Speak to a marketing professional – particularly one in the B-to-B space – and at some point they will tell you that content is king. What does that have to do with Millennials? Well, if content is king – then the creation of content is currency. Millennials, who are typically in the early stages of their careers, are not frequently in the position to be the valued thought leaders of a company. And yet, they do bring value to the content game. A recent piece on Huffington Post highlights this reality. Millennials may not bring the earned industry knowledge to… Read More
Categories: UncategorizedSince their emergence as the youth market decades ago, Baby Boomers have expanded the consumer demand of each life stage or demographic they’ve passed through. Always avid consumers, Boomers promise to do the same at the senior stage, according to a recent analysis by McClatchy. While the discussion of Boomer aging has centered the effects of their retirements and entitlement demands, others see a key consumer generation entering a whole new market phase. “It’s only in Washington that 100 million people are viewed as an unaffordable cost and financial burden,” said an AARP exec of the new seniors. “In the… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Blog, WorkA new study by comScore shows that Millennials are more responsive to ads they view when watching “digital” content than they are to ads they see on TV. The study measured the “lift,” or influence on brand preference, that each ad medium produces. It shows that while Millennials are less likely to influenced by advertising than any other generation, that difference disappears in the case of digital advertising. In general, the study shows, younger generations are less impressed with ads than older ones. In fact the average “lift” for Boomers and Matures is almost 50% higher than for Millennials for… Read More
Categories: Advertising, BlogMarketers and advertisers have all the reading material on Millennials they could ever want, in the form of books, surveys, and market research. Now, a new unit of NBCUniversal called Curve Films has produced a film that documents Millennials’ outlook and position in the marketplace. The film, “Y Now,” is aimed at Madison Avenue, and distills research about Millennials into 22 minutes of interviews with 9 real live Millennials. Each interview segment is designed to represent a different stage or type of the Millennial generation from those just out of school to those who have started careers and families. It… Read More
Categories: Blog, Product DesignMillennials share a few common characteristics but can’t all be lumped together and stereotyped, according to study by the Boston Consulting Group. “The Millennial Consumer: Debunking Stereotypes” is based on a survey of 4,000 Millennials and 1,000 from older generations. The study found a few shared traits, most notably an affinity for technology, that confirmed existing stereotypes. Millennials are significantly more likely, in some cases by a margin of 2-to1 to use various tech devices than non-Millennials. Other well-known traits that showed up in the survey include Millennials’ preference for convenience and efficiency, for peer input and social interaction, and… Read More
Categories: Downloadable MediaWe may think of Millennials as impulse buyers looking for instant gratification and the latest “in” thing, but they are turning into careful shoppers who compare prices and hunt for bargains, according to an AdAge analysis of SymphonyIRI surveys. In truth, Millennials have always gravitated to offerings that were free or cheap (think: Napster and iTunes) and that turns out to be the main driver behind their buying habits. Nearly 9 in 10 Millennials ticked “has lowest prices” as a key retailer attribute when choosing where to shop. About the same number, 87%, listed an item’s price as a key… Read More
Categories: BlogAs we’ve noted, Millennials have deferred or avoided major purchases such as cars and homes and turned away from the traditional retail, recording, video, and television businesses. They hunt for discounts, deals, freebies, and near-free (99¢) pricing. Now several commentators have suggested that technology has altered the generation’s approach to buying in an evolutionary way. For example, Millennials may avoid purchasing because they don’t have money, still live at home, and are concerned about the environment. Or, as a ZDNet columnist suggests, it could be that smartphones provide much of what cars used to: socialization, movies, shopping, even dating. Why… Read More
Categories: BlogAttracting Millennials to professional association membership, meetings, and conventions has been a challenge for trade groups of all types. Now, the Professional Convention Management Association has surveyed about 2000 Millennials to find out exactly what they’re looking for in a convention. The results mostly confirm the conventional wisdom about how conventions can become more Millennial-friendly. The highest scoring convention offering was “education with entertainment,” liked by over 93% of respondents. Millennials consistently express the desire for furthering their education but having it leavened with some fun, so that fits the profile. Along the same lines, the second ranked feature was… Read More
Categories: UncategorizedWe’ve noted here that Millennials have a different attitude towards cars than previous generations and they have a different approach to retail and buying, as well. An analysis by MSN Autos explains how Millennials are changing the way we buy and sell cars. Dealers and sales associates should take note because Millennials will account for 75% of car purchases by 2205. They currently account for almost 40%. Some of the characteristics of Millennials in the market for a car: They don’t like to haggle. They know what they want and what it’s supposed to cost. They do detailed research on… Read More
Categories: Automotive, Blog, GenerationsAs Millennials enter the work force in large numbers, the perception has been that they are demanding or “entitled” as a group. In spite of the complaints of older generations of managers and executives along these lines, many substantial firms are making adjustments to accommodate the youngest generation in the workforce, according to an analysis by the Wall Street Journal this week. Millennials will comprise nearly half the workforce by the end of the decade so many firms are choosing to meet them where they are rather than risk alienating a generation of employees. A few of the case studies… Read More
Categories: Workplace