For many company bosses, there seems to be a never ending quest to grab the attention of ‘millennials’.
It has become a sort of marketing ‘holy grail’, with a belief the group itself can transform the fortunes of any forward looking brand not just today but tomorrow. The fear of being left behind has only exacerbated the desperation to become part of the frenzy.
It is time to reassess opinions of the group. It is no longer in any brand’s interest to treat millennials as a single entity. In the clamour to adapt advertising to appeal to an age group, the variances and individuality that are present within that have been lost. At best, this is careless, at worst it is simply patronizing. Now is the moment to become far more targeted in approach.
Many marketers have talked in an omniscient way concerning the group. They’ve spoken in an all-encompassing terms about their behaviours, social outlooks and attitudes towards advertising. Whilst trying to appeal to a homogenous group, the failure to be specific has meant that many have been unmoved by marketing campaigns.
At a basic level, it is quite simply illogical that a group made up of millions of people should share the same outlook on life. Therefore it follows that that group should not be advertised to in the same way. And assumptions should not be made about the group as one.
To look at one example, how can a company believe a 19year old university student from a privileged background have the same outlook as someone the same age that left school three years previously, works full time and has less fortunate economic circumstances?
It is also wrong to picture the group as walking pound signs, eager to hand over their disposable income. Spiralling rent costs and slow wage rises has led to struggles for many in this age group, so much so that they face the prospect of being worse off than their ‘baby boomer’ and ‘Generation X’ predecessors. Bombarding this group with advertising for luxurious products that are simply unobtainable is not going to endear your brand to them.
The phrase ‘’a brand millennials love’’ shouldn't be bandied in any meeting or pitch. Similarly, why is it is said that a socially responsible brand especially appeals to millennials above others? The answer of course, is that it does not. All age groups value a company that acts in a proper way.
Therefore, a far greater effort must be made to relate to passions, not age. Messaging needs to be carefully tailored, and predicated by motivations, values and lifestyle, whilst celebrating diverse trends and subcultures. Combining this with social media and technological advances is key too. Only in this way can brands begin to see the true value of their ad spend and marketing strategy.
