179) In It to Win It

(Photo from Mashable.)

There was an article on Mashable today that looked at whether The Social Network had affected Facebook's brand perception. Stats gathered for three demographic groups from YouGov BrandIndex, a daily consumer perception research service, suggest some interesting points.

To generalize, positive brand perception among 18-34 year olds increased, more than doubling from the week before to the week after the movie release. On the other hand, the already lower perception of the 50+ group dipped down further in the days leading up to the release.

Speculation and comments point to an increased admiration and understanding for Facebook among the younger demographic. The do-whatever-it-takes-to-achieve-greatness attitude of Zuckerberg seems to be more appreciated by the younger generation, and frowned upon by the elders. While the data obviously can't establish a direct link between the movie and Facebook's brand perception, it raises the question of whether the younger demographic is wired differently than their parents when it comes to abstract concepts like success, integrity, and the greater good (think about it - Facebook as the social network that connects us is considered the greater good in the movie). While general morals seem universal, are we the youth more willing to step on others to achieve success?