With the recent release of Microsoft’s Zune, I thought I would investigate what one of the Zune’s target markets thought about the new iPod competitor. This market being the middle school student. For those that don’t know, I am an art teacher at a K-8 school in Baltimore. As I mentioned in the comments section of John Martellaro’s blog, “The Zune’s Hidden Agenda,” some of my students were already commenting that they had no desire to own a Zune.
As a result of that blog, I decided to get more scientific and conduct a very unscientific survey of some of my students. With the help of a couple of my eighth grade students, we asked thirty six students (including the two helping) in grades 5-8 four questions about the iPod and the Zune (see below).
The students (except the two helping) had no idea that these questions were for anything special. They were just told that we had a few questions. We talk tech toys and gadgets all of the time during class, so this was nothing unusual to them.
Here are the results of the survey:
1. Do you own an iPod? (this could be any iPod) 16 of the students own an iPod.
2. Do you know what an iPod is? All of the students questioned knew what an iPod is.
3. Do you know what the Zune is? 8 of the students heard of the Zune. One told me that he heard of the Zune, but had no idea what it is.
4. If you know what the Zune is, do you want one? None of the students wanted a Zune.
As a side note, most of these same students know that the PS3 just came out, and the Wii is not far behind. Most want one of these, if not both.
Based on my little survey, I’d say Microsoft has a long way to go before they can even think about defeating the iPod. Their first step might be letting one of their target audience groups know what a Zune is, and that it even exists. It also might help to save new product releases like the Zune for a week other than the one chosen for the release of not one, but two, new gaming consoles.
Just for the fun of it, I asked my first graders if they heard of an iPod. About three out of twelve said they did. Two others raised their hands because they saw their friends raising their hands. I then asked if they had heard of the Zune. They looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, the same five students eventually raised their hands, still with puzzled looks on their faces. Give them a few more years, they’ll know what an iPod is. I’m not sure about the Zune, that will depend if it is still around.
What does this first grade survey tell us? I have know idea, but I thought I’d share.
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