1. 17.04.2015
RELATIONSHIPS
YOUNG WOMEN

2. LHBS constantly collects signs of changing behavior in culture,
markets, and technology. One of the key demographics involved
in these changes is young women.
For the second part of our series about young women, we have
focused on Relationships as a significant way to gain valuable
insights into the demographic.
INTRODUCTION
2

3. WHAT IS HAPPENING

4. YOUNG WOMEN: RELATIONSHIPS
4
Whether as a by-product of protective parents, the age of terrorism or a media culture that
focuses on dangers, young women are often characterized by their mistrust of people and
institutions.
The lack of trust found in the millennial generation (which describes those born between 1980
and 1995, and therefore describes a majority of young women) has reached its lowest point in
recent generations. While roughly a third of baby boomers came of age as trusting young adults,
this number has sharply decreased in successive generations, to only 18% of Gen X and 16% of
Gen Y.
This general sense of lack of trust has recently been elaborated through an abundance of
research which has shown that young women are forming relationships in different ways. As
young women’s trust for institutions such as government, brands and businesses, news media,
educational and religious institutions, has reached an all-time low in this trying last decade, the
implications are manifold and widespread.
THE BACKGROUND

5. THE NEW TRUST
5
Young women are forming new ecosystems of trust and connection, where they feel safe and
secure, yet able to act accordingly to their values, one of the primary being independence.
Their attitudes towards parents, partners, motherhood and children, young women show how
they want their relationships to be. As the overbearing helicopter parents of Generation X are
now seen more like a trusted friend by Generation Y, young women relate to their parents more
like peers, building a support network of mutual trust and respect.
This attitude carries over into the family journeys which young women themselves are
embarking on. Given a combination of cultural and factors, such as the high divorce rates of their
parents generation, as well as their increasing financial independence, young women are now
pursuing a wider range of romantic relationships beyond the rigid, traditional forms of
partnering practiced by previous generations. As such, marriage, family, and motherhood are
now less of a social obligation, and more an avenue to self-discovery, personal needs, and
achievement.
THE NARRATIVE

6. THE NEW TRUST
6
In terms of trust, the younger generations are more apprehensive. Today we see young women
relying on their networks of trust that they form in their personal lives to help guide them when
dealing with the outside world, of which they are more skeptical. The rise of social media has
given them a new middle ground, where they can interact both on a personal as well as public
levels.
The way that they deal with their peers plays a crucial role in how they deal with the world at
large. As a result we find young women are establishing new ecosystems of trust and connection.
The relationships that young women find through their peers are increasingly the type of
relationships that they seek from institutions: from government, banks , and higher education to
brands and businesses. As such, young women expect mutual understanding, and two-way
relationships from institutions they are involved in, as well as from the brands they consume.
THE NARRATIVE

7. 7
YOUNG WOMEN:
RELATIONSHIPS FREEDOM AND
FLEXIBILITY
CLIMBING THE
CORPORATE
LADDER
WORK LIFE
BALANCE
CREATIVITY
6.
BRANDS
ECOSYSTEMS
OF TRUST AND
CONNECTION
1.
PARENTS
2.
PARTNERS
3.
MOTHERHOOD
AND CHILDREN
4.
PEERS
5.
INSTITUTIONS
From our continual research into the
intersection of culture, technology,
and markets, we have identified the
most significant categories to
describe the new ecosystems of
trust and connection that
characterize the relationships which
young women have today.

8. 1. PARENTS

9. *Source: „Place your link here“
PARENTS
Young women today have parents that are
giving them space to experiment; they are no
longer forced into chosen career paths and
predetermined lifestyles. Instead of being
subjected to the choices of their parents,
young women are more likely to relate to
their parents more as friends than rulers.
In fact, young women are not very likely to
seek their parents approval in their
professional choices. Despite this, parents
are still seen as an important support
mechanism, especially in harder economic
times, with many parents supporting their
children into adulthood both financially and
emotionally.

10. 92% think it is very
important that their
parents trust them.
*Source: http://www.slideshare.net/HavasWorldwide/hashtag-nation-marketing-to-the-selfie-generation-39427735

11. Only 17% say that
they have nothing in
common with the
previous generation
*Source: http://www.havasww.de/fileadmin/user_upload/multimedia/strategie/prosumer_report_millenials.pdf

12. 2. PARTNERS

13. PARTNERS
Young women are more likely to have come
from divorced parents than previous
generations. Combined with less rigid social
expectations towards marriage and family,
young women are less inclined to get
married. Instead, young women are hooking
up more, with many opting for a series of
relationships rather than looking for “the
one” to spend the rest of their lives with. For
those young women who move in with their
partners, many do it for financial reasons.
Social networking also has a recently
significant role, as dating apps have become
mainstream and cater to a wide-range of
relationships.

14. In the US 44% of the
generation say marriage
is becoming obsolete.
In Germany, some 53
percent believe most
couples won’t stay faithful
during their marriage or
partnerships. And an
overwhelming 80 percent
think divorce is no big
deal.
Reason: women
become more financially
independent and are no
longer prepared to continue
with a dysfunctional
marriage at any cost.
Source: http://mic.com/articles/44083/44-percent-of-millennials-think-marriage-is-obsolete http://www.thelocal.de/20110428/34693

15. As of January 2015,
Tinder users swipe
through 1.5 billion Tinder
profiles and makes more
than 21 million matches
per day.
*Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2014/10/20/tinder-swipes-right-to-revenue-will-add-premium-service-in-november/

16. In Manhattan, nearly 50%
of households consist of a
single occupant, similar in
London and Paris, and even
higher — a staggering 60% —
in Stockholm.
European countries
already display higher
rates of living alone than in the
U.S., and there are sharp
increases in emerging markets such
as China, India, and Brazil; that
suggests that many choose to live
alone whenever there’s sufficient
wealth and comfort. For them,
it isn’t punishment — it’s
liberation.
*Source: http://fortune.com/2012/01/25/solo-nation-american-consumers-stay-single/

17. 3. MOTHERHOOD AND
CHILDREN

18. CHILDREN &
MOTHERHOOD
Today’s generation of mothers are not only
are the youngest generation of mothers,
they are more connected, more influential,
and have access to more information than
any previous generation before them.
Moreover, motherhood is now an experience
not a social or family obligation.
Today’s mothers are more collaborative, and
much of this collaboration takes place online,
where young mothers create and maintain
online communities where they give advice,
have conversations, and build relationships.

19. More young moms are
Single than Married
22% are more likely
to prioritize being a
good parent over
having a successful
marriage.
*Source: http://time.com/2889816/more-millennial-mothers-are-single-than-married/ / http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2011/03/millennials-marriage.pdf

20. 52% love work and kids
equally
25% could not be stay
home moms
22% could love be stay
home moms if they had
a choice
*Source: http://www.slideshare.net/linkedin/linked-in-what-women-want-work

21. 25% of parents share
their child’s prenatal
sonogram on social
media.
*Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ruthgraham/sharing-ultrasound-photos-facebook-instagram

22. 50% of young mothers have
created social media accounts for
their baby before the child’s
second birthday.
*Source: http://www.today.com/parents/have-social-media-account-your-baby-40-percent-millennial-moms-1D80224937

23. The vast majority will
share great parenting
advice and 37% would
share with as many as
possible
*Source: http://issuu.com/mccanntruthcentral/docs/truth_about_moms

24. Most think they are
experts in something
child education
and
development
cooking and
nutrition
fun kids activities
best deals health
party and craft
ideas
*Source: http://issuu.com/mccanntruthcentral/docs/truth_about_moms

25. Not perfectionist super
moms
They want to create happy
moments with their
children
*Source: http://issuu.com/mccanntruthcentral/docs/truth_about_moms

26. PEERS

27. PEERS
When young women do have trust in their
peers, this trust creates influence: they rely
on their trusted peers’ recommendations,
mimic their lifestyle choices, and consume
the same brands. As such, they tend to trust
user-generated content more than other
forms.
Peer-to-Peer and social networking
connections are coming to define the
generation’s way of creating and maintaining
relationships with their peers.

28. 63% shop with peers
making it a social
activity
94% crowdsource
purchase decisions
74% think they
influence the purchase
choice of others
*Source: http://www.edelman.com/insights/intellectual-property/8095-exchange/

29. 5. INSTITUTIONS

30. INSTITUTIONS
Many women are disillusioned by status quo
politics, who feel political parties are more or
less the same. While they are slightly more
trusting towards government than their
elders, they are still a vocal generation who
is not afraid to demand what they want in
their lives and in the world.
The clash between their ideals and reality is
seen not only in regards to government but
also financial institutions and higher
education, which are often leaving young
women in debt without guaranteeing a job.

31. What’s more is that
women feel increasingly
untrustworthy of financial
institutions. Only about a third of
women surveyed in the U.S. said they
were loyal to one financial services
company. That figured dropped to just
16% among women in the U.K. Also, more
than half of women in the U.S., U.K. and
China reported to be “overwhelmed”
by the products and choices
available today for financial
services.
*Source: http://fortune.com/2014/11/13/women-rich-financial-planning/

32. 6. BRANDS

33. BRANDS
Young women seek out brands not only for
their products they offer, but for their
capacity to have an authentic relationship.
Their generation is twice as likely to trust
friends and family than experts, and as a
result, are more likely to trust user-
generated content that has been developed
in collaboration with a brand than a
traditional advertising strategy.
*Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/fashion/the-lives-of-millennial-career-jugglers.html?_r=1

34. This generation is
attracted to brands
that “say something
about who I am, my
values, and where I
fit in.”
*Source: https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/marketing_center_consumer_customer_insight_how_millennials_changing_marketing_forever/?chapter=3

35. *Source: http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2013/06/06/millennials-crave-firstness-inspiration-and-collaboration-3-stats/
Generally very willing
to engage with brands
maybe more so than
older consumers

36. WHY IS IT RELEVANT

37. Institutional Disruption
73% of Millennials would be more excited about a new
offering in financial services from Google, Amazon, Apple,
PayPal or Square than from their own nationwide bank.
KEY INDICATORS
37
Social Influence of Peers
Millennials trust User-generated content (UGC) 50% more
than other media sources.
Family Redefined
Only 4% of US households are made up of the "traditional"
family unit, down from 60% in 1972.
*Source: http://go.crowdtap.com/socialinfluence http://www.slideshare.net/HavasWorldwide/the-new-dynamics-of-family http://www.millennialdisruptionindex.com

38. YOUNG WOMEN: RELATIONSHIPS
38
We can see in the findings above that young women are seeking new relationships with people,
brands, and institutions.
These new relationships must be established on young women’s terms, reflecting not only their
core values but build on their existing way of relating to their world. As such, we have prepared
several implications for brands and businesses looking to establish and/or develop relationships
with young women today.
SUMMARY

39. IMPLICATIONS
39
1. The New Trust 2. Diverse Families and Relationships
3. Peer to Peer Connections 4. Common Values, Common Goals

40. IMPLICATIONS
40
1. The New Trust
Brands are looking to create authentic, relatable advertising and
content. Apart from tailoring this content to the real life concerns of
young women, brands are using real stories of real young women to
their advantage. On a similar note, brands are integrating influential
user-generated content, especially from social media “celebrities” to
provide more authentic experiences for young women.
- Johnson & Johnson’s recent Clean & Clear #Seetherealme
campaign was an unscripted integrated digital and social campaign
that showcased real-life teenage girls struggling with their skin issues
over a 19-part series on YouTube (one of the most influential
platforms for young women when it comes to the category of self-
image).
- Brands are using collaboration with stars from social media
communities, such as L’Oreal launching a new line of cosmetics in
partnership with this new type of celebrity, Michelle Phan, whose
content deeply resonates with the YouTube community (amassing
over 7 million followers with her beauty tutorials and reviews).
2. Diverse Families and Relationships
As more people are opting out of parenting, marriage and living
together and more are creating diverse homes with same-sex, one-
parent and interracial families, brands need to reflect this reality in
not only their products, but their company philosophy.
- Chevrolet’s “The New Us” campaign gave an inclusive look at
several families anchored by gay and lesbian parents. In a similar
vein, Tiffany’s recently embraced same-sex marriage in print and
TV ads.
- Apple, which has recently been an advocate for gay rights has
released diverse emojis that represent different family
compositions to include more same-sex couples and non-
traditional families (that not only will feature a set of customizable
skin tones).
- In a fun, innovative way of embracing contemporary attitudes and
technologies of partnering, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks put on
“Swipe Right Night” during a home game encouraging fans to use
Tinder to make connections during the game.

41. IMPLICATIONS
41
3. Peer to Peer Connections
While brands are realizing that they must provide women with
feelings of mutual understanding, they can also become platforms to
facilitate peer-to-peer connections between women. Apart from
marketing, the sharing economy is another context in which women
are being connected to their peers, but they are as of yet
underrepresented.
- Estée Lauder developed a map to link women all around the globe.
The Beauty of Night campaign united women by giving them a
platform to share their beauty secrets. They used data
visualization, mapping and translation technologies, to give women
a chance to see themselves in a global network of beauty.
- Tag the Weather, a campaign by Gillette cheer up Swedish women
during the cruel winter months by connecting them with leading
international fashion bloggers for a chance to win sunny vacation
for two in Miami and Gillette Venus products.
- While the sharing economy presently requires more businesses to
focus on women and their needs, Rent the Runway– a service that
allows women to rent designer clothing from other women for
short term or special occasions, provides a good example of how
women could be connected to their peers.
4. Common Values, Common Goals
A recent study conducted by Sheknows found that women not only
want to see their interests represented by brands, but this is a
significant goal for women, as 4 out of 5 women thought such ads are
important for the proper development of future generations.
- Other institutions such as the United Nations have launched
programs like Girls2Pioneers, which encourages girls to explore
careers in the technology sector
- Dove partnered with Twitter for the Speak Beautiful campaign,
addressing in real-time negative tweets about beauty during the
Oscars. Dove replied to women in real-time with the help of social
media and self-esteem experts to encourage positivity, optimism,
and kindness, when it comes to talking about beauty online.
- Always’ ad campaign #LikeAGirl challenged the way people
perceive the phrase, “like a girl”– recasting the phrase to focus on
female empowerment.

42. GET IN TOUCH
42
Our summary of the theme Relationships is only one aspect of the extensive research we have
done into the major trends, values, and needs of young women today. If you would like to know
more about this influential demographic, from insights to opportunities for brands and business,
please get in touch.
LHBS Consulting Berlin GmbH
Köpenickerstraße 154
10997 Berlin
Germany
http://www.lhbs.com

43. Impressum
Die in dieser Präsentation dokumentierten Gedanken und Vorschläge sind geistiges Eigentum der
LHBS Consulting Berlin GmbH und unterliegen den geltenden Urhebergesetzen. Die unautorisierte Nutzung,
die ganze oder teilweise Vervielfältigung sowie jede Weitergabe an Dritte ist nicht gestattet.
LHBS Consulting Berlin GmbH
Köpenicker Straße 154
10997 Berlin Germany
lhbs.com