Understanding how and why brands connect with Gen Y is critical to Millennial marketing, but research on the subject can be hard to come by. Primary brand research is often closely guarded. That makes figuring out what Millennials want now and, more important, will want in the future a challenge for those without money to spend on getting out and talking to them. Here are three great, free resources on Millennial brands:
1. Outlaw Consulting Trend Reports: Outlaw specializes in researching Millennial trendsetters. They have been doing this longer than anyone I know and provide great content on their site in the form of their in-depth newsletters. These newsletters are full blown reports. Last year, they profiled the top 15 brands.
2. Businessweek recently shared their list of brands with global girl appeal (“How Brands Become Girl Approved“, 9.18.08) as part of an overall survey of global brands. There were the usual suspects: Coca-Cola, Apple, Starbucks, and Google. But there are also a few surprises — Ford, Citi, H&M, Motorola. Actually, I am not so sure about the surprises and neither are they. But what I especially liked was the slide show, the synopsis of what each brand means to girls and suggestions for what it could mean.
3. Graham Brown also has a long record of understanding youth culture, especially mobile marketing to youth. His blog, mobileyouth.org contains a wealth of data and links to slide presentation on youth culture and mobile marketing. For a sample, check out this presentation to Vodaphone on slideshare:
I especially value the links to four slideshare presentations on the Gen Y appeal of four specific brands: Scion, Jones, EA games and Red Bull. He describes these as ‘brands with uncommon sense’. Here is the Red Bull presentation.
In past blog posts I have pointed out that Millennials are big users of radio, the original ‘mobile media’ (9.09.08, Millennial Media: Radio and Magazine Deserve a Second Look). Last year, time spent with radio by 14-24 year olds increased 11% while time spent listening to iPods decreased 13% (Age Age, 10.20.08). Now I read that Microsoft’s Zune is partnering with the radio industry to leverage the popularity of both FM radio and MP3 players. The idea, called ‘song tagging’, is very cool. An FM radio tuner is incorporated into a cell phone or MP3 player so when consumers hear a song on the radio, they can buy it right from their device. So far, it has rolled out to just 450 stations nationwide, but there is a push to sign up more.
Whether Apple adds FM and social tagging to the iPod and iPhone remains to be seen. However, according to digital media expert, Adam Broitman of Crayonville, new apps for the iPhone that leverage the social media capabilities of the PHONE itself are coming. Broitman writes this week in imediaconnection article, “The Best Branded iPhone App Available“, that Obama Team hit all the core elements an iPhone App should posses: Added Value Content, Localized Content, Localized Social Networking and use of the phone’s core functionalities like GPS and text. Here’s what Broitman has to say:
“The Obama application allows users to call other people (from within the application itself) in order to urge people to vote for Obama. The application records the number of calls made and displays them in the app and on the web. It integrates your phone book right into the app, truly exploiting the most basic function of the iPhone—making calls. Seeing this application was and “ah-ha” moment, as well as “duh-why didn’t I think of that” moment. With the coming of Android applications and the growth in the social networking sector, we are going to see a great deal of innovation in the space—keep an eye on it.” (Adam also blogs at amediacircus )
What, you may ask, is an ‘Android’ application? Android is a year old open mobile software platform that has been subscribed to by 34 handset manufacturers. I also saw it mentioned by Antonio Lucia, CMO of Visa. “…Some of the first reiterations of the user interface will be featured with Android.” Android is the basis of the G1 “Google Phone” introduced last week by T-Mobile. I also hear Android mentioned in a report this morning on NPR and in an article about Visa in last week’s Ad Age. Get ready for a flood of more articles showing how Android is supporting Millennials’ desire for extreme mobility.
What is the most important national issue for Millennials? Harvard Institute of Politics posed this open-ended question in its 15th annual poll among 2,400 18-24 year olds in September/October 2007 and again in 2008. (Thank you! John Della Volpe at Social Sphere for sending this!) The answer (see chart) is the state of the economy (53%). The economy trumps the war (9%) and healthcare (5%) by a wide margin. This is not a surprise, given that the poll was conducting during the financial crisis and two economy-focused presidential debates. The surprise is how different things looked a year ago, when the war was the top issue and the economy was mentioned by only 5%. Admittedly, my priorities have shifted a bit as well, so this is not solely a Millennial phenomenon. But it’s interesting to explore how this new awareness is affecting Gen Y, beyond the presidential election. In this regard, nothing has really changed: according to the poll, 18-24 year olds choices are pretty pretty much the same as they were before crisis.
I have firsthand evidence they are thinking about the crisis. I asked a young man I met in the Dallas airport last week who attends Farragut HS in St. Petersburg whether they were discussing the crisis in his economics class. He replied with a grin, “It’s ALL we talk about.”
My daughter who is a college freshman reports her friends are concerned about their parents ability to pay tuition and that scholarships and loan availability will be affected by the new economic reality.
On the job front, business schools are reporting an uptick in enrollment. According to a report, Grads Fear Gloomy Job Prospects, by Medill at Northwestern, there is additional pressure on students college career centers . (Check out the great video of students across the country talking about their job prospects). We are about to conduct a series of focus groups among recent alumni on behalf of Notre Dame’s Alumni Services; I expect to hear there is extra pressure on young employees to perform, making the already stressful transition from college to work even more taxing.
Here are some other predictions:
High school students will begin to defer going to college in favor of jobs or to wait until older siblings have graduated. Applications may be down this year for the first time in many years, despite the demographic bulge for the class of 2013. Others who normally would go for a 4-year school will opt for community college.
We will see parents become even more important to young graduates. Already 50% of men and 33% of women 18-29 live with their parents. Look for this to increase, with no increase in raised eyebrows.
We may even be relieved from hearing more whining about Millennials’ unrealistic workplace expectations over the next few years.
Finally, Millennials’ civic mindedness may also combine with necessity to drive more to public service. Many may prefer underemployment that helps ‘make a difference’ to unemployment. The Harvard Institute poll I referenced earlier confirms other studies in this regard, and goes on to specifically outline what they might do to serve:
“Three-in-five (59%) of America’s youngest
citizens (18-24 year olds) say that they are
personally interested in engaging in some form
of public service to help the country — 19 percent
very interested….In addition, the subgroups that seem most
intense in their interest to engage in national
service are African Americans (25% very
interested) and Hispanics (24% very interested).
Among the 59 percent who say that they are
interested, following are the ways in which they
would consider engaging:
• 75 percent, part time in their community
• 47 percent, work for the federal, state or
local government
• 32 percent, use the Internet to collaborate
with government
• 32 percent, get involved in a political
campaign
• 25 percent, join the foreign service
• 23 percent, join national service program
full-time like Teach for America or City
Year
• 17 percent join the military, and
• 17 percent run for political office.
Those are some impressive figures. If Millennials follow through, there could be a silver lining to the crisis after all.
As the Car Guys say, I just ‘wasted another 30 perfectly good minutes.’ This time I was enjoying nine of the most popular viral videos selected my friend Jim Nichols for his blog at imediaconnection.com. Jim is senior partner, strategist at Catalyst:SF. We have been friends a long time and are currently competing for oldest surviving relic of what are now considered the ‘good old days’ in advertising. Jim also blogs daily about digital media at www.oldestliving.com. We can recall when you argued vigorously over whether the strategy was ‘good taste that’s good for you’ or ‘good tasting goodness’, prepared three commercials and headed for the bar. (This was after the Mad Men era by about 15 years, but I was trained by those guys. It is uncannily accurate in substance and detail.)
I am currently pondering the question Jim posed to me in an email a few days ago. Here it is:
As you know, digital’s share of brand marketing dollars is far smaller than the share of time consumers now spend with digital media. Are brands lagging, or is digital lagging in providing actionable solutions for brand marketers?
Mmm. It’s easy to say it’s because today’s marketers aren’t embracing new media, but I don’t think that would be right. The numerical case for digital media is too compelling. Millennials spend much more time online than watching TV. Yet TV is still the 800 pound gorilla. Why?
The more likely answer is that digital media has a hard time competing with TV as a branding medium, and branding is the main reason for using TV. Historically branding is not as accountable for immediate short term results, so TV often gets a free pass on ROI.
Before you jump on me about digital being a branding medium, I have seen the research, and let me be clear, I am not saying digital can’t be used for branding. It’s just that TV is/was so perfect: Captive audience, full sight, sound and motion. High production value. Trusted information source. Tremendous reach. Digital media, is well-targeted but lacks the reach and emotional impact of a full screen TV.
Digital media will get there. Search is already maturing as a medium. Online video is getting there. Social media which is now more social than media will develop some best practices that will attract the early adopters and late adopters, especially once word of mouth measurement systems become more standardized. Meanwhile, I wasn’t in advertising when there was still a ‘TV department’ and broadcast operations was done by admins, er secretaries, in their spare time. But Mad Men is a good reminder that this isn’t the first time advertisers have had to come to grips with something new.
Meanwhile, here is my favorite viral video from Jim’s list. If you want to waste, ahem, spend, 30 perfectly good minutes of your own, I recommend visiting his blog post today! It won’t be time wasted!
“There’s no doubt that we represent the kind of change Senator Clinton can’t deliver on. And part of it’s generational,” Barack Obama on Fox News November 2007.
“I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that’s why I’m supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Senator John McCain.” — Colin Powell on Meet the Press Sunday.
Obama’s Gen Y appeal has accelerated public awareness that Millennials are not just younger versions of their Boomer parents and Gen X siblings, but the result of a massive generational shift. Obama was named “Marketer of the Year” by Ad Age today largely because of his savvy use of his knowledge of Millennials. I agree with Winograd and Hais that Millennials are not politically motivated this year because of the appearance of Obama. They would have been involved regardless. But Obama’s marketing has been pitched perfectly to this group in everything from message to medium, and that is not an accident. Team Obama did careful research, created focused brand messages and showed clear strategic understanding that Millennials matter. Here is what Winograd and Hais, authors of Millennial Makeover, had to say on their blog Oct 8:
…the political attitudes and identifications of Millennials were clearly evident long before the Obama candidacy gained widespread visibility. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March 2007 indicated that Millennials identified as Democrats over Republicans by nearly a 2:1 ratio (52% vs. 30%). And, a study conducted at about the same time by the Millennial Strategy Program of communication research and consultation firm Frank N. Magid Associates showed that Millennials were the first generation since at least the GI Generation to contain a greater number of self-perceived liberals than conservatives. All of this at least raises the possibility that the high level of Millennial political involvement is significantly based on the Democratic and liberal affinities of the generation and would be strong even without Obama’s strong candidacy….Millennials are intent on working together to create a better America than the one Boomers have left them as an inheritance. Their confidence, political activism, and unity will begin to initiate that change on Election Day this year thanks to a record turnout of young voters. The 1.7 million vote plurality given to John Kerry by young voters in 2004 will grow to between 8 and 10 million for Barack Obama when this involved and unified generation goes to the polls on November 4.
The undecided bloc has shrunk from 14% to 7% and the polls are showing Obama ahead by a furlong as the race rounds the final bend. Both sides know that the biggest risk to Obama’s election is youth voter complacency. We are about to see the the biggest youth marketing campaign of the year: Get Out the Vote. Many of these efforts rely on celebrity influence:
Comedienne Sarah Silverman is asking young voters to visit or call their relatives in an imaginative effort called The Great Schlep. Her video calls for young people to visit their relatives in Florida and convince them to vote for Obama. If you can’t visit, call (mini-Schlep). The Great Schelp was featured on Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood and on Facebook.
Hip hop artists, The Beastie Boys, are staging a series of get out the vote concerts featuring Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Ben Harper and Crosby & Nash. The concerts will be held in three swing states: WI, MN and VA. T.I., Ludacris and Ne-Yo will tour the country to educate potential young voters for two special episodes of 106 and Park that are scheduled to air in October. A MySpace- and HeadCount-sponsored contest among colleges to see which can sign up the most voters. Death Cab will perform on the winning campus.
Will all this effort make a difference? We won’t know until election day. What is apparent is that getting out the vote could make the difference in who wins.
Gallup figures released today (10.19.08) look at the race according to two scenarios. In the traditional approach, voters’ intention to participate in the current election as well as their voting history in previous presidential elections is considered. This method shows Obama leading McCain by just three points, 49% to 46%. The second approach considers only voters’ self-professed likelihood to vote in 2008, and does not factor in whether they voted in past elections. This approach assumes new registrants and infrequent voters will turn out on Election Day to a greater extent than has been the case historically. Using this approach, Obama leads by seven points, 51% to 44%, twice the margin as the first scenario. No wonder Obama is concerned about complacency, despite his clear lead in the polls.
On Wednesday I gave a speech on Millennials to an audience of advertising professionals and students in McAllen, TX in the Rio Grande Valley. The topic that sparked the most conversation by far was intergenerational conflict in the workplace. Younger and older audience members both nodded in enthusiastic agreement when I described Millennials as less time-bound, needing more feedback, more flexibility and more frequent rewards. But they disagreed on whether or not this was something the workplace was really ready — or willing — to provide.
As a parent and a college professor, I can offer some perspective on why young people come to the workplace with such different expectations. High school learning, and grades, are based on highly structured learning approaches. Educators call this ‘duality’ — a student’s job is to learn what teachers know. It’s about getting the ‘right’ answer in the right format. Think of students as teacups with teachers pouring the tea and you will understand duality. One of the earliest transitions college students need to make is to a more ‘relativistic’ learning approach, where students collaborate more in the learning experience and there is less clarity about one right answer or format. I have often watched students struggle when I am unable to tell them there is a right answer, and right number of pages for their essay, a correct format. The final phase is ‘commitment’ – they understand that some answers are more right than others but it is important to remain open to other possibilities. Being sure is a sure sign you are probably not on sure ground. By the time they get to the workplace, Millennials are masters of all three modes of learning. They are good at figuring out the rules so they can get it right (dualistic) but also sense that they may have a righter answer than their boss.
So what does that mean for bridging the generation gap at work? There is a lot written on this very topic and I won’t reiterate it here. But the heart of it all is structure and feedback. Millennials want to know what it takes to be successful, and where they stand at all times. Detailed guidance on job performance standards with frequent helpings of feedback along the way — not just in a 6 month review — are the surest way to keep Gen Y workers happy. The Wall Street Journal, “Employers Rethink How They Give Feedback“, Oct 13, reports:
“In a recent survey, 65% of “Generation Y” workers at Ernst & Young said “providing detailed guidance in daily work” was moderately or extremely important, compared with 39% of Baby Boomers. An overwhelming 85% of Gen Y employees said their age-group peers want “frequent and candid performance feedback,” while only half of Boomers agreed.There’s a difference between the generations in how to provide feedback,” says Ben Rosen, a professor of organizational behavior/strategy at the University of North Carolina who worked on E&Y’s survey. “Gen Y wanted a lot of feedback — from their immediate bosses and anyone else.” These younger workers “grew up where everyone gets a trophy,” Mr. Rosen says. Managers say younger workers don’t mind criticism, as long as they hear something. “I’ve never had any trouble giving feedback to Gen Y folks,” says Billie Williamson, a partner who oversees diversity and inclusiveness efforts for E&Y.”
The article describes how E&Y is adapting to this need for feedback:
Ernst & Young LLP a few years ago launched an online “Feedback Zone,” where employees can request or submit feedback at any time. The system prompts employees twice a year to request feedback. The accounting and consulting firm assigns every employee a mentor and offers training for supervisors who routinely give feedback. Lisa Nussbaum, 23, frequently requests feedback and advice from managers and colleagues. Ms. Nussbaum, an associate project manager in E&Y’s New York office, confers weekly with her career counselor about her schedule and to request feedback.She says the frequent discussions prompt others to make suggestions. One colleague suggested Ms. Nussbaum try to improve her writing skills. Ms. Nussbaum enrolled in a business-writing course. Six months later, she says, the colleague remarked that her writing had improved.”
According to the article, International Business Machines Corp. and Accenture also now offer training to hone managers’ critiquing skills. Feedback has always been an important managerial tool. With Millennials, it may be critical.
I am not a Millennial. But I know a lot of Millennials. Here are my favorite Millennial authored blogs. Each has a marketing slant that makes it well worth putting in your NetVibes folder or Technorati favorites:
David Fallarme,
www.themarketingstudent.com
Sample post: Gen Y will be the Helicopter parents from hell
“Gen Z: don’t even think about lying to your Gen Y parents, we’ll have documented evidence. Of pretty much everything you do.”
Sarah Ewing, www.adage.com/gennext
Sample post: Political Advertising Should Be Held to Higher Standards
“Using the same logic that regulates the rest of the advertising industry, why should these campaigns not be regulated?”
Michael Girts, www.adage.com/gennext
Sample post: View from the Inside: Part I
I like to tell people that they gave me a corner office. It’s my clever way of saying I sit in the corner. At the end of the hallway. In a makeshift cubicle. Using an in-store display featuring the Incredible Hulk. That’s right, it’s just me and the Hulk crammed at the end of the hallway. It’s okay.
anastasia, www.ypulse.com
Sample Post: 11 take home points from what teens want
“Teens today grew up taking their Keds off at the airport in case of shoe bombs. They had leashes, Baby on Board signs and eat all organic. I call this Teacup Parenting. Marketers need to be aware of how delicate and fragile these teens are. They feel like everything is a big deal and they worry a lot. This is why trust, brand building and authenticity are crucial.”
Mindcomet, GenYVooDoo
Sample post: Are Execs on point with Millennial Marketing?
“Unsolicited text messages I find a nuisance, but I suppose if I signed up to receive some sort of offer through text message it would be less bothersome.”
Jeff Taylor, MillennialMarketer.com
Sample post: Microsoft vs. Apple: Competing for Gen Y’s Digital Lifestyle
“I am writing to give you an inside look on how marketing and advertising efforts targeted at Gen-Y are seen by us.”
Hola! Today I am in McAllen, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley to share a presentation on Millennials with the AAF Club. It’s hot, and the food is great. I also have a better sense of what a market with an average age of 28 looks like. The slides were uploaded to SlideShare (link below). If you also want the text of the speech, contact me and I will send it to you. Meanwhile, I have I’ve included links to two other Millennial-focused presentations you may want to check out. Warning: They are very heavy on social media. Tomorrow: Blog resources. Adios!
Segmentation has its limits as a marketing tool. As marketers we are trained to look to focus on the differences, but unless the differences are meaningful, overreliance on segmentation can lead to a lot of wasted effort. It may not be as sexy, but searching for the universal, common ground can lead to even more profound insights, and more impactful and efficient marketing.
The power of the universal is the point of a new book, Metaphoria, from Gerry Zaltman and Lindsay Zaltman. They maintain that focusing on surface level differences and “ignoring alikeness as an important driver of thought and behavior leads to depth deficits in strategic thinking.” (p. 8). In other words, we are ‘deeply alike’ and strategies built on commonalities are more powerful than those built on differences.
I believe this insight is especially true of Millennial marketing. As a generation, Millennals cherish their individuality, but are secure enough in who they are that they have no problem identifying strongly with a larger group, ethic or brand, especially if that group, ethic or brand shares their values; they like being part of something bigger than themselves. I can easily see this generation becoming more attached to their colleges as alumni and to other causes and institutions they support than previous generations.
Millennials share a set of common values that has enabled a few brands to deeply connect with a broad range of young consumers: Google, Apple, Heroes, and Teach for America come immediately to mind. These connections are based more on similarities among Millennials than differences. Those similarities can be traced to common upbringing that stressed team work, embracing of diversity (which is quite different from tolerance), respect for institutions, and the importance of ‘making a difference’ (i.e., or as Google famously said, ‘do no evil’). Millennials also share a faith in technology as tool for connection and productivity. Perhaps most significantly, it shares a deep belief in its own capacity for bringing about positive change. This belief is what underlies their strong will to be ‘heard’. With Obama perhaps now less than a month from what is looking like a Millennial-inspired victory, we may be hearing more from and about Millennial universals in the near future.
