Engaging Gen Z Audiences Through Platform Based Creative: Key Takeaways from ANA 2022

This month, our Managing Partner, Travis Stevens, had the opportunity to attend the 2022 ANA Digital & Social Media Conference in Carlsbad, CA, an event that brought together brands, marketing agencies, and digital media vendors alike to discuss the buzziest topics in the space.

This conference was firmly in Butcher Bird Studios’ wheelhouse, touching on many aspects of media content creation, from the need for multi platforming to best practices for cultivating new relationships with up and coming content creators.

Here are three (not terribly surprising) key takeaways Travis took from his first ANA experience!

Gen Z reigns supreme.

The most prized demographic by nearly every industry, the Zoomers are the most active across all of the biggest alt media platforms. From Twitch to Tik-Tok, Discord to Instagram, to the hopes of the Metaverse… engaging this key population is the primary goal for brands and vendors alike. This was no surprise to all of us here at Butcher Bird, as we’ve been at the forefront of mainstreaming these platforms for years now.

Data moves the needle.

The depth, breadth, and level of sophistication of modern data capture across all digital platforms is astounding. This data flow has become both the life-blood and currency of all organizations that work in the media sphere, and is especially important when experimenting with campaigns on new or unfamiliar platforms for your brand. Butcher Bird has been actively courting partnerships that help our customers get the most of this data for every project we do.

Creative is (still) key.

Professional execution and metrics help retain clients, but if you want to stand out in an increasingly crowded arena of companies producing branded content on these platforms, we find great creative is still what brands are seeking out. It’s important more now than ever for vendors to tailor their creative to the unique platforms and creators brands want to work with, as each one’s core audience responds differently.

At Butcher Bird, our diverse group of creatives come from a myriad of backgrounds—from video games to comic books to the traditional broadcast space, making our creative development process all the more unique!

Overall, one of the questions Travis asked just about everyone he met at the ANA Conference was “what brought YOU here?” The answers varied; some were specific goals around active campaigns, some were more general feelings of wanting to connect with like minded professionals. However, what became clear by the end of the conference was this: just like we engage audiences on interactive platforms, this conference looked to establish a community based around a common language, themes, and goals. And as Travis always reminds us, where there’s community, there’s an economy.

Want to learn more about developing creative for new media platforms? Get in touch here.–

Travis Stevens is the Managing Partner at Butcher Bird Studios. With a multi-disciplinary background, Travis loves bridging the gap between the traditional and non-traditional media spaces that are converging in today’s landscape. As a Director and Cinematographer in his own right, he is constantly looking at fresh ways to make ideas happen and excels in taking them from concept to creation, blending talent and tech to join in as a creative partner. As a part of the Butcher Bird team, he draws on his time in the Army, and strives to make Butcher Bird a safe, collaborative space where team members contribute across the full spectrum of work.