BuzzMG is a multimillion-dollar firm that grew from a job Tina Wells took as a teenager. At 16 she began writing product reviews for New Girl Times, a newspaper in the Seventeen magazine family of print publications. Wells informed companies about what teens liked and disliked. The companies had products to sell to teens and they let Wells know that they thought she was a valuable source of information.
Thus encouraged, a few months later Wells started a company that she named The Buzz. Its goal was to alert teens about products they would probably like. Since Wells got lots of free products from companies, she decided to stage a fashion show for teens featuring these products.
Even though her company's maiden event cost little to produce, it was a hit with teens and businesses. Wells decided to put more time and effort into doing product reviews for her new company. She recruited youths who were eager to share their opinions about what was hot and what was not.
How Young People Can Apply To Become BuzzSpotters
Today, BuzzMG, which is now based in Vorhees, New Jersey, says that it has about 9,000 young people across the globe that it calls BuzzSpotters. BuzzSpotters are well-connected in their schools, cities, communities or any place the young hang out, including malls. Young people can apply to be buzzSpotters online or by printing the application and then faxing it.
BuzzMG does marketing surveys into the lives of those who range in age from children to young adults. The company concentrates on finding out what youth think in five areas:
- Fashion & Beauty
- Pop Culture
- Religion & Politics
- Music & Entertainment
- Sports & Travel
BuzzMG Client Services
Armed with market research data, BuzzMG can offer the following services to clients:
- Need Analysis – how to identify and resolve issues that keep a brand from performing its best
- Idea Generation
- Problem Solving – when clients know what the problem is, BuzzMG confers with the client to discuss fixes
- Grassroots Marketing – how to reach youth in the environments they are most comfortable: the mall, at the movies, online, etc.
- Viral Marketing – how to reach youth online
- Trendsettng – predicting what's going to be the next "in" thing
Though the direction of her business has intentionally shifted in some years, Wells has always had her pulse on the desires and mindset of youth. While majoring in communications at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, she co-founded Buzzteen with Adam Stevenson. They did a range of teen market research into teens and also started a website.
In June 2001 she graduated from Hood with degree in communications. Her business partnership ended. She founded BuzzMG. Despite her demonstrated success, she still places a lot of emphasis on education. That's why she enrolled in the marketing management program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to earn her Master's degree.
Honors, Awards, and Books
Wells has received many honors and awards, including being named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in 2009. She sits on the Philadelphia Orchestra's Board of Directors.
She has written a series of books for girls ages eight to 12 that feature a girl named Mackenzie Blue. The first book in this series was published in 2007. Mackenzie Blue: Mixed Messages, the most recent book, was issued in November 2010.
Linda N. Riggins - I have written freelance articles for Victorian Homes,Catholic Digest, the Old Farmer's Almanac, Fine Homebuilding, the Christian Science ...
