What Jersey Shore Can Teach You About Gen-Y

Written on September 3, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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Yes, you read that correctly. Media and pop culture have always provided the most interesting insights into any generation. And they’re often been overlooked, mistaken or never used. And since it’s Friday, and since I feel like having some fun, I thought I’d provide you with a short but insightful piece. And yes, it’s in regards to Jersey Shore. There are always great ideas waiting in places you least expect to see them.

Aside from the sexual rhetoric, promiscuous thinking, boozing, drama and any other aspect of the show, the article itself is about some intellectual thoughts – so don’t jump on my back, I’m not trying to glorify anything here. After that much needed warning, let’s get back to business.

Besides the fact that the whole cast of Jersey Shore itself falls within the Gen-Y demographic and is rated amongst the highest currently watched tv shows, the show goes beyond the obvious. With that being said, there are a series of Gen-Y characteristics that take place within its context. Of which the evolution of Gen-Y literacy and speech along with the expansion of the metro-sexual man are predominant.

There has been an ongoing debate for some time now that the online world has drastically altered Gen-Y literacy and speech abilities. And though I’m not here to suggest that there might not be cause for some concern, rather I quickly want to look at the context the encapsulates this issue.

There should be no doubt that online use has fundamentally changed everything. Once you add the notions of limiting characters per messages – such as in tweets and texts, multi-tasking, the want to do more, the ability to do more, quickness, instant gratification and getting information “now”, it’s no wonder issues arise. But more importantly, and what is overlooked, is how we’ve all evolved to be more productive and quicker, in a sense.

From the early days of MSN and ICQ, acronyms, abbreviations, short-forms and any way to say more with less, this sense of “quick” and “productive” has become our preferred method for communication. A communication trend that is strong and growing. Now, whole thoughts, phrases and words are being replaced by 3 letters and clever synonyms. Doing your laundry, going tanning and going to the gym  has turned into “Gym, tanning, laundry”. Or most famously and often used, GTL.

Equally, “grenades” and “land-mines” no longer represent military munitions. Rather, they represent synonyms for someone the guys on the show don’t find appealing. Has language lost it’s value? Or is this a by-product of the Gen-Y online environment? In either case, what a debate that would be. Gen-Y is speaking, writing, reading and thinking in a manner quicker than anyone has before. Whether you find it creative or not, and whether you agree with it or not, it’s happening. And it will continue to happen.

Further, the whole idea of “GTL” has been strongly adopted by the males of Jersey Shore – not that guys never did GTL before. What’s fascinating is the Gen-Y male is becoming increasingly metro-sexual. Not only is this apparent within the tv boardcast, it is an ideology that has taken root within society. AXE has been on the scene for years and most recently, Old Spice has jumped into the mix. It’s definitely a time where young males will care more about how they present themselves, as there is a whole industry driving towards them.

Am I suggesting you adopt these insights? Hardly. But to understand Gen-Y, to reach them, you have to engage them on their level. It’s not a lower level by any standards. Nor is it one that’s dumbed-down. In fact, it would probably be more difficult to engage them on their level. Let’s see you try and incorporate full thoughts and phrases into but a word or few letters, besides the existing parodies of “lol” commercials. Is it obscene, different and perplexing? Of course it is. But so is the idea of men caring about appearance and talking in code, isn’t it?

Be different. Be creative. Be short. Be quick.

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It’s Not Just About Privacy, Millennials Want Trust

Written on September 2, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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Historically, information has been used to keep records of citizens, patrons, customers, employees and more. As the times evolved, this information was used to maximize opportunity, improve experiences and simply, use the information to gain any advantage possible. But as everything else evolved, methods of gathering information followed suit.

Collecting information seems like a harmless act. We’ve decided to give it to them, so they have the absolute ability and authority to use it. It’s been in the small print since the earliest days of the internet amongst other technological innovations over the last two decades. And we’ve accepted most of it without question. Even disregarding George Orwell’s concerns from 70 years earlier.

Knowingly and unknowingly, we’ve given up privacy over the years simply by surfing the web. What’s fascinating with this is the growth of social networking sites and our understanding that we’re giving up privacy for the sake of it’s use. 85% of Millennials understand that by participating in social media, they’re giving up part of their privacy. Further, 81% said their social profiles are but only a snapshot of who they really are.

Seems like a perfect trade off, doesn’t it? Alright, so we’ve all signed the “deal with the devil”, since we want to use it but we’re not saying everything about ourselves. And many Millennials have accepted this. Even with mass privacy concerns in the social media environment, users have hardly been deterred from it as a result of privacy concerns. And Facebook would be the perfect example of this. How many Millennials, how many of you have stopped using it because of its extreme privacy issues? Not many. Nothing notable to talk about out of it’s 500 million plus users.

Of course we understand, especially with social media, what we put up will be viewed by others, even by those on the back-end. It’s often been said that our lack-of-concern has made many Millennials unwary of the impact our incredible online use can have for each Millennial’s personal image. Trust me, we understand this. Some of us even want to be found.

Millennials are very willing to accept the “terms of use” in everything we sign up for. From the apps on our smart phones to the many sites we frequent, we understand our actions are monitored. Sadly, we accept it for the sake of use. But at the same time, we hope, we trust that the information that is taken from us about us will be used accordingly.

For many of us, the ideas of privacy and trust running synonymously together. However, mistakenly, we often assume one in the same for both ideas. Merriam-Webster defines them as the following:

Privacy (noun): the quality or state of being apart from company or observation. Freedom from unauthorized intrusion.

Trust (noun) – assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. One in which confidence is placed.

There clearly is two defining distinctions. And though the notions of privacy and trust do run hand it hand, Millennials belief in trading a little privacy does not coincide with them trusting the same environments.

Of those aged 18-29 years olds, 79% “never” trust  social networking sites or only trust them “some of the time”. And even though Millennials are highest amongst all users who alter their privacy settings to be more private, there’s an unmistakeable want for a sense of trust of their privacy. We want control of what we put online. And we don’t want our permissions to be dragged in to other unknown areas. But then again it’s easier for everyone to be “tricked” into participating in something unknowingly, since many users, customers, people never “opt-out” of anything. Imagine how useless things would be if you had to “opt-in”. No one would.

A distorted understanding of users-based permissions, of which are in the small print, will cause a negative-trend amongst all users. 70% of all consumers who “liked” a Facebook fan page feel they didn’t give that company permission to market to them. Getting permission from Millennials is imperative. The worst thing you can do is spam a Millennial. It’s not only useless, but it gives us something to hold against you. And trust, we’ll remember. And tweet about it. And start a Facebook page about it. It’s not good for company PR. Since 44% of us have used social media to both rant and rave about brands, companies and products. How about giving us something to “rave” about instead.

What’s interesting about all this, it’s having profound effects on Millennials in the offline world. Millennials trust offline marketing pitches 3 to 1 more than those online. Makes you wonder why there is such an emphasis in online and social media marketing if we don’t trust you. Even though we’re willing to give up some of our privacy, we’re not willing to give up our trust.

The result of this has created Facebook spin-offs like CollegeOnly, where only those in actual colleges are allowed to be users on the site. Investors are not even granted user access. Talk about privacy, trust and a Millennial orientated social networking site.

It seems that even though we’ve given up levels of our privacy, any distrust in our relationship will cause Millennials to react. As issues of privacy have become a growing case, especially with the likes of Facebook – pun intended – Millennials will ultimately not trust the online world or even social media for that matter.  So what does this mean to you? It means that you shouldn’t betray us. We’ve given you our privacy but we won’t as willingly hand you our trust. That’s something you will have to earn.

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What Did The Millennials Ever Do To You?

Written on September 1, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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Over the last 2 weeks or so, twentysomthings, Millennials and all those Gen-Y have found themselves on the other side of some harsh rhetoric. As often as it is with younger generations, there is a constant need for talking down to youth. And whether that be for the best of intentions or for the fear of kids going wrong, our older counterparts have some serious beefs with us.

After all we’ve never fought a great war. We’re taking to long to grow-up. Our parents have treated as too well. We’re too dreamy, extremely connected, spent years as students, and so on. The dialogue has been a one-way conversation. A conversation that has targeted the Millennials and everything they do.

The last 2 weeks or so…

What’s even more disconcerting is the anti-Millennial language has come from major media publications. From Fox’s article “Can Generation Y Keep America Great?” to the New York Times’ article “What Is It About 20-Somethings?” and Harvard Business Review’s “Two Common Mistakes of Millennials at Work”, there is a strong sense of negative sentiment towards us.

Though not all is lost. There are more than a few individuals that have a great understanding of who the Millennials are. From Rosetta Thurman’s “Is It Time for Generation Y to ‘Grow Up?’”, the Huffington Post’s “How to Manage Me: Millennials and Communication”, and Millennial Expert, Carol Phillips’ “Why Many Find Millennials Puzzling” and her most recent article “The Generational Culture Gap”, the picture of Millennials is not only clearer but vividly different, positive and encouraging.

How did all the Millennial bashing even start?

A generation that approximately begins around 1980 and spans to about 2000, puts it’s oldest members at 30 years old. Few hardly remember the Cold War, dial-up internet and wood-paneled tv’s. Most have spent time in school until past their early 20’s. And many have had significant encouragement from their parents. Don’t we all want the best for our children?

So, alright, we’ve grown up as one of the most privileged set of youths. Possibly the most privileged ever in human history. But is this really our fault?

As children, teenagers and graduates, should we have hoped for a darker, dimmer and hopeless future? Are we too optimistic for everyone else’s sake?

Or is it all a sense of jealously? From those that had a more difficult time growing up, let me rephrase that, a different time growing up?

The questions are endless. And we’re still left wondering. How could things possibly be the same for Millennials when times are so obviously different? Different has always been a problem. And different has always been challenging.

Understandably, keeping everything the same would be the best possible solution for all our current societal structures. After all, they’ve been taking shape and moulded over the last half century. And now the Millennials have come in with their social media and smart phones and are ready to take-over one update, tweet and text at a time.

So we must be a societal threat? There is no doubt in my mind we’ll change the world everyone currently sees. And Facebook is the simplest, most obvious and perfect example since a set of Millennials founded it. Not only are we products of an existing environment, we’re continually redefining it.

Maybe, at a time when so much is going wrong – something of which Millennial’s are in no way responsible for – it’s easiest to blame the “new guy”. The oldest of us is only 30. We’ve hardly had the time to make real problems. If productivity is down, it must be because we’ve been Facebooking and texting all day, since the internet, other distractions or phones were non-existent before us.

The Millennials are the perfect societal scapegoat. At 19.5% unemployment, it must be because about 15 million of us refuse to work. Not because there actually is 15 million jobs waiting for us. Our longer stays in education are not only costing more but student debt is growing exponentially. So forgive us if we choose to live at home longer, get married later and wait to have children.

The recap

By the standards of the New York Times article, Boomers themselves would’ve have been in our position if you compared them to previous generations before. As times change, people change. It’s been an ongoing cycle throughout time. The Boomer standard will ultimately change too.

Fox’s article would suggest we need another great war, because that’s what makes a great generation. Trust me, I thank all those before us and what they’ve done to get us here. But wars are so passé. Should another “Great War” arise, it won’t be pretty. So let’s just avoid that standard. Greatness is not set or encompassed by a single group of people. Give the Millennials a chance first. Then we’ll make the comparisons.

And lastly, the Harvard Business Review article. Millennials acting like Millennials is hardly a mistake in any scenario. That would suggest no one should act like themselves. And it makes me wonder what kind of world everyone has grown up in before us. Even with all our technology and web-savvyness, our human element is strongest of any generation. I’m not suggesting we simply do what we like. But we’ll figure out a way to do it all. Whether you agree with our processes or not.

Where’s the toleration, human understanding and ability to work together? We are all part of the same society aren’t we? Why all the dictating, blaming and finger pointing? Though I must admit that the current culture of the Millennials was highly the result of Boomers and Gen-Xers, I’d hardly play the blame game with them. If I wanted to do that I’d bring up the economic crisis, the environmental crisis and all other crises we, the Millennials, will have to take care of in the future.

Even with all this, I’ve hardly answered my question. But wasn’t that obvious. I’m a Millennial. What do I know about anything.

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Will The Millennials Out-Run Technology?

Written on August 31, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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For all the negative acclaim Millennials receive, I may be pretentiously adding another “negative” characteristic to the list. To think that the Millennials are dictating technology as opposed to technology dictating our lives is absurd and crazy. Isn’t it? Well not really, at least from a Millennial’s point-of-view. Nor are these projected “negatives” really that negative from our point-of-view either.

The Cause

Over the last few days, I experienced a series of revelations. Well, actually two revelations. The first, was the result of a friend’s birthday. And the second, was the result of my broken BlackBerry and my ability to semi-use it. The combination of the two inspired the words below.

To follow the order of things, let’s begin with the birthday. Like many celebrations, we hit the city. And after reaching our destination and after we all got acquainted with each other, I slowly began to observe and realise that what seemed to be so obviously apparent, wasn’t really that obvious at all.

In a location full of seemingly single individuals, with the alcohol flowing, the music pumping, the sense of promiscuity raising, the pheromones stimulating, the primal urges growing and yet, to see an extraordinary amount of people on their [smart] phones wasn’t just shocking, it was absolutely amazing to see.

And this has hardly been the first instance I’ve seen of this. Slowly as the days go by, you realise how many people use their phones while being amongst those they’re connected to, while having coffee, a beer or simply hanging out. Whether it is a matter of needing attention, giving attention, haste, instant ability, time management, multi-tasking, the idea of “now” and many other inclinations, the Millennials and technology are building a self-perpetuating cycle.

The beautiful thing here is how gracefully my second revelation ties into the story. In the same period over the last few days, I’ve lost the ability to use the track ball on my BlackBerry. And until the situation betters itself and though I still have limited abilities to contact people, I’ve felt lost. The passing days seem like a blur. No email access. No Facebook and Twitter access, etc. Again, I was absolutely amazed and perplexed that even though I have a fully functioning laptop I’m [always] on, losing the functionality of my BB was interesting to say the least.

Though my words seem more dramatic then I intend them to be and though different people will build different perceptions from my words, it can’t be denied that the Millennials are living a significantly different and technologically based life compared to those older than them.

The Effect

Can you really blame them though? Growing up, we’ve been immersed into rapidly expanding technologies. Where once product lifecycles existed for years in previous generations, the world of today hardly has them exist for a year. It took three decades to reinvent the television set. And since, televisions have been reinvented almost yearly.

The same can be said for many technological areas. From the leaps mobile devices have taken in the last few years to the advances of the web with social media and networking sites, the last 5 years have been nothing short of stellar innovation. But where does that leave us now? Where does that leave the Millennials? Where does that leave technology?

As our ambitions towards technology continue you to grow, our demands and wants for technology grow as well. It’s no wonder that many Millennials face problems with internet literacy. Everywhere we look, we’re told to head to the web. At some point in time, our mental capabilities have understood the words on the web might not be the truth, accurate or real. But why lead us to these lies then? If enough people read something and if enough people accepted it, isn’t it true, accurate and real? Or is it just great SEO at work.

The internet has also groomed the Millennials into a constant need for now, immediate and instantaneous thinking. Last week I read – and I can’t find the article itself – that 74% of consumers believe they should be responded to within 24 hours via social media for their questions, comments or concerms. Not only do Millennials expect an immediate response, this same mentality has been extended to many aspects of life.

It’s no wonder why when people are in social settings they’re concerned about checking their phones. They had that thought now. They want to have that conversation now. They want to see that now. How different everything was only 5 years ago when people didn’t want to pay for messaging and didn’t have access to online abilities. We all waited to meet up with each other. We all waited to get home to see what happened online. Waiting no longer exists. If it was up to us, we would’ve done it yesterday if we could. Even “now” is starting to feel slow.

And this is where it gets interesting. Millennials and all of us in fact have come to a point where expecting “now” is the bare minimum. All communication has to be as quick as a text. All information has to be available at a moments notice. Does this create problems? Of course it does. Not only does it change the way we mentally process everything, it creates a constant need for everything. Amongst many other issues.

From a consumerism standpoint, it begins to create gaps amongst the people. With adoption cycles beginning to pattern more like waves than a nice curve, we now begin to see divides due to affordability, technological necessity and want, and capability. These gaps create problems simply because you can’t reach everyone anymore. This will be the very reason why brands and companies will spend more on marketing and advertising than ever before. And the very reason, they’ll have to severely rethink their strategies. With all that, everyone still wants the same abilities that we’ve all been promised by technology.

The Outcome

The technological innovation during the time of the Millennials has not only defined them but it is something the Millennials helped define. It’s the good old “chicken and egg” dilemma. Regardless of your choice in the dilemma, I believe we’re approaching a time where technology itself will reach a plateau, again. Although technology itself has been experiencing tremendous innovation and advancement, frankly, it has delivered to Millennials what they’ve expected years ago. The things we want always seem to come years later. There’s things I’ve thought of that are hardly imaginable in the coming years – but maybe that’s just me.

Our ability to think of new ideas and pull them to the centre will slow, simply as a result that we have used many of these outlier thoughts in hopes of bettering our situations quickly in recent times. The wants of Millennials can hardly be met by technology. The outcome of this will see the continuing boom in social media and smart phones. Until there finally is a bust in the next decade. We can’t all be expected to “like” the 1000s of brands that exist and buy a new smart phone every year. Just as similarly, you can’t all be expected to reach us through every means available. That would be impossible. We all use technology differently. And we all experience levels of technology differently.

Our ambitions have created a series of technological promises that are both right and wrong at times, while at the same time we’re still encouraged to use them. Equally, these promises have taken Millennial wants to new heights. With all this going on, what did you expect from us? To be delayed, unresponsive, unwanting and simply sit back? Of course we were going to us it. And of course it was going to effect the Millennials. We can’t imagine a life without any of it. Imagine being without your phone for the night or a few days? Was there ever such a time?

As innovation is continually exhausted, as greater amounts of outlier ideas are dragged to the centre, as wants for “now” even grow further, maybe it shouldn’t have been a question of whether if the Millennials will out-run technology. Maybe it should’ve been a matter of technology keeping up the Millennials.

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Are You Crowdsourcing Gen-Y? Maybe You Should Be

Written on August 27, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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The internet has allowed has to all to expand our horizons. Whether it be connecting with great individuals and brilliant minds across the globe or simply writing your own customer reviews for a brand and experience, one thing is for certain and that is most likely someone is watching and listening.

Usually that “someone” is a company trying to avoid a PR blunder by monitoring activity about what is being said about them. But more interestingly, these same companies are even trying to get ahead of the game by sourcing that information they’re receiving and hopefully pulling some strategic use from it. After all, the customer is always right. Right?

Well, let’s be honest, the customer isn’t always necessarily right. But they most certainly know what they want and have insights into areas most companies can’t comprehend. As a result, crowdsourcing is becoming increasingly popular and very useful. What better way to reach the consumer than to go to the source.

And what better way to understand the elusive, loyal but not loyal, always buying but can’t be reached through advertising, wanting everything, always connected Millennial generation. The combination of having the ability to get useful information quickly and reach has created a great movement towards Gen-Y Crowdsourcing communities.

Mercedes Benz has done it with Generation Benz, IBM has got into the action and as of late, Durex joined the game by creating it’s own Gen-Y initiatives. Crowdsourcing is definitely not a new idea. But at this moment in time, it’s becoming increasingly valuable just like stumbling onto a diamond in the rough. The value gained here is priceless. Where are your crowdsourcing initiatives?

And though this example is only but a few companies that have gone the way of strategically using crowdsourcing, there is also the emergence of online research communities directed at fulfilling the needs of anyone. At a moments notice, you could quite literally receive powerful and profound information, aside from all the statistics and studies – which are useful. But you can’t pay for information like this.

Gen-Y Crowdsourcing Communities, such as the Millennial Marketing Super Consumer Community, are fascinating areas companies, brands and corporations should be interested in, investigating and using. This is not just an assortment of random individuals. It is a delicate process of hand-picking the right minds for the subject matter. And I would know this, since I am a member of said community.

Crowdsourcing for Gen-Y thoughts is extremely powerful. Not only does it remove the company centric approach many companies painstakingly fail with, it allows the customer to say what they think, ultimately giving those who need the information the right direction to head in. You’d be surprised what Millennials have to say. After all many people are more than surprised and shocked once they realise I’m a twentysomething myself.

So why leave it to the old adage of “from the outside looking in.” Come join us Millennials on the inside. We’ll amaze you more than you think. We’re more capable and useful than you even know.

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Why We Will Ultimately Break-Up with Social Media

Written on August 26, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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Over the last week or so, I’ve spent some considerable time reflecting about social media. What is it? Why do we use it? How long will it last? These were only but a few questions that came to mind. And the more I thought about it, the more I began to realise. And the more I began to realise, the more I began to wonder and question what relationship actually exists between us and social media.

For some years now, social media has been ragging forward. And since it’s inception, much of the social media world has drastically changed. Many of us have also changed as a result of it. The early days of Facebook saw all of us grasping to connect with any “friend”, even though we could hardly call them friends in person. Suffice to say, the slightest interaction at a bar, back in high school, a friend’s party and anywhere else warranted an “add” to friendship.

As years went by, many of us still have that list of friends we’ve hardly interacted with. Except for moments of exchanging birthday wishes, leaving the congratulatory comments and further connecting on Farmville, many of us will never interact with the other 80% of our Facebook being. But even the 80/20 rule seems too optimistic for our sake. With 350 “friends”, that would suggest that I’ve interacted with 70 people beyond the “Happy Birthday!!” and “Congratulations” messages. I can hardly say I’ve even come close to that number. And I can hardly say I could even tell you who those 350 friends even are.

Why continue with this hypocrisy then? It’s use has lost meaning just as it has with many other social networking sites. The true essence of social media has been lost to the numbers game. Sharing has been thrown out the window. And connecting has become second to the idea of getting the connections, followers and likes. Few hardly develop any form of relationship. While many seek to artificially create a sense of influence through Twitter diets, demanding “likes” and retweets but hardly reciprocating and blatantly message their entire list of LinkedIn connections for a recommendation.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but I believe in a sense of online etiquette. Individuals have presumably adapted how they act to their environments. It’s the reason why we see a Facebook mentality, a Twitter mentality, a LinkedIn mentality and so on, on top of offline mentalities. Of which few individuals interchange them and act the same throughout. And though the online world allows us to establish and actually build great relationships without ever meeting these great people also providing us with great opportunities, we begin to emerge as individuals that believe we can quite frankly do whatever we like online. Since there are no consequences. Right?

Apart for the obvious notions of someone seeing something online about you, the consequences hardly exist. You can only lose what you built up. Ultimately, the idea of social media itself loses. It’s so interesting to see how many Twitter dieters stop following other people. Not that I was offended in being unfollowed. Rather, in many of these scenarios these so-called dieters unfollowed a vast majority to give themselves a favourable ratio of following-to-followers. And they then still expect our support on their fan pages and LinkedIn profiles (ironically enough I was surprised how many individuals were “dieting” and even after being unfollowed they still keep connections with me via fan pages and LinkedIn. Anything to keep the numbers up).

Social media and networking does not simply travel in one direction. It’s not a one-way discussion. It is the gathering of multiple relationships, conversations and thoughts. It is the encompassment of everyone else. The self is important. But building, establishing and developing the relationships is absolutely imperative. And this is something many have forgot to realize or even acknowledge. You are only as great as those that follow you and what you can deliver back to them.

This is where social media has lost its touch. At some point in time over the last few years, everything became about the numbers. The more flattering those numbers became, the more unrealistic it all starts to seem. Our social hypocrisy has turned curiosity into pleasure and pornography. We are all encouraged to follow, connect, share and like. But to what end?

Eventually, a time will come when we decide that “liking” every brand is useless. What’s the point when it only congests our news feed and we receive nothing but a quick corporate promotion out of it. We’ll realize that our true friends and colleagues are only a call, SMS, text or email away. Why bother having 350 friends? Why bother following those who decided to stop following you? Why connect with those who only expect personal gains from your relationship? Why be in this relationship?

Are we all scared of having a meaningless social media existence if we start rationalizing our behaviours? After all, having all these connections, likes, friends and followers means something, doesn’t it? What would be the point of having Facebook if I only had 20 “friends”? Wouldn’t that be boring? 350 “friends” does sound and look better.

Should we have expected any of this? Who’s to say. You should know not to really expect anything at all.

“Dear social media…”

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Will the Gen-Y Dream Kill the Product Brand?

Written on August 25, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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I must admit, it’s a pretty outlandish statement. The thought that a single generation of young consumers could halt the wheels of product consumption seems, well, absurd. We’re all about the products. Aren’t we? Having more possessions than we can all truly enjoy. The advertisements are everywhere we look. There’s no getting away from any of it. We want it all. Right?

Well, we do want it all. However, what we want, what Gen-Y wants, has significantly evolved from our consumer notions of the 1990s and 2000s. A recent study, the 2010 MetLife Study of the American Dream, has more than a few interesting tidbits of information regarding this. And it all beings with 95% of Gen-Y believing it’s possible to achieve the American Dream within their lifetime. A number that has grown from 85% in 2006.

Call them young, naïve and inexperienced. They’re a generation that faces the highest unemployment rates, rising debts, and uncertainties created by the recession. Frankly, you could go on and on. Even with all that, their dream grows with wants for “family, children” and “successful careers” leading the way, which are significantly higher than other generations. And though, “financial security” is part of their dream, it’s remarkably lower than that of all other generations. Just another gap in the generational story.

Their unbridled optimism is irrefutable. And this is where the fun begins. What’s extraordinary about Gen-Y’s dream is that it’s not as materialistic as everyone would have you believe. 39% of Gen-Y believe they “already have what they need, and the necessities in life will remain constant.” A notable increase from 26% in 2008.

And like many writers, entertainers, researchers and bloggers, I’ve saved the best for last. One characteristic that is absolutely fascinating but equally holds some serious implications. Not only are those amongst Gen-Y less materialistic, those in Gen-Y who believe that there is a “growing pressure to buy more and better material possessions” has dropped an incredible nineteen percentage points, from 66% in 2006 to 47% 2010.

In a world of increasing competition and unimaginable marketing dollars, a few percentage points means quite literally everything. And when you’re talking about a group as large as Gen-Y, a 19% drop in buying more and better material possessions is undeniably profound. However does this mean that Gen-Y will kill the product brand? Not immediately. But the Gen-Y dream is clearly less ambivalent and concerned about product brands.

Call it what you want. Lack of financial aptitude, growing debt and high-rate of jobless Gen-Y, one thing is clear and that is these trends have grown  in their respective directions over the last four years. A couple of years of which were clearly before the recession.

The Gen-Y [American] Dream might not kill the product brand – yet – but it’s clear that Gen-Y is dreaming of a less materialistic future. A future that isn’t interested in product brands. And though it might seem like a cynical viewpoint towards products and their brands, the reality is times are changing and everyone has to adapt to this change. The ones ahead of the curve understand the shift to lifestyle brands and what values Gen-Y has in them.

And maybe you don’t even believe in the American Dream, or in any dreams for that matter. If the numbers suggest anything, they suggest about 95% of Gen-Yers do. The same Gen-Yers who believe in a family, children and successful careers to achieve it. The same Gen-Yers who are dreaming less of materialistic goods year-over-year. If you don’t believe in the Dream, you shouldn’t forget that Gen-Yers do.

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8 Trends To Keep in Mind When Building Millennial Marketing Strategies

Written on August 23, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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Social media, m-commerce, app and all new media strategies are creating a headache for the marketing, advertising and PR worlds. Change and innovation are outpacing our abilities to keep up with the times. Technologies are being built and advanced at a rate far beyond from what we can consume. Meanwhile, we’re all just trying to keep up.

It’s no wonder that any kind of strategy can fall short. They often do. Segments are evolving. Sub-segments are growing. And Millennials are changing the smallest aspects of everyday life. Ones that are proving to have the largest impact.

I know some of you might think that I’m overstating the trends. So I’ll let the trends speak for themselves. Between 65%-68% of marketing executives and 52%-68% of advertising executives state they find it very or somewhat challenging to “stay current on social media trends.” And I can only imagine how they would feel about innovating ideas such as location based apps, QR codes and the idea of blog communities.

Unfortunately for many of them, they’ll have to face these challenges. Whether they like it or not. Creating and building a successful strategy will be reliant on many of these factors, especially when it comes to the Millennials. The times are shifting and changing rapidly, and the Millennials are seemingly keeping with up it. But are you?

So with no further adieu, here are 8 trends you should keep in mind when building your Millennial marketing and advertising strategies.

1. QR Codes

Known as quick response codes, they are those strange looking square-shaped and pattern images you are beginning to see more often. Each image itself is encrypted with unique information. What’s significant about this is that these barcodes can be optimized for smart phones. And it goes beyond just scanning for information. Just imagine the possibilities you could offer.

2. Location Base Apps

The app-world is alive and well. Not to mention that it’s absolutely thriving. With smart phones, pads and tablets becoming the norm, apps deliver an immediate presence like no other. Now shift gears to specific apps tailored to the locations you frequent. From social network check-ins on Foursquare to passive retail checking-in on Shopkick, any kind of “extra” deal might be enough to bring foot traffic your way.

3. Blog Communities

What’s ironic about blogging is that at the same time when blogging has been on the decline it has been projected to increase amongst companies. And it will increase. Everyone is always looking for answers and solutions. Company social networking profiles don’t necessarily always fulfill that. Equally, company blog’s will become the “go-to” place simply because it will be perceived as the most genuine form of interaction between the customer and brand. And it simply won’t be typical company “push” efforts – for the smart ones at least. They’ll realize it doesn’t have to be the company who only blogs on their blog. Customers have more to say than you think. It’s a powerful and interesting thought.

4. Personal Customization

Customization is becoming a growing trend even though many of us don’t see it. And it goes beyond the previous notions of getting something customized. The reality is that we are all buying products and all those products have extras attached. We’re continually adding on what we like while our ability to “add-on” is growing larger. And we’re growing to having everything customized our way.

Take smart phones for instance. We buy the smart phone and it comes with it’s basic functions and abilities. But we add everything else to our customized tastes. Whether that be apps, extra services or both, smart phones become unique personal items that we’ve tailored to ourselves. At first glance, they all look the same. But I doubt any one smart phone is the same or even used in the same manner.

5. Instant Communication and Response

Our growing reliance on technology has ingrained an idea into our head that suggests that all communication should be instantaneous. With the growing ability to reply at a moments notice, not only does this imply quick responses, but we begin to expect it. Is this problematic? Definitely. But communicating with the customer quickly is the difference between keeping them and losing them.

6. Engagement a.k.a. Building Relationships

The companies and brands that have always tended to build some kind of relationship have always done well. And with the Millennials, it will be a trend that will only grow. Since we now have the greater ability to reach individuals at more intimate areas of their lives, that reach will have to be just as intimate. Remember, our areas of social networking are built on personal experiences. Can’t use the same old tricks here.

7. Tribal Thinking

With greater ability to connect, segment and sub-segment tribes begin to emerge – if you don’t believe me, ask Seth. As niches grow, so does a very-fragmented set of “wants”. And it’ll be something that will continue to grow with the collaborative-minded and team-orientated Millennials. Strategizing for niches is nothing new. But rather than strategizing for each individual, why not do something different for the whole tribe. I’m no expert, but even I know getting two customers for the same effort versus one is better. And I’m not talking about 2-for-1 deals here. Use your imagination. I’ll give you a hint: doing things in groups is fun.

8. Advanced Multi-Platform Ideas

I’m amazed at how traditional the multi-platform approach has been, especially with all the different forms of media available. I understand the effects and strengths of continually showing the same advertisements and even spreading those same messages across the platforms. At the same time, I see major marketing dollars increasing but not showing the same return.

We have the capacity to do almost anything. Breaking down and re-establishing your efforts could be highly worth it. Traditional efforts always carry their traditional weight but we’re not in traditional times anymore. There’s a growing number of new-ways to market and advertise, I suggest you think of more clever ways to reach us.

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Understanding the Gen-Y Consumer and Shifting Retail Environment

Written on August 20, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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The recession and global economic events that have transpired over the last two years have had a significant impact on consumers and retailers alike. Undoubtedly, the situation has affected everyone differently. The circumstances all carry the same underlying characteristics, yet there are clear distinctions amongst different segments within the population.

Although I won’t be diving into each of these segments, I will be looking directly in the direction I always do. And that’s towards those young consumers of Generation Y. Whether you believe that they’re a product of the environment or that they’re a catalyst in creating it, the Gen-Y consumer is reshaping our notions of consumerism and the retail world.

Breaking Down the Gen-Y Consumer

There’s no denying the recession has had a few underlying effects to current consumer behaviours. Decreased spending would be the most obvious and immediate one to come up in any conversation. But there’s more behind the current Millennial behaviour.

One of the most imperative and often overlooked factors is the issue of unemployment. Even with great parents that “spoil” us, an unemployment rate of 19.5% for those under 30 is quite profound, considering it’s more than double the rate 9.5% of the entire US workforce. Directly and indirectly, it has caused Millennials to be a little more price conscious. One third of Gen-Y now shop at low-priced retailers, such as Walmart, compared to just under a quarter of all adults.

These price conscious Millennials have also become seasoned bargain hunters. Not because they’re cheap but rather, they’ve become highly accustomed to the pattern behaviour of the retailers. A pattern where Gen-Y simply waits to “[I’ll] get it on sale.” A pattern in which 54% of 18-24 year-olds are delaying making a purchase in anticipation of deals and price reductions. Something of which only one third of older adults are doing. Even with my crude math skills, I know that a difference of 21% is significant. But do retailers truly understand the disparity that’s occurring?

A Shifting Retail Environment

An increasingly competitive environment has pushed retailers to leverage the smallest of opportunities. Years of marking-down prices has created a “I’ll wait until it goes on sale” consumer mentality. A mentality that is heading into direct conflict with rising back-end costs that retailers are facing. There is every indication that as material, labour and transportation costs continue to soar, we will most certainly see a decrease in discounting and an actual price increase in products as early as next year.

As retailers face this eventuality, we’ll begin to see the creation of new acquisition, retention and loyalty strategies. E-commerce and m-commerce will grow extensively in the coming years. And they will be anything but typical approaches.

We’re seeing the creation of unique online sites that are providing limited time and quantity deals on products from companies that are socially-responsible while giving to non-profits. And it doesn’t stop there.

We’re in the midst of an app boom. This is the result of advanced mobile technologies, the growth of Gen-Y’s love affair with smart phones and the absolute want, especially from Gen-Y, for greater mobile ability. Enter Shopkick.

Shopkick is a location based mobile app that check’s in the user once they’ve entered a location. They then receive “kickbucks” for walking into the locaton, scanning items, etc, which can be traded in for different credits. I can only imagine the different types of apps that will most certainly come to being. However, will they truly be any different from similar programs we already have? And who will truly be satisfied by apps such as these, the consumer or the retailer?

Where Gen-Y Consumerism Is Heading

It seems that the whole retail environment is becoming less about retail and more about everything else. The Gen-Y consumer has grown to love patterns of price reductions and is increasingly leaning towards a price-conscious state of mind. For Gen-Y, there almost has to be something extra. It’s not simply about buying the product. It’s about the “extra” benefits we’ll get out of it.

Retailers, on the other hand, are playing their own acquisition tune. Inevitably, retailers will move away from slashing-prices as consumer confidence also inevitably increases. This transition will establish a significant m-commerce presence. And one that will have to make-up – or at least appear to make-up – for the decrease in wanting to “get it on sale” and the eventual increase of prices.

The defining characteristic in all of this will be based on the result retailers take in establishing “that” relationship with Gen-Y consumers. When it all comes down to it, we will always consume. But where we consume from will rest on the shoulders of the retailers. As these retailers continually gather and asses greater amounts of consumer information, they should remember not to overlook the simple facts. It’s not about what we buy, it’s about the sale, the deal, the “extra” benefits we get from it. And the most amusing aspect in all this is the retailers only have themselves to blame.

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26 Facts About Millennials Online, Social and Mobile Behaviors

Written on August 18, 2010 by Josip Petrusa
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There shouldn’t be any doubt in anyone’s mind that the evolution of the internet, the introduction of social networking and advancements in mobile technology have forever changed the world we live in.

What’s more interesting is that there is a group of individuals growing with these strong trends. And although everyone in the world itself is also experiencing this, the Millennials themselves are unique simply due to the fact that much of what is happening in their young lives will shape their future. And the future of the world.

What’s even more fascinating is the fact that there is no comparison to backdrop against the Millennials. Much of what they are experiencing is new to everyone. With all that being said, below is the composition of research based statistics. Of which all are painting a picture of Millennial behavior for all of to understand.

Based on our understandings of who the Millennials are, they are individuals born roughly between the years of 1980 to 2000 – varying on opinion. That puts the oldest at 30 and youngest at 10.

With all that being said, here are 26 statistics that provide a glimpse into understanding the Millennials online, social and mobile behaviors. Enjoy!

The Online World

1. 93% of those aged 12-29 go online.

2. Seven out of ten teens aged 12- 17 have a computer.

3. Two thirds of those aged 18-29 own a laptop while half own a desktop.

4. 63% of teens internet users go online everyday.

5. 48% of teens aged 14-17 have bought something online. Just under six out of ten girls make online purchases compared to just under half of the boys in the same age group.

6. Nearly seven out of ten 14-17 year-olds get news online about current events.

7. Four out of five aged 12-17 own a game console compared to six out of ten aged 18-29.

8. A quarter of 12-17 year-olds go online via game console.

Social Networking Sites

9. 55% those aged 12-13 go on social networking sites versus 82% of those aged 14-17.

10. Nearly six out of ten 18-29 year-olds have more than one social networking profile more than one site. A number that is increasing year over year.

11. Social networking fatigue: one out of five teens aged 13-17 no longer visits Facebook or is using it less.

12. Social networking abandonment rates with 13-17 year-olds: MySpace at 22%, YouTube and Twitter at 15%, Facebook at 9%.

13. Two thirds of 13-17 year-olds reported decreased Facebook use in last 6 months. Half say the reason is the result of “lost interest” or simply, that “it’s boring.”

14. Decline in online teen activities over last 4 years: everyday messaging to friends is down 5%, sending group messages is down 11%, private messages is down 16%, and posting comments on a friend’s blog is down 24%.

15. Teens are still highly active in commenting on friends pictures (83%) and page or wall (86%)

16. Girls between ages 14-17 use Twitter more (13%) and boys in the same age group (7%).

17. 37% those aged 18-24 post status updates regarding themselves on Twitter and other status updating sites. They also view other updates. Up 19% from two years earlier.

18. Teens in decline towards blogging activity. Since 2006, teens who blog has declined by half from 28% to 14%. Teen commenting on blogs through social networks has also declined from 76% to 52%.

19. Blogging has declined in those aged 18-29 from 24% three years earlier to 15%.

Mobile Phone Activity

20. Two thirds of 18-29 are cell phone internet users.

21. 78% of teens aged 13-17 have a cell phone.

22. Texting has increased 566% with 12-17 year-old over the last 3 years.

23. Eight out of ten of those aged 13-17 send text messages.

24. Over nine out of ten 18-29 year-olds own a cell phone. Up 22% from 5 years earlier.

25. 95% of cell phone owners aged 18-29 send and receive text messages. 93% also take pictures with their cell phones. Highest among any demographic

26. Seven out of ten 18-29 year olds go online via cell phones at least once a day.

I’ll admit, the numbers aren’t all that flashy – they’re not meant to be. But they’re more important than you realize. They’re an insight into Millennial technological behavior. A behavior that can’t be avoided, though it’s not as simple as the numbers make it seem.

Nevertheless, I’ll let you be the judge of what’s important and what isn’t. Just keep in mind, many of these numbers are growing in the directions stated. They’ll be more impacting than you think.

(Sources: Pew Internet, Breaking Down Millennials: From Sharing to Connecting)

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