The fruit of youth marketing lies in organic soil.

Excuse the poetic analogy for one moment whilst we take a look at how companies are forging long term dialogue and relationships with young consumers using innovative methods.

The innovation lies not in technology. This is not about discovering a web2.0 widget but in using innovative approaches to how the brand builds a bridge with its consumers.

Traditionally the approach has been inorganic, the most extreme of which is to simply buy a list of consumers. But youth today cannot be bought so easily. Not because they are fickle or brand cynics but because they have developed effective filtering methods to deal with the exponential growth in marketing target at them.

So what consitutes an organic approach?

Think organic, think grass-roots.

Jones Soda, FUBU, Red Bull, Toyota Scion, Jet Blue and Boost Mobile are all examples of organic youth brands. What distinguishes these brands from mediocrity is an organic mindset that embodies the following principles:

• Relationships need to be earned not bought
• Results come from long term relationships not campaigns
• Each partner in the relationship gives first before they receive
• Marketing needs to add value to the peer group rather than interrupt them

Rather than invest heavily in short term campaigns, organic youth brands invest heavily in creating behavioral platforms for young consumers to interact with each other. In place of “awareness” they seek “dialogue”.

You won’t find these brands going long on extensive media coverage. They’re low key - seeking to create their own media and word of mouth through making their existence synonymous with the activity of the peer group they seek to work with.

Here are a few examples:

The Jones Soda Company created the Soda Pro Riders team - consisting of 14 tweens and teens each passionate about a sport - surfers, cyclists, wakeboarders etc. Jones Soda brought Willy Santos (the skater) to the public.

FUBU (For us by us) for African-Americans was one of the first brands to bring jeans to hip hop. FUBU regularly holds rap competitions to identify upcoming stars.

Toyota Scion has achieved sustainability through partnering with key influencers within the niche US West Coast urban music scene through its Scion music magazine and underwriting events headlined by acts such as Wu Tang and Little Brother. By aiming its products squarely at aspirational urban youth under 25 and maintaining a low profile within its activities (rather than overtly selling their autos) Scion has managed to break its own sales targets in 2006, supplying 156,500 units – 30,000 more than its annual quota of 125,000.

Jet Blue is also very active in the student market in offering its cheap airfares in partnership with agency Mr Youth. Their strategy focuses, as with Red Bull, on nominating campus representatives who are sufficiently rewarded for their advocacy. Campus reps host events with prizes such as free plane tickets, Dunkin Donuts gift certificates and bags of blue tortilla chips.

“You have to earn their respect,” says Mark Fewell, senior director of business development at Boost Mobile in a recent Brand Channel interview “You can’t just come in as a big company, throw your money down and expect them to like you.” Boost’s marketing has focused on creating events for youth including the “Mixed Tape Tour” for street ball, moto-X and professional skateboarding and surf tours, and a summer youth basketball initiative.

Tags | boost mobile, fubu, jet blue, jones soda, organic, red bull, scion, toyota, youth