Strange.Mind you, it's not that today's youth don't have a radical activist component, as any attendant to a typical anti-globalization rally can attest. College campuses still sport a midway of activist club tables hawking their agendas along the commons, though perhaps less so than in the past. And, of course, this is a demographic that voted in greater numbers in 2004 than 2000 and broke for Kerry. So where are they? "Lost causes" just too uncool perhaps? Then why the affinity for anti-global anarchism? Could the attraction there be that it's the ultimate cynicism? That certainly suggests the formula for success of The Daly Show as the news source of choice: everything's a joke; everyone's absurd.
Of course, It's not just the core anti-bush movement that is wondering "whither the young?". Both the progressive and the conservative mainstream political machines are actively wooing this prized cohort, longing to win their hearts and minds for the short and long haul; not at all unlike, indeed exactly like, that longing among corporate product and service marketers and for the same reason: brand loyalty.
For one, the New Politics Institute advocates just such a media savvy, targeted marketing approach to connecting with Gen Y. And apparently at least one uber-Democrat has been listening. Partnered with entrepreneur and Democratic insider Joel Hyatt, none other than Al "I was robbed!" Gore entered the new media fray last year by buying The New World International news channel from the CBC. Slated to launch August 1, they plan to re-target the format from one of boomer friendly world news to productions by gen Y independent producers and for that same audience. A bold initiative. Only time will tell whether this is genius or folly. The challenge of holding the much-divided attention of multimedia addicts is a daunting one, what with many of them actually watching less and less TV while consuming more and more movies, music, games and of course the Internet; and these often simultaneously! Got cynicism Al? Likely he does. He was a politician after all.
The NPI's Jamie Daves, methinks, gets it about right: shake down the well-heeled NPR crowd for capital and unleash a targeted pan-media blitz. Gore's hip TV journalism may well prove one piece of the puzzle known as youth "brand" loyalty and commitment. Radio - online, offline or podcasted - can be another, though the hip aspirations of Air America for instance can only boast an average listener age of 47; obviously some way to go there. Films like Fahrenheit 9/11, Progressive themed video games (Save the Planet sims?), P2P, viral and long tail marketing, and of course blogs and their variably formatted progeny. All these need to be explored and where useful exploited. No one solution or time frame but a diverse, inter-linked tech savvy media and marketing approach from the political culture that brought you diversity. Because a diverse strategy is a robust one.
The GOP machine has already leveraged their own pan-media onslaught and to great effect in energizing their base and key swing demographics. Though they too have yet to crack the youth code in a big way, they are focused on that goal like a laser. Fortunately, bible thumpers and neo-cons are largely boring, regressive old wind bags. But they have lots of cash, media outlets and marketing acumen to throw at this image problem. That makes it all the more imperative that progressives get competitive in this arena. We've got to get off the ropes. The alternative is to live with the minority opposition role for years to come. Tapping the Gen Y potential with a message and a mission that resonates is one, possibly thee, key to turning our flagging political fortunes around. Given the jaded impression many young people hold of politics, progressive or otherwise, it's a tall order indeed. But in an evermore dangerous and ever less sustainable world, have we any choice but to succeed?
Our young people are the future. Without gaining their attention and by this their commitment to our cause, we may well have none.