Generation X: Kurt Cobain in a Cubicle.

Remember Nirvana? of course you do. Smells Like Teen Spirit is still tirelessly played on local rock radio stations. I remember hearing it when it first came out…I was 10. So, yeah that was 17 years ago. And it was the beginning of Generation X’s time to whine shine. If your old enough you will certainly remember Kurt Loder reporting about Generation X and the endless clips of Kurt Cobain giving everyone and anything the finger. God, I remember looking up to those guys like they were gods (I was a kid c’mon everyone’s got idols at that age). Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, anything for that matter out of Seattle. It was grunge, it was the early nineties and it was Generation X wearing Doc Marten’s and not giving a shit about anything or anyone but their flannel shirts, distorted guitars, and ‘f— the world attitude’. The chip on their shoulders was is epic in size… Rock of Gibraltar like size. But god did I ever look up to them… they were the cool older kids that I so desperately wanted to be like. Jesus, what a misguided kid I was at the time.

Fast forward 17 years…. and they’re still pains in the asses and giving middle fingers in board rooms. Only now it’s not on TV it’s in offices and I hate to say it Corporate Headquarters around the world (except for in Italy, those Italians know how to weed em out). And they’re no longer just pains in the asses and underachievers to their baby boomer parents (god we feel so sorry for you). For the most part they’re hurdles that Generation Y’ers need to jump over. Harsh I know. You see the ‘f— you’ attitude that Generation X has is much different then the ‘f— you’ attitude Generation Y is perceived to have.

Generation X’ers attitude is ‘f— you’ and were going to pout it out, sit through it and wait for change to happen and generally waste corporate dollars doing nothing about an obstacle… basically wait for some else to solve the problem and bitch the entire time. While Generation X’ers pout it out they generally make the office as unproductive as possible for everyone else and certainly not help anyone accomplish anything.

Now what is very important is that you remember that the Generation Y ‘f— you’ is only perceived that is not what we are saying.

Generation Y’ers perceived ‘f— you’ is more of ‘f— you were outta here if we can’t solve the problem with managements help’

Us Generation Y’ers look at it like this… OK, we have a problem and we’re going to clear it up and get it resolved because we have to because if it’s not cleared up, if the obstacle is not removed or circumvented then it’s been a nice few months here but were leaving. Just like that we are out the door. You see we don’t have the kids at home and the wife and the minivan (which Kurt Cobain is laughing at I’m sure) or the absurd McMansion to worry about making payments on. Generation Y travels light. Think about it, Generation X’ers have 1000’s of cds to lug around in those clumsy black Case Logic’ cases… us Generation Y’ers have an Iphone. That’s what gives us the ability to bounce from a job if too many generational differences obstacles get in the way of us maturing professionally and developing personally. We are not tied down and won’t be for the foreseeable future.

While Generation X’ers are sitting in their cubicles and boardrooms (god I hope there’s not many) giving middle fingers with there bad posture and unkempt beards. Generation Y’ers are addressing their work issues with a hands on approach because for us if a problem or hurdle isn’t solved or jumped over it’s a waste of time and it’s time to hit the bricks and we know it. So while Generation X’ers are pouting in their managers offices about some yellow tape they’ve come across Generation Y’ers are figuring out ways to cross the yellow tape without breaking it. We really don’t fight for change… we simply make change because it’s the thing to do.

So next time you are looking to hire someone into an office environment or a truly corporate environment picture Kurt Cobain in a cubicle… because that is truly at the core of Generation X. Their Generational anthem Smell’s Like Teen Spirit chorus includes the lines…

…Here we are now
Entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now
Entertain us

What more can I say.

Corporations need Gen Y’ers web knowledge that doesn’t mean they want our honesty baggage.

Corporations like the one that I am employed at need my web knowledge. They do. What can I say? I’m young I get it I grew up with it. It’s built in and preprogrammed. They need it… that does not mean they want what comes along with it. My idea of commerce and communication on the web is one of openness which includes being honest. Openness to a corporation my company included is to abide to all federal laws and in my case to ensure SEC compliance we are SOX compliant(if you don’t know what it means now worries, basically auditors that make sure we don’t cheat stock holders by falsely reporting stats). Just not cheating stock holders to me isn’t my interpretation of communication and openness. And so the balance of power begins to swing…

Corporations want our knowledge of the web world, all the “tricky” things. The myspaces, facebookers, twittercises (yes I have literally heard all three called by such goofy names and worse). These corporations want to know the interwebz on a first name basis or so they think they do.

Wanting a front row seat at a boxing match means your on camera too and cameras can be very extremely unforgiving especially in bad light and for corporations in bad times. In light of Carl Ichann’s recent blog post I would guess that he had a group of PR wizs spin his blog post about his awful battle with Yahoo! CEO Jerry Yang recently into a tale of rosie flowers (which is total bs). I bet you he wish he didn’t have people hounding him on that blog about now.

Visibility is something that corporations usually do not want to grant but if they want to survive past Generation X’ers and thrive with the Generation Y crowd and beyond they absolutely must find a balance between Corporate Secrets and Transparency. They are going to have to understand that you have to take the good with the bad. Icahnn is receiving a black eye in is comments right now, but that will eventually subside and he will have taken an emotional bruising (maybe he seems like a hard ass) from it but also a hell of a lot more readers and followers which only strengthens his brand which of course is the goal for all companies. Grow and strengthen the brand and business. The web is an incredible tool to do this!

In saying all of that the part that I know in my Company that get’s all the Executives bent out of shape is when I say the word visibility. It’s important that Corporations understand that for the most part the average consumer doesn’t give a shit about their margins or what their market cap is (which is traditionally understood as visibility). All they care about is how to unbrick their iphone, or save a couple bucks on a new 120HZ LCD. Gen Y’ers (speaking for myself and friends) want answers and what better place to get the answers then the companies who made the problem made the product? We want to avoid customer service lines and hold times. So when I say visibility I’m saying conversations. I don’t mean press releases and board meeting minutes. We don’t care. I’m simply saying converse with the community that you built. If your Apple…maybe say sorry we messed up. Our load balance’s went crazy and we underestimate our Iphone 3g we didn’t realize it would be a juggernaut but we have you…the people to thank.

Daily Web Marketing Update:
The struggle with the visibility monster will undoubtedly continue into the future but for today I got a big win I was able to convince one of the VP’s and the COO to move forward with a blog by simply saying… Trust me we need it. Look at Zappos CEO and Trulia. They rock and are safe but still fun and incredibly informative. They bit and were installing one next week! In terms of corporate time tables that’s lightening fast. One step at a time.

Old World Publishing giant meet Generation Y and the Internet.

So, here’s the deal I figured that while I’m here at company X on my lunches everyday for one year I would highlight the trials and tribulations of just exactly what it’s like working at a larger than life publishing company that up until 30 days ago had no one in their online marketing department. What happened 30 days ago? Well they hired me. Yep, that’s it… me. So let me just start off by stating a few facts about the company and myself both of which I’ll keep fairly broad stroke as to not divulge and business secrets and personal info (so no names or places just helpful info for anyone wanting to get into the business or the casual observer).

Stats on the Company
• Over 50 years old.
• Average age….40’s, married with 2.5 kids and a house in the burbs.
• Huge…literally huge 1000-5000 person kind of huge.
• Salesforce is 1000 plus as far as I can tell and is spread out across 20+ states.
• We service well over 50 major metropolitan areas probably closer to 100+ actually.
• Were in print…and lots of it.
• If i had to take a stab at market cap….300-400 mil. It’s private but we do have a parent company that is one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. But as a whole the value is not discussed I’m the “new guy” and the youngest person in the building but I’ll get into that more at a later date.
• Have never employed anyone in any sort of Online Marketing position, no guru of search, no link bait group, no hip web PR chick, no one, zilch, nada. It’s all a big white canvas or a black hole depending on whether your a glass half full or empty kind of person.

Stats on Me
• Generation Y’er… 27 years deep.
• First computer when I was 5. So yeah fairly early adopter. It was an Epson and my rents paid 8 g’s for it. God they got hosed didn’t they?
• Wear Jordan’s and flat brim ball caps on the week ends. Suits all week (working on this one).
• Graduated with two degrees. One in English one in Film from a large Midwest University.
• Professionally over the past 5 years I have held Director Level marketing positions at large E-Commerce sites and acted as lead on numerous reputation management projects for everything from country clubs to large tobacco corporations (the later not being to proud of but college is expensive as hell now so I hope you forgive me).
• Love challenges whether that’s turning an old world publishing giant hip or getting my SUV over 30 mpg while making other drivers on the road nuts with my coasting to all stop signs and lights.
• I love writing and meeting new people, long walks on the beach (with girlfriend) and of course the web and the opportunities and mountains of challenges it presents.
• Some people call me a smart ass others… well prick. my defense, if your bland your forgettable and if your not up on this someone else is.

I hope that gives everyone enough round about knowledge on the Company and myself. I know it’s not much but I’m just beginning. By this time next year alot will have happened. We’ll have a new president (thank f’n god and double thank f’n god if it’s Obama…yep I’m a liberal) we’ll all be a year older and one Generation Y’er will be one year deep at an Old World Publishing giant hopefully transitioning it into the web world.