To be cool, or not to be

Marketing maven Grant MacDonald offers a top-ten list of ”basic instincts” among teens, targeted by his firm when trying to make a product or service ”cool” to the youngens. If your work involves making sackbut ensembles hip and trendy, this list is worth a look (heaven knows you’ll need the help). In a nutshell the ten basic instincts are:

• Personal Expression: Teens want to be known for having their own styles and identities.
• Social Connection: Teens want to be accepted and validated by their peers for who they are.
• Accomplishment: Every teen wants to be recognized (by peers and parents) as being really good at something.
• Belonging: Every generation has its big identifying issues or generational consciousness. For this generation, it is technological smarts/leadership, diversity and tolerance.
• Freedom: Teens are constantly under the thumb of rules, regulations, authority, parents, expectations and pressure. Think how powerful your brand could be if it offered release and escape to teens.
• Rebellion: Teens define their identities by destroying the rules, taboos, institutions and sometimes smashing the mailboxes that came before them.
• Tribalism: Rites of passage are so important in making a statement that one has arrived on the scene.
• Risk Taking: It is amazing that some of us survive our teens. We were invincible, bulletproof and immortal. We defined ourselves by pushing the envelope and testing the limits.
• Cynicism: Teens define themselves by questioning institutional rules and authority. They want their own set of guidelines, not the ones of previous generations.
• Sexuality: This is about more than sex. It is about allure, control, attraction and influence as a validation for who you are.

Yet, according to design maven Bruce Mau in his Incomplete Manifesto (thanks to Neill for the link), the effort to be ”cool” is both limiting and sad, says he:

Don’t be cool. Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort.