Marketing to Millennials: It’s Not What You Think

What’s the spin on millennials? How do you market to them? They don’t seem to like advertising or being “sold to.” Well, does anyone? When you’ve grown up in a world where the technology is always on, where you control your newsfeed and media, you ignore content that’s broadcast at you. They are a much more sophisticated group and view advertising as something that’s in the way, a distracting and irrelevant pop-up blocking content.

Millennials want to view what matters to them and what they feel contributes to larger issues. They seek opportunities for connection and change, and they expect to actually influence outcomes in the world. And if a brand can help with that, the millennials will get behind it.

Simple Recommendations for Millennial Marketing

1. 1. Focus on their values—the things that matter to them.
   2. Build branding and marketing around your identification with these values.
   3. Don’t sell to them. Offer them value, and contribute to the social and personal issues they care about.
   4. Look at the social media comments about your brand to understand their goals and values.

They are constantly and deeply connected to friends, events, and issues. Successful brands will be the ones that can provide more than just a product or a service. Millennials want a brand that supports and reflects their values.

So when you talk to the kids about what they’re up to, don’t make snap judgments on their attention span or level of commitment. They are watching—and doing—more than you think.