Here are my reflections after mingling with 15,727 Web Summit attendees.

Gen Z

These discussions led to my biggest aha moment. Their age segment covers 1997 to 2012, which puts them at 13-28 years old (I live with two), and these digital-native humans are making big waves in media, marketing and across the world.

I realize I’ve been underestimating the importance of the Gen Z segment. In radio and TV advertising, selling an d buying is largely A25 – 54 / 64. There’s an accepted culture of regaling and highlighting the purchasing power of consumers, 30+. 

Meantime, digital marketers are eyes wide-open and leaning into the importance of Gen Z consumers; not just for their purchases, but their impact on marketing going forward.

In the words of Chief Marketing Officer Charlotte Mostaed of Health-Ade, whose background includes brand management for Procter & Gamble and POM beverages, “Gen Z creates tension. They call us out and demand transparency while not having the buying power of the older segments. They’re inspirational and authentic.”

In these circles, Gen Z is respected for being values-driven, socially responsible and diverse. They expect two-way communication and for brands to be responsive and authentic. 

The advice is for companies to be very active in the DMs (Direct Messages) and chats. Hasn’t radio been great at this for decades? Personalities and newsreaders are one-to-one communicators, taking listener calls and requests and delighting people at community and client events.

Also, here’s a fun fact: in broadcast buying terms, Gen Z already represents four years of the A25-54 demo. In five short years, they’ll represent 1/3 of this key demo.

AI

Who knew there’d be hundreds of AI references and discussions across four days? Everyone! Prior to Web Summit Vancouver and the Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto, I generally felt naïve and worried.

Thanks to excellent speakers and presentations, I now have a sense of framework for open-minded learning going forward. Every time AI was mentioned, the human factor quickly followed. As one panelist said, “Responsible innovation starts with responsible innovators.”

The well-known IBM story was highlighted. In early 2023, they let go of 8,000 workers and automated 94% of standard HR needs, which was followed by a natural backlash. CEO Arvind Krishna later spoke of investing cost-savings into high-value roles, stating “our total employment has actually gone up, with hiring in areas like sales, marketing, software engineering and client-facing roles.”

These distinctions will be noteworthy for me going forward:

(1) AI utilization internally by companies & staff for efficiencies & quality enhancement versus customer-facing, external uses 

(2) Companies & industries leveraging AI for role cuts & staff reductions versus investments to support staff, customers & industry improvements

Advertising & Marketing

I was emboldened by the timely affirmation that paid advertising is number one for marketing ROI (SEO and email rounded out the top three). The slide, by Neil Patel, co-founder of NP Digital, showcased what percentage of revenue each marketing channel drives.

In this noisy, social media world, I say hold on tight to this status and proudly represent the industry of paid advertising!

Second, if you’re like me, the notion of predicting or articulating what the future of marketing looks like is hard to fathom. I was comforted to hear two experts provide their quick prediction for five years from now.

“I think we have no idea what’s next, and our job is to just stay current,” Mostaed asserted, while SYLVAIN CEO and Co-Founder Joey Camire told the audience “I think it’ll probably be 50% the same and 50% different”. 

Radio or Television in the convo?

It may be scary or even obvious, but I didn’t hear a single mention of either radio or TV. Yes, it’s the “Web Summit”, but even the “Where Media Goes Next” panel was comprised of the respective Editor-in-Chiefs for Newsweek and the San Francisco Chronicle, along with the Executive Editor of digital news site, Axios.

Per the common pitch by most legacy media companies, they detailed how they’re protecting and leveraging their core, while pursuing digital extensions.

Each stage had an MC/host handling a couple of hours of transitions between sessions, thanking the past speaker and setting up the next panel. That’s where I discovered Vancouver content creator, Sam Levin, known as @OMGHeySam on the socials. She’s personable and comfortable speaking on a big stage with an impressive audience. I can think of dozens of talented radio and TV on-air folks who would also be fully capable, but I wondered if broadcasters seeking this new reach and venue are even being thought of?

Is there a bridge to be built between radio and TV stations and these modern-day storytellers (content creators with 50K, 100K or much larger followings)? It’s new reach with fresh voices and would be a win-win.

If you have Canadian spirit, you have a leg up!

Web Summit didn’t just stimulate my pride, it showcased that Canadians should have and feel swagger. 

Web Summit has previously been hosted in Lisbon, Rio De Janeiro and Hong Kong. Vancouver leaders worked hard to stand out this year. Web Summit Founder Paddy Cosgrave seemed genuinely impressed and was very complimentary of Canadian talent, character and our tech and media savvy. 

Most Canadians tend to be diplomatic and understated…until they really want something, they’re pushed, or the puck drops!

If you’re looking for that spark of confidence before a big meeting or presentation, write down “Grateful to be Canadian. We rock creativity, innovation, entertainment & media!”

Rob Brimacombe is VP of Sales + Partnerships at Momentum Media. With over 30 years of experience in media sales leadership across Canada and international markets, he’s held senior roles at Corus Entertainment, Rogers Sports & Media, and Discovery Channel. Rob now drives strategic revenue initiatives across Broadcast Dialogue, Cartt.ca and other Momentum properties. Contact Rob >

The post OP-ED: Rob Brimacombe reflects on Gen Z, AI, and other takeaways from Web Summit Vancouver appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

VICE surveyed 1,000 young Canadians for The Future of the Creative Workforce – 500 Gen Z (18-24 years old) and 500 Gen Y (25-30 years old) – in both English and French, to better understand awareness and interest in careers in the creative industries. In-depth interviews were also conducted with young professionals in creative fields and young business leaders working in various behind-the-scenes roles. 

Among the survey’s findings:

• 94% of young Canadians are interested in creative roles (48% are very interested) and 94% are interested in behind-the-scenes roles in creative industries (51% are very interested).
• Young creatives are more willing to experiment with their career paths than past generations with one in two saying they are constantly exploring new things when it comes to job opportunities.
• With competition for creative work steep, it’s increasingly important for creators to have a broad skill set (production, marketing, social media expertise) to stand out.
• Many young creatives cited “business knowledge” as the key area where they lack expertise. Specifically, knowing how to invoice, navigate taxes, and negotiate fair wages.
• 64% of those surveyed shared that networking is crucial to finding a job in a creative industry. 

When it comes to behind-the-scenes roles in the creative industries, the study found more awareness is needed about roles available in Canada, especially among young women. It also determined that many young professionals pursuing careers in behind-the-scenes creative roles are lacking the mentorship and skills they feel are most required in these positions like creativity, adaptability, flexibility and communication, which they did not learn through traditional schooling. 

The survey also provides insight into the emphasis Gen Z and Gen Y employees put on work culture, mental health, diversity, and employee resources.

• 78% of those surveyed said work-life balance is the most important thing to consider when choosing a job, although they recognized creative industry careers often require long hours on set, in a studio or at the office, so balance may not mean “evenings and weekends free.”
• Gen Z and Gen Y express a large desire to see different types of representation (gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, etc.) both in creative and behind-the-scenes roles. Six in 10 say creative fields should actively recruit talent from different industries to provide more visibility and diversity. 

“This research provides valuable insights for Ontario content creators and companies,” said Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO at Ontario Creates, in a release. “The findings will help Ontario companies better understand how to attract and retain increasingly vital Gen Z employees. Importantly, the research also revealed significant opportunities to educate young people who are already excited about the creative industries, about the range of roles available. Building a strong base of diverse and skilled employees is crucial to the long-term success of Ontario’s creative industries.”

“As we begin to reemerge from the pandemic, we are entering an era filled with new ideas and highly creative young generations. This is a recipe for some of the most groundbreaking creativity the world has ever seen,” added Julie Arbit, Global SVP of Insights, VICE Media Group. “To realize the full potential, we need to develop a toolkit for the culture makers and cultural business leaders of the future that addresses their shifting definition of success and needs around work and education.”

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“Gen Z: The Culture of Content Consumption” surveyed 500 Ontario Gen Z’ers online and an additional 150 Millennials (ages 23-39) for comparison. The survey questions were compiled following discussions with content creators on the complex challenges of capturing Gen Z’s attention.

In addition to being willing to pay for content, the survey found that Gen Z wants to see more diversity in the stories and people they see, with one in two survey respondents citing a gap in gender, sexual identity and ethnic representation in today’s cultural content.

The survey also found that Gen Z is more interested in being entertained by content than informed, and that Gen Z consumers value ease of discovery, looking to social media channels like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to find new content and form relationships with the creators themselves.

Other key findings included:

• Music, video streaming and video games (in all forms: console, PC and mobile) are the top paid services for Gen Z, with respondents paying for an average of four cultural content services;
• Music is by far the #1 form of cultural content consumed by Gen Z, with online videos, TV and video games rounding out their most frequent activities;
  
  
• 75% of respondents say original content is important to them;
  
  
• The younger demographic are huge cord cutters: for Millennials, cable or satellite TV subscriptions are their #2 most popular paid services, while those didn’t even make the top 5 for Gen Z;
  
  
• Gen Z is motivated by better quality (61% said so), better experience (56%) and convenience (50%) to pay for content, versus avoiding ads on free services (41%).
  
  
• Gen Z is especially interested in internet culture/memes, humour and gaming.

“Gen Z is the most diverse generation in Canadian history and they are changing the rules of engagement with creators,” said  Karen Thorne-Stone, President & CEO of Ontario Creates, in a release. “This research will help Ontario companies adapt their business models to connect more effectively with this big new market.”

“With new voices and new platforms entering the media landscape by the minute, the competition for young people’s attention has never been greater,” said Julie Arbit, Global SVP of Insights, VICE. “Combine that with a young generation that has never been hungrier for content or more savvy about how to access it, and you have a whole new approach to content consumption. Understanding this new mindset is essential for anyone who is trying to reach this young audience.”

The study’s margin of error is +/- 3.8%.

Subscribe Now – Free!

Broadcast Dialogue has been required reading in the Canadian broadcast media for 25 years. When you subscribe, you join a community of connected professionals from media and broadcast related sectors from across the country.

The Weekly Briefing from Broadcast Dialogue is delivered exclusively to subscribers by email every Thursday. It’s your link to critical industry news, timely people moves, and excellent career advancement opportunities.

Let’s get started right now.

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