The New Digital Divide: a Generation Gap

Universal McCann released a study that points to web technology as the main source of information, entertainment, socializing and shopping. [pdf]

According to the report, the 16-34 age group leads the way for Internet socializing.
This is the present generation gap, and online marketers must figure out new ways to bridge the gap or risk seeing revenues decline.

Social networking sites are an influential platform that more advertisers must take advantage of. According to the report, “Although are not yet bypassing regular media sources in favor of creating, sharing and consuming user generated content, there are significant implications for the advertising industry for future trends.”

Also visible, a growing interest for streaming content, whether TV shows, radio programming or new music. Advertisers will use this platform by creating video, audio and text-based streams to be distributed online. For them, the greatest challenge and potential revenue boost is to integrate the web technology within a broader communications context.