Gender Shift: The Millennial Generation

Millennials & GenderNovember 2010 1

> Millennials and Gender 2

What We’ll Cover Today_ About the Study_ Shaped by Boomers_ Women Unleashed_ The Masculine Miasma_ Blurred Roles and Identities_ What Do Millennials Want?_ What It Means for Brands> Millennials and Gender 3

About the Study_ Proprietary online survey by MicroDialogue, summer 2010 _ 500 aged 18–25 and 100 aged 40–55 in each of 5 markets (n=3,000); data in deck comes from millennials only _ Due to enormous cultural and historical differences influencing gender in East vs. West, we’re focusing here only on gender relations in France, U.K., and U.S._ Extensive secondary research_ Contributions from Euro RSCG agencies in Europe and U.S. France U.K. U.S. China India n=600 n=600 n=600 n=600 n=600> Millennials and Gender 4

Inheriting a World Shaped by Boomers Digital Advances Youthful rebellion, freedom— more openness about sex and Image: Creative Commons/joi@flickr.com pleasure Image: Creative Commons/SpreePiX-Berlin.com Attitudes and Culture A generation of hothouse flowers— cosseted and watched over Image: Creative Commons/WilliamsProjects.com> Millennials and Gender 5

Life Before Women’s Lib?Image: Creative Commons/dklimke@flickr.com Image: Creative Commons/dklimke@flickr.com > Millennials and Gender 6

To Millennials, It’s Unreal! Image: Creative Commons/thepeachmartini@flickr.com Image: Creative Commons/dklimke@flickr.comImage: Creative Commons/dklimke@flickr.com Millennials are not only digital natives, they are also native to a gender- remapped society > Millennials and Gender 7

Hence, the Generational Disconnect b. 1947 Image: Creative Commons/TheTalkingHand@flickr.com “I am not a feminist. I hail men. I love men.” “Im not some Tammy Wynette standing by my man.” -Lady Gaga Image: Creative Commons/TheCrankyGeek@flickr.com —Hillary Clinton b. 1986> Millennials and Gender 8

In <40 Years, We’ve Gone from This… “Bill—I’m annoyed over this! Let 1,000 alumni sons or other well qualified guys in FIRST—their livelihood depends on a university education. Women’s DON’T!” 1972 note from director of development Arthur J. Horton to Princeton University president William G. Bowen on eve of Princeton’s admitting women> Millennials and Gender 9

…to This… _ 57% of bachelor degrees _ 56% of students in higher education _ 61% of master’s _ Outperform boys at all _ 51% of doctorate degrees levels of education Outperform boys at every level academicallyImage: NorthernSun.com In the last 1/3 of 20th century, in every society in which females have been given equal access to education, they have proved more than equal to males. > Millennials and Gender 10

…and This: _ Women are primary or co-breadwinner for 2/3 of families _ Btwn 1997 and 2007, # of women-owned businesses +44%, 2x as fast as men-owned firms _ 40 years ago, women owned 5% of small businesses; now they own 30%Source: Jobs and Economic Security for America’s Women,National Economic Council, October 2010 Image: Creative Commons/safoocat@flickr.com> Millennials and Gender 11

“A Man Should Earn More than His Female Partner” % Agree 35 30 30 25 21 20 16 15 15 14 10 6 5 0 UK France US Male Female> Millennials and Gender 12

Workplace is Increasingly a Woman’s World_ Rise of post-industrial economies and spread of technology have made world of work gender neutral_ Most jobs, especially high-paying jobs, don’t require physical strength or endurance—there’s no intrinsic advantage to being male_ Many emerging jobs require skills that come more naturally to women; in fact, men dominate just 2 of the 15 job categories projected to grow most over next decade> Millennials and Gender 13

New Rules: Tone Down the Testosterone_ Today’s highly civilized, highly networked societies rely on complex rules and restrictions; they leave little scope for old- style testosterone-driven aggression_ Increasing emphasis on more “female” styles of cooperation and collaboration_ Suggestions that women in power might have averted financial crisis> Millennials and Gender 14

Which Is Not to Say Women’s Struggle is Over… _ Almost 50 years after Equal Pay Act, women are still paid 77¢ to man’s $1 _ Only 2.6% of Fortune 500 cos are led by female CEO; only 15.2% of their board seats are filled by women _ At top 100 law firms, only 17% of equity partners are womenSource: Jobs and Economic Security for America’sWomen, National Economic Council, October 2010 Image: xeeliz@flickr.com…but millennials are less apt to perceive institutionalized sexism or believebarriers will keep them as individuals down; we’ve entered postfeminist era > Millennials and Gender 15

…but the Trend Is Clearly UP “Women live longer than men. They do better in this economy. More of ’em graduate from college. They go into space and do everything men do, and sometimes they do it a whole lot better. I mean, hell, get out of the way—these females are going to leave us males in the dust.” —Ronald Ericsson, biologist who pioneered sperm separation for gender selection> Millennials and Gender 16 16

“It Will be Women Who Lead the Change in the World” % Agree 70 65 59 60 54 50 43 43 40 35 30 20 10 0 US France UK Male Female> Millennials and Gender 17

And What of Millennial Guys? 18

The Boy Crisis (TrueEquality.com)> Millennials and Gender 19

And That’s Not Just in the West> Millennials and Gender 20

Gender Once Came with Clear-Cut Guidelines…> Millennials and Gender 21

> Millennials and Gender 22

Now Roles Are Less DistinctImage: Creative Commons/MichelleFoocault@flickr.com> Millennials and Gender 23 23

“A Man Should Be Masculine” % Agree 70 59 60 49 49 49 50 46 40 37 30 20 10 0 UK France US Male Female> Millennials and Gender 24

“A Woman Should Be Feminine” % Agree 70 62 60 56 54 49 48 50 43 40 30 20 10 0 US France UK Male Female> Millennials and Gender 25

For women, the dissolution of gender boundaries has meant more freedom and opportunity—a chance to broaden their identities For men, it has caused confusion If a man is no longer head of household, sexual aggressor, protector, and provider…what is he?> Millennials and Gender 26

Seriously, What Are Men For?_ All through history women have been regarded as secondary to men in status and value_ Now science has shown that female, not male, is the default gender for all embryos_ The short Y-chromosome that Unlike any previous determines male sex is gradually generation, millennials losing its genes and could become have grown up in a media extinct environment that is_ With IVF and same-sex coming to regard women relationships well established, as the mainstays and there is serious discussion about men as secondary whether men are necessary at all> Millennials and Gender 27 27

Getting a Little Nervous?Image: Creative Commons/jonathan mcintosh@flickr.com > Millennials and Gender 28

And yet, millennial women aren’t looking to take over the world They want partners they can count on… …and even some degree of return to tradition> Millennials and Gender 29

“Men Should Be the Ones to Lead andInitiate in Romance” % Agree 50 44 45 41 40 35 33 30 26 24 25 20 18 15 10 5 0 US France UK Male Female> Millennials and Gender 30

They Don’t Want to Have or Do It All;They Want Balance_ Millennial women have seen firsthand that for previous generations of women, “having it all” also meant “doing it all”_ Their response: “No thanks”_ Unlike their feminist mothers, they don’t feel they have anything to prove in the workplace, and they aren’t willing to sacrifice everything for a paycheck Image: Creative Commons/ninahale@flickr.com> Millennials and Gender 31

“Which of the Following Best Describes YourAmbition in Life?” U.S. Male 17 23 5 24 32 U.S. Female 26 11 1 29 33 French Male 38 13 1 35 13 French Female 39 9 2 41 9 U.K. Male 27 22 4 26 21 U.K. Female 29 13 2 31 24 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Living with Someone Being Rich Being Having an Feeling Useful I’ve Chosen Famous Exciting Job to Society> Millennials and Gender 32

“What Do You Look at First When Looking for a Job?” U.S. Male 32 8 4 26 30 U.S. Female 30 6 4 22 38 French Male 33 4 6 24 33 French Female 29 5 3 24 40 U.K. Male 46 7 4 20 24 U.K. Female 31 4 4 18 42 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Salary Company Ethics Company Work Atmosphere Ability to Balance Product(s) Work and Life> Millennials and Gender 33

Mostly, They Want Each Other Image: Creative Commons/kevindooley@flickr.com; kristiewells@flickr.com> Millennials and Gender 34 34

Which of the Following Best Describes What“Happiness” Means to You? U.S. Male 22 12 3 42 20 2 U.S. Female 13 22 62 16 5 French Male 22 9 4 48 12 6 French Female 18 42 57 9 10 U.K. Male 20 11 3 43 22 1 U.K. Female 16 51 61 13 4 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Freedom Money Power Love Friendship Having Children> Millennials and Gender 35

“What Is Your Biggest Fear for the Future?” U.S. Male 22 12 3 42 20 2 U.S. Female 13 22 62 16 5 French Male 22 9 4 48 12 14 French Female 18 42 57 9 10 U.K. Male 20 11 3 43 22 1 U.K. Female 16 51 61 13 4 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Being Sick Being Poor Being Homeless Being Alone Being Unsuccessful Being Bored> Millennials and Gender 36

What Does It Mean for Marketers? 37

Stop and Think_ Just because it’s the postfeminist era doesn’t mean we’re not going to notice sexist stereotypes_ We were far from the only ones to notice iPad ads showing a man reading the NYT or WSJ, while a woman is busy creating a photo album or reading a Nicholas Sparks novel Image: Creative Commons/steverhodes@flickr.com> Millennials and Gender 38

Stop Man-Bashing_ Millennial men and women aren’t at war—and never have been_ Young women want to be able to count on men, and it’s not helpful to either sex to constantly see men (especially husbands) depicted as less than capable or responsible_ Let’s see more role models and fewer buffoons> Millennials and Gender 39

Toss Out Gender Prescriptions> Millennials and Gender 40

For more insights from Euro RSCG research, including our Gender Shift white paper, please visit www.prosumer-report.com. And follow us on Twitter (@prosumer_report).> Millennials and Gender 41

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Gender Shift: The Millennial Generation

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