A key characteristic among many Millennials is the desire to be unique within a group – in fact, it’s important to 71% vs. 38% of non-Millennials. They embrace multiple modes of self-expression. 20% have posted a video of themselves online. Nearly 40% have a tattoo – and about half of those have two to five and 18% have six or more.

Could it because reality TV (designed to find the excitement in “ordinary” lives) exploded while Millennials were teenagers, rewarding everyday people who managed to stand out in their own way?

Regardless of the reason, consumers have come to see customization as recognition that no two people (or their needs) are the same.  Some brands that are doing it well:

• Intel’s Museum of Me makes a virtual museum display out of consumers’ Facebook photos, posts, videos and more.  The result is a brief video tour of one’s very own museum, with personal memories in place of works by famous artists.

• Converse has long celebrated the individuality of their consumers, but they’re taking it to the next level with their full line of “Design Your Own” footwear.  Take a look (below) at a Javelin-inspired shoe we couldn’t resist designing…

• Smart Car offers drivers the ability to have their car painted nearly any color or pattern as part of its “smartExpressions” program.

• And finally – what’s more personal than the street where you grew up? Arcade Fire released the first HTML5 music video, which lets viewers set their own childhood neighborhood as the backdrop where the hero runs through the streets. Viewers can even write sprawling, branching messages to their childhood selves.

What does it mean for marketers?   Brands that make it easy for Millennials to “have it their way” earn a lot of attention, interaction, and loyalty.   How will you rise to the challenge?

In 2011 Event Marketer magazine established the Event Technology Awards competition to “shine a spotlight on the best use of event technology to elevate brand experiences, increase reach, communicate smarter, drive attendance, increase leads, push sales and upgrade the engagement between companies and their target audiences.”

As usual, they charged out the gate at top speed, and we were honored to be on the inaugural ride.  At the awards ceremony on December 5, Javelin was awarded a Gold in the “Best Use of Social Media” category for BACARDI’s “Like It Live” campaign.

Nice and shiny, eh?  Here’s the article in the new issue of the magazine:

Event Marketer says, “Bacardi’s social media crowdsourcing strategy brought fans’ Facebook “likes” to life and transformed each figurative thumbs up into real life experiences for thousands of fans at events in New York and Las Vegas last June. ”

Thank you, Event Marketer!  We had such a blast with BACARDI, our partner agencies, and of course all the consumers who attended – and your recognition is delicious icing on the cake.

For more details on the program, check out this BACARDI “Like It Live” snapshot or “Like It Live” video from DJ Irie and team.

The best fans in baseball have latched onto a furry friend, the rally squirrel, to push the St. Louis Cardinals further into postseason play.  The rally squirrel made his debut during several of the Division Series games in St. Louis and reportedly took a road trip to Philly for Game 5.  Redbird fans have taken him “under their wing” as a good luck charm.

Buschie, as some have dubbed him, has become the most popular personality in St. Louis in just over a week.  There are currently over 50 pages on Facebook dedicated to the little guy, and he has his own Twitter feed.  Untold numbers of t-shirt designs, hats, stuffed animals, and more have been created for fans who want to show their team support by showcasing Buschie and his bushy tail.

Hundreds of news stories have been written, making Buschie even more famous.   Busch Stadium will be giving out rally towels at Game 3 of the NLCS to over 40,000 fans.  I’m sure you’ll hear the catchy Rally Squirrel song playing at the pep rally in Ballpark Village this week as well.  Whether Buschie is the Cardinals’ good luck charm, a fantastic marketing opportunity for local t-shirt manufacturers, or a social media phenomenon – he’s cute and cuddly, and St. Louis has fallen in love with him!  Go Cardinals!

Javelin works extensively with Millennials, the generation born between 1977 and 1994. Children of the Baby Boomers, they represent about 25% of the U.S. population and ¬– at roughly 70 million – are force to reckon with.

As the first generation to grow up with the internet, Millennials embrace technology as a fundamental part of their existence. Did I say embrace? No…digital dependence is the single most defining characteristic of their generation, and it has made them savvier consumers. They are more discerning than previous generations, something that challenges marketers not just to be totally transparent—but to do it creatively.

Let’s have a look at some brands using technology to connect with consumers in an interesting way:

L’Oréal has utilized virtual mirrors to allow shoppers to take a picture and virtually try on makeup and sunglasses. The “mirror” takes into consideration such things as skin tone, facial features, and product color. It also makes recommendations and allows the consumer to share a virtual makeover image with friends online. Ray Ban has used similar technology to allow consumers to try on different sunglass styles virtually.

Retailer H&M launched an interactive mobile & display window activation in which iPhone users interact with H&M clothing and accessories displayed in storefront windows of the retailer’s Manhattan locations. Users choose the items they want to view, capture them with their phones to create their own ‘virtual fashion show’, post images to Facebook, create custom lookbooks, receive an instant 10% off the store’s wares, and are entered for a chance to win gift certificates and a trip to Las Vegas.

The Black Eyed Peas engaged fans with the BEP360 app, an immersive 360-degree, augmented-reality enabled music video that sticks consumers in the middle of the action with the ability to pan around and become part of the action. Added features include pointing one’s phone at the album cover to see one of the Baby Peas pop up and dance to the beat, conducting a virtual Photo Shoot with the Pea of one’s choice, and more.

Nike+ has gamified running by enabling people using compatible personal GPS transceivers (iPhone, Nike SportBand, etc.,) to save their runs, establish and track goals, share routes with friends, challenge fellow runners, monitor pounds burned, and compare performances with others in the community at large. The Nike+ website also provides suggested next steps for each user’s training regime. The “what’s happening now” section displays the most recent results and activity in the user’s country, and the Facebook broadcasting feature allows automatic sharing of the details of the user’s runs.

Millennials will interact with brands for extended periods of time if content is engaging. Digital technology provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase brand attributes and provide intrinsic value to the consumer in a fun way they’ll share with others. It’s up to brands and their agencies to take these tools and rise to the ever-increasing challenge.

Gamification is the new black.  Not familiar with the term?  You will be.

Simply put, gamification uses gaming mechanics and techniques in non-game environments to make things more fun.  It’s not a new concept – just think of Mary Poppins – but the convergence of a generation raised on videogames, the rapid evolution of technology, and the advent of social media have resulted in the marketing equivalent of The Big Bang.

In 2010 corporations spent $100 million on gamification and that’s expected to rise to $2.8 billion by 2016.  Why?  Because it works – and it works especially well with Millennials, the first generation to have television/gaming/computer/phone screens in their faces (or hands) every second of every day since birth.  Traditional marketing is easy to ignore in an over-stimulated world, so successful brands are thinking out of the box.

You’d like an example?  Of course you would.

Coca-Cola has developed a way to give consumers a completely custom product, paired with a fully interactive experience.  Coca-Cola Freestyle touch screen dispensers enable consumers to makes dozens of branded beverages fresh to order from more than 100 calorie and no-calorie brands – including varieties of waters, juices, teas and sparkling beverages that have never been sold in the United States.

Chandra Stephens-Albright, Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development for the brand, says, “It brings back the magic of the fountain of the past, re-imagines it for the future and then takes it a step farther by celebrating the idea that consumers can truly have their say at fountain — with choices tailored completely for them.”

Do you see that?  Tapping into customization and nostalgia all at once.  Nice!  But I digress.

To accompany the real-life machines, the Coca-Cola Freestyle Facebook app lets consumers use a digital vending machine to pick a cup design, mix a custom drink, add virtual ice, name the creation, and share it with friends.  The app contains a map of all the locations of the real-life Freestyle machines to facilitate experiencing it in real life.

There’s also a game app called PUSH+Play, uses the virtual Coca-Cola Freestyle machines as the foundation of a music-based memory game ala Simon.  Players can earn points for accuracy and speed, win badges, share their scores with friends, and of course search for Coca-Cola Freestyle locations nearby.

Other brands are tapping into gamification as well, to varying degrees:

•    Nike+ enables people to track their running progress using compatible personal GPS transceivers (iPhone, Nike SportBand, etc.,) to save their runs, establish and track goals, share routes with friends, challenge fellow runners, monitor pounds burned, and compare performances with others in the community at large.  The Nike+ website also provides suggested next steps for each user’s training regime. The “what’s happening now” section displays the most recent results and activity in the user’s country, and the Facebook broadcasting feature allows automatic sharing of the details of the user’s runs.
•    Audi uses the iPhone as a platform for mobile gaming apps, and Sony’s Playstation Home for building a virtual Audi Space.
•    Ford Fusion Hybrid has gamified greener driving.  The dashboard features a digital tree that flourishes or dies based on how well the driver utilizes the car’s energy-saving technology.  Drivers use the constant dashboard feedback to reduce emissions and keep their tree alive.

What does it mean in the bigger scheme of things?  Brands that use rich media, user generated content, and location-based technology to offer contests, competitions, and intangible or tangible rewards can hold consumers’ attention for longer periods of time, and keep them coming back for more.

From an experiential standpoint, I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

A Critical Mass rider in San Diego

Much is made these days of the incredible power and sway Millenials wield online, and it is justly deserved. However, it is their interactions with brands at retail, in real time, face-to-face, where real insights can be gained.

We own and run an incubator brand, Randy’s Recycled Cycles. It’s a simple model: we take old, discarded, or simply unwanted bicycles, recycle them, and resell them. It’s a largely sustainable enterprise, “green-wise”, and offers great bikes at very affordable prices – all of which are hot points with Millenials.

We knew that going in. What we didn’t now was just how passionate they are about retro AMERICAN-made bike frames, and how much it meant to them to have a “ride” with history! The hottest items in the shop are the 60s Schwinn and Raleigh frames which we powder coat in cool colors, refit with modern accessories, gears brakes, etc., and sell for a great price.

Sure, it’s a custom piece for the young rider, but the driving force behind the purchase is the throwback frame…the silhouette…the look…and the quality of craftsmanship they see and appreciate in the “old style” bike.

There’s a lot written about Millennials’ interest in Americana and their search for authenticity in brands, but through our work for clients and in our brand incubator experience we see it up close and personal, in real time.

Randy's Recycled Cycles, a Javelin incubator brand

Converse has done it again. Is there anything they do that isn’t dialed in to their demo and teeming with authenticity? We think not. Their latest commercial called “History Made and In The Making” celebrates the people – then and now – who made/make the brand.

If you’d like to see more of our love for Converse, check out Gnarly-Eye for the Normal Guy: Skateboard Marketing from a Skateboarder’s Perspective and Converse: Rock ’n’ Roll Medici.

At our recent BACARDI “Like It Live, Like It Together” experiential events in Las Vegas and New York there was an extra video camera capturing some of the excitement for posterity.  Senor Vega, the man behind that camera (and editing, we assume) was nice enough to draw our attention to the final product published on DJ Irie’s YouTube channel.  We like your style, man!

Since a picture is worth and thousand words and video is worth even more, we thought we’d share this with everyone who wasn’t able to attend.  Enjoy!

In June 2011 Javelin and BACARDÍ, the world’s best-selling and most awarded premium rum, broke new social networking ground with experiential program “Like It Live, Like it Together.” Part of the larger “BACARDÍ Together” campaign (embracing social media to encourage real-life get-togethers) “Like It Live” turned BACARDÍ fans’ Facebook “Likes” into real life experiences curated by the fans themselves.

Prior to the event consumers entered to win tickets to the NYC and Las Vegas events, and voted for their top “Likes” including: Slam Dunk vs. Dunk Tank, BACARDÍ Mojito vs. BACARDÍ Cuba Libre, Hip-Hop vs. New Wave, Pizza Truck vs. Taco Truck, and Mechanical Bulls vs. Pillow-Fighting Playboy Bunnies. Top “Likes” were brought to life in true BACARDÍ fashion: NBA legends playing hoops with consumers on the rooftop; world’s largest skateboard/stage; life-sized Sico the Robot and more.

Every BACARDI event needs sizzling musical entertainment, and these events delivered! The New York City event featured Kid Cudi, Tamara Sky, DJ Irie, Aloe Blacc, Eklips and DJ Mouss, Childish Gambino & Evolution of Dance, as well as a few other familiar faces. The Las Vegas event featured Cee Lo Green, Travis Barker and Mix Master Mike, Kid Cudi, Eklips, DJ Tamara Sky, DJ Irie, Aloe Blacc, Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover, Playboy Playmates, NBA legends Ron Harper, Allan Houston and Gary Payton, and more.

After an action-packed evening, consumers enjoyed their final “Like” – a pizza truck – and voiced their delight on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks.

This time even a few Javelinites were caught in action. It sure looks like they’re enjoying their work!

Scroll over the images below to check out the slideshows:

We at Javelin firmly believe that authenticity is key to a successful brand. The skateboarding industry is covered head-to-toe in the bruises and broken bones of authenticity. Birthed out of rebellion and innovation, skateboarding’s forefathers set the tone for originality and the pursuit of progression, which still holds true today. If a brand is really going to be a skate brand, they must fully embody these ideals. For skateboarders like myself, “game recognizes game”- we can smell a fake like a week-old pair of underwear.

Nike and Converse are two brands that have done a great job entering an industry that doesn’t take too kindly to mainstream outsiders. In the past few years, both brands have approached the marketing of their skate shoes through the adventurousness of skateboarding. To quote skateboarding legend Steve Cabellero, “…it’s about the journey, not the destination.” Each brand has exemplified this in video form quite literally – but quite differently.

First up: Nike. Much like the brand’s basketball or golf pros, the skate pros who ride for the Nike team are synonymous with the brand. In the video “Straight Trippin’” Nike pros Chet Childress and Al Partanen embark on a journey from Portland to L.A to New York with nothing but their boards and backpacks. With only a few close-up product shots of the skaters ridin’ and rippin’, the content focuses predominantly on the gnar-tastic adventure  – with Nike’s presence subtly in the background. The brand lives vicariously through the situations at hand and the personalities of the pros.

Next up: Converse.  The brand has a much more commercial, yet equally effective presence in their video “Converse: LA to Vegas”.  Featuring pro Kenny Anderson and a growing mass of skateboarders that follow along, the narrative is a third-person perspective of the journey that showcases the new shoe and what it can do.  Throughout the journey Kenny Anderson performs a nose-manual (skate term for a nose-wheelie) which effectively communicates two things: “Hey look, our KA-ONE shoe is comfortable and durable enough to go on a trip from LA to Vegas on foot!” and “Hey look, our KA-ONE shoe will give you ridiculous skill and balance like pro Kenny Anderson!” the brand not only lives through the situation, but persuades the viewer of its relevance by adding to it.

These are great videos and great examples of how any brand – not just a skate brand – can curate their own authenticity to achieve relevancy and credibility with their target demo.