marketing to gen y

June 4, 2008June 4, 2008 Intuit CommunitiesIntuit Communities

Marketing to Generation YMarketing to Generation Y

Outline

• Who is Generation Y?

• What does Generation Y most value?

• Why is this topic important?

• How do you market to Generation Y?

• When do you act?

Who is Generation Y?

•Birth years1977-1992•Over 75 million people•Significant world events•Global perspective•Creating change

What does Gen Y most value?

•Freedom•Meaningful work•Living first•Friends•Diversity

Why is this topic important?

How do you market to Generation Y?

•Simple

•Authentic

•Hip

•Quick

•Sustainable

Gen Y’s Top 15 Most Loyal Brands

• Apple• Trader Joe‘s• Jet Blue• In N Out• Ben N Jerry's• Whole Foods• Adidas• American ApparelAmerican Apparel

• TargetTarget• H & MH & M• Levi'sLevi's• VolkswagenVolkswagen• ConverseConverse• Vitamin WaterVitamin Water• Red StripeRed Stripe

Why These Brands?

The formula for success with marketing to Gen Y:

1. Clean + Simple= Hip (no fuss, no muss!) It's trendy to be simple and easy!

2. Quirky, unique and dorky (Jet Blue and Trader Joe's are both known for being one of a kind shops)

3. Happy employees (people who work at the aforementioned companies say they LOVE their jobs!)

How do you reach Gen Y?

•Get to know their values•Respect them•Build a trusting relationship•Communicate with them on their terms

Development

•Training

•Experimentation

•Voice

•Coaching•Feedback

Diversity

•Community

•Divergency

•Acceptance

•Respect•Appreciation

Decisiveness

•Simplicity•Brainstorming •Research•Action•Flow

Marketing to Gen Y

• Social networking sites (Facebook)

• Mash-ups• Extreme sporting

events• Gen Y street teams• Partnering with youth

oriented companies• Gen Y word of mouth

Marketing Turn-Offs

• Hype

• E-mail blasts

• Push marketing

• Fax

• Cold calling

• Trying to be “hip”

Consumer 2.0 by Mr. Youth

• Authenticity Trumps Celebrity - Consumer 2.0 responds to honest, relevant messaging from peers over marketing speak and celebrity endorsements

• Niche is the New Norm - Consumers 2.0 do not form a mass market. They relish in choices and look for products and services that speak to them personally

• Bite-Size Communication Dominates - Consumer 2.0 digests short, personal and highly relevant messaging in bulk while growing increasingly adept at blocking out noise

• Personal Utility Drives Adoption - Consumer 2.0 chooses to consume what they find useful in their lives over manufactured marketing needs

• Consumers Own Brands - Consumer 2.0 will speak about, re-purpose and associate with your brand as they see fit

• Get the full report at http://MrYouth.com

When do you act?

“We believe that the time for change is here and now. It is time to start leading and stop resisting this generation’s efforts and

contributions.”

-Bea Fields, Scott Wilder, Jim Bunch and Rob Newbold

Co-Authors: Millennial Leaders: Success Stories From Today’s Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders

Millennial LeadersMillennial Leaders http://MillennialLeaders.comhttp://MillennialLeaders.com

Thank-youThank-you