Generation Why?
As marketers in the middle of the “Millennial Generation” (18-28 year olds) aka Gen Y, The Social Lights are socially savvy and digitally connected. Our generation has grown up with the Internet and mobile phones, but let’s not forget that we too had to put up with dial-up and landlines during our youth. Over the past ten years, we have adapted to changes in technology and communication extremely fast. We are constantly connected to the world around us through the Internet. Connecting with friends, family, brands and news sources has never been easier.
But, marketing to millennials remains a major challenge for many companies. Oftentimes, their messages just don’t reach and resonate with this picky audience. Even if these companies are online, they may be on the wrong platforms, or trying to appeal to Gen Y with the wrong tactics. There are countless ways millennial marketing campaigns can go awry (and we’ve all seen ample examples of it).
For brands to get into the minds of millennials (in order to steer their messaging in the right direction) – they must understand some key elements about Generation Y.
Let’s Be Honest
As millennials, we have – short attention spans. We want answers, and we want them NOW. We are quick to judge – and have keen BS-detectors. Traditional marketing and advertising doesn’t work on us. Not all incentives motivate us. We are constantly on the lookout for what is next. We place huge importance on what our friends say and recommend. If we want real answers, we pull out our smartphones and Google it – there is no fooling us. We are always building our personal brands – our growing networks of fans and followers are very important to us. We are {almost} ALWAYS connected. We experience most new things online. We are really into early adoption and discovery. Our time spent online isn’t {always} wasted time…it is a time of discovery, exploration, socializing, researching, learning, interactivity, entertainment and education. We love technology so much, 53% of us would choose technology over our sense of smell {if we had to pick just one} (via Mr. Youth Agency).
What Does this Mean for Marketers?
- Brands should align their marketing efforts with what’s important to this generation.
- Advertising should be genuine, truthful, sociable, mature, and humble in its efforts to create connections.
- The biggest mistake marketers make is overestimating their own importance. Young consumers say they quickly tire of brands that fill up their social graphs with what they consider meaningless information (via pamorama.net).
So How Do The Social Lights Fit in?
The Social Lights – Providing BRIGHT ideas because that’s what gets noticed in today’s marketplace. The Social Lights create custom campaigns made exclusively for the web that reach and resonate with millennial audiences. We know the audience, where they hangout online and can dig into the best ways to connect your brand with this ever-important group of people. See what The Social Lights did to appeal to Millennials and change Millennial Behaviors and Perceptions with Thursdays at Tiffs and The Fowler.
