Melinda McKee 's List: Next Generation

• they seek in their brands what they see in themselves: real, transparent and genuine voices.
• To appeal to this mass, you need to be sure that there is meaning behind what you do—whether it comes through your product, your business model or your culture—so that Millennials can truly rally behind and build an intangible connection with your brand.
• You should care about this cohort because Millennials are a connected force. They have networks of hundreds and the tools to spread information like wildfire. They have influencing power and are unafraid to express their honest opinions.
• So while the immense purchasing power of the Baby Boomer generation is well deserving of attention, the growing force of the Millennial generation should not be ignored. They’ve grown up in a very different environment and are placing more value on the intangibles than their predecessors. They’ve proven themselves to have substantial influence in our society and if you don’t connect with them soon, there’s no guarantee they’ll wait around for you to do so. They’ll just go and create a brand of their own.

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• One surprise result showed the effects of online video such as YouTube and Netflix. Only 13 percent of the students planned to subscribe to a cable TV service, a sign of a coming "seismic shift of consumer media consumption habits," Britton said. Right now, "the lion's share" of ad dollars still goes to traditional TV channels, but that may have to change, he said.

• "Since the Millennials generation is larger than the baby boomers and three times bigger than Generation X, marketers' understanding of Millennials' needs, tastes and behaviors will clearly shape current and future business decisions,"
• .They report greater exposure to campaigns through social media (40 percent vs. 22 percent) and online news (28 percent vs. 22 percent), while non-Millennials rely on newspapers and direct mail.
• Perhaps because of their need to share and to find commonalities, 70 percent of Millennials reported feeling more excited when their friends agreed with them about where to shop, eat and play. Only 48 percent of older adults were as heavily influenced by their friends and colleagues.
• Millennials seek a broader range of activities, think globally and report a greater desire to travel.

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