Raffi Niziblian, Mathew Zein

Generation N

Strategic Communications for Armenia

During my trip to the UAE in October, I wanted to learn about people’s perceptions of digital nomadism in Armenia. I held a sign that said “Life in Armenia for Digital Nomad Families” several times near the dancing fountains in Dubai and waited for people to approach me with questions. Those who talked to me knew what digital nomadism was, but many had misconceptions about Armenia. Some people thought Armenia was Albania, while others thought it was unsafe, underdeveloped, or not a good destination for remote workers.   Digital nomads primarily use the internet to learn about new destinations, including Armenia, and the majority of them belong to Generation N, also known as digital natives—people who grew up with the internet and comfortably use it to find information and connect with others, regardless of age. The professionals in Armenia and digital nomads worldwide are mostly from Generation N. So, we have two groups of people from the same generation using the same pool of knowledge.

Gen N

Generation N

Why is this important? It’s important because it means we need to find a way to communicate Armenia better to Generation N abroad and convey the right message about the country to attract more digital nomads.   While researching Generation N in Armenia, I learned that Raffi Niziblian, a Canadian-Armenian with over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, has been extensively engaged in this topic. In November last year, his company, Deem Communications, hosted a signature conference in Yerevan called Generation N: Decoding Communications to, as the conference said, Bind Communications and Tech in a Post-COVID-19 Reality.    Close to 80 leaders from the tech, banking, and other sectors attended this conference, which focused on topics of talent, culture, the “Great Resignation,” and communicating during a time of crisis. Web3 was discussed under the umbrella of the new notion of “Generation Novel.” Tech was the focus because the industry has experienced a “boom” despite the global pandemic in recent years.  Therefore, I interviewed Raffi for two hours to learn how to craft effective messages and strategic communication to connect with Generation N around the world and persuade them to relocate or even visit Armenia. I am publishing this interview to show professionals abroad how developed Armenia is and what kind of strategic thinking they can expect to find here. I also hope to provide a guide to effective communication with this segment of the population.

Why did you choose to talk about Generation N in Armenia last year?

They are the future of the workforce, they are highly skilled and adaptable, they are digital natives, they are values-driven, and they are looking for new and innovative ways to work and live. By understanding and communicating with Generation N, we can create a more prosperous and sustainable future for Armenia. Many of us are digital-first. That’s why we need to be talking to Generation N. This generation of service providers, creatives, and marketers uses technology to consume and communicate information, education, entertainment, and everything in between. It is obvious that Gen N is our target audience—the ones who are online generating content and consuming and regenerating information in their own way.   When we started DeeM, we wanted to be pioneers and introduce new things. We began by organizing a seasonal event called WinterFest Armenia, to overcome the otherwise glommey and gray season and jump start seasonal tourism. We collaborated with hotel and restaurant associations to create strategic actions for tour operators to sell as new products. We positioned ourselves as thought leaders in society and the market.   To that end, we continued offering new concepts and topics. Eventually, we created a series of PR summits that we ran for four years at the American University of Armenia, a symbol of modernity and Western ideologies. We had PR specialists from the US, EU countries, the Middle East, India, the UK, and all over the world join us in Armenia to talk about important topics like media literacy, the importance of understanding content, and social media strategy. Our events specifically focused on communication, and we had around 100-120 participants each year.   For the next step, we wanted something new and challenging, and while we were talking about the new generation and doing our research when we stumbled on Generation N. We realized we were not alone in going through this digitization process and change in employee work preferences. What we were struggling with here was the same thing that others were struggling with outside Armenia. We brought approaches, methodologies, techniques, and ideologies to the forefront and invited international and local speakers to attend the conference.   One of the topics we focused on was communicating during times of crisis. This was a crucial topic for our times as we are not doing a great job with this both on a national or international level.   Our awareness raising work on Generation N started before and after the event, with TV interviews, articles, and ongoing writing about strategic communication. This collaboration with Life in Armenia is part of our strategy to sustain excitement about Generation N in Armenia.

Armenia

What was the reaction to the Generation N conference in 2022?

The overall reaction was positive. It ignited people to think about a variety of topics. We often hear something and don’t realize how it has changed our behavior. Neuroscience teaches us that this doesn’t happen in a day. You hear of an idea, read about another, read something else somewhere else, and then you start thinking about a certain issue differently, and your behavior in that regard starts to change.   This is the kind of change we aim to bring about in communicating with Generation N, which I believe also extends to digital nomadism, the main topic of this magazine. When professional societies in Armenia and abroad gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of this target audience, they can help promote Armenia as a country and destination for travelers and remote workers more effectively and positively. Their messages can evolve over time to become more targeted and constructive. Overall, I can say that the impact in one year was so good that we must keep the discourse around the same topic for a few more years.    As a result of our first Generation N conference including strategic communication, we planned and implemented two nationwide campaigns, one of which was with the UNDP.

Armenia

At the Gen N conference, you personally raised the method of Hope-based Communications, can you explain why it is an important topic in Armenia?

Hope-based Communications is an approach that focuses on the positive outcome and hopeful aspects of the possible future. It is often used in campaigns and public relations strategies to inspire people to take action, but it can also be used in other contexts, such as education, politics, and overall social change.   In Armenia, Hope-based Communication is particularly important because it can help overcome past challenges and build a better future, one we aspire to. Armenia has a long and rich history but has also experienced periods of great hardship. In recent years, Although Armenia has made significant progress, there are still many challenges to be faced. Hope-based Communication can play a role in addressing these challenges and help to promote positive change and development in Armenia. It can definitely be used as a means to attract digital nomads to Armenia. The Armenian government can use Hope-based communication to promote tourism and investment in Armenia. Also, Armenian social organizations can use it to raise awareness of important issues and inspire people to take action. We at DeeM are championing Hope-based Communication. The idea is not to just come up with optimistic and positive visuals but to constantly ask the question: why would the audience buy into this? 

Armenian culture

Why is Armenia a Unique Context for Strat-Comms and Gen N?

Armenia is in a transition period with an older (post soviet) generation of business people who created businesses after the collapse of the soviet union, and an entirely new generation that’s come in with formal education and modern tools and technologies. There is a clash between the two. The older generation grasp the fundamentals of the market while the younger generation seeks to optimize it. Thus, the new, younger professional is more open to strategic thinking and communication approaches. Nonetheless, their lack of experience and the struggle for power has created a sense of arrogance as they pretend to be experts in fields they know little about. This also comes from the fact that tons of tutorials are available online about every topic, but that is not how one becomes specialized in a topic – they only become knowledgeable, which is a leap in the right direction. One must learn in the trenches and fail. Mistakes are important for building experience. You make a mistake, you fix it, and the next time you are doing something similar, you pay closer attention and foresee it. Knowing the technicalities means you know the basics but cannot call yourself an expert. This is where we are right now.    Despite being very traditional people, Armenians are quick to adapt to innovation. When the internet came, it came big. There is connectivity almost everywhere in Armenia, even in remote areas, despite the many mountains. Connectivity is a big plus. If you need things fixed or suppliers for whatever you do, you can find talent in Armenia. There is a lot of talent in this country.

Generation N event

Why would Gen N nomads consider relocating to Armenia?

Besides the predominant native language spoken by all, many people speak Russian and English, especially among the younger generation. Armenia is also a member of the Francophonie countries with a growing number of French speakers. In addition, a remote worker can find everything they need in terms of co-working space, places to chill and do work, while eating good food. Although accessible, It is becoming a bit more pricey. Moreover, the weather is amazing, with four true seasons. Summers are hot, winters are short and cold, and spring and fall are long and amazing.   The government of Armenia has made a huge transition to e-governance with digital and automated tools and support (such as registering a business), an important component.There are so many campaigns to reform Armenia’s policies and impact social norms and behavior in terms of smoking in public places, health, gender, and the justice sector.   I hadn’t intended to make this interview with Raffi public, but after we finished our conversation, I felt compelled to share it with everyone. I wanted the magazine readers to enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Raffi is open to conversation so I suggest you reach out to him on LinkedIn. 

Armenia