It's time to rethink the digital native.

1. HELLO
FUTURE
Generation Edge & Technology
The Sound

2. THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
“WE’RE NOT IN
KANSAS ANYMORE”
- Dorothy, probably
01

3. THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
IT’S TIME TO RETHINK THE
SO-CALLED DIGITAL NATIVE
Troll farms, hack attacks, bitcoin ransoms, and ruthless
algorithmic efficiency. The economic certainty of
automation and the existential threat of AI. And of course
the molten-hot flames of a social media dumpster fire that
will surely consume us all. Ugh.
Since we first started exploring the world of Generation
Edge in 2012, it’s safe to say our collective relationship with
technology has grown slightly panicky. Nowhere is this
panic more evident than when it comes to how we perceive
technology’s role in the lives of young people.
Once a story of endless hype, their overuse of gadgets is
now a source of mass anxiety. With some pundits going so
far as to say that smartphones have already “destroyed” an
entire generation. Double ugh.
02

4. There is nothing new about an old-fashioned techno-
panic.
For example: In the 19th century, the preeminent social
critics of the day assumed that the “volatile matter” of a
new low-cost wood-pulp paper would create “volatile
minds”. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.
Every successive generation seems to view its
experience with new technology as a critical juncture for
the human race. And when a younger generation grows
up with even newer technology, the older generations
project their worst fears onto them.
This bias obscures what makes the Generation Edge
experience truly unique. And the focus on the negative,
while important and valuable, ends up concealing the
remarkable.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE…
03

5. Generation Edge is the most fundamentally different cohort
since the Industrial Revolution.
They are the first generation to have grown up with their
memories pooled together in the cloud and the first
generation to instinctively swipe a screen.
Everyone gets this by now. But the critical difference
between those born before 1995 and after is that they don’t
think about technology like you think about technology.
So stop thinking like you, and start thinking like them if you
want to understand what’s happening and what’s going to
happen.
For how wildly original, paradoxical and even otherworldly
this generation is, they are too often reduced to a narrow
and critical view of their behaviour rather than understood
through their lived experience.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
MILLENNIAL
(has post-Internet brain)
GENERATION EDGE
(has pre-Internet brain)
1980 - 1995
1995 - 2010
…AND THE STORY CHANGES
04

6. THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
Gen Edge has grown up in a
climate of socio-political
chaos and escalating threat.
This is mirrored by their
experience with technology,
where disruption is the only
norm they’ve ever known.
They are not the marketer’s
ideal of “early adopters” but
instead have been forced to
constantly adapt.
For Gen Edge, the idea of
“mobile-first” is less a question
of preference than the natural
evolution of how personal
relationships should work in the
21st century. Their lives exist in
a state of 24/7 collaboration,
and this continual connection to
their social circle allows them to
work out their thoughts,
feelings and conflicts with
others in real-time, all the time.
DISCERNING
Gen Edge has been targeted
by push and pull content
since grade-school and has
too much choice and is too
media savvy to be forced to
engage with content they
don’t want to engage with.
This is often explained away
as an inability to concentrate,
but is actually proof of their
increased agency.
DISTRACTED
ALWAYS ON
MOBILE-FIRST
ADAPTIVE
ADOPTERS
05

7. Young people between the ages
of 5 and 15 in the UK now
spend an average of 3 hours
per day online, making “online”
and everything it entails their
number one pastime. While in
the US, teens now spend 9hrs
per day in front of some form
of screen.
Smartphones = Adolescence
More important than getting
your driver’s licence in terms of
the freedom afforded, getting
your first smartphone now
symbolizes the beginning of
adolescence. And adolescence
is starting earlier every year.
The average age for a first
phone is now 10.3 in the US,
down from 12 in 2010.
Some call it instant prioritization,
or a rapid fire filter bubble, but
their well-publicized 8-second
attention span is even simpler
than that: They’ve been inundated
with advertising since birth and
will avoid it at all costs unless it
means something to them.
8 SECONDS3 HOURS10 YEARS
- Influence Central, 2016 - Ofcom, 2016
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
Online is everything
06
They don’t have time for bullshit

8. 8
Unparalleled interconnectedness is what makes my
generation unique. We are so fortunate to have the ability to learn so
much about one another and to collaborate across countries. I think
growing up in this generation has allowed for really open, critical
conversations about the building blocks of our society. Being raised on
the Internet, I think we're more aware and empathetic merely because
of our access to knowledge about other people across the world.
Kelsey Adams, 20, Journalist, Toronto
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
07

9. GEN
EDGE
THE WORLD
EDUCATION GENDER
SURVIVA
L
C
O
M
M
UNITY
IDENTITY
CONFLICT
C
REATIVITY
EXPERIM
ENTS
THEWORLD
For previous generations, technology was introduced in
segments: A phone for voice communication. A television for
entertainment. A computer for word processing.
Technology extended the senses, but on a sense-by-sense
basis.
The Gen Edge experience is closer to synesthesia than
segmentation; blending together to create an unbroken
membrane between themselves and the world.
Technology isn’t just a piece of hardware or software – it’s a
means of survival, a source of conflict, a mental health
remedy, an education hack, an expression of gender dynamics
and platform for experimentation. All of it is tied to identity
and much if it contains an element of entertainment.
It’s an all-purpose toolbox that allows them to navigate and
negotiate the world they live in. A world that isn’t just physical
but emotional and social.
Technology is whatever exists
between them and the world
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
08

10. The struggle is realer than you think.
Food, shelter, warmth, power, mobility. We all
have these needs and they are becoming
increasingly intertwined with our devices.
While young people are often ridiculed for
their fear of disconnection, not being able to
connect with your social network or use the
tools you’ve come to depend on presents a
real threat to them, both practically and
emotionally. It’s a threat that can be navigated
– but a threat nonetheless.
25% said that when they
are offline they feel nervous
or anxious.
59%
59% of young people (16-24s)
said they’d feel lost if they
could not access the Internet
compared to just 47% of
adults.
- Ofcom, 2016
25%
SURVIVAL
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
09

11. The bulk of their real-world drama has been
pushed online.
Social media and other communication
platforms have become the primary arena for
the conflict they experience. Image-based
platforms in particular can be a breeding
ground for internal distress such as the “me VS
my social media self” phenomenon.
But while these platforms create real
problems, they can also provide the solution to
the same problems, acting as both toxin and
antidote.
The #halfthestory campaign and
website was created by 22-year-
old Larissa May to encourage
young people to talk about
virtual authenticity and the
pressures to perform for social
media. It provides a space for
teens to open up about the other
half of their lives that they don’t
share online.
60%
Between 2010 and 2016, the
number of adolescents in the
US who experienced at least
one major depressive episode
leapt by 60%. Many have
attributed smartphone use to
this spike.
#
CONFLICT
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
10
- US Department of Health, 2017

12. Edgers are more self-reliant and practical than
Millennials, and nowhere is this difference more
striking than in their approach to education.
Growing up with Google means that that
they’ve developed an innately active approach
to learning. Questions never have to go
unanswered, and all possible curiosities are
explored. As such, Edgers grow up constantly
self-educating themselves on anything that they
find mildly interesting. This DIY ethic spills out
into everything they do.
Everyday activities like
cooking, using software and
putting on make-up have been
systematically broken down
into highly popular youtube
tutorials. This is night-school
for teens, available on any
topic, anywhere, for free.
The School of Doodle
website provides a non-
linear and revolutionary
platform for education
targeted at teenage girls
with the aim to foster their
creativity and encourage
them to be loud.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
EDUCATION
11

13. CREATION
Ambitious Edgers are
building mini-empires by
flipping coveted brands like
Supreme and Vetements on
Depop: a youth-centric
auction site that balances
creativity with commerce.
More than any other app,
teens today are distinguished
by their love for music.ly, an
addictive lip-syncing app that
perfectly blends performance
with community.
They are self-taught creative polyglots.
They grew up immersed in the tools of
cultural production, and they have begun to
seize them. Where Millennial subcultures
were easily co-opted by brands and
advertisers, Edgers have far more marketing
savvy, are more independent and even more
entrepreneurial. They understand that data
has become inseparable from creativity and
monetization is always within reach.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
CREATIVITY
12

14. EXPERIMENTAL
Whereas Millennials used social media for self-
expression, Gen Edgers see it as a laboratory for
identity formation.
Having grown up accustomed to rapidly shifting
circumstances - social, digital, political and
economical, they’ve become natural born
hackers eager to carve out their own spaces
within broader systems. They’re constructing
their identity in one massive open-world
experiment, but have also witnessed the
mistakes of their older Millennial siblings and
Gen X parents and have taken notice.
Edgers are fluid and
adaptable, and will expect
brands to use technology
that reflects this – apps and
interfaces that learn from
their behaviour to create
authentically personalized
experiences.
Snapchat has normalized
augmented reality and
helped push Edgers
towards an appreciation
of the surreal. They like
weird and respect brands
that are able to pull it off.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
EXPERIMENTS
13

15. COMMUNITY
At its best, “Online” is a magical place where
they’ve met their closest friends, had a long
line of “firsts” and deepened their existing
relationships.
78%* of social media-using teenagers in the
US said it makes them feel closer to their
friends and 40% said it makes them feel
closer to their family. They don’t see a
separation between digital and physical,
but rather, it’s part of an unbroken
continuum.
32%
In the UK, youth between
the ages of 16 and 24 spend
the largest part of their
media time communicating
(32%). In contrast, adults
spend only 19% of their
media time doing so.
- Ofcom, 2016
Released in early 2016,
Houseparty has grown to have
over 20 million users, 60% of
whom are under the age of 24.
The video chat app was able to
connect with Edgers due to its
ability to recreate real-world
social dynamics.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
14
*AP, 2016

16. GENDER
Edgers have a remarkably advanced
understanding of gender dynamics, issues and
politics.
They are far less interested in gender binaries,
with only 48%* identifying as exclusively
heterosexual, compared to 65% percent of
Millennials. As such, they understand the
gender imbalance behind the media they
consume, the software they use and the
videogames they play, and are beginning to
push back.
Obsessee is a social media-only
media brand dedicated to girls and
women between the ages of 14 to
22. The brand, which lives
exclusively on Snapchat, Facebook,
Twitter and the like, has an all Gen
Edge editorial board and tags itself
as a “a content destination for cool
young girls”.
Qamcare, a free analog of GPS-
Watches, won Google’s
Technovation challenge this
year. It was designed by three
teen girls from Kazakhstan who
had a problem in mind that they
wanted to solve: feeling unsafe
while walking home alone after
dark.
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
GENDER
15
*JWT, 2016

17. The best thing about being young today is that we’re living in a
weird post post-post-modern apocalypse where most
institutions are crumbling and almost every opinion is moot,
and the only answer is to trust yourself and mix everything up.
Tavi Gevinson, Editor-in-Chief of Rookie Mag, 21, Chicago
THE SOUND 16

18. THE SOUND
SOUND ADVICE
17

19. Their relationship with Youtube often
impacts their relationship with
everything else.
They are captivated by Youtube
celebrities because of their authenticity,
openness and relate-ability. And they
look to the platform not just for
entertainment or cultural discovery, but
for anything from education, news,
music or meditative ASMR videos.
Creators and the act of creation is at
the heart of the Gen Edge cultural
experience.
They value the perspectives of these
creators much more than traditional
taste-makers like television, print or
movie personalities.
Part of their appreciation for creators
comes from their level of cultural
sophistication – the Internet has
allowed them to explore and discover
extremely niche interests.
They still value the role of TV, it’s just that
they’ve repurposed it.
While the word “TV” can mean anything from
VOD apps, to watching clips online or binging
on Netflix, the traditional mode of broadcast
television (to an actual television set) still plays
a pivotal role in their life, especially when it
comes to live events.
On an emotional level, they see it as a bonding
mechanism between them and their family
and a comforting “live” presence.
RETHINK
TELEVISION
YOUTUBE IS THE
NUCLEUS
EMBRACE THE
POWER OF CREATORS
THE SOUND 18

20. They take less drugs and drink less
alcohol, but are regulating their mood
with targeted doses of abstract media
blips and they prefer their politics to be
supremely meme-able.
While older generations wrestle with the
idea of whether or not emojis are a
distinct language, Gen Edgers just speak
it, and fluently.
LEARN TO
SPEAK VISUALLY
They’re an eclectic generation open to new
and different things, and tend not to conform
to norms when they have an option.
Because they have grown used to valuing
alternative information sources, they are more
likely to trust the advice of friends or even
strangers rather than authority figures,
organizations, or brands on social media.
An “influencer” can mean anyone they get
their information from, and they often pull
from a variety of sources, some established,
others obscure and personal.
JOIN THE MESH
OF INFLUENCE
They grew up in an over-saturated brand
landscape and have adapted
accordingly. They don’t like being sold to,
but they appreciate brands that are as
fluid as they are.
Brands that get in the way are a
problem, brands that can fit into the
spaces they create, are not.
They’ve also come to value a sense of
privacy and safety, and appreciate
brands that help rather than hinder on
this front or can add a sense of security
to their lives.
INTEGRATE
DON’T DOMINATE
THE SOUND
HELLO
FUTURE
19

21. WANT TO GET TO KNOW
GENERATION EDGE?
We’re obsessed with discovering how young people
are going to change the world in the very near future.
Give us a call and let’s talk.
THE SOUND 20

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23. SLIDE SITE
2 https://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/black-mirror.jpg
3 https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
6
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/544a9357e4b0e537e01f1381/54ab0aaae4b0f4be675d3e91/54ab0d3ce4b04f595705437b/1420496361842/tumblr_lx5766ZNm81r9uwqao1_1280.jpg?
format=1000w
7 http://www.ravishly.com/sites/default/files/ThinkstockPhotos-462831055.jpg
10 https://www.highsnobiety.com/2017/09/14/tom-galle-corporate-logo-weapons/
11 https://inhabitat.com/greek-teen-becomes-the-youngest-person-to-build-a-life-size-functional-3d-robot/
12 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/02/kim-gordon-school-of-doodle-sonic-youth-feminist
14 http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/415846/slide_415846_5281720_free.jpg
17 https://www.highsnobiety.com/2017/09/14/tom-galle-corporate-logo-weapons/
20 http://pitchzine.com/BARNEY-BAKER
21 http://cinevenger.com/?p=412
IMAGE REFERENCES