My Persona

Every single day businesses all over the world aim to target different types of consumers with all kinds of different products. But do they even really know what their customers want? I would like to say I am the typical college student and companies could study me to find out about the other thousands of college students around the country. But that is a lie, because the typical college student does not exist. I’m pretty sure we don’t even understand each other most of the time, so good luck to the rest of the world! However, certain qualities seem to permeate this segment of society and can be harnessed by marketers to really learn about their customers. And with the help of user-centered designs and the persona lifecycle, companies have a better chance of figuring out their customers’ needs and wants.

I think one of the most modern and significant characteristics that has emerged for our segment of society is the constant need to be connected to the outside world. We are the first generation to grow up with personal computers, cell phones, and the Internet and I believe it has had a profound effect on us. I can’t go a day without checking my Facebook or my email (usually I check it several times a day) and I certainly can’t leave home without my cell phone for the fear of missing a call or text. We even have the Internet and Facebook on our cell phones so we can be connected at all times of the day when we aren’t in front of our laptops.

The second characteristic that describes my persona is the need for social interaction. I’m not saying it is necessary for college students to go out drinking every weekend (even though we do), but it is definitely something we enjoy. I can’t even imagine how much money 6th Street makes on a Thursday night. But it is more than that; it is the fact that our friends become our new family as we move away from home. We depend on each other and spend most of our time together. Even when we are by ourselves social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace allow us to continue to be social.

The ability to identify myself with the University is another characteristic of my persona and the person of most college students. I may only be a University of Texas student for four years, but I will always be a Longhorn. There is nothing better than waking up on a Saturday morning and tailgating with thousands of other people who are just as excited. I had friends literally counting down the hours for the Louisiana-Monroe game last weekend. We all get nervously excited just talking about a possible trip to Pasadena. It is also quite an amazing experience that while I was in Missouri last Christmas, wearing a TEXAS sweatshirt, I got “Hook ‘Em” from several people. It’s quite a remarkable club to be a part of.

Another characteristic describing my segment of society is our need for self-expression. Through our clothing, hair, make-up, shoes, and even sometimes tattoos we try to express ourselves and be individuals. However we also use this self-expression to identity other people that communicate themselves the same way. Sorority girls wear their oversized t-shirts and Nike shorts just like hipsters wear their skinny jeans and v-neck shirts. They use this to set themselves apart from other groups, but also as a way to identify with their own crowd.

A fifth characteristic that explains the person of a college student, is the need to find oneself. College students are hit with a million different ideas and opinions everyday and we must figure out which we agree or disagree with. We are trying to figure out what is important in life and what makes us happy. It is a common belief in the business school that money and status creates happiness. I’m not sure if this is true, but as a marketing major in this economy with no current job positions available, I hope it’s not. This leads me to my next characteristic…

The fear of the next step. We have approximately eight and a half months till we are out in the real world all on our own and that is quite a scary feeling. We have been preparing for the last three years to take this next step, but I find that many of us do not feel equipped. Hopefully the economy will be on the rebound and we will all have jobs.

The seventh characteristic that describes my persona is the need to be fashion conscious. This predisposition may be a bigger tendency of the female population, but no matter what men say, we know they care too.

I also believe that environmental consciousness is a characteristic of my persona. “Going Green” is the big fix for people my age who know that we are the ones who will have to deal with the environmental problems of the future. We recycle, ride bikes or walk; we are trying to reduce our carbon footprint. It’s a trend that won’t go away anytime soon.

Another characteristic of our segment in society is being technology savvy. We use Macs, PCs, Iphones, Smart Phones, DVRs, PS3s, Wiis and televisions with over a 100 channels. I could go on and on. We can download music and movies instantly from the Internet and watch them on our High-Definition televisions. We can use Skype to talk to friends and family around the world. However, I can already see how we use technology as a status symbol. My boyfriend recently bought a new television with features I’ve never even heard of or know how to use. His roommate and best friend also bought TVs, but my boyfriend was so proud because, according to him, it was so much better. (I honestly couldn’t care less about the stupid 20-hertz and 1080p that made his TV so amazing.)

Instant Gratification is the final important characteristic of my persona. In our society we can get almost anything we want, immediately. McDonald’s and Starbucks allow us to get food and gourmet coffee in less than 10 minutes. The Iphone and the Ipod give us instant satisfaction as we can play games, download applications, and listen to music anytime, anywhere. We can order anything online and have it expressed shipped to get them the next day. DVR and T-Vo even allows us to record and watch television shows anytime we want.