This week in the Church Marketing Lab discussions, user ‘rawar777’ has an interesting church marketing question that doesn’t get much attention. They ask:
“I am trying to get in the mindset of what is cool for 5th & 6th Graders, does anyone know a good way to do this? What kinds of things can I browse to see what’s happening and how to target that age range?”
So what do you think? Have you had any experience with this?
If you might have any ideas, head over and help ‘rawar’ out.
Tom
August 3, 2007
Facebook and MySpace are usually where I begin. I usually get the Facebook or MySpace usernames and check out their sites. Looking over the information there, their “Wall” or applications they have installed in Facebook really helps give me an idea of what the current teens are interested in, as well as some links to their friends who may not already be attending church.
We’re currently re-evaluating our teen Web site and I’m strongly considering simply having it up as a Facebook community.
Mean Dean
August 4, 2007
I dunno if ‘cool’ is actually the best marketing path.
I mean isn’t that why stuff like ‘Christian Idol’ and other cheap-knock-offs come across … well like cheap-knock-offs?
How about something intriguing yet original? For example, 5th and 6th graders are beginning to look out of elementary school and into middle school.
Why not provide them with some online resources to help assuage their fears?
I mean it doesn’t have to all be droll, boring text – it can be a fake ‘My First Year in Middle School Blog’ where various adults under a single psuedoname put in funny, sad, scary, whatever events that occured to them.
Some videos of what to expect. In other words, feed into their immediate interests – in part because that’s all most kids that age are capable of – but in part because one then doesn’t become some cheap attempt at looking cool by a lAM3r @Dul+
Damian Kinsella
August 7, 2007
Go for the Jr. High look and feel if you want to grab 5th and 6th. Kids want to be just ahead of where they are, for High School, go College, etc. The idea is that over the span of life, our collective response to “lifestyle branding” leans to the middle. In other words, when you’re young you want to be just ahead and when you’re middle age or older you want to be just a few years back.
charlesp22
August 10, 2007
Disclaimer: Chris Hanson
If I were to do a documentary on 5th and 6th grade students, National Geographic style, I would want to observe them in their natural habitats. So, these would be the places I would go:
1)A social networking site
MySpace.com
imbee.com
facebook.com
You can find students that are currently attending elementary or middle schools in your area using the search feature. Each page is like a little multimedia museum of current culture. Listen to songs and bands they have posted, write down what tv shows they are watching, and find out what movies they are excited about, and then use that information to search at these sites:
2)Current mainstream media sites (music, movies, television, books)
imdb.com (movies)
amazon.com (everything)
apple.com/trailers (upcoming movie trailers)
songlyrics.com (music)
billboard.com[top 100] (music)
blockbuster.com [top online rentals]
3)Humor/video sites
break.com
vidmeter.com
homestarrunner.com
nick.com
Find out what the students are laughing about right now. Sort these videos by “Most viewed” and “this week” If you just make a passing comment about any of the content appropriate videos or animations here, you will be allowed in the inner circle!
4) Learn their language:
online language (via wikipedia)
urbandictionary.com
5)A virtual community
vmk.com
nicktropolis.com
imbee.com
This is an online virtual world that tweens and teens are using to chat with each other, play online games together.
Other resources:
Worthy Tween Communities (Blog)
DISCLAIMER: The more I read this article, the more I realized that this could also be a great way to meet Chris Hansen. Don’t be a creep.
charlesp22
August 10, 2007
If I were to do a documentary on 5th and 6th grade students, National Geographic style, I would want to observe them in their natural habitats. So, these would be the places I would go:
1)A social networking site
MySpace.com
imbee.com
facebook.com
You can find students that are currently attending elementary or middle schools in your area using the search feature. Each page is like a little multimedia museum of current culture. Listen to songs and bands they have posted, write down what tv shows they are watching, and find out what movies they are excited about, and then use that information to search at these sites:
2)Current mainstream media sites (music, movies, television, books)
imdb.com (movies)
amazon.com (everything)
apple.com/trailers (upcoming movie trailers)
songlyrics.com (music)
billboard.com[top 100] (music)
blockbuster.com [top online rentals]
3)Humor/video sites
break.com
vidmeter.com
homestarrunner.com
nick.com
Find out what the students are laughing about right now. Sort these videos by “Most viewed” and “this week” If you just make a passing comment about any of the content appropriate videos or animations here, you will be allowed in the inner circle!
4) Learn their language:
online language (via wikipedia)
urbandictionary.com
5)A virtual community
vmk.com
nicktropolis.com
imbee.com
This is an online virtual world that tweens and teens are using to chat with each other, play online games together.
Other resources:
Worthy Tween Communities (Blog)
DISCLAIMER: The more I read this article, the more I realized that this could also be a great way to meet Chris Hansen. Don’t be a creep.