The Future of Gaming

Casual and social gaming

If like me you like to keep up to date on what is happening and will be happening in the world of youththen this is an excellent video.  Personally for me it is howing us the way Generation Z may see gaming in their life.  In this video Jesse Schell discusses trends in casual gaming , it is funny and very informative. Worth the half an hour in my mind.

Young girls who self-harm

Girls and Cutting

I have to say that this was never really a subject I knew a lot about, (nor really wanted to). I guess it scared me a little. I have never really spent much time with teens that do it.

So when I got sent this novel it did peak my interest a little, although I am not a great reader of novels, I have to say.

However, I thought I had better do the right thing and read it.

I have to say that the story is gripping and I really cared about the fate of the main character, Willow. The sections where she self-harms are graphic, yet not shockingly so and you really get a sense of why young girls may do this.

It is very rare to read a novel and begin to understand a topic for which you previously knew nothing about, but this book does it and what is more, wraps it up in an incredible and very readable storyline.

After I read this my daughter cam home and told me about one of her friends at school who was cutting and I felt able to have a deep conversation with her about it. I have since lent her the book and she loves it.

If you work with youth, get this book. If you are a parent, get this book. If you have teenage girls, give them this book! It shines light on a topic that may otherwise be left in the dark.

Buy Willow

In the UK from 18th March

Interview with Author Julia Hoban

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A Youth approach to marketing

Gods, Gays and Girls

Lisa of Fink cards and I have recently taken on some Gen Y Buzz Agents to help us hit the ground running (basically young people who will help us get the message out). We wanted innovative ways to get our products out to the people and figured that we needed youth and energy and that we need to butt out and leave them to it. Obviously, they have some guidelines, but that is it. Now they are not marketers, nor do they have any special powers, they are two amazing young adults who love what we do and have drive and determination. We wanted it like this.

So as Lisa and I talked about adult stuff, namely product development, they excitedly planned their strategy, which did to us seem chaotic but we left them to it and tried so hard not to listen.

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Rant: Facebook and Twitter for Business

Twitter and Facebook

I originally write this in October but forgot to post it on this blog

I don’t know about you, but I have noticed a very subtle and yet obvious change in the way I use Facebook. Facebook and Twitter are both great tools for my business, yet in different ways. For me, Facebook is like the common room and Twitter like the water cooler… let me explain!

A year or eighteen months ago, Facebook was a serious business tool and yes, you could engage with clients and have the possibility of getting hired. However, the changes made to Facebook have meant that the once easy-to-navigate site has become very cluttered, which for most of us, is exhausting to fight our way through.

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Gen Y, Gen Z and Coke Happiness

Youth and Viral Video

A lot had been written about the new Coke viral video and the happiness machine. It is a great video and there is no doubt about it, Gen Y love this video, just as the amazing Carol Phillips wrote about on her blog. But I think this campaign is even cleaver than that and coke could be gearing up for Gen Z with this video.

It is obvious why Gen Y like this video. It appeals to their something-for-nothing mentality (please note that I am not saying that this is a bad thing). It also appeals to their optimistic nature and view of the world. They want things bright and shiny and, on the surface, this feeds that. It was only when I showed it to my two children and their friends, one a late Gen Y and one a Gen Z, that I realised the difference.

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Avatar – a movie with Generation Y written all over it.

Youth and Modern Culture

The other day, after listening to people tell me how good Avatar was, I finally went to see it and I was blown away, not only is it a visual spectacular, the acting is amazing (I thought)  and the story like nothing else we have ever seen. I left wondering if this a sign of things to come, putting an end to a movie era.

You see, in the UK we have this sort of joke about a lot of America films, how America is always seen as good and rushes in to save the day and the rest of the world. We think it is quite funny really and we usually walk out, thinking how we would ever survive if it wasn’t for America and then giggle, thinking, “Yeah, let them think that!”

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