CultureLab has recently done work for, Saatchi NY, Dr Pepper national account sales, and EDS Credit Union. To learn more, visit us at http://www.culturelabcreative.com/
As an agency that prides ourselves on being rooted in research we are seeing that this is not necessarily the case.
We recently went to LA and Atlanta to do some trendspotting on behalf of one of our Clients, and what we saw developing was antithetical to that traditional belief that Black kids start trends. What we witnessed was that many African American youth are mimicking the fashion, musical taste, and activities of the Williamsburg, Brooklyn “hipsters” and West Coast skate punks. We 
are talking about young people wearing skinny jeans, the hipster scarfs, backpacks, streetwear graphic tees, etc. In addition to the fashions, we noticed that many Black youth in Atlanta and LA were into skateboarding and BMX biking. The icons of this Black hipster movement are Kanye West, Spankrock, The Gym Class Heroes, and Pharrell Williams. The cool clothing brands are no longer Phat Farm, and Sean Jean, they are now Hollister, Ed Hardy, Abercrombie and Fitch, Krewe, The Hundreds, and Crooks and Castles. It should be noted that none of these brands originated from urban hip-hop icons.
Did skateboarding originate in the hood? What about BMX biking? Or the skinny jeans trend? The answer is no. As you may or may not know, these are activities that emanate from the Southern California suburban areas.. So we see this new dynamic at work where suburban trends are shaping the taste of Black urbanites. Our research points to the internet being one of the key catalyst for this new dynamic. My Space, Youtube, celebtity gossip blogs have democratized informational flow. So the influence dynamic becomes two way (suburban to urban, urban to suburban). This is a HUGE trend we see developing that will shape attitudes towards racial identity, and youth trends for years to come. Issues of class also come into play here. The bottom line is that corporations and marketers cannot continue to live on past assumptions. Dynamics are different and agencies like ours will become more valued partners as these dynamucs change so quickly.. Real time research and trendspotting will continue to gain in stature.
Needed to send an email, but had no internet access? Wanted to send a text but had your hands tied? Queue in Jott, a free service that transcribes your voice to SMS text, email, or even a blog post.
Scenario: You are on your way to work but get caught in morning rush-hour traffic. You needed to send an important email to a client, but had no way of getting internet access. Simply call Jott’s 866 number, choose your contact, speak, and it’s sent! Fast, efficient and easy to use. It even allows you and the recipient to review the recording, just in case there were any speech-to-text errors. See list below for other things you can accomplish through Jott:
- Schedule events
-Set up a Reminder
-Text message yourself, a friend, or a group
-Make a blog post
-Search for items, and receive the results in your email
- Get the latest updates on news, weather, and blog updates right in your ear
- Email yourself, a friend, or a group
Living in the digital age, youth and adults alike know the importance of staying connected. And with the California Texting and Driving Law in-effect, it is also important to stay safe and legal. Jott lets us accomplish both through its easy to use service; a perfect solution for our many needs.
Youth and Mobile Tech
Services like this seem to be a natural step in the evolution of mobile technology. With that said, it is critical to acknowledge the importance of mobile tech and services.
Youth and Mobile Facts
- 1.1 billion youth own a mobile phone
- The lifetime value of a mobile youth consumer is $28,000
- By 2010 youth will spend $300 billion on mobile phones and services
Clearly, a market that cannot be ignored.
In the political world, mobile technology has already been recognized as a powerful tool to help reach out and connect with young adults. The Jott the Vote service, for instance, allowed anyone to call and leave a message for any of the presidential candidates.
Even the Pope has recognized its importance, and has used mobile technology to reach out to youth!
Pope Goes Digital to Better Connect with Youth
Straying from their hip hop roots, Chromeo (consisting of artists Dave 1 and P-Thugg) put down their vinyls, and dust off their synthesizers, keyboards, and talk-boxes to explore the genre of electro-funk.
