Hostess Twinkies R.I.P.

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Given that many of the other posts focused on more serious current events, such as the heightening conflict in the Middle East, I thought that it would mix things up a bit to feature a subject with much less importance — to most, at least.

The recent demise of Hostess Bakeries, and its affiliate brand, Drake’s Cakes, caught many who were not involved in the tense labour stalemate by surprise.  Soon all of the traditional media outlets had features to say good-bye to the endeared brand.  However, social media may have provided better coverage than its older media sibling in that it mobilized informative, light-hearted and strange communication about the event.

First, the information.  On Pinterest, someone posted a recipe so that die-hard Twinkies fans can make homemade equivalents long after the last package leaves the shelf.

Next, there was political satire on Tumblr, showing a tombstone for Twinkie the Kid, the brand’s mascot, and offering whom to blame.  Lastly, a fun reference to a Twinkie representing paranormal activity from the classic Ghostbusters movie was referenced on YouTube.

Social media continues to provide interesting ways to communicate, to bond over a “loss”, and perhaps, to form a new tribe to band together to resurrect a new, healthier Twinkie (or not).

How have you used social media to communicate your frustration with a shared loss or change?  Did you find commiseration or did you discover exciting new ways to cope, and to move ahead?

The Underserved Boomer Generation

Article:  Why Boomers Won’t Release Their Grip on Technology

A few weeks back, our class assignment involved commenting on the GQ article featuring “digital natives” who were developing new and innovative social media apps. Interestingly, one of the articles that appeared on my radar this week, when preparing this blogpost, showcased the Baby Boomer generation (those born between 1946 & 1964) and its impact on technology and social media.

Dr. Karen Riggs, a self-disclosed Boomer and a professor of media studies at Ohio University, recently authored a book which focuses on the Boomers and their adoption of technology.  Riggs notes that most Boomers are technologically adapt, having been introduced to personal technology in the workplace in their 30s and 40s.  They have worked with the earlier technologies (e.g. Windows 95 and Palm Pilots) during their careers, and therefore are likely to also “get” today’s technology.

In fact, the article describes Boomers as discriminating early adopters of technology, who are more likely to ultimately embrace core technologies, such as Facebook and texting, than more cutting edge products like FourSquare.

Finally, the author emphasized that her generation will continue to need to be heard, and is willing to do so in a fragmented way.  Boomers may still communicate with their elders on a traditional personal level, but then also embrace the newer social technologies to communicate with their children and grandchildren. 

With significant spending power and this penchant for communicating, the impact of this “digital immigrant” generation on future social media endeavours may still be largely underexplored. 

As a Boomer myself, I would be interested a dialogue on the following questions:

• How could some of today’s newer social media technologies be retooled to take advantage of the underserved Boomer market? 
• What opportunities exist for Gen X and Millennial entrepreneurs to “reach backward” and tap into an underserved need for their parents’ generation, instead of trying to discover the newest trend for their generation(s)?