Millennials are the most diverse generation in U.S. history and will have significant influence in the upcoming 2016 presidential election. A study found that while Millennials hold more liberal views than older generations on social issues, there are differences between ethnic groups - Hispanic Millennials are more likely than others to support labeling genetically engineered foods, for example. Surprisingly, Hispanic Millennials expressed the greatest national pride despite being the least likely to have deep American heritage. Overall, Millennials are more open-minded than previous generations and believe following politics is their responsibility, with the majority supporting left-leaning policies and the Democratic party.

1. MILLENNIALS
DECONSTRUCTED
01
October 2016
A NEW
POLITICAL BEAT
Research By:

2. 01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
A New Political Beat
A New Set of Ideals
Shifting American Pride
A More “Live and Let Live” Generation
Rising Waves of Political Influence
Supporting Left of Center
Diminishing Faith in the Traditional System
Methodology and Sources
CONTENTS

3. A NEW POLITICAL BEAT
As the most diverse generation in U.S. history, Millennials are setting a new political beat
By: Shannon Dunbar-Rubio
The impending presidential election has already become one of the most tempestuous in history with the rise of unforeseen and
unlikable candidates, pontification of nontraditional ideals, and the surprising acceptance of post-truth claims. As candidates continue
to race toward the finish line in November, they are facing one of the most dynamically diverse voter groups in U.S. history, whose
complexities and corresponding perspectives are important to understand in order to effectively appeal to the many unique cohorts
that will sway election results.
Millennials and their ever-increasing influence has
become a common topic. Millennials have officially
surpassed Baby Boomers with an estimated 83 million,
and now comprise more than one quarter of the overall
U.S. population1
. Similar to the ideals of past generations
during their younger formative years, Millennials are
recognized to be more liberal and socially conscious than
today’s older generations.
But are today’s Millennials really much different from past
generations when they were at the same age? The answer is
overwhelmingly “yes.”
Alongside this unprecedented connectivity, Millennials are
becoming perhaps the most educated generation of all
times, with women making the greatest educational strides.
According to a recent Pew Research study, young women
today are four times more likely than women of the Silent
Generation at their same age to have at least a bachelor’s
degree (27% of Millennial females compared with a mere
7% of Silent Generation females)2
. The Pew study states
that Millennial women are 6 percent more likely to have
a bachelor’s degree or higher than Millennial men (27%
vs. 21%). The last time men were better educated than
women was during the Baby Boomer generation. However,
Millennial men have also attained a greater education than
past generations at their same age. Today, approximately
21 percent of young men have a bachelor’s degree or
higher, while only 12 percent of the Silent Generation had
at least a bachelor’s degree at their age2
.
Higher levels of education have resulted in young women
participating in the workforce at greater levels than in the
past. About 63 percent of Millennial women are in the
labor force today, while just 38 percent of women in the
Silent Generation worked. It’s particularly noteworthy that
Millennials experienced an exceptionally tough labor force
due to one of the deepest recessions in U.S. history – hence
why so many chose to stay in school.
As such, Millennials today carry more debt and have less
money than past generations at their same age;
therefore, they maintain very different values.
They are putting off getting married, having
children, home ownership, and even
making major purchases, and instead
are turning to experiential opportunities
and accessing products and services
without actually owning them through
what’s becoming termed a “sharing
economy.3
” It’s these evolving social
and economic shifts led by Millennials
that are impacting our nation’s
core today, and which will continue
to influence what we become as a
country into the future.
As we enter the final rounds of
the coming presidential elections,
Millennials’ impact on the results is one
that cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, the
majority of research surrounding Millennials and
U.S. minority shifts is generalized without considering the
details that allow us to understand the differences between
varying Millennial ethnic groups.
In April 2016, a collaborative research study was
conducted by Richards/Lerma and The University of
Texas, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public
Relations to gain a more thorough understanding of the
unique political perspectives and complexities of today’s
highly diverse multicultural Millennial groups. The study,
“Millennials Deconstructed” consisted of a national online
sample of White, Hispanic, African-American, and Asian
Millennials between the ages of 18-34 and Hispanics
35+ for comparison. A series of qualitative one-on-one
interviews were conducted following the quantitative
study to gain additional insights into survey findings.
Interestingly, the findings revealed many counterintuitive
assumptions that prove just how dynamic the social fabric
of our nation has become.
Profound transformations have occurred in
the U.S. and around the world over the
last 50 years, which have made today’s
Millennials a one-of-a-kind generation.
Millennials became the most
diverse generation in U.S. history,
with more than 44 percent being
considered a minority. Today,
younger generations are even
more diverse, with more than
half of children 5 years and
younger being a minority. It’s
these dynamics that are pushing
our country to become a minority-
majority by 20442
.
The first digitally native generation,
the youngest of Millennials have never
known life without the Internet, and the
oldest met it while still in their formative years.
They are “always on” and constantly socially connected,
leading them to being more globally aware and open-
minded than historical generations.
01

4. 02
As can be expected, the overall values and ideals of Millennials have evolved from those of past generations. When presented
a list of values to which they might personally relate, Millennials maintain more liberal views of the world today. Key differences
can be noted between different ethnic groups of Millennials, however. For instance, compared with other ethnic groups, Hispanic
Millennials are more likely to believe that the U.S. should require labeling of genetically engineered foods; White Millennials are
significantly less likely to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; while Asian Millennials are less apt to support
the legalization of marijuana.
The top five values Millennials believe to be of importance include:
A NEW SET OF IDEALS
As with past generations, Millennials are setting a unique drumbeat and defining their own vision of the world based on new
values and ideals that are relevant to their life experiences.
1
Employers should be required to pay
the same salary to men and women
who perform the same work
4
The government should not be allowed
to spy on my communications, email, or
social media
2 Access to good healthcare should be
a right granted to all Americans
5 There should be term limits set for
members of Congress
3
Good and accessible education
should be a right of all U.S. citizens
granted by the government
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
68%
White
Overall
71%
Black
66%
Hispanic
57%
Asian
60%
White
62%
Overall
63%
Black
63%
Hispanic
61%
Asian
56%
White
61%
Overall
66%
Black
63%
Hispanic
57%
Asian
49%
White
52%
Overall
56%
Black
54%
Hispanic
50%
Asian
52%
White
51%
Overall
54%
Black
53%
Hispanic
44%
Asian
66%

5. 03
Surprisingly, it’s Hispanic Millennials who maintain the greatest sense of American pride compared with other ethnicities. Fifty-
four percent of Hispanic Millennials state they are “very proud” of being American despite being the least likely cohort to have a
long lineage of heritage in the U.S. In contrast, White Millennials, who are more likely to have generations of American heritage,
have the lowest levels of national pride at only 40 percent. Meanwhile, approximately 50 percent of African-American and Asian
Millennials state they are very proud.
How would you rate your pride in being a U.S. citizen? (Very Proud)
For example, the family of 25-year-old White Millennial
Suzanne of Syracuse, New York, has been in America for
generations. The oldest of three children, Suzanne believes
that being an American is about freedom and the freedom
of speech that comes with it. However, when asked if she’s
proud to be an American, she conveys the sentiments of
many White Millennials throughout the country. “I’m not
very patriotic; I guess it’s one of those things my friends
and I just take for granted.” In fact, holidays celebrating
patriotism such as the Fourth of July appear to be more
about just getting together with friends instead of celebrating
the actual meanings of such holidays.
In contrast, 24-year-old Hispanic Millennial Carlos of Dallas,
Texas, is one of five children of immigrant parents, both of
whom are from Guanajuato, Mexico. His parents are now
permanent residents of the U.S., while he and his four siblings
are all U.S. citizens. “I love this country and would fight for
it, for sure,” Carlos replies after being asked what it means
to be American. “I think coming from Mexican descent, we
appreciate being American more than others – we have this
land of opportunity my parents fought so hard to give us, and
so many people here take for granted.”
Interestingly, similar sentiments of gratitude for being an
American are also shared among African-American Millennials,
but for very different reasons.
Twenty-four-year-old African-American Millennial Tonya
of Atlanta, Georgia, speaks about the immense pride she
has for living in a land that is free. “I see how others have
struggled and have not had as many opportunities or the
freedom to be themselves, and I know many take being an
American for granted.” She gives special recognition to her
parents and especially grandparents for the life she has
today. “My grandparents grew up knowing, feeling, and
seeing that everything in their lives was centered around
the right to vote. It ultimately dictated whether they could sit
freely in public, get an education, play sports, or even sing
in public – it dictated their lives and what they were legally
able to do as human beings.”
Confirming this sentiment, data demonstrates that African-
American Millennials are more likely than other ethnicities to
believe that “God first and country second” (62%), “fighting
for freedom” (65%), and “the right to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness” (72%) are more important aspects of
their patriotism compared with other ethnicities.
Research findings show that Millennials who have the longest American heritage are those who exhibit the lowest levels of pride about
being an American.
SHIFTING AMERICAN PRIDE
AMERICAN PRIDE
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016

6. 04
Compared with earlier generations, Millennials are less concerned about issues, that at one time would have been considered controversial.
A MORE “LIVE AND LET LIVE”
GENERATION
For the most part, the issues Millennials believe are facing the
country today are more liberal than those of the past. Overall,
“Economy” is ranked by Millennials to be the leading issue
facing the country today followed by “Terrorism and National
Security,” “Debt and Spending,” “Race Issues,” and “Gun
Control.” Collectively, Millennials are less concerned about the
declining influence of Judeo-Christian values, abortion, same-sex
marriage, and even foreign policy.
Millennials qualify their shifting beliefs as more open-minded,
tolerant, and embracing. “Whether it’s gay rights, different
religions, or different skin colors, we are all unique and from
different places and should be able to celebrate that,” said
Tonya about key differences in Millennials’ perceptions of current
issues in the U.S.
Not surprisingly, “Race Issues” is believed to be the top
concern the U.S. is facing today by African Americans and
Hispanics, while Hispanics and Asians are more concerned with
immigration. All ethnicities agree that “Economy” and “Terrorism
and National Security” are other top issues.
Ranked in the level of importance to each specific race from left to right (1-6)
TOP SIX ISSUES FACING OUR COUNTRY TODAY
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
White
Millennials
De
bt & Spend
ing
Economy
Terro
rism & Sec
urity
Education
G
un Contro
l
Healthcare
Hispanic
Millennials
De
bt & Spend
ing
Economy
Healthcare
I
m
migrationRace Issues
Terro
rism & Sec
urity
Asian
Millennials
De
bt & Spend
ing
Economy
G
un Contro
l
Healthcare
I
m
migration
Terro
rism & Sec
urity
Overall
Millennials
De
bt & Spend
ing
Economy
G
un Contro
l
HealthcareRace Issues
Terro
rism & Sec
urity
Black
Millennials Race Issues
Terro
rism & Sec
urity
Economy
G
un Contro
l
De
bt & Spend
ing
Education
1 2 3 4 5 6

7. 05
Millennials take accountability for following U.S. politics
and believe it is their responsibility to do so, with 70 percent
agreeing it is somewhat to very important. Compared with
other ethnicities, Black Millennials are 10 percent more likely to
be knowledgeable on current U.S. political issues and news.
Asked about whether he actively follows politics, Carlos of
Dallas responded, “Now that I’m out on my own, I definitely
follow politics more. I feel we all have a responsibility to follow
them more closely and keep up with what’s going on. I should
probably spend more of my time on it.”
Surpassing Baby Boomers as the largest generation, Millennials now have the power to help chart the course of the country’s future in
the coming elections.
RISING WAVES OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE
BELIEVE IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW U.S. POLITICS
UP TO DATE ON CURRENT U.S. POLITICAL ISSUES AND NEWS
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
How important do you believe your responsibility is to follow U.S. politics? (Not at All : A lot)
Do you believe you are up to date on current U.S. political issues and news? (Not at All : Completely)
Not Very/Not Important
Neutral
Somewhat/Very Important
11%
19%
70%
Neutral Not At All
2%
5%
4%
5%
20% 20%
25%
15%
Completely
19%
31%
21%
25%
White Millennials Black Millennials Hispanic Millennials Asian Millennials

8. 06
As a whole, Millennials are more inclined to support the Democratic Party, with 54 percent claiming the party is more
representative of their beliefs. And while they may claim to support a particular party, approximately 31 percent have little to no
understanding of what each political party even stands for. Hispanics have the lowest levels of understanding, with more than 36
percent claiming they have little to no understanding of the key differences between parties.
Democratic and Republican parties alike have the opportunity to more clearly articulate their values and stances on fundamental
issues to help educate and guide these more than 20 million estimated Millennials, especially among Hispanics4
.
SUPPORTING LEFT OF CENTER
Seventy-seven percent of Asian, Hispanic, and Black
Millennials are fairly to absolutely certain they will
vote in the coming 2016 elections, while a lesser
73 percent of Whites state they will vote, further
highlighting the importance minority Millennial votes
will have on coming elections.
Of Millennials who do not plan to vote in coming
elections, approximately 16 percent, or an estimated
6 million Millennials, won’t do so because they
believe their vote will not make a difference.
Millennials who do plan to vote are less likely to choose a candidate based on party affiliation, but instead almost half (49%) state
they will make their choices according to candidates’ personal morals and values, followed by their stances on particular issues
(47%). Whites are least likely to be concerned about candidates’ morals and values (39%), while Blacks are less likely to choose
a candidate based on stances on particular issues (39%).
Most important factors that influence you when choosing to vote for a political candidate
INFLUENCING FACTORS WHEN CHOOSING A CANDIDATE
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
14%
39%
WhiteMillennials
16%
39%
50%
BlackMillennials
22%
54%
55%
HispanicMillennials
18%
46%
53%
AsianMillennials
The political party you feel is most representative of your beliefs (among U.S. citizens)
POLITICAL PARTY
49%
PLAN TO VOTE IN 2016 ELECTION
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of
Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
Asian Millennials
77%
Hispanic Millennials
77%
Black Millennials
77%
White Millennials
73%
Democratic Party Republican Party Other* | Don’t Know | None of Them
54%
19% 27%
*(Green Party,
Independent, Libertaria = 2%)
*Among U.S. citizens

9. 07
While the majority of Millennials claim to be taking more
responsibility for staying current about politics and plan to vote
in coming elections, they are overall dissatisfied with the state
of the U.S. political system today. According to the research,
Millennials fail to rate the U.S. political system highly and
question the integrity of the traditional two-party system.
Of all Millennial ethnic groups, Whites have the lowest
perception of the current system with a mere 18 percent
believing the current system is “Good” or “Excellent,”
compared with more than a quarter (27%) of Hispanic
Millennials and almost one-third (32%) of Black and Asian
Millennials. Kent, an Asian Millennial, became a U.S. citizen
at the age of six after his family moved from Vietnam. “Right
now I think the presidential campaign is really messed up; our
country is in a transition phase because so many things are
happening and we all want change – I think our country is at
a tipping point,” Kent said when asked about his perspective
on the U.S. today and the coming elections. Kent believes
Millennials, especially those whose families are originally from
other countries, have an increasingly loud voice.
The traditional U.S. political system is losing credibility among Millennials, as they seek new leadership and solutions for today’s
pressing issues.
DIMINISHING FAITH IN THE
TRADITIONAL SYSTEM
The Millennial generation is making its mark on the social
fabric of the U.S., and its influence will only continue to grow,
as Millennials become more active political participants. While
Millennials maintain common values, ideals, and beliefs overall,
key differences exist among the various ethnic sub-segments,
which provide greater insights into this demographic. To more
fully understand the motivating factors of this generation’s
political stances, these granular insights must be examined.
Insights such as Hispanic Millennials being more patriotic, yet
having the lowest levels of understanding the key differences
between Democratic and Republican parties, represent
opportunities for politicians to help educate and direct these
individuals on their party’s values and stances. Values such
as Hispanic Millennials being more likely to desire labeling
of GMOs; White Millennials being less likely to support
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and Asian
Millennials being less likely to support marijuana legalization,
are all factors that must be understood by politicians in order to
more fully connect with these constituents.
Perhaps the largest quandary to be addressed, however, is
Millennials’ overall dissatisfaction with today’s traditional left/right
political system. Their discontent begs the question of whether our
current system can embrace and evolve with the demands that this
generation and those to come will bring to the table.
How would you currently rate the U.S. political system? (Good to Excellent)
RATING OF U.S. POLITICAL SYSTEM
Source: “Millennials Deconstructed.” Richards/Lerma and the UT, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations, April 2016
18%
WhiteMillennials
32%
BlackMillennials
27%
HispanicMillennials
32%
AsianMillennials

10. 08
1. U.S. Census Bureau. “Millennials outnumber Baby Boomers and are far more diverse.” Release Number:
CB15-113. June 25, 2015.
2. Patten, Eileen. “How Millennials today compare with their grandparents 50 years ago.” Pew Research Center
March 19, 2015.
3. Goldman Sachs. “Millennials Coming of Age.” Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research. Pew Research
Center, Current Population Survey. 2016
4. “20 million” estimate based on assessment of total U.S. White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Asian Non-Hispanic,
and Hispanic Millennials between 18-34 using Experian Simmons 2015 Winter NCS/NHCS Adults Full Year.
“Millennials Deconstructed” is a collaborative research study that was conducted in partnership by Richards/
Lerma and The University of Texas, Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations. The study was
completed via an online national panel in April 2016, among 1,000 Millennials between the ages of 18 and
34 with representative national averages among White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic Millennials, as well as
Hispanics 35+ for comparative purposes. A series of qualitative one-on-one interviews were conducted following
the online survey to gain additional insights into survey findings. For more information on survey data, please
contact Shannon Dunbar-Rubio at srubio@richardslerma.com, or Chaille Alcorn at calcorn@richardslerma.com.
This research report was written by Shannon Dunbar-Rubio.
The analysis team lead by Quim Gil at Richards/Lerma includes Shannon Dunbar-Rubio, Chaille Alcorn,
and Andrea Chahin.
The “Millennials Deconstructed” research initiative is led by Chaille Alcorn at Richards/Lerma in coordination
with Matthew Eastin and Alicia Bodas at The University of Texas at Austin, Stan Richards School of Advertising
& Public Relations.
METHODOLOGY
AUTHORS
SOURCES

11. Research By:
ABOUT RICHARDS/LERMA
Richards/Lerma is a full-service branding and creative agency dedicated to crafting insightful and relevant
communications for the multi-cultural market. Based in Dallas, Texas, Richards/Lerma was founded by
Pete Lerma and Stan Richards, creative director of the nation’s largest independent branding agency, The
Richards Group. Current clients include Avocados From Mexico, Bud Light, Bud Light Chelada, Clamato,
Dr Pepper, MetroPCS, The Home Depot and Mission Foods. Richards/Lerma can be found online at
richardslerma.com and on Twitter at @richardslerma.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, STAN RICHARDS SCHOOL OF ADVERTISING &
PUBLIC RELATIONS
The Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations defies categorization as a catalyst for growing
exceptional communication specialists who are eager to enter the business world, as well as a Research
1 academic institution launching innovative scholars via the advanced study of advertising and public
relations at both the Master’s and Ph.D. levels. More information can be found online at
http://advertising.utexas.edu.