Marketing to the Big Scary Monster

During the last week of my marketing classes, I’ve heard the term “millennials” at least a couple hundred thousand times. From what I’ve been able to piece together from class, work, and speaking with professionals in the area, millennial is simply a blanket term for a big scary monster that many organizations aren't quite sure how to feed or tame.

Being an ambassador for these mysterious beasts myself, I’d love to refute the aforementioned claims, but the truth is, we are quite big (the largest generation ever to exist, actually), and when it comes to feeding and taming us, marketers and management alike are still only at the base camp of the learning curve. But I digress.

The truth is, we’re mostly just misunderstood, even by ourselves. I've put together some very interesting millennial facts that address some common misconceptions about these monsters. It may surprise you how not scary we actually are!

1) Compared to 1995, teens today are more likely to embrace their parent’s
values.

-Just because millennials are young doesn’t necessarily mean that they are rebellious. McKinley Chronicles posted a short but relevant blog that illustrates how millennials are often more conservative than the're given credit for.

2) The average combined SAT score has risen nearly 15 points since 1996.

-This may not be surprising, considering the amount of technology that has been introduced since 1995, but what makes it even more interesting is that although grades as a whole have risen, the average time that a teen spends studying has decreased, meaning that millennials aren't only smart, but are quick learners as well.

3) Millennials are much more optimistic about the future than their predecessors.

-One poll had 57% of millennials claiming to be "excited" about the future, a massive number compared to the 38% of baby boomers and 27% of post-war Americans.

4) Time spent watching television has decreased since 1995.

-Millennials prefer getting their information (and entertainment) from broader sources than they did in the past. Why bother flipping through the channels when your favorite shows are available on demand online?

Learning to market to millennials is a slow process but a rewarding one, and the first step is simply getting inside their heads. Throw out the outdated misconceptions of disrespectful, lazy kids and embrace us as the motivated, optimistic individuals we truly are.

This week's listening recommendation: "If not for my glasses" by Dear and the Headlights.