Advertisers: Stop Trying to be Cool

CNN tried to be cool by adding so called slang to their newscasts and it ended up being a huge joke.

Marketers have always tried to do the same with minimal success. Youth sees right through the attempt.

Teenage Research Unlimited, which has surveyed more than 100,000 teens in the past decade, says slinging slang is viewed as a hilarious and futile act of desperation.

Only two-fifths of youth surveyed said that advertisers are good at reaching their demographic. Their advice to businesses? Be original, funny and cool without trying too hard.

You can't plan cool. Once it's cool, it's not cool anymore so don't even try.

What you can do is listen. Listen to youth. Listen to what they have to say about your marketing and then follow their advice.