Tonight we’re going hard
Just like the world is ours
We’re tearin’ it apart
You know we’re superstars
We are who we are!
We’re dancing like we’re dumb
Our bodies go numb
We’ll be forever young
You know we’re superstars
We are who we are!
-Ke$sha, “We R Who We R”
If you spend much time making sense of the research and thinking about the challenges Millennials face getting a toehold in the new economy, it’s easy to lose sight of the sheer exuberance of the Gen Y subculture.
To be young is to be unapologetic, and Millennials are adamant we accept them on their terms.
Millennials are young, creative people and are only starting to make their influence felt. Consider for a moment that by 2014, 50% of all employed people will be Millennials. Little wonder they are setting the pace in music, fashion, technology, education, philanthropy, movies and entertainment. They look at things differently, cherish their individuality and intend to be ‘superstars’. As the song says:
“If you’re one of us, then roll with us, ’cause we make the hipsters fall in love!” – Ke$sha
Which brands are really rolling with Millennial hipsters?
Surprisingly, it seems to be the luxury brands who are among the first to catch on to the Millennial zeitgeist. I say surprisingly because the general impression among marketers is that, while Millennials might have the money to afford luxury goods someday, they are not a lucrative market right now. Yet nearly every luxury brand, including Mercedes, Audi, Burberry, Tissot and Ralph Lauren to name a few, seems to have made a special effort to understand and speak to the Gen Y audience.
Their latest spots suggest Audi represents a new kind of updated luxury. Audi uses Facebook and other online platforms to provide sneak peeks of concept cars and solicit user feedback. They offer three gaming apps for the iPhone, and allow you to build a virual AudiSpace on Son’s Playstation Home. Audi featured its R8 and other models in Iron Man 2. I don’t particularly care for the imagery in their new spot, but it seems to be working, Audi is having a great year.
Fashion houses Ralph Lauren and Tissot are using the latest augmented reality techniques to showcase their wares to the ‘wired generation’. Last year’s 4D outdoor fashion shows in London and New York by Ralph Lauren were unlike anything seen before, and a big hits with the crowds watching.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ryMzZQICA&feature=related
These marketers seem to understand that to remain relevant, it is essential to ‘remain forever young’ and that it can be done without turning off older audiences. Indeed, youth culture seems to crossover quite well. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this club?
