4D Periscope

After years of speculation on the difference between “Digital Natives” and “Digital Immigrants” may soon be revealed through an ambitious research project commissioned by Time Inc.

In the study called “A (Biometric) Day in the Life,” neuroscientists have been employed to wire two  groups of consumers- Millenials and Boomers- with “a battery of biometric technologies that will literally track how their brains respond to media consciously and unconsciously throughout their day.” 

The final results of this study will not be available until 2012, but initial results show that the brains of Millennials are, in fact, wired differently for media than the brains of Boomers.

In an example shared at the IAB’s MIXX conference this week, a glimpse was given into the lives of Rachel, a 23-year-old, and Dan, a 47-year-old. Rachel revealed that she is more attached to technology and is constantly multitasking between media options and could care less about TV. Dan, on the other hand loves TV and did not multitask between media at all during his day of observation. 

Why does this difference matter? We’re in the business of storytelling and the early results from this study suggest that the one constant between the two generations is the importance of storytelling. Our new task, however, is to monitor and optimize the way in which consumers connect with those stories through new media technology.