- Staff
The Reign of Digital Video in Generation Z

“Bug, is that our dog barking out front?”
Tache got out this afternoon.
She’s a senile old mutt. Impossible to get angry at. I found her at the corner greeting the smaller of two dogs being walked by a teenage neighbor.
“This your dog?” the boy asks. He looks hopeful that someone is going to solve this worldly dilemma.
“Yeah, she’s not bothering you, is she?”
Grunt. Holding a video-playing phone to his face, he indicates that we’re cool, with a distinctly teenage noise that means the interaction is now not worthy of breaking attention from the screen.
I lasso my dog with the leash and lead her down the driveway, shaking my head.
Really? That video was more interesting than a quick word with your neighbor, or having your dogs meet mine? Do I really need to compete with your attention against YouTube? In real life? Out here on the street?
Yup.
It happens in my house everyday. My 13-year old son can fill any nook and cranny of his day watching video.
He’s a good kid, does what is expected of him and has all the answers:
“I did my homework”
“I got exercise at practice”
“My brothers are watching with me”
“I’m just watching [insert news or sports topic of the day]”
“I can’t stop in the middle of the game!”
I’ve given up arguing. So I take my leave with my fatherly piece of advice: “Go live your life instead of watching everyone else live theirs.”
He rolls his eyes.
And I move on to my next project. One day, I may have to accept that real life happens inside the computer. Until then I go on believing that they are just tools.
One thing is for sure: If you are expecting this audience to love your brand, you better be making digital videos for them.
(Photo by Alex Diana)