Pop Culture Trend: Rise of the Creative Geek
Trend Tags: Apple, iPhone, Nintendo, Wii, Creative, MMORG
By Ethan Lyon, Senior Writer
On June 29th 2007, thousands of people waited impatiently in seemingly endless lines to get their hands on newly minted Apple product. It was not just another iPod or Mac computer, it was an entirely new platform that at the time, no one could have predicted the impact it would have on the tech industry. On June 29th 2007, the iPhone was released. Since that day, Apple’s iPhone has become the #1 selling smart phone on the market and revolutionized the mobile industry.
The sleek, simple design and touch-screen features set the smart phone apart from its competitors. While smart phones like the Blackberry were targeted to business professionals (or left-brain people) the iPhone was the creatives answer to a mobile device. Just as with the iPod, the iPhone became a lifestyle statement. It defined who you are; it put the “cool” into tech geek.
As the App store opened the door to developers, more and more apps flooded the market. When Apple says, “there’s an app for that,” they mean it. Apple’s apps have given users a vehicle for self-expression and creativity that was never before available in mobile devices.
The Rise of the Creative Geek Trend is about fusing technology with imagination. As a result of creativity in the tech sector, traditionally non-tech people have turned into outright tech-fiends. We will explore the how this explosion in creativity and imagination has impacted the tech sector and grown entire armies of creative geeks.
Key Elements
The Digital You — Gaming is inherently a platform for personal expression. In fact, through the user habits of massively multiplayer online games, researchers have gained tremendous amounts of data to examine various economic theories. From digital currency to avatars, traditionally non-creatives are thrusted into alternate worlds where imagination and creativity thrive. Moreover, the Nintendo Wii follows a similar strategy through avatars called, Miis. A Wii player can create a personalized Mii that best suites their personality. That Mii character can then be incorporated into Wii games.
Self Expression — The marketing genius behind the Nintendo Wii was seeded in the non-gamer demographic. As the Nintendo Wii was a completely new take on gaming, why not have a new demographic? The accelerometer (the technology that reacts to user movement) put the physical into physical gaming. It was this technology that revolutionized mobile (e.g. the iPhone) and in-home gaming (e.g. the Wii). It allowed gamers to express themselves in new ways; it opened another door to creativity and personal expression. As a result, a previously untapped, unknowingly geeky audience emerged with significant buying power that transformed the gaming and mobile industries.
Key Statistics
- Apple’s iPhone 3GS is the Top selling smartphone
- Apple is the most trusted brand among Generation Y
- Wii Play is the #2 best selling video game of 2009
- Bejeweled 2 is the #2 best-selling iPhone App
- Apple had a record earnings in 2009: Sales of Mac computers rose 17 percent, net profit increased to $1.67 billion
Take Away
The Rise of the Creative Geek trend is about personal expression through technology — whether it’s an iPhone app or avatar. For brands, it’s about how your clients or customers can express themselves through your brand. If they are heavy iPhone users, design an app that revolves around your brand. For instance, your digital marketing company could develop an app that channels the latest industry and company news to your customer or client’s mobile phones.
Beyond external marketing, consider the relationship between technology and team building. As many massively multiplayer online games utilize teams, consider running an exercise where your employees have to work together to meet one objective in the digital world. Or, to extend your employee wellness programs, consider incorporating a Nintendo Wii into the office. It is a great opportunity for employees to take a break and work out. There is not one answer for all companies, however. It’s about finding unique ways users can express themselves through your brand to establish a meaningful relationship between business and customer.
Read all of the 2009 Pop Culture Trends
Image by Dave Di Biase from Stock.Xchng
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