adobe research report

Produced as a theoretical document to the D&AD New Blood 2024 Brief

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of a study exploring the experiences and attitudes that Gen Z have in relation to Adobe’s Creative Software. The data presented was gathered using asynchronous digital ethnography with a focus on the discussion forum Reddit, subjected to semiotic qualitative analysis. Through the analysis of different forum posts, this paper will highlight how Gen Z’s creativity is a result of us being the ‘first digital nomads’ (Francis, T. Hoefel, F, 2018), stemming from the accessibility to devices that have democratised the creative space paired with the availability of self-education through online guides and tutorials. Plus, many people with significantly less disposable income will search for free alternatives of Photoshop or avenues in which they can pirate the software, linking to the collective lack of trust and resentment that are shown towards the Adobe for their recent changes in subscription models. Finally, Adobe Express remains widely unknown within Gen Z; attitudes shown towards the software reveal the existence of digital gatekeepers in other creative communities with some seeing the potential of its practical use.

 Introduction.

Gen Z are commonly described as the most creative generation and a nightmare to effectively market towards. Adobe is ubiquitous within the market of picture, video and audio editing software, meaning any aspiring creative will seek to learn how to best utilise these tools. My aim is, using digital ethnography, to comprehend how, why, and what Gen Z use to create. Whilst simultaneously gathering data regarding their relationship / attitudes with Adobe’s software. A main limitation throughout this research was the knowledge of users’ age, as anonymity and privacy are treasured amongst the digital space. The presence of digital anonymity can bring rise to another limitation, a difference in behaviour as particular people use the protection of anonymity to create different personas online than they exhibit offline (Kang, R., Brown, S., Kiesler, S., 2013).

Method.

The utilisation of asynchronous digital ethnography to gather the data proved itself to be the most effective method, as not only does it allow for a larger sample size when compared to a focus group but since Gen Z value online communities; they allow people of different economic circumstances to connect (Francis, T. Hoefel, F. 2018). Furthermore, digital ethnography / ‘netnography’ can reveal interactions that may not arise during a focus group: ‘interesting consumer insights, impressions, linguistic conventions, motivations, consumption web linkages and symbols’ (Kozinets, 2002). The digital platform I decided to study was Reddit, boasting 70 million daily active users (Curry, D., 2024) and harbouring a multitude of specialised communities dubbed ‘Subreddits’, represented with the prefix ‘r/’. A similar prefix, ‘u/’, is given to users. Reddit’s strength as a platform lies within the Subreddits, where members can post questions, discussion starters, and pictures / videos related to their post topic. Many will be quick to rightfully doubt a discussion forum as a credible source of data, but Jamnik & Lane (2017) praised Reddit as they describe that the data collected from participants were high-quality and comparable to the responses gathered using undergraduate participants, with the website showing promise for the field of research and evaluation.

Age is a difficult hurdle to overcome whilst conducting digital ethnography, as many users like to remain anonymous. However, with the nature of subreddits I was able to overcome this hurdle as I studied ‘r/GenZ’, containing 218,000 members. As the earliest members of Gen Z were born in 1996 or later, I suspected that some would already be in professional environments with a rich history of Adobe software. I proposed four questions to the Subreddit:

1.      What is a creatives go to application / software?

2.      Why are we (Gen Z) such a creative generation?

3.      What do you think of Adobe Express?

4.      Are Adobe products worth paying for?

The third question received no responses after 14 days of being posted, which explains the absence of data surrounding this question within section 3.0. The fourth question was to understand why certain users may pirate Adobe’s software and what emotion can be gathered from their responses. The two remaining questions were able to gather a significant number of responses, all rich with data.

To gather further insights surrounding the relationship between users and Adobe software, I decided to expand the sample size allowing me to gather data from other subreddits. ‘r/GraphicDesign’, and ‘r/Photography’ were the chosen communities however ‘r/GraphicDesign’ proved to harbour a greater quantity of quality data. The data from these subreddits was collected through keyword searches from previous posts on the Subreddits: ‘Adobe’, ‘Adobe Photoshop’, ‘Photoshop’, and ‘Adobe Express’. These searches contributed greatly as they were able to gather substantial amounts of responses and emotions, excluding posts from 3+ years ago under the presumption that attitudes may have shifted since then.

Discussion of findings

Data collected from this research was subject to discourse analysis, investigating the language used within a variety of posts/replies and the possible undertones carried with them.

Responses from the second question highlighted a recurring notion detailing that Gen Z’s creativity stems from accessibility and independence. As user ‘u/worldsfastesturtle’ (2024) writes: “growing up, we all had electronic devices to create various digital art on. Alongside this, we had a much easier time accessing photography and video editing with our phones.” implying that with the barrier to entry being lower, it has democratised the creative scene allowing many of us to learn new skills, self-educating throughout practice. They continue: “digital drawing, photography, design, videography etc. were all options for us and weren’t before” 1 detailing that technological advancements across generations have helped Gen Z have a broader range of creative outlets than previous generations who required specialist equipment to, for example, become a photographer or graphic designer. Similar sentiments were echoed by ‘u/-Joel06’ (2024): “you can learn anything at any time, with just your phone or computer, it’s never been as easy to be self-educated.” 1 the development of communication channels on the digital landscape has birthed countless tutorials and guides on how to increase your knowledge/efficiency with certain programs, reinforcing the idea surrounding independence.

The first question prompted various responses, both from professionals and casual users. ‘u/notadruggie31’ (2024) wrote: “Adobe and AI is what we use in my Advertising job”2 and ‘u/xsweaterxweatherx’ (2024) continuing: “I work for a large media company and we use Adobe”2. We can understand that those within the professional field use Adobe and the Creative Cloud (as expected since their products are industry standard), yet those who mainly use such programs casually may seek free alternatives as ‘u/Fellowd00d’ (2024) writes: “Use Krita, better version of Photoshop that’s free. Davinci Resolve is great and free!”2. This discussion and the fourth question prompted responses that highlighted a common pattern across both r/GenZ, r/GraphicDesign, and r/Photography. A shared sentiment of resentment and rebellion. Resentment was displayed towards Adobe throughout r/GraphicDesign and r/Photography, evident through the language used: ‘shame’3, ‘escape’4, ‘a disgrace’3. User ‘u/Resqu23’ (2023) replied to one of the posts: ‘And this is why they are being sued. Hope they lose big!’3. Emotionally charged language shows that users feel trapped and betrayed by Adobe and their recent practices regarding subscriptions. However, this anger doesn’t stop them from using Adobe software. It stops them using it legally. Some users actively search for ways to pirate the software, to ensure they can keep using the product, but instead sabotaging Adobe’s profits. Such acts could be seen as rebellion fuelled by their frustration towards the company, shown by the fourth questions replies. ‘u/cbobley’ (2024): “sail the seven seas with me, fellow pirate arg”5, ‘u/Ryuodo’ (2024): “Adobe doesn’t need anymore of my money, they’re not even worth it”5, and very bluntly ‘u/canyoupleasekillme’ (2024): “just pirate them”5.

Finally, Adobe Express remains largely unknown within creative communities. Comments related to the software revealed the presence of digital gatekeepers but at the same time a neutral attitude. Some users regard Express as nothing but a “Canva clone”6 and shunned by user ‘u/OatmealSchmoatmeal’ (2023): “an actual design program will win every time”6. On the other hand, ‘u/prolikewoah’ (2023) writes: “I can see this being used for small marketing teams with a tight budget, but they are going to be fighting against it to get what they want.”7 Revealing the potential of Express amongst those less proficient with Photoshop lacking the time to learn the intricacies of the program. Yet, there is a distinct lack of awareness amongst Gen Z regarding Adobe Express as there were no posts on r/GenZ talking about it.

Reflection.

Throughout this research project, much of the data gathered has proven to be incredibly valuable, providing a beneficial insight into the relationship that Gen Z and the creative community have with Adobe software. The emotion displayed was an unexpected discovery but served great for analysis and further understanding for attitudes towards Adobe.

The choice to use asynchronous digital ethnography proved the right choice, as studying an active discussion forum allowed me to grasp the full picture allowing for countless insights from people with varying backgrounds. One of the key advantages of using asynchronous digital ethnography as opposed to synchronous is the removal of scheduling issues and a limited time to properly understand the participants (Murphy, E. 2020).

As previously mentioned, age is a difficult variable to control when conducting digital ethnography. Despite the data from r/GenZ being somewhat reliable, I found that not everyone within the subreddit was a part of Generation Z. This finding harms the reliability of the data gathered from that specific subreddit, despite many putting their birth year as a ‘flair’8. Participants from other communities did not disclose their age.

Throughout my next research project, I will be stricter on validating the variable of age as it will yield a substantially higher degree of accuracy. This will be done by asking the participants (if they are comfortable) for their age. The final improvement I will make is the use of multiple discussion forum sites, as attitudes observed on Reddit may differ to attitudes amongst other communities.