Millennials: Feeling Good, Digitally-Driven
Held in New York City last week at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square, Share.Like.Buy. Marketing + Millennials was a 2-day conference featuring over 20 speakers from influential companies and media brands including MTV, Krispy Kreme, Unilever, Huffington Post and Comedy Central.
80 million strong with a combined spending power of over $500 billion annually, U.S. Millennials, defined as males and females ages 16-34, are unquestionably a societal force.Increasingly, marketers are looking for effective ways to form relationships with millennials. 360PR Senior Account Executive Skye McIntyre attended the conference and shared some of her key takeaways:
Who Are Millennials
• Ages 16-34 – Gen Y (ages 23-34) & Gen Z (16-22), 80 million strong
• Digital Natives
• $500 billion in total spending power annually
• Preppies, Techies, Alternatives or Independents
What Do Millennials Care About
• Humor – Ranked higher than music, sports and personal style by both males & females
• Giving Back – More likely to purchase products supporting a cause vs. non-millennials
• Value, Deals & Rewards – “Shoptimizers” (thanks to Sprint Nextel’s Ben Vos for our new favorite buzz-term)
• Involvement – Want to serve as co-creators
How to Reach Millennials
• Appeal to their emotions – Emotions saturate decisions; people buy what they feel, not what they think
• Hone in on nostalgia & memories
• Allow them to feel good about themselves
Fun Facts about Millennials
• Consider Corona the “coolest” beer
• Use 3 different smartphone apps per shopping trip
• Think having a good job is the number one marker of personal happiness
• Shop for shoes online more than any other product
Great insight into this demographic, Skye! Thanks for attending and recapping for us!