When Millennials are asked what are their favorite brands, Apple generally tops the list. Yet according to research reported last summer by YPulse, Dell still leads the pack in actual current ownership of computers. Thirty-one percent of college students own a Dell, far ahead of Apple at just 23%.Either purchase intentions are less than a sure thing or other factors are at play. That factor is called Parents.
I have noted before that when targeting Millennials, it’s wise for markters to “Meet the Parents”. They are unlikely to make major decisions without parental input. And in some cases (especially when they are underwriting the cost), the parents’ vote is the only one that really matters. Computers are perfect example of why that advice is worth considering. According to Ypulse:
“Understanding the apparent disconnect between current use and future intent among college students requires a better understanding of who’s doing the buying and when. Laptops are largely paid for by Mom and Dad just before a college student’s freshman year. Only one third of collegians report paying for their laptop using only their own money – the other two-thirds get help with a portion of the price tag (10%) or have it purchased for them entirely (56%). While deciding what to buy is more often within the student’s control, more than a third (36%) are being influenced by the advice of others.” — YPulse Report, July 2009
“Dell is the laptop brand most often used by high school students at 30% current ownership while Apple trails dramatically at 4% current ownership. Future intent is nearly at parity with 22% intending to buy an Apple and 20% intending to buy a Dell. Merely one out of eight (13%) of high school students paid for their own PC and merely one-third (33%) made the decision as to what they would purchase.” — YPulse Report, July 2009
Notre Dame Leprechaun Tattoo
Some of the most widely reported facts from the report on Millennials from Pew Research involved the prevalence of tatoos — and more personal body decoration — among Gen Y.
“About half (54%) have done one or more of the following: gotten a tattoo, dyed their hair an untraditional color, or had a body piercing in a place other than their ear lobe….Gender is not a factor in either tatooing or untraditional hair-dyeing — men and women are about equally likely to have done either — but body piercing is more common among young women than among their male counterparts.”
The incidence of tattoos among Millennials as well as Gen X’ers is so widespread as to be almost mainstream.
Thirty-six percent of Millennials and 40% of Gen X have at least one tattoo and many have multiples. (The reason this comes as a surprise to those of us who have never even contemplated the option of body art beyond ear piercing is that many are in discreet places.)
Tattoos are one of the few evidences of a true generation gap. Just 10% of those over 40 years old admit to a tattoo.
For us on the far side of the tattoo divide, it makes little sense to pay money (sometimes a lot of money, I am told) and endure pain to create an indelible mark. So it’s worth contemplating what marks Millennials find compelling enough to wear permanently.
A Google search of ‘tattoo designs’ returns over 2.3 million sites, so it’s hard to say what is most popular. The idiosyncracy of a tattoo appears to be part of its appeal. Nothing is quite as personal or individual.
Adam Di Stefano writes in The Next Great Generation blog that tattoos are a ‘Defining Mark’. He agrees that tattoos say a lot about a person, but what they don’t say is that the wearer is a ‘rebel’ or is trying to make any particular statement. According to Di Stefano, there is no single ‘type’ of person who wears a tattoo:
“Tattoos are an art form. Some people like oil paintings, others like ancient sculptures. I think there’s nothing more beautiful than a well inked tattoo. I love the stories behind tattoos. Most tattoos have meaning, and generally it represents an important moment in a person’s life. There’s something compelling about the permanence of a tattoo.”
Tanner Maluchnik, who blogs at Life Destiny, observes that sports brand tattoos are a sign of a particular affiliation, that of a fan for a team:
“I associate and branded myself, with ink, of the Penn State Nittany Lion brandmark (not unlike quite a few Notre Dame people I know either subway alum or not inking themselves with the Leprechaun). It is more based on the brand “Penn State Football,” instead of being a student and future alum of Penn State. Over 100,000 wearing white to a football game does not get any more “brand cult.” …Last summer when I was working on the beach with my shirt off everyday, it was so easy to speak with other “associated” people who saw my brandmark and went out of the way to get to know me.”
One of my more embarrassing moments came a few years ago in an interview I was conducting for a youth pastor position for our church. My daughter had tipped me off that he had a tattoo, and I was feeling uncomfortable with this as a role model. So I asked about his decision — what symbol would be so compelling as to wear for the rest of your life? His reply? Jesus Christ. Needless to say, he got the job.
By Millennial Marketing Guest Blogger, Kristin Dziadul
One of the questions I get most often from marketers is “What brands do Millennials like?” I asked Kristin Dziadul, a recent graduate in marketing, to provide her perspective.
“I think I speak for most all Millennials when I say that I choose brands because they are seen as ‘popular’ or ‘cool’ as deemed either by our social group or society as a whole.
For example, I would not buy clothes from Wal Mart when I had the option to buy them from Abercrombie & Fitch or Express instead. This is because the two former brands are popular and buzz-worthy, whereas you would be more abashed to say your clothes are from Wal Mart. I think most Millenials go through this stage during high school, as everyone is becoming very judgmental and forming their social ‘clicks.’ Millenials are major gossipers, which is why brands tend to matter a lot as we go through our teenage years.
This age cohort gains their information and social influences mainly from friends, family, and the Internet when making brand decisions, which is why they care so much about what others think of them. As we get older, we tend to not concentrate as much on the brands we use, as we do the cost versus quality.
I have noticed as I get older that I have become more sensible with the brands I choose to buy.
For example, when I was in high school I used to buy ridiculously expensive clothing from Limited Too, a teen store in the mall. Simple jeans ran upwards of $80, and I used to buy those all the time! Now, I am comfortable buying a tee shirt or bathing suit from Target or Macy’s where they sell no-name brands, but they are fashionable all the same.
When we get older, we tend to lose our main focus of social pressures and influences, and more on our wallets, comfort, and style. I still put focus on what styles are in fashion and do buy from well-known brands on occasion, but it is not an imperative anymore, and my friends and I no longer judge each other based on what we wear and where it’s from.
The brands I am most passionate about are Apple, Coach, and American Eagle.
I am loyal to Apple because of the high quality, great integration with all their products, latest and greatest technology, and brand loyalty. Although their products are expensive, they are extremely durable, made of great quality parts, and are always at the top of industry knowledge when it comes to product development, three components which mean a lot to me.
I also love Coach purses because of the fashion statement and high quality that the brand instills. I have had a Coach purse for over two years and it is still in perfect condition, matches all my outfits (very versatile!), and also serves as a fashion statement.
About 80% of my clothing is from American Eagle. I love this brand because of the affordability and relaxed style.
Kristin Dziadul, 21, is a recent graduate of Western New England College with a Marketing Communications/Advertising major. She is the 2009 New England Direct Marketing Association scholarship recipient, and has a strong passion for marketing and social media! Kristin is from Connecticut and currently has two marketing freelance jobs.
She blogs at http://kdmedianow.com Follow her on Twitter: @KristinEDziadul
Has the world finally woken up to Millennials?
Judging by the media attention focused on Gen Y yesterday, it seems we may finally have arrived at the tipping point. On Feb 24 alone, there were articles and segments that appeared around the country, sparked by the new Pew Report on Millennials:
Chicago Tribune: “Millennials Dubbed ‘Always Connected’ in Pew Report”
Washington Post: “Under 30 Americans: The Next New Dealers?”
Washington Post: “Story Lab: Quiz: How Millennial Are You?”
PBS News Hour: “Demographic Profile of a Generation”
Christian Science Monitor: “Great Recession Hits Millennials Hardest”
Huffington Post: “Our Generation: More Confident, Less Employed”
A quick Google search returned 56 ‘related articles’ for a search on “Pew Millennials“. I certainly welcome the attention on this remarkable demographic group, and I applaud Pew for its indepth coverage. But where are the marketing articles? The Pew data so far is mostly attended to by social scientists, political scientists, journalists and academics.
The marketing world, aside from youth-focused marketing firms, as yet are still fairly tone deaf about the coming shifts.
If you are interested in understanding how more mainstream marketers are reaching out successfully to Millennials, you have to dig a little deeper. MobileYouth’s profile of Ten Brands that connect with Gen Y is a good start for profiles of Ford Fiesta, Monster Energy drink and others. But once you get beyond these high profile stories the cases get a little harder to come by. Here are three less publicized, inspiring exceptions:
Houlihan’s: (Fast Company, March 1, 2010)
“Last summer, it created its own social-networking site, HQ, an invite-only “brand community” of 10,500 “Houlifans” to serve as a virtual comment card. Customers appended that a-little-too-cute prefix to all things Houli-, and they’ve helped the formerly stodgy Irish pub rebrand itself as a contemporary suburban lounge-style hangout.”
StarkSilverCreek Web Publication: (PR Web, February 17, 2010)
All Things West Coast, the company’s flagship brand, is one of the fastest growing digital media properties. Readers value inspired and thoughtful coverage of the west coast including arts (film, stage), wine country, travel, and technology. Alexa Internet, Inc. ranks starksilvercreek.com 93,401 in the US and 285,000 globally. According to Quantcast, readers are affluent (28% earn $100K+), highly educated (67% college/grad school). Generation X and Y (Millennials) account for 68% of visitors.
Herbal Essence: (Business Week, July 2008)
“The shampoo and conditioner bottles are curved so that they literally fit together on the shelf. The nesting shape not only helped Herbal Essences stand out from others on the shelf but also encouraged more young women to buy both products, driving up conditioner sales. To appeal to Millennials, the team also updated the language on the packaging. The ho-hum “dandruff” reference gave way to “no flaking away.” Names for different hair styles were changed to more youthful phrases such as “totally twisted” or “drama clean.” “We totally reframed the proposition,” says Lafley. ….soon after the shampoo was relaunched the brand was growing again, with sales growth rates in the high single digits.”
A lot is known now about how to build a more appealing brand that connects more directly with Millennials. It requires a different approach, because as anyone who reads this blog or the Pew Report knows, it’s a different kind of audience. Getting results like these requires a more collaborative approach to research and a more engaging approach to marketing.
Marketers will be wise to begin now. The rewards for early movers in categories like banking, wine, leisure travel, retailing, and media will be great, both in immediate sales lifts (like Houlihans) as well as in better positioning for future consumers. Gen Y trends have a way of migrating up the generations.
Soon it will be more than just the wine industry that is experiencing ‘classic market disruption’, it will be most industries as this 75-million strong demographic recovers from the Recession, and gets about the business of creating homes and careers. Will your brand be ready?
Meanwhile, we are launching a new page on our MillennialMarketing.wikispaces.com wiki to aggregate successful Gen Y marketing case studies. Check it out and feel free to contribute your stories.
I follow quite a few members of Gen Y in social media. It’s surprising to me how little, with a few exceptions like American University student, Chris Golden, they talk about politics.
Of the big three, Sex and Religion get more digital ink than Politics. While Millennials are hailed as possibly the next ‘civic generation’, their engagement seems to be more with making a difference through social causes than via political action.
Two new studies each purport to know where Gen Y’s partisan sympathies lie at this moment in our political history. To my surprise, the results appear to be diametrically opposed.
The first study, by the ever-reliable Pew Research Center, shows support for the Democrats among Millennials took a nosedive in 2009 following the outpouring of support for Obama in ‘08.
“The Democratic advantage over the Republicans in party affiliation among young voters, including those who “lean” to a party, reached a whopping 62% to 30% margin in 2008. But by the end of 2009 this 32-point margin had shrunk to just 14 points: 54% Democrat, 40% Republican.”
A quick look at the Pew chart above shows that the ’shift’ is actually a return to the baseline level of 37% Republican/53% Democrat for Gen Y that was seen in 2007. This ‘bounce’ suggests that the Obama campaign represented an anomaly in Millennial’s political sentiments, not a fundamental shift in affiliation. According to Pew, the weakening may have a lot to do with diminished support for Obama and his policies among Millennials, similar to the waning seen for the general population.
“Obama’s job approval rating slipped substantially over the past year among Millennials as well as among older age groups. … in February 2009, 73% of Millennials approved of Obama’s job performance — the highest percentage in any age group. One year later, in February 2010, just 57% of Millennials give Obama a positive rating.”
The second study by Frank Magid and Associates, which provided much of the data underlying Winograd and Hais’s book, Millennial Makeover, shows Gen Y’s Democrat leaning solidifying in 2009.
“In 2008, Millennials voted more than 2:1 for Obama over McCain (66% vs. 32%) and by roughly the same percentage (63% vs. 34%) for Democratic congressional candidates. Magid’s 2010 data shows this same level of Democratic identification persisting among Millennials who are attending college. Twice as many college students call themselves Democrats as Republicans (47% vs. 24%). Only 15% are independents, with a similar percentage unwilling to identify with any of those three choices.
The key difference here may be the words “Millennials who are attending college”. Indeed, if this is the case and student affiliation is stable, it suggests an even greater decline for the Dem’s among non-college educated Millennials.
While the two studies do not appear to agree on political party affiliation, they do agree on liberal-conservative self-identification.
According to Pew, ideologically, 29 percent of Millennials describe themselves as liberals, 28 percent say they are conservatives and 40 percent identify themselves as moderates.
Similar numbers are reported by Winograd and Hais in the Huffington Post for the Frank Magid study: 31 percent of college students 18 and older call themselves liberals or progressives, 20 percent say they are conservative and 30 percent describe their political philosophy as moderate, while “20% haven’t learned enough in college yet to say just what their ideological orientation is.”
What this tells me is that both parties have some work to do.
The Republicans have an opportunity perhaps to win over some of the moderates and undecided’s, or at least give them pause about voting Democrat in the mid-terms. The Democrats need to recapture their appeal by reinvigorating their party with some of the faded glow of the Obama victory. The stakes are high. As Morley and Winograd wrote in their excellent 2007 book, Millennial Makeover, political affiliations tend to persist well beyond young adult years.
“Political behavior resarch has consistently indicated that once most individual, and hence most generations, take on a party identification, they maintain it throughout their lives. As sociologist J.V. Namenorth noted, “Value orientations do not change much during a generation’s life time. Committed during its early stages a generation most often carried its value commitments into the grave”. If the Democrats can maintain this initial generational allegiance during the next two presidential elections, they should gain a decisive electoral edge for decades to come.”
For both groups, the bigger issue is that partisan politics is simply not the biggest issue in the lives of Millennials, at least right now. They are preoccupied today with understanding what their place will be in this changed world, not which party offers the most ‘hope’ for change.
Over the past week, I have graded nearly fifty student case analyses of MTV. Make no mistake, Millennials love this brand. It’s iconic. It is part of their growing up years.
So it was with great interest that I read of MTV’s logo update announced last week, the first update in its 28-year history.
According to The Brandchannel and articles in MSN and Ad Age, the move is intended to align with the fact that MTV is now better known for reality TV shows than music videos. There seem to be at least four different motivations for the change.
1. Better align with what MTV does today
The MTV brand has represented more than “music television” for many years, and now – appropriately – the words “music television” are no longer part of the official logo. In addition, the original logo has undergone a slight morphing. When MTV launched, the upside of the logo was that it communicated the very specific, targeted business of the brand to a potential audience that had never heard of it. Of course, the downside of the logo is that once the brand diversified to include material beyond music, such as, say, Jersey Shore shenanigans, the logo became confusing, or even absurd.” - The Brandchannel, Feb 10, 2010
2. Better appeal to Millennial target
“It represents a new visually defined MTV, stimulating its past, present and future and embracing its diversity. Everything from Jersey Shore, to the VMAs to collaborations with the MoMA. The logo is part of MTV’s re-invention to connect with today’s millennial generation and bring them in as part of the channel.” – MSN, Feb 10, 2010
3. Put greater focus on MTV’s stable of talent
“The new logo is meant to put the focus on MTV’s current slate of talent — the stars of mostly reality shows like “Jersey Shore,” “Teen Mom,” and “The Buried Life.” Since the logo (which seems to have a shorter “M” than the original) is also available in a see-through model, it can change when new stars come into the fold. Tina Exarhos, a spokesperson for MTV’s marketing team, explained the change to “The New York Daily News”: “If you watch the channel, you’ve seen that it’s definitely going in a new direction. We really wanted to see the logo featured in a new way, and this was really meant to be able to house all the great things that are happening at MTV at any given time.” PeaceFM, Feb 10, 2010
4. Increase brand recognition
“Mr. Friedman said MTV has also had a problem with brand recognition among viewers who would love certain shows but had no idea they aired on MTV. “The way the logo frames it makes it a simple reference point,” he said.- Ad Age
The move has been questioned publicly on several fronts: Why now after all these years? Is it enough of a change? Is tweaking enough? Is it too mainstream/not irreverent enough? So I put the question to my Brand Strategy MBA class at University of Notre Dame.
Based on the case you just read and your experiences with MTV, what do you think? For the most part, students felt that the change was not big news.
Jonathan: “I think it’s all much ado about nothing. The change is so minor, I initially thought there was simply something wrong with my cable when the bottom of the logo was cutoff.”
Michelle: “I actually had to Google the MTV logo to get an idea of the changes that they made. I don’t think that there was much change at all and I guarantee that many of their teen viewers won’t see the change either.”
Suzy: “The changes are subtle, and not very noticeable among viewers. If anything positive comes out of this initiative, it is the publicity and buzz that was created as a result of the change.”
The larger issue for these students is that the change probably doesn’t go far enough in explaining what MTV means today.
Several acknowledge that the brand’s emphasis on reality shows may not have the resonance for them that it did when they were growing up. They understand the brand has changed, but what does it stand for now?
Marissa: “I think MTV needs to reinvent their brand identity. Their programing has changed with the times as they now focus on reality shows and docudramas like “Teen Mom.”
Rob L: “I think there is no substantive difference other than dropping “music television” which was long overdue. It was the source of a lot of irritation, even to those that didn’t watch the channel, because it caused confusion given that’s not a core part of their programming. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard someone complain about “back when MTV played videos” I’d pay off my student loans. As it stands, they seem to have no identity, no focus. At least Tru TV is direct about their showing reality shows, you know what you are getting into and are not disappointed by their 2nd rate reality entertainment.”
Rob: “Changing the logo doesn’t do much to change the disconnect between ‘music’ and whatever they want to call what they’re showing now.”
Amy: “For those of us who remember MTV when they used to play music videos, the “M” stands for music. Simply dropping the explicit reference to ‘music television’ does not change anything.”
The folks at MTV no doubt understand that their brand is in transition and that is probably the main reason for the logo update.
Iconic brands need to speak into the culture to remain iconic. Standing still is not an option in youth marketing. Perhaps the logo change is just the beginning? With hit shows like the “Jersey Shore” leading the way, I think we may only be seeing the beginnings of how this brand plans to connect with Millennials.
“This is Gen Y” video by Weber Marketing Group
Banks and credit unions are scrambling to understand their future market, Millennials. Much of the dialog has focused on technology-enabled services, but service may be the key to attracting Gen Y.
Research by Microsoft suggests their needs are actually different from their Boomer parents, with Gen Y placing a greater emphasis on mobility and online access.
“(Millennials) are much more likely than baby boomers to use Web banking (49 percent versus 35 percent) and to find online service capabilities to be very important when researching a new bank (54 percent versus 42 percent). Baby boomers, on the other hand, are much more likely to prefer banking transactions in person at a branch (44 percent versus 32 percent), and half (50 percent) report that they never bank via the Web using a personal computer or phone browser.” – “Millennials and Baby Boomers Banking Channel Preference Survey 2009″, Microsoft News Center, November 3, 2009.
A December 2009 study by Fidelity confirms that Gen Y indeed wants online access. “Most Gen Y individuals are using mobile technology to stay updated on their cash flow situations with 64 percent reporting that they typically check their balances online before making a purchase of $300 or more.”
However, Gen Y’s needs and bank selection criteria may lie more in the area of customer service than technology.
Three remarkable videos posted on the blog, “TheFinancialBrand“, all suggest how little Millennials really understand about banks and credit unions. They have no idea how banks make money (fees?) and many bank where they do simply because that is where their parent’s bank.
Moreover, they are not happy with how banks treat them. The video above (4:06 and worth watching) shows interviews with five young adult banking customers, ages 17-25. Here are some excerpts:
“When I go in to talk to [my bank], they aren’t friendly or helpful whatsoever. They talk to me like I’m stupid, pretty much.”
“I bought a quesadilla and overdrew my account. And then I… overdrew overdrew overdrew and I owed them tons of money. When I went to talk to them, they weren’t nice to me, so I switched.” (Woman, 23)
“I’d have to say a lot of my friends do get overdraft fees, cause it’s hard to know how much you’re spending. I don’t keep track of that too well…” (Woman, 17)
“They’re not open all that often. If I get my paycheck late on Friday’s and they close early, I’ll have to wait for the weekend.” (Woman, 23)
“When I go to an ATM to take out money, it’s rough to have to pay a couple of dollars just to take out money.” (Woman, 17)
Millennials expect to be treated nicely and fairly. They want to feel good about the places they do business and are happy to reciprocate.
Gen Y’er Laura Hurlbut provided this perspective on customer service in her blog post Monday “Cafes, Spain and Customer Experience“:
“As a customer, I want to do business with individuals and organizations that respect my humanity—a preference, I assume, others share. In four years living in Spain, I often frequented bakeries and cafes where the owner took my order, asked me questions, listened to my responses, and generally interacted with me in a pleasant, and completely genuine, manner. In these small, charming establishments, I never felt like a number, a potential profit, a potential promoter, or a potential detractor: I was simply Laura, the foreign girl with the funny accent. As a result, I always wanted to get coffee, pastries, and tapas at these same places—because I like doing business with someone who genuinely respects me as an individual, and whom I genuinely respect.”
Granted, most banks are not all that interested in customers who have to check their balance before buying a quesadilla. But someday these young consumers will have real jobs, direct deposit paychecks and need additional services like auto loans and mortgages, maybe even a business loan.
A little respect now could pay dividends with interest later.
The premise of generational marketing is that each generation assumes a characteristic set of values and behaviors. While it’s not everything you need to know to market effectively, it provides a cultural foundation and helps avoid the ego-centric mistake of thinking other generations are just like you, only younger or older.
While Millennials are socially more liberal than other generations, their values are fairly traditional.
(For more on this see earlier posts, “Millennial Values: Back to the Future?” and “Millennials More Upright than Kids 20 Years Ago“.)
They value family, personal connection, and loyalty.
They seek out the genuine and are repulsed by phony.
They are famously optimistic and believe in the possibility of change.
They advocate for the environment and social justice.
They treasure tolerance and diversity, teamwork and balance.
They seek spirituality and are open to the possibility of the divine.
There’s nothing revolutionary here, I could be describing my grandmother’s generation. It would be very easy to be fooled into thinking nothing’s changed because what has changed is not the content but the dedication to those values.
Millennials can be defined both by their strongly held values and their strong intention to live by them. Generation Y is passionate about making a difference in the world. This is a common thread through dozens of values studies conducted globally.
It’s easy to dismiss their “unwavering commitment as still too young to understand the harsh realities of compromise/capitulation”, as suggested by my Twitter friend, J. Maureen Henderson. And it’s true that their values are not that evident, at least so far, in their shopping, voting and volunteer behavior. Most Gen Y buy green products when it suits them and volunteer rates are no higher for Gen Y than Gen X. They did not turn out to vote in Massachusetts last month.
Certainly, time will tell, as this clever video from a 20-year old Gen Yer implies (be sure watch to the end, the whole thing is a Palindrome). They will either be a generation remarkable for its accomplishments, or one that is notable for its disillusionment.
Personally I think that disillusionment is unlikely. Young adults understand that ‘not everyone grows up to be Gandhi’. Leading a purposeful, life consistent with one’s values is reward enough as Henderson suggests in her Brazen Careerist blog post, “You’re Not Going to Change the World, and That’s Okay.”
“Those of us who grew up as part of the middle-class North American majority learned that we could be anything we wanted, but somewhere along the way, we got it twisted around in our heads that we had to be everything the world wanted/needed in order to be successful. Money wasn’t enough, nor was the love of family and friends, we wanted to matter, to make a difference, to prove ourselves, even if we couldn’t define exactly what this entailed. …..The desire not to hide our individual lights under a bushel is a laudable one, but not everyone is going to be a game changer. And there’s no shame or failure or inadequacy in working an “ordinary” job, in leading a quiet life, in surrounding yourself with a handful of close friends and family. In fact, those are the lives most of us end up with, with the smarter of us realizing that they’re every bit as meaningful as the marquee existences we feel we ought to aspire to.”
For marketers, whether or not Gen Y does or does not change the world doesn’t matter. Values representing the overriding, governing motivations for decision-making, and they matter a lot.
A deep understanding of values is critical to creating desirable products and meaningful communication. Employers who take Millennials seriously will be more attractive to the best and brightest. Marketers who take Millennial values seriously are better positioned to win with the consumer of the future.
Principles of Marketing Text by Cengage's Southwestern Publishing
The American standard song, “Getting to Know You” wisely says:
It’s a very ancient saying,
But a true and honest thought,
That if you become a teacher,
By your pupils you’ll be taught.
As a teacher I’ve been learning –
You’ll forgive me if I boast –
And I’ve now become an expert,
On the subject I like most.
Getting to know you.
Over eight years of teaching Principles Marketing to sophomores at University of Notre Dame, these words have proven their wisdom.
Early on, I realized students today are not younger versions of my 1974-self. I cringe now to think of the mistakes I made. My approach was Powerpoint-heavy and textbook-focused. I treated them like corporate executives at an off-site seminar. Students were bored. I was frustrated. My class evaluations were humbling. Actually, that is an understatement. I was flattened for days after I read my first student evaluations.
How things have changed! Over the past 8 years, my teaching approach has become increasingly “Millennial-friendly”.
I still have a lot to learn but three weeks into what is charmingly referred to as “Spring Semester” at Notre Dame (Jan-May), I am tentatively thinking to myself, ‘By George, I think she’s got it!’ Here are some of the principles that are making Principles of Marketing a joy for both me and the students. (Below I’ll tell you how I think they apply to Marketing to Millennials.)
1. The right text.
Millennials are visually literate. It’s not just about the words, it’s about the way the words LOOK on the page. A poor, uninviting design is a turnoff, regardless of how inspired the content. This year I am using a text from Cengage Learning’s Southwest Publishing Group. This Principles of Marketing text is the best I’ve used yet for one reason: the students actually will read it.
The book is softcover, costs just $55 (including online resources), and is colorful and graphic. It looks like a magazine. Yet the content has not been compromised, just condensed. Extra material has been moved online. There are flash cards, practice quizzes, cases and podcasts online as well. The text is not the only content, just a starting point.
2. Bite-sized learning.
In the past, my syllabus outlined two exams and a semester-long project, each about one fourth to a third of the total grade. Now I know better; Millennials need more frequent assignments and feedback to keep them focused.There is a lot of competition for their attention. Like the rest of us, they sometimes have trouble managing their time.
Weekly case assignments, environmental scans, frequent quizzes, and tests help to keep them on track. No assignment or test is more than 10% of their grade. I even build in extra credit and ‘bye’ weeks. This contributes to continous, rather than sporadic learning, and helps me keep a pulse on what’s working.
3. Participatory Class Time
The worst criticism I heard was that ‘class time was a waste of time, just read the book’. In an era when the best college lectures are often available online and in podcasts, professors have to work very hard to make class time matter. I ask myself when preparing for each class, ‘what can be uniquely delivered in person that can’t be provided any other way’? The answer is interaction.
Nearly every 75-minute class includes break out time and heavy doses of discussion. Four entire class periods are devoted to student reports. Getting sophomores to talk isn’t always easy – they prefer to remain quiet. But weekly homework ensures they have something of value to share and ups participation.
4. Multi-media.
At Notre Dame, we are blessed with high-tech enabled classrooms and courseware. I incorporate DVD video material and Youtube videos into each class session. We maintain a class blog and make use of a protected class web site. A library investigation project familiarizes students with the wealth of ‘non-Google-able’ material available through the library databases. Students are encouraged to use web-based team collaboration tools to complete their group assignments.
5. Relevance
Students need to see that what they are doing relates to their ‘real lives’. I work to incorporate discussions of real marketing dilemmas and innovations. Already we have discussed the Pepsi Refresh project, iPad, Microsoft, MTV, Cirque Du Soleil, MTV, Netflix, SuperBowl XLIV, Method, McDonalds and more. I have invited a panel of former students who work at Target, LL Bean, IBM, Snapple and other brand marketing firms to form a panel discussion group later this semester.
Teaching and marketing have a lot in common. Marketers must understand your target, have clear objectives and strategies for engagement, and a measurable outcome. My insights about what works in the classroom can be translated to marketing:
1. The Right Text: Is your story text-heavy or is visual design a cornerstone of your marketing approach?
2. Bite-Sized Learning: Are you serving the right message at the right time? What are the key take-aways? What feedback can you provide?
3. Participatory: What mechanisms are in place to engage your audience in a conversation?
4. Multi-Media: Are you using all the channels available to get your message across?
5. Relevance: Is your message current? Does your Gen Y target see how it is applicable to their world?
Whether you target them in the classroom, social media or some other venue, it’s critical to tailor your approach to Gen Y’s unique ways of learning and processing information. Getting to know you definitely pays off.
DMW | Direct is a communications and marketing agency based in Pennsylvania. Their “Millennial Tsunami” (click for pdf) Insight Report on their web site is one of the most comprehensive and well-written I have seen. 1. The campaign leverages the idea that Gen Y is likely to find their parents’ advice credible when making a major decision like insurance.
“The spots were aimed not only at recruiting new health care subscribers, but at rebranding the health insurer’s name and image for a younger, hipper market. Leveraging the fact that many younger people today respect the opinions of their parents, the spot makes the point that this is “the coverage trusted by your mom and dad.” The insurer knows that this younger audience should recognize the name and corporate logo and — as a result of rebranding efforts — presents an opportunity to relate them to a more innovative and flexible health care option.”
2. The effort tailored the product offering to meet Millennials’ specific needs.
“To help this young, healthy market realize that health coverage is both needed and affordable, the plan offered was designed specifically to be low-priced (about $66 per month) and to focus heavily on alternative medicine such as yoga, massage therapy, and acupuncture.”
3. The campaign spoke in a relevant voice that didn’t sound like Gen Y’s parents’ old fashioned insurance company.
“The language was carefully targeted to appeal to a younger audience; for instance, the monthly premium was compared to the price of concert tickets, and the word “bucks” was used instead of “dollars.” This carefully tailored offer naturally appeals to a younger audience, and alternative medicine can result in cost savings for the insurer — a win-win situation.”
4. The campaign leveraged visual cues and media appropriate to a younger, web-savvy target audience.
“The Blue’s Web address is prominent in the spot. To appeal to the younger prospect, too, the commercial strays from traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield formats. The music is upbeat with a Seinfeldlike tune, and the camera cuts are quick and frequent. The ultimate message is to call or visit the Website for additional information — a basic, but effective, lead generation effort. As is true in using television or free-standing inserts to target an older audience, targeting a younger group requires continual testing to determine a control position. The goal of using a broad-reaching medium is to have younger prospects cost-effectively self-select. Using this approach, it is possible to reach and influence a younger prospect for your product or service where leads have been traditionally difficult to reach.”
The results? This campaign is credited with growing Blue Cross Blue Shield’s subscriber base by 15 percent.
The case concludes that “Millennials are just beginning to make their mark. The case concludes with this advice: “Gaining a foothold in the Millennial market is not only smart business in the short term, it is a strategy that will hold a company in good stead as the lifetime value of these young consumers grows over the decades.”
