A lot of people comment that it seems like I am “everywhere,” when in reality I don’t travel as much as I used to, although being in the New York area has its advantages for quick meetings, coffees and catch ups. One skill that we are always working on, in addition to listening, is time management, so being able to manage calls, meetings, What’s App and being able to focus on productivity is really invaluable with all the “stuff” that comes at us. Maximize the production, minimize the distraction, and in many cases, the nonsense.
That being said the last week of listening, learning, reading, and of course, showing up, was another interesting one. Of note was again the focus on two key audiences, those under 30 and those over 50, and the challenges and opportunities on building community and growing connections and engagement no matter who you are and what you do.
Let’s start with the younger group, which is always on the mind of forward thinking teams, leagues, brands, media companies elected officials and the like. We all want to engage the younger and make them lifelong adopters. So much was made, rightfully so, about the lightning for debate that Greta Thunberg was at the UN and elsewhere around climate change this week. One side mocked her, another side rallied, and hopefully the middle took notice on how a group of young people found a way to rally support, debate and conversation, especially using social channels. There is a great read in the New York Times (one of several we will link to here) by Charlie Warzel on the Climate Kids 
and their use of media and social channels to create a call to action. The most interesting thing to note is not really about Greta and the cause, it is about how this effort is the latest in a best practice by an engaged social audience (age is not as key as engagement) to be able to drive awareness and agenda REGARDLESS of what the other side is saying. The digital native is used to the white noise and the pushback, and does a good job of sticking to its agenda and embracing the narrative; they worry less about mocking and negativity from an opposition, no matter what the issue, that cannot relate to their thoughts and are more staid in views and certainly don’t want to be challenged by those who may think or look different than them; change is scary, and the socially savvy, who are used to short stints and quick movement, adapt and can move quickly, and more importantly, can build and embrace a global community literally at the tips of their fingers better than other groups who are sticking to the norm when it comes to media and community. While this isn’t really new; young disruptors have been doing this for centuries, what’s new is the ability to engage quickly and without borders.
Taking politics out of the mix, the lessons discussed in the piece apply doe anyone looking to learn about engagement these days. The best practices of consistent messaging, using all forms of media, being authentic in delivery, apply to everyone who wants to use the digital space, and Greta and her supporters gave all a solid lesson this week, whether you agree with her message or not.
Also into the mix was another Times article on Twitch (with Twitchcon this weekend) and how the streaming platform is growing and diversifying. How is it tied to the Climate Change agenda? Share of unique voice. Like social media, the effective use of streaming channels, and other video first platform like YouTube, give the digital native a chance to build and drive an authentic community. While there is not yet a Greta Channel on Twitch or its competitors that I could find, you are seeing not just gaming using live video communities to drive interest, you are seeing cooking channels and in sports, leagues and teams giving the video to the community and letting the individual voices build off of that with their own share of message. It is yet another way that those leaning forward, not sitting back (and regardless again of age) can increase community and impact, be they a personality, a cause, a brand, a movement or yes, even a team or a league.
These elements came up during my visit to Team Dignitas in Newark this week, when I caught up with our former Columbia student Maurice Eisenman. The esports team continues to grow and innovate in a former burger stand in the shadow of the Prudential Center, with their work and messaging revolving more and more around community and culture than just what some may think, which would be gamers sitting in front of a screen playing others. Music, science, healthy living and lifestyle, global messaging, all factor into the ethos that Team Dignitas is proactively building, and they are doing it by using every platform possible to engage with a wider community who shares their thoughts, their values and their drive. Do you have to be engaged with the games they play as professionals? It helps, but the casual fan, especially the digital native, is a bigger target, and like most smart brands, teams and leagues, building a support community who loves the story is so important. While Greta may not be a gamer, you can bet that there are many in the esports community who were involved in discussion this week, so having that connection beyond just a gaming device is so important for a business. Agnostic or tone deaf to the global challenges people are facing can take you out of the mix very quickly and will drive attention and share of voice and influence elsewhere.
Now that is not to say that every conversation needs to involve politics or hot button issues. These themes of listening, community, sharing values, delivering messages, are universal to any topic today. Knowing how and when to sue them is so key.
All of these points were also in the mix on Thursday at the Sports Innovation Lab Board meeting I attended at the NHL as well. The group that Josh Walker and Angela Ruggiero assembled was beyond impressive, and was incredibly engaged around the issue of the next generation of fan. While there were several mentions of “I don’t understand how” a certain group engages differently today, what was not missing was the ability to understand and adapt, be that a team a league or a business that was in the room. Ore on that down the road, but the key point was that theme of understanding change, and adapting to change in an effective way, was refreshing to see and hear.
Also refreshing was our postclass trip up Broadway to the New York Venture Community Sports event as part of Advertising Week. Again a packed house listened to two panels, one on media and one on women’s soccer, and the theme of embracing and understanding change while balancing the business of today was clear on both panels. Community, listening, growing. All exciting to learn from. As we exited that day I also was again intriguing to get another reminder that this effort is NOT just about embracing a younger demo. Our friends at AARP were very much front and center talking about a theme which we have touched on before; that a fifty and older demo is also capable of invoking change and building a global community as it learns how to better embrace the digital space. Somewhere down the line these two groups are going to merge into a very powerful force, as one colleague said when those with 40 years of experience team up with those with four, the result will be shared experiences and best practices beyond compare. We are getting there, just not yet.
So how does Greta and Climate Change really tie to what we do in sports, media and entertainment? Pretty simple. It is not as much the message but the means. Being willing to speak and drive an agenda, being engaged and thoughtful in message, using the tools that are available and creating community and servicing that community is how we all learn and grow. Change is both scary and overwhelming at times no matter what the age. We see that with the emphasis on mental and physical health for teens and seniors these days, and it is reaching crisis proportions. But balancing time, listening, know where and when to engage and then being consistent in message are some great lessons learned from all this week, and we can all take a little step back and figure out how to apply the best practices of those leaning forward to what we do.
Sure it’s daunting, but the challenge is so much more exciting than being jaded and afraid. We only grow by moving ahead, managing our precious time and making a difference, whether you are 16 or 70.
