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Debunking Millennials: Myths, Generalizations, and Dumb Demographics

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Debunking Millennial Myths

At MediaPost’s Engage: Millennials conference on September 16th, a group of panelists from Huge, GfK Roper Consumer Life, Carat, Big Spaceship, Deep Focus, and BFG Communications discussed the generalizations often associated with millennials. Seeking to differentiate between the stereotypes and the reality, the agency panelists debated five common myths about millennial consumers in the session “Debunking Millennials: Myths, Generalizations, and Dumb Demographics.”

Myth No. 1: Millennials are one big cohort.

“The ‘one big cohort’ thing has to go away. We’ve almost banned that word at the agency.” (Justine BloomeSVP and head of strategy and innovation at Carat)

  • Within the group you have distinct segments. Everyone has their own life goals, passions, and interests. You need to talk to them about who they are, rather than what they are.
  • Approx. 45 percent of millennials do not identify as white. Within the millennial community, there is diversity of thought and opinion, and they bring preferences from the countries and cultures that they come from.

Myth No. 2: Millennials take too long to grow up.

“Everyone can have the same product, but not everyone can have the same experience. They have a renegade mindset because they’re young.” (Bloome)

  • Millennials are more experience-oriented than boomers. They value experience over a product. It’s something they can share that can connect them with other people.
  • Indicators of being a grownup include buying a house, getting married, and having a child. These things are happening within the millennial cohort. There are a lot of millennial parents now and that challenges the stereotype of a narcissistic, lazy millennial.

Myth No. 3: Millennials are narcissists with short attention spans and no work ethic.

“They care about making the world a better place for everyone, themselves included.” (Melanie Shrefflersenior editorial director at Deep Focus)

  • There is some truth in all these myths. Forty-two percent of this group are stereotypical millennials, or trendsetters, but there is another 50 percent who are not like that. Twenty million millennials are almost the polar opposite of the stereotype. They’re just a different type of millennial.
  • They came of age during the age of recycling and environmental awareness. They want to make a difference in the world.

Myth No 4: Millennials are not loyal to brands.

“They will be loyal to a brand that will be loyal to them.” (Blanche Sullivanaccount supervisor and PR at BFG Communications)

  • The “typical” millennial is about status and mainstream brands, such as Apple. However, other millennials want brands to connect them with people they love and things that make their lives interesting. They love DIY brands, like Home Depot.
  • Millennials have a tribal mentality. You may have the best social network on the planet, but if your friends aren’t on it, there’s no point in you being on it.

Myth No. 5: Millennials are constantly glued to their mobile devices.

“They’re self-reflective, and they’re looking at what their devices are doing to them as people.” (Shreffler)

  • In trendsetting communities, there is more and more unplugging. Books are resurging because people want to unplug.
  • However, a message of unplugging will turn off multicultural audiences. For many people, the phone is not just for entertainment; it’s a way for family members who live in different countries to stay connected. Millennials’ networks are global and include more than just the friends and family in the vicinity.
Source

"Debunking Millennials: Myths, Generalizations, and Dumb Demographics." Jola Burnett, Senior Consultant at GfK Roper Consumer Life; Justine Bloome, SVP and Head of Strategy and Innovation at Carat; Victor Pineiro, Vice President of Social Media at Big Spaceship; Yashoda Sampath, Research Director at Huge; Melanie Shreffler, Senior Editorial Director at Deep Focus; Blanche Sullivan, Account Supervisor and PR at BFG Communications. MediaPost Engage: Millennials Conference, 9/16/15.

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