How well do you know the Millenials generation?
A new study says this demographic
- prefers digital media to TV and newspapers,
- seeks consensus,
- craves adventure,
- shops with a smart phone and
- enjoys casual dining.
The research, from marketing agency Barkley, with Service Management Group and The Boston Consulting Group, was based on a survey of more than 5,000 respondents and a whopping 3.9 million data points. It offers a glimpse of the digital and social media habits of Generation Y, as well as members’ attitudes toward cause marketing, grocery, restaurant, apparel and travel.
Here’s a sampling of the findings in more detail. The study showed that Millenials:
- are more aware of youth-oriented cause marketing campaigns. Compared to Non-Milennials, Milennials in the poll were more aware of Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty (33 percent versus 21 percent) and Gap RED (26 percent versus nine percent). Milennials also reported greater exposure to campaigns through social media (40 percent versus 22 percent) and online news (28 percent versus 22 percent), while Non-Millennials rely on newspaper and direct mail.
- aren’t very interested in live TV. Millennials watch significantly less TV than Non-Millennials (only around one-quarter watch 20 hours of TV or more, versus nearly half of Non-Millenials). When they are not watching live TV, Millennials are much more likely to watch shows mainly on their laptops (42 percent versus 18 percent), with DVR (40 percent versus 36 percent), or On-Demand (26 percent versus 18 percent).
- are excited when their friends agree with them about where to shop, eat and play. 70 percent of Millennials in the study are heavily influenced by their friends and colleagues.Less than half of older adults were influenced in the same way.
- gather information on products and services from more channels. More Millennials than Non-Millennials reported using a mobile device while shopping to research products (50 percent versus 21 percent).
- are more likely than Non-Millenials to shop with others. This includes shopping with a family member (13 percent versus six percent) and with adult friends (four percent versus two percent).
- seek a broader range of activities, think globally and report a greater desire to travel. The large majority of Millennials (70 percent) want to visit every continent in their lifetime. Fewer than half of older adults share that goal.
- think life should be fun. Whether shopping, dining out, or immersed in their mobile devices, Millennials prefer the music turned up and a casual atmosphere. Millennials spent 18 percent of their monthly restaurant budget in fast-casual environments, compared to only 13 percent for Non-Millennials. Additionally, Millennials are more than twice as likely to snack at all hours than are older generations.
- demand more knowledgeable and fashionable sales associates than Non-Milennials do. 29 percent of Millenials prefer knowledgeable sales associates (only 19 percent of Non-Millenials do). Non-Millennials value sales associates who know to apply discounts and offer promotions (65 percent versus 51 percent).
While some of these insights may reflect youth culture of any generation, rather than being specific to Millennials –Is it really surprising that younger people would be more adventurous, more likely to eat in a casual restaurant and enjoy louder music than their parents? –I do think this study offers some (snack) food for thought when it comes to engaging with this socially-connected and socially-conscious generation.
What’s more, Millenials are growing up in world that’s more digitally-connected than ever before . . . and marketers need to keep all of these factors top-of-mind when designing campaigns to appeal to this demographic cohort.
Categories: Branding, Digital Marketing, mobile, Social Media Marketing, Social Media ROI
Tags: B2C, B2C social media, brand, consumers, digital marketing, Facebook, marketing, mobile marketing, social media, social media research, social media roi, social media strategy, socialmedia
A good post and a good study.
Given some of these responses – specifically about how “life should be fun” and their excitement when “friends agree with them” – I feel like it’s another layer to the idea of working to integrate game mechanics into communications, advertising and other traditional outlets to entice participation. Not only that, but this is an age group that’s been playing games all their life.
Which I suppose raises the ultimate chicken and the egg question (or maybe even nature/nurture): are they like this because it’s how they grew up or is this just the new landscape because of rapid development of technology during their short lifespan?