Millennials: Gen Why?

MILLENNIALS: GEN WHY?

MILLENNIALS: GEN WHY?Lead Researcher: Elizabeth Linabury

what is a millennial?2

3Millennialsborn 1980-2001brought up using digital technology and mass media.Also called gen y, Generation We, Global Generation, Generation Next, the Net Generation, the Echo Boomers

4named as such due to their coming-of-age at around the turn of the millennium in some way, shape, or form.

59/11 was the defining moment of this generationanyone too young to remember or not born yet would be grouped into the Homeland Generation. gen z: called homeland generation, re-gen, or new silents

what are we doing? and how?6

7Quarterly Video InterviewsWith Millennials.(Teen Weighted)

teen weighted 13-17

810 questions PER QUARTER each participant FULFILLs THe ASSIGNMENT VIA A SMARTPHONE OR COMPUTER. THINK OF IT AS mobile ethnography. WEre doing research through devices that fit their lives and behaviors, meaning PARTICIPANTS ARE COMFORTABLE TALKING TO US.

what weve learned9

10how do you shop for and find out about new products?

11Well-rounded researchOnline. Friends. In-Store.

Online, if they go to the manufacturers websites, its for specs or details on the products. Reviews (3rd party sites) Candid. Honest. Trust. From people who already have the product and have used in personally.Not trusting of celebrities using the product. They see right through it and know theyre getting paid to promote the product. They can find out anything from Google. If you Google it, you can find out all the specs, you can find out what's the different websites, you can find out customer reviews. Shawnisha S.

12informed decision making

13reviews = 3rd party experience = friendssource = google

when I go to Amazon, what sort of reviews am I reading? The negative ones. I wanna hear what is the worst thing about this product? What could I potentially hate because if I love it, I love it but if I hate it, I wanna know why I'm going to. -Blake B.

Online, if they go to the manufacturers websites, its for specs or details on the products. Reviews (3rd party sites) Candid. Honest. Trust. From people who already have the product and have used in personally.Not trusting of celebrities using the product. They see right through it and know theyre getting paid to promote the product. They can find out anything from Google. If you Google it, you can find out all the specs, you can find out what's the different websites, you can find out customer reviews. Shawnisha S.

14hands-onexperience

Not trusting of celebrities using the product. They see right through it and know theyre getting paid to promote the product. I would probably Google a lot of things, read web pages, maybe go to that website as well other like review websites and I think it's really a lot about the heart because you hear from people like you who have used it, real people not just Holly Madison from the Girls Next Door pretending to be, um, using the product. Emily B.

millennial purchase funnelDetermine feature set and budgetResearch what companies are the best Narrow options Find the best pricesCompare ratings/reviewsMake final decisionPurchase it15

Step 2. Search online + browse print sale ads

16seeking shared experiences and peer approval

everybody has iPods and you don't wanna be the person with the MP3 player. - Rebecca

T

17trust = less researchone good experience leads to another.

(I) didn't do much research because I kind of trust Apple, so I thought that I would like it. I trusted that I would like it. Deciding that I wanted it. Then, going to the store a day later, once I had the money, and buying it. -Wolfie T.

Trusted Companies - They take less steps (researching online steps are limited) if they trust the product company. The biggest decision is WHERE to buy the product. Brand Loyalty if theyve had good experiences in the past, they stick with it, most of the time.In-Store if they had a positive product purchase experience at a particular store, they are more likely to go there again. Established trust. They can ask the questions THEY want to ask and not rely on what other people are looking for.

18What is your ideal electronic shopping experience?

19ideally

20howeverpeer approval trumps facts & figures

21

you're talking about a perfect to a Utopian society in which computers can read my mind, know exactly what I want from a product, what exactly I am willing to pay, which product fits that best, and then if I'm willing to purchase it at that moment, I don't have to do anything. Blake B.dont undervalue the user experienceIt had better be the best experience.

22Shopping ThemesWell-rounded research. Online/friends/in-storereviews = 3rd party experience = friendstrust = googleneed for hands-on experience (includes video)Need to feel informed about every aspecta good experience leads to another purchasepeer approval/acceptance > than facts and figurespurchasing: it should be fast and easy

23What do you consider local to be?

24uniquethey have their own point-of-view.

Local is about community - find a quote

25personalthey know what i like, i know what they stand for which leads to an experience i can feel good about.

26within my areaif a companys headquarters is in the state, it can still be considered local.

27passionatethey have pride in what they do.

at local companies, I think people are super passionate and definitely love what theyre doing, and don't wanna leave. -Lisa C.

Theyre true to themselves as individuals. They like what they do and show it.

28from mom and pop to target

anything local has more of a community structure and a community focus. -Blake B

Local doesnt matter, community does. They started out small when asked to define the term, then they expanded and morphed the term into community.

29(Target) they, do a lot of volunteer programs and stuff like that where the employees go into the surrounding community and will work at the battered women shelter or work for the PCA. -Casey H.

30corporate can be community

Local doesnt matter, community does. They started out small when asked to define the term, then they expanded and morphed the term into community.

31Local Themesuniquepersonalwithin my area (town, city, state)passionatesize doesnt matter, local means theyre doing something for the surrounding community

32whats your favorite brand?

33I CAME TO DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, DANCE. I HIT THE FLOOR CAUSE THATS MY, PLANS, PLANS, PLANS, PLANS. IM WEARING ALL MY FAVORITE BRANDS, BRANDS,BRANDS, BRANDS -TAIO CRUZ

34favorite brands mentioned

35brand characteristicsauthentic. innovative. fun-enabling. inclusive. unique. PERSONALIZED. doing good.

36BRAND obsession

Theyre incredibly brand centric

37they understand brand dimensions

Allows them to express their identity

38technology is the new accessory

39they understand marketingaware of brand personas and targeting

40whats your favorite car?

add awareness of car brand line honda, acura to toyota, lexus

41IT DEPENDSdont have or want one

practicality of ownership

aspirations of luxury

I like Ford because they are nice cars; theyre very good quality which is why theyve been in my family for so long. They have fair prices I think compared to other more luxurious cars. You can still get the luxury in Ford as you can in other cars for probably half the price-Cynthia P.

42they dont feel cheated



43whats your favorite retail store?

44AFFORDABLE

45INCLUSIVEEMBRACE DIVERSITY OF CUSTOMERS STYLES.

it's (Forever 21) not just one certain style or one type like, that brand is really for everybody...My best friend goes with me shopping there, and we're totally opposite but we both enjoy shopping at the store just because there's so much for different people.-Cynthia P

Forever21 brand would be my favorite store.I like to buy different types of clothing that I don't-not really settle on just one style, I like to mix it up and try different things and that's why I like this brand so much because...it's not just one certain style or one type like, that brand is really for everybody...My best friend goes with me shopping there, and we're totally opposite, I'm buy more like hip and just different-different types of clothing and she's kinda set on the same type but we both enjoy shopping at the store just because there's so much for different people.-Cynthia P

46whats your favorite bank?

47it doesnt matter

48younger millennials bank where their parents bank

Im going to have to go with Sun Trust because they got good funds and good family plans and just thats where my mama always took us. Im just going to have to go there, thats my favorite brand. -Emily

49Older Millennials game the systemto get the best deal.

50I feel like they're all pretty much equally capable or incapable of, handling my money so, might as well give it to the people who try to give me the most back. - Quinn M.

51they can see your cultureexclusivity, unethical or limiting employee rights isnt accepted.

Walmart is very selfish as an organization. They undercut and put other people out of business all across the nation...I dont want to support a company that isnt doing good things and that isnt providing services that I feel is truly valuable. So we have disgusting, unfair and low quality. The entire product just seems like they ask themselves, well how cheap can we do this for. -Blake

52dislike POSEuR & me too brands

I dislike Sony. The reason why I dislike it so much is because theyre the type of company that likes to expand too much and dont know how to stay within their own bounds. They like to be a part of everything just so they got it too. They just want to be a part of the crowd.-Michelle B.

53core vs surfacethey know which brands are doing good vs doing good to look good.

54no S#!t BS detector is at an all-time high.

55they find itthey know itthey talk about it

56Brand ThemesMillennials are incredibly brand centricBrands stand for somethingthat expresses their identityBrands are a personalextension of themselvesLike brands that are inclusive, authentic, and socially responsible at their coreyou cant fake it. you have to be it

57Whos your favorite celebrity?

58they have to be rooted in something real

My favorite celebrity is Taylor Swift. I like her because she hasnt gotten into any scandals like other celebrities. Shes a great role model and shes an amazing singer. And I also love how like all of her songs like you can relate to something youre going through. Like theres just a song for everything.-Jennifer

ELLEN BRANGELINAKOBELIL WAYNE-MOUNTAIN DEW

59down-to-earthusing their celebrity status to do good.

My favorite celebrity is a toss-up between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt...so Brangelina is my favorite celebrity couple...because they are really talented. And they also give back. Their charity foundation has given tens of millions of dollars to various campaigns...theyre very generous an appear to be real people who arent caught up in their own hype. Always grounded and generous by giving so much money and time to various organizations.-Wolfie T.

60unexpected and provenIt has nothing to do with age. they like people they CAN RELATE TO.

61Celebrity Themesgenuinea good persondown-to-earthgenerouswilling to help/give backrelatablesomeone theyd be friends with

major themes62

63vicariously Stand for somethingthrough a product or brand identity

Because the brand stands for it, I do by using it or wearing it.

64Brands are like friendstraits that i admire in people, i also admire in brands.

traits that i admire in people, i also admire in brands. I want to identify with them.

65local =Communityits not about your physical location, its about what youre doing.

66Doing goodThey support people, brands, products and organizations that give back.

They respect celebrities that are giving back. They want to give back.believe in something larger than themselves.

67together we create a brandyou, the brand, cannot tell me what you are.

its not you telling me what you are

whats next?68

69uncovering the Whya closer look at communitypotential limitations of their futuregoals and dreamsglobal focus

Marketing

Millennials: Gen Why?