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