Seek, Scan, Preset, Unfriend

I lunched yesterday with a friend who has two of her children still living at home.  One is an upper-teen and the other is 20-something, so my friend gets daily lessons on life as a member of Generation Y, the Smartphone cohort.

She lovingly described her kids this way:  "we probably coddled them too much when they were children.  Now, they feel entitled and very special.  When they were young, everyone who played got a trophy, no matter whether they won or lost.  The result is that they have high hopes, great aspirations and consider those 500 "friends" on their social networks part of their identity.

"If you do or say something they don't relate to or approve of, they simply "unfriend" you and that way they never have to hear from you ever again."

Translated for radio in 2013:  their parents discover new radio stations by seeking and scanning and once you get on their first preset, you're set for a very long time.  Do something they don't want or like and they'll leave you for a few quarter hours.

Teens, 18-24, and 25-34 are unique.  Fail to relate directly to them, and in an instant they may "unfriend" you.

Forever.

Yesterday, "loyalty"to a radio station or personality was driven largely by habit.  Today and tomorrow, it's all about what are you doing for someone exactly like me right now.

Graphic from "Millenials Rising"