Young Lust 2

A fascinating, controversial video has been exploding on YouTube, and after this week’s blog about youth – “Young Lust” – I thought you should see it.

Called “We Are The Future,” it was produced by the ad agency PHD in the UK, and it has generated a ton of noise and static for all sorts of reasons.

Email recipients click here to view the video

But if you get beyond accusations of child exploitation and PHD’s apparent ham-handed approach to deleting some negative comments, there’s something here – a clarion call that all of us in media, advertising, and marketing better bring our "A" games to connect with the up and coming generation.

Hopefully, it will give you something to think about over a relaxing weekend.

Thanks to WXYZ-TV’s Stephen Clark who tweeted about this last night.

Comments

[Dan Kelley]

Some pretty strong reality there Fred..thank you for sharing.

[Fred]

Thanks for the comment, Dan. That video has a variety of problems that critics have harped on, but the overriding message is powerful. Appreciate you reading our blog.

[Kdwilliams]

We haven't courted the youth market in some time. There is a lost generation of consumers who either don't bother with us for many reasons or listen to us incrementally.

All lusting for the young aside, how do you combat this forward? What steps can and should be done? The answer to these questions lies in if the radio industry is willing to go into rebuilding mode with younger and more progressive thought and management leadership.

[I Am]

Blah, blah, same tired story generation after generation. Nothing has changed except the faces.

[Fred]

KD, thanks for the note. It's a cultural issue in radio because radio has neglected youth for SO long. (And has the radio industry simply written off an entire generation - or two?) And "blah blah" is right, because these are universal issues with a digital veneer. But radio did a wonderful job in previous decades being the voice of kids. Is that the case today?