New media is a promise. It isn’t the solution.

It’s a promise that you’ll turn the narrative from one about the brand to one about the customer.

It’s easy to be seduced by the technology. Want to engage youth? Go mobile, go Facebook. Avoid the Meatball Sundae. It’s the Moon not the finger pointing at it.This is typical, Macy’s has 60,000+ followers on Facebook but “hasn’t figured out how to take advantage of their growing fan base“.

Yes, mobile and Facebook can form a key part of your execution and are integral in engaging youth but the narrative and message need to be relevant first. Simply creating an Iphone App isn’t the answer to your problems. Technology isn’t the solution…Bluetooth shoe anyone?

Pepsi is a good case study in how not to use technology. Think the Bluetooth Shoe was Star Trek gone mad, here’s a prime example of the ultimate Big (and largely irrelevant) Youth Brand; if the medium doesn’t engage youth - simply add steroids. Pepsi Youniverse is another… why exactly do youth want to network with Pepsi?

Part of the problem is the culture of the quick