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March 25, 2005
“Hyperfragmentation”: What it means and why you should care
Back in “the good old days,” home entertainment choices were limited: With only three television networks, you could watch “The Ed Sullivan Show,” or get up and turn the dial to “The Wonderful World of Disney,” or switch to whatever was on the third network, or turn off the set.
When you get to work the next morning, you could bet that a large percentage of your co-workers had also seen “your” show, so you’d have something to talk about at the coffee machine. And after your coffee break, you could spend a few minutes reading the only employee communication vehicle available: the company newsletter.
Today, of course, there is a dizzying proliferation of media. Most Americans with satellite or cable service subscribe to about 100 television channels. If we don’t want to watch TV, we can opt for pay-for-view, DVDs, video games, or, of course, the Internet.
People from the media and advertising industries call this phenomenon “hyperfragmentation,” because the term describes how the audience has not only become segmented into demographic groups (young men watching sports, women viewing sitcoms)—it has shattered into thousands of pieces that are scattered in all directions. Just take pro football fans, for example—with the availability of Direct Ticket on satellite TV, on Sunday alone they have a choice of 13 games, not just three.
This is a problem for advertisers because their audience shares are getting smaller and smaller as people’s entertainment choices become more and more disparate. And the problem is intensifying, as even more new forms of media become affordable and accessible.
Explore this phenomenon for yourself: At the office, ask your co-workers how they spent yesterday evening. Except for a few “must-see” shows (one of which, sadly enough, is “American Idol”), you’ll get nearly as many answers as the number of people you ask.
As someone involved in employee communication, why should you care about hyperfragmentation? Because it’s a reality in internal as well as external communication. That old company newsletter has morphed into a multitude—there are publications (print or electronic) for corporate, divisions, locations and functions. Intranet sites have sprung up like mushrooms. And e-mail—well, it’s overwhelming.
As if today’s environment isn’t challenging enough, the future holds even more fragmentation. Tomorrow’s employees will have a rich choice of media, including hand-held cellphones/PDAs, plasma bulletin boards, and much much more.
The game has changed. The captive audience is dead. To get employees’ attention, you will need to make bold changes that cut through the clutter.
It’s time to take a deep breath and get started.
Posted by Alison Davis at March 25, 2005 02:20 PM