Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/165618
of online marketing, coupons and ordering, they are ideal scenarios for seniors who may be homebound. However, younger people are more likely to be constantly engaged in social media because it is how they connect with the world." It's true that reaching younger audiences through print is harder, Buckingham says, but not because they are completely disengaged from the medium. "It's expensive to buy magazines. Teen girls, for instance, still read Cosmopolitan and Seventeen but don't buy every issue," she explains. "It's still a good place to be but it's that much more important for the message to be engaging and offer readers something they're not getting elsewhere, such as QR codes that lead to more information, recipes or money-off offers." 2 Information is currency. Think of how fast a video or piece of celebrity gossip can go viral. "People want to be the first to share information. It makes them feel smarter," Buckingham explains. "This often skews more toward younger people because they tend to be more fluent in how to pass it on." The key appeal, especially to younger groups, is feeling that they have inside information. This can translate to behind-thescenes videos of how products are made or sourced, slideshows from farms where the ingredients are grown, contests, input on new flavors and so on. Giving younger consumers a say in product development can be especially rewarding. "Digital natives expect that they are part of the loop of the product cycle, not just the end user," McLaughlin says. "Short of having input into the development of the product, at minimum they expect that the company values their feedback." Feeling a part of things is especially critical to millennials, Buckingham agrees. Contribution in a group has been the norm for this generation, and they have always been rewarded for it, first with participation trophies when they were growing up, and now by a feeling of being under the tent. Beyond insider appeal, knowing the what's-in-it-for-me aspect of information is important across generations, she adds, as people want to feel informed and able to make smart decisions. But, Buckingham cautions, messaging doesn't all need to be serious. Being funny works well, she says, pointing to Snickers' "You're Not Yourself When You're Hungry" program that incorporates humor with celebrities across generations for wider appeal. The original, BOTTLE-MATIc 3 YEAR WARRANTY INCLUDED Front and Back! MADE IN USA! For Specialty Food readers, Only $1450! Label any cylindrical container fast and accurately from ½" to 10" diameter, @ Speeds of 1200 Pcs. per hour. NOT THE CHEAP IMPORTED KNOCK-OFF! ISPENSA-MATIC DLabel Dispensers 21 day trial Price subject to change without notice. 28220 Playmor Beach Rd, Rocky Mount, MO 65072 Call Toll Free: 1 (800) 325-7303 or (573) 392-7684 FAX:(573) 392-1757; E-mail: info@dispensamatic.com Web: http://www.bottle-labeler.com 24 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com 2/01/09 STOP Wasting Time Labeling by Hand!