additional psychographic profiles below are from a survey and profile analysis of digital parents by Mindset Media. Take a quiz from Ad Age and Cafe Mom to find out what type of linked-in parent you are.

SELF-EXPRESSER

These 30-something, outgoing women make up 40% of CafeMoms and are eager to connect with other moms. A self-expresser typically has a preschooler at home and is thinking about more children. Her favorite online discussion topics are parenting and shopping, although she still consults her "in-person" friends first. She gathers information and responds to online polls and most likely has at least some college education.

UTILITY MOM

The "veteran mom" denoted by this moniker defines 26% of CafeMoms. She has the most children of the five segments and is usually in her mid- to late 30s with tween-age kids. She spends the most time online, although she is relatively introverted, using social networks mostly to stay in touch with people she already knows. She shares the least number of photos with others, but likes to play games and puzzles.

GROUPSTER

This 30-ish mom is likely to have young, school-age children and makes up 12% of those studied. She's an active online participant, often joining and starting groups, blogging, and asking and answering questions. She is the most influenced by brand sponsorships on social networks but often gets more friend requests than she sends out. She uses private messaging more often than the other segments and is less likely to share photos or answer polls.

INFOSEEKER

Another 12% of the CafeMoms fell into this group, the youngest segment. The Infoseeker is typically a woman in her late 20s with a baby and maybe a toddler, and while she is most likely of all the segments to stay at home, she is also the most educated. She is not very social or engaged online, and instead prefers to go straight for the parenting information she needs. The infoseeker likes reading blogs and looking at other moms' pictures and will even willingly upload her own baby's photos.

HYPERCONNECTOR

The smallest segment of the CafeMom sample is also the most digital. The hyperconnector, in her 40s, has finished looking for parenting advice, for the most part, and is more likely to be looking for online friends to chat with and compare shopping notes. She uses social networking to check up on her teen children online. She blogs and uses personal messaging, and is most likely to respond to open-ended questions and comment on others' posts.

RESPONSIBLE RECYCLERS

Thorough, detail-oriented parents are 24% more likely than other parents to allow their children unrestricted internet access, according to Mindset Media's recent study of 10,000 parents with children under the age of 18. Indeed, the people who consider themselves most accountable are also among the most permissive when it comes to the web. "Maybe it's the expectation that their children will be as responsible as they are in the medium," said Mindset Chief Operating Officer Sarah Welch. Highly responsible people also index high for recycling and use of skin-care products.

SOCIALLY LIBERAL ORGANIC EATERS

Parents who rank low as being dogmatic are most likely to allow their children unrestricted digital and media access. In fact, these non-dogmatics, described as "socially liberal types who disdain so-called moral authorities, especially the conservative kind," are 39% more likely to never restrict internet access, 30% more likely to allow unlimited video games and 40% more likely to give no restrictions on music.

PUGNACIOUS TRUCKERS

So who won't let their kids online? Pugnacious parents, or those unafraid to tell others what they think. They value honesty and bluntness and are 30% more likely to cut the web cord. They also overindex as truck and BMW owners, which makes sense as they tend to be "own-the-road" types, Ms. Welch said.

Interactive e-cast Sharpie billboards

Thanks to Australian Cool Hunter for this post... however, I'm not sure that being allowed and even encouraged to graffiti something in a public space really "satiates" the desire to deface public property as their article suggests. But it is still a nice interactive idea with semi-product demo thrown in. Actually, it reminds me of the Adidas Adicolour campaign detailed here and pictured just below which was much better in my opinion.
Many of us have a fascination with graffiti art, and we sometimes look over our shoulders to make sure no one's watching when we scratch our initials in a freshly laid slab of concrete, or carve them into a wooden desk, or even scribble profanities across the stall door in a public toilet.
The creative minds working for Sharpie, the ultimate in permanent markers have discovered a way to satiate our desires to deface public domain. Interactive e-cast billboards have been scattered around cities, which allow people to experience the rush of creating their own graffiti. Choose some colours, write a message and Sharpie makes it possible for anyone to leave his permanent mark on the side of the bus stop or the public phone or anywhere else billboard advertising may be experienced.

Mobile Fanta App Only Teens Can Hear

Thanks BNET for this

Ogilvy Advertising has created what sounds like an unbelievably annoying Fanta campaign for teens. It consists of a mobile app that uses high-pitched frequencies that those over 20 generally can’t hear. (Your hearing declines with age.) The sounds include wolf whistles, “pssts,” and warnings tagged to words or phrases such as “cool,” “uncool” and “let’s get out of here.”

Ogilvy’s digital strategy director Giles Rhys Jones reports that the noises were played during a presentation of the work to the Ogilvy board and, you guessed it, none of the oldies heard any of them:

Despite the prevalence of ironic t-shirts, difficult glasses and trainers hinting at at least a desire to recapture their youth, no one noticed.

The device was created by “mad inventor” Howard Stapleton, who was responsible for “teen mosquito repellant,” a device that plays classical music outdoors in order to annoy da yoof and make them shuffle along to the bus shelter instead.

Living and Learning with New Media: Findings from a 3-year Ethnographic Study of Digital Youth

Thanks Futurelab for releaseing this report on young people and social media

by: danah boyd

For the last three years, I've been a part of a team of researchers at Berkeley and USC focused on digital youth practices. This project, funded by the MacArthur Foundation, brought together 28 different researchers (led by Mimi Ito and my now deceased advisor Peter Lyman) to examine different aspects of American youth life. As many of you know, I focused on normative teen practices and the ways in which teens engaged in networked publics. We are now prepared to share our findings:

• Two page summary (pdf)
• White Paper - Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project (pdf)
• Book - Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out: Living and Learning with New Media

Already, write-ups of our research have hit the press:

• Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Not a Bad Thing (NY Times)
• Time online teaches kids important skills, study finds (Mercury News)
• ... and many more

Needless to say, we're excited by our research and uber excited by the coverage that we're getting. For years, we've been finding that youth do amazingly positive things with the technology that they use. Yet, during that time, we've watched as parents and news media continue to focus solely on what is negative. We're hoping that this report will help adults get a decent sense of what's going on.

For those who are only familiar with my research, I strongly encourage you to check out the report to get a better sense of the context in which I've been working. I focus primarily on "friendship-driven practices" but the "interest-driven practices" that motivate creative production, gaming, and all sorts of user generated content are tremendously important. I focus primarily on what happens when teens "hang out" but there's also amazing learning moments when they mess around and geek out with one another.

The book is currently available only in draft form but an updated print version will be available in the future. In the meantime, enjoy, and feel free to ask questions!!

Original Post: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2008/11/20/living_and_lear.html

Tags:

• danah boyd
• new media
• research
• social media
• teens
• young

Youth no longer defined by age

Youth No Longer Defined by Chronological Age; Consumers Stay ‘Younger’ Longer

Thanks to Marketing Charts for this post. You can checkout the original article here.

The traditional demographic definition of “youth” is no longer applicable in today’s society, and marketers should target consumers based upon their engagement and participation in youth culture rather than on their chronological age, according to the “Golden Age of Youth” study from Viacom Brand Solutions International (VBSI).

As people worldwide delay the onset of adult responsibilities and stay emotionally and physically younger for longer, it is becoming more acceptable for older people to participate in youthful pursuits. To support this trend, marketers should routinely consider the often-overlooked 25-34 age group a part of the youth market, VBSI said.
“Contemporary youth should now be defined as ‘the absence of functional and/or emotional maturity,’ reflecting the fact that accepting traditional responsibilities such as mortgages, children and developing a strong sense of self-identity/perspective is occurring later and later in life,” the study said.

Indeed, 52% of all 25-34 year-olds agree they still have “a lot of growing up to do,” and this sentiment is highest in Asian (78%) and Latin American (66%) markets.

“Even in these financially challenging times, people are trying to stay younger for longer,” said Kevin Razvi, EVP and managing director of VBSI. “25-to-34 year-olds are continuing to consume music, gaming and the internet and are enjoying the pursuits of their younger years while benefiting from a greater level of personal and financial freedom. We therefore need to rethink what ‘youth’ actually means and how we and our partners can approach this constantly evolving group of people.”

Three Stages of Youth

Though those between 25 and 34 remain youthful, there are some important differences among them and their younger and older counterparts. The study identified three distinct stages of youth: “Discovery” (16-19 years old), “Experimentation” (20-24 years old) and “Golden” (25-34 years old), and found that the youth market has grown to include all three as the differentiation between traditional demographic groups has become blurred through lifestyle choice and spending power.

Key findings:
25-34 year-olds do not respond to the same marketing as teens and those who assume they do are seeing a “youth mirage.” Though they may look similar and access many of the same brands, only 9% of those 25-34 globally said that they would actually like to be a teenager in 2008. Agreement with this statement was lowest in developed markets: Japan (4%), Europe (5%) and the US (9%).

“Golden” Youth are happier, and more confident/secure and gravitate toward premium, understated and often luxurious brands and experiences to affirm their identity. In contrast, teenagers are highly focused on material gain and employ brands to define their identity.

25-34-year-olds are most likely to agree that they are happy or content with their personal life, and are 24% more likely than teens to agree that they “love life.”

More than 80% of the global respondents say that that the 20s should be about exploring life and having fun.

Teens feel under pressure to figure out who they are and where they are going and are 23% more likely than those 25-34 to agree that their life is more stressful. This is particularly true in Europe and in the US.

17% of the global sample who said they’d “made some major decisions in life too early” were the most unhappy and stressed group of 25-34 year olds among all the respondents.

“Traditional adult brands need to adopt a more youthful tone to avoid being seen as irrelevant,” the study said. To support this, 23% of the 25-to-34-year-old global sample feels that financial institutions are aimed at those older than they are; while youthful brands have a new market beyond the core teenage target. In the traditionally young area of technology, one-third of 25-34 year olds agree they’re really interested in new technology, and 66% say that they take the time to learn how things work to get the most out of them.Other regional differences:

Respondents age 25-34 who are married are significantly more likely to be happy (66%) vs. singles (30%).

Only 36% of Europeans and 39% of Asians 25-34 feel like they’re struggling with their current financial situation vs. 55% in Latin America and 51% in America.

71% of 25-34-year-olds agree they feel comfortable with who they are. Those who feel most settled with their identity live in Mexico (84%), India (83%) and Saudi Arabia (82%). Those who are least comfortable are the Japanese (26%).

35% of Europeans would find it strange if someone got married in their early 20s vs. only 20% of Americans and 18% of Japanese.

In general, 78% are optimistic about their future. This is highest in Latin America (85%), lowest in Asia (67%) and the US (72%).

62% of Latin Americans felt they made life decisions too early vs. only 24% Japanese, 37% of Europeans and 50% of Americans.

The study also found that from a global perspective, 25 is the “ideal” age overall. Additional findings and regional differences:

27 is the ideal age to buy a house (25 in the UK, 33 in Japan).
22 is the ideal age to buy a car (20 in the US and UK, and 29 in China).
26 is the ideal age for love (25 in Saudi Arabia and 28 in Mexico).
23 is the ideal age to get a credit card (20 in the US)
19 is the ideal age to travel without parents (25 in Saudi Arabia).
27 is the ideal age to be a parent.
20 is the ideal age to lose your virginity (no differences by region).
22 is the ideal age to move out on your own.
26 is the ideal age to start saving for retirement (23 in US and 25 in Europe and Latin America)

About the survey: VBSI used both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to survey more than 25,000 respondents between age 16-46 in 18 countries. These included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, UK and the US. The survey was carried out between January and August 2008.

Mobile Photosharing

Below is a great list of sites that make it easy for you to download the pics you snap on your mobile to social networking sites etc. Thanks again to NGT.

Zooming in on Mobile Photo-Sharing

BY CHUL

Cameras have become a standard feature on phones. Many young people don’t even carry cameras anymore, but snap shot and low-res shot on their handsets. A bit grainy and blurred? Who cares! They will take convenience over quality any day. And it’s not about content anyway, it’s about socialization.But soon they won’t have to make any sacrifices. As mobile evolves, cameraphones will soon sport 5, even 8, megapixels as the norm. This will only bolster the lifecasting trend–recording and sharing moments via photos and videos. They will increasingly want to share photos and hear comments from others wherever they go. This opens the market wide open mobile photo-sharing platforms, which become yet another tool to connect them with their friends. Here are a few players in the space that caught our eye:

www.shozu.com

A free downloadable application. Once downloaded to your mobile, you can easily upload your photos and videos to over 30 online social network, blog and photo sites. It supports a variety of phones and has features like geo-tagging and friend’s feed.

www.mobypicture.com

Easy way to send your photos on mobile to Twitter, Jaiku, Wordpress, Tumblr, Blogger and Flickr via MMS or email. Your friends will receive your post notification when you upload photos. Only cost for sending MMS by your carrier.

www.treemo.com

Create your customized mobile wap page and manage your photos, video and audio. It’s only for treemo’s online and mobile channels. Subscribe to your friend’s channel and check your friend’s photos in your mobile page.

www.cellblock.com

Create your Cellblock though the website and upload/share photos to other SNS or blogs. You can also access Cellblock on your mobile to view and publish photos.

http://phozi.com

Turn your cameraphone into a Japanese photo booth and add graphics and drawings on the top of your photo. Rate other people’s photos and chat with them on website. Fun, but it’s too bad you can’t send photos from your mobile to other channels.

http://radar.net/blog/

Real-time sharing of mobile pictures and videos with your friends. Key features: the Radar Player lets you share photos from your phone to your webpage or social network; the Radar Notifier lets you know when your friends post and comment.