Fleishman-Hillard Looks to Youth for Clues to Future

Omnicom’s Fleishman-Hillard has launched a cross-channel communications practice that combines elements of lifestyle marketing and buzz marketing, with an emphasis on youth culture.

Fleishman-Hillard NGT — for “Next Great Thing” — will bring together Fleishman’s media relations, channel marketing, peer-to-peer, and non-traditional communications across online, offline, and wireless distribution channels. The unit will be responsible for developing strategies to address current and future shifts in culture, communications and demographics, according to Alan Rambam, senior VP and senior partner at Fleishman.

“Through NGT we are studying how youth are communicating worldwide and then applying our findings to help us project how all communications will change in the future, especially as youth become the largest population segment in 2010,” Rambam told ClickZ News.

Fleishman expects to launch a series of NGT-related products and services, including a new video news release product for online TV; a branded entertainment solution; and a wireless/mobile communications and marketing group.

The NGT practice will be based in New York and led by Rambam, who has headed the firm’s Youth Marketing practice since 2003. This effort grew out of that youth practice, as an extension that will serve all audiences.

Rambam describes NGT as “part think tank and part immersive marketing resource.” NGT will focus on youth culture, immersive and interactive marketing, and uncontrolled communications, involving experts from North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and South Africa.

“Today’s youth are part of a new global generation that are changing the way we look at traditional communications and marketing models,” Rambam said. “To a great degree, young people’s media habits are driving — and will continue to drive — the way everyone obtains and experiences information.”