Millennials view brands and advertising differently than older generations. A survey of 2,000 Millennials found that social media advertising has nearly as much influence over them as television advertising in how they perceive brand value. Sixty percent said social media influences their views of brands, compared to 70% for television. The survey also found that most Millennials feel as or more loyal to brands than their parents, and many use brands their parents also use. However, they evaluate brands using different criteria than older generations.

1. adroitdigital.com
MILLENNIALS
THENEW
AGEOFBRAND
LOYALTY
A SNAPSHOT OF MILLENNIALS
AND THEIR VIEWS ON BRANDS

2. Contents
Introduction 3
Objectives & Methodology 4
Major Findings 5
Demographics 6
Survey 7
Conclusion 18
About Adroit Digital 19
Contact Us 19
MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com

3. 3MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com 3
Introduction
Every generation has its story: Baby Boomers, America’s greatest generation; Gen X, the
slackers; and lastly Gen Y, the boomerang generation—digital natives, or as they’re best
known today, Millennials. For marketers, Millennials are the most important generation
to come along in the last 100 years, perhaps ever. This group of young adults is the largest
generation by number in US history. Millennials number more than 80 million. That’s a
population larger than the Baby Boomers, and it outnumbers Gen X almost 3:1. Millennials
came of age in the wake of massive advancements in technology, unparalleled communication
access, and media exposure that allowed people to spread information faster to a wider,
more diverse audience than in any generation before them.
Millennial consumer behavior has been shaped by the world in which they have come of
age, and their importance cannot be underestimated. As Baby Boomers move closer to
retirement, they will take with them close to $400 billion in annual spending. This leaves a
void that will be very difficult to fill.*
Retailers are scrambling to secure the loyalty of this tech-savvy and fast-paced crowd, which
spends $600 billion a year. By 2030, Millennials will outnumber non-Millennials.** But what is
this generation about, and what’s shaped their perceptions? In addition to growing up as
digital natives, Millennials entered college in the face of the largest recession since the
Great Depression. Many of those who completed their college education received their
diploma accompanied by massive student loan debt. They also entered college knowing a
bleak job market faced them on the other side. This has left many young adults still at home
or returning home to live with their parents. They also see things differently because they
are culturally different. Millennials are the most racially and ethnically diverse American
generation ever, with over 20% of the population now identifying as Hispanic and 13% as
African American.
Armed with this knowledge, how can brand marketers secure the loyalty of this extremely
important group of consumers? Some have suggested the best marketing and advertising
strategy is to not market to Millennials at all.† The digital age has created an environment
that allows brands to engage and converse with their consumers. Marketers have the ability
to shape multiple messages to nuanced audiences, which is of incredible value in a time
when a “one size fits all” campaign no longer measures up. It is time to move beyond the
hard sell.
Getting to know Millennial consumers will require testing, testing, and more testing. It will
require evaluating new ad units, including social, native, and video as well as the associated
creative and messaging. While much of this may seem to be shifting sands under marketers’
feet, there is some certainty. What seems certain is that this is a very exciting time to be a
marketer traveling a new path and forging a new breed of advertising.

4. Objectives & Methodology
To gain insight into how Millennials view brands and
their thoughts on brand loyalty, Adroit Digital conducted
a study to ask Millennials how they think about brands
compared to how their parents think about them, and
how brands can gain their future loyalty. The insights
gained in the survey are meant to assist agencies and
brands in evaluating how their current branding efforts
align with the next generation of brand promoters.
The study was fielded from January 21 through January
27, 2014. The survey targeted a random sample of US
consumers who self-identified as 18–33 years of age
and who own both a smartphone and a personal
computer. The study garnered 2,000 completes.
4MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com

5. 5MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Major Findings
• 60% of Millennials said that social advertising has the most influence over them in how
they perceive a brand and a brand’s value. This compares with TV at 70%. Traditional
media outside of TV fell flat. In the realm of influence, radio, billboards (OOH), and
magazines finished last with mobile and online—both display and video—comfortably in
the center.
• 64% of Millennials are more brand-loyal or as brand-loyal as their parents. 24% consider
themselves to be more brand-loyal than their parents. As marketers look forward, they
can rest assured this generation demonstrates strong brand loyalty.
• 39% of all respondents think that brands that don’t advertise through mobile channels,
smartphones, and tablets are outdated and undesirable. While the tides of advertising
channels are changing, brands still have an opportunity to keep ahead of the transition.
• 32% of those surveyed said social advertising lends the most credibility to influencing their
brand decisions, compared to 35% who indicated TV as the most influential advertising
channel.
• 26% of Millennial respondents said social is the most likely channel to introduce a new
product they will consider for trial. Only TV, at a very small margin of +3%, outranks social.
• 77% of the Millennials surveyed said they are evaluating brands on a different set of criteria
than their parents. Millennials may be brand-loyal, and many use several of the same
products their parents are loyal to, but they’ll be evaluating them against a new yardstick.
• 55% of young shoppers said that a recommendation from a friend is one of the strongest
influencers in getting them to try a new brand. 47% consider brand reputation to be
almost as important. Product quality ranks fourth at 35%, while price has the most sway at
62%.
• 36% of Millennials believe digital advertising is the most effective method of influencing
their brand decisions, with traditional advertising as a standalone showing markedly less
influence at 19%.
• 52% of Millennials want brands that are willing to change based on consumer opinion and
feedback to maintain future relevance. 44% want to have open dialogue with brands
through social channels, and 38% want brands to be more about the consumer and less
about the brand.
• 38% of Millennials will switch brands if a company is found to have bad business practices
—ethics matter to Millennials. Outside of financial factors, a business found to have bad
business practices is the number one reason that Millennials will switch brands. This
carries the same weight as a recommendation from a friend, at 38%.

6. 6MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Gender AGE
Demographics
Millennials
are the most
important
brand
audience
in the last
100 years.
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
18 - 25
26 - 33
60% 40%
Male
Female
46% 54%
I'm brand loyal and use the same
brands as my parents
I use many of the same brands my
parents use, but not all
I use a few of the same brands as
my parents
I use different brands than my
parents
20%
26%
43%
11%
More brand loyal than parents
Same level of brand loyalty as parents
Not as brand loyal as parents
24%
31%
5%
MEN 27%
WOMEN 12%
18 - 25
TOTAL 72%
26 - 33
TOTAL 56%
27%
45%
41%
15%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
26 - 33 37%
18 - 25
26 - 33
60% 40%
Male
Female
46% 54%
I'm brand loyal and use the same
brands as my parents
I use many of the same brands my
parents use, but not all
I use a few of the same brands as
my parents
I use different brands than my
parents
20%
26%
43%
11%
More brand loyal than parents
Same level of brand loyalty as parents
Not as brand loyal as parents
24%
31%
5%
MEN 27%
WOMEN 12%
18 - 25
TOTAL 72%
26 - 33
TOTAL 56%
27%
45%
41%
15%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
26 - 33 37%

7. 7MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
Do you use, or are you brand-loyal to,
the same brands your parents use and
to which they are brand-loyal?
43%ofrespondents indicatedtheyuse manyofthesame
brandsastheir parents,butnotallthe same brands.
Thereareafewwhothink Motherknows best.20%of
respondentssaidtheyuse andare brand-loyaltothesame
brandsastheir parents.Alargerpercentage ofmenthan
womenthinkMotherknows best:27% ofmencompared
to12%ofwomenfallintothe above categoryofloyalty.
YoungerMillennials 18–25are closertoMother’s apron
strings,with72% indicating theyuse orare loyalto all or
manyofthebrands theirparents use,compared to 56%of
olderMillennials aged26–33.
MAYBE MOTHER DOESN’T
KNOW BEST
18 - 25
26 - 33
60% 40%
Male
Female
46% 54%
I'm brand loyal and use the same
brands as my parents
I use many of the same brands my
parents use, but not all
I use a few of the same brands as
my parents
I use different brands than my
parents
20%
26%
43%
11%
More brand loyal than parents
24%
5%
MEN 27%
WOMEN 12%
18 - 25
TOTAL 72%
26 - 33
TOTAL 56%
27%
45%
41%
15%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
18 - 25
26 - 33
60% 40%
Male
Female
I'm brand loyal and use the same
brands as my parents
I use many of the same brands my
parents use, but not all
I use a few of the same brands as
my parents
I use different brands than my
parents
20%
43%

8. 8MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
Do you feel you and others your age are
as brand-loyal to your favorite brands
as your parents are to their favorite
brands?
Good news for marketers: 64% of Millennials surveyed feel
the same level of brand loyalty or greater brand loyalty
than their Baby Boom or Gen X parents. 24% fall into the
category of feeling more brand-loyal than their parents.
Millennial men feel they are more brand-loyal than their
parents compared to Millennial women, 30% and 17%,
respectively.
As Millennials age, their feeling of brand loyalty compared
to their parents drops considerably, with 23% of 18–25
year-olds and 37% of those aged 26–33 indicating they are
less brand-loyal than their parents.
For brands’ continued success, securing the loyalty of the
Millennial audience in the next ten years will create a
tremendous upside in the future lifetime value of this
customer set.
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR
FROM THE TREE
Do you feel brands that
don’t advertise on mobile,
smartphones, and tablets are
less desirable and outdated?
While the mobile advertising
revolution is under way, brands still
have time to jump on the bandwagon.
The majority of Millennials, 61%, don’t
consider a brand to be undesirable
and outdated if it lacks a mobile ad
presence. However, 39% do feel
brands lacking a mobile advertising
presence are undesirable and
outdated. This is a number large
enough that brands and agencies
can’t ignore it.
There is a significant delta in this
sentiment between men and
women, as well as between younger
Millennials compared to their elder
counterparts. More men than
MOBILE = MODERN?
my
I us
par43%
M
Sa
No
No
24%
31%
40%
5%
Yes
No
61% 39%
80%
33%
39%
42%
21% 21%
31%
60%
70%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
26 - 33 37%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
Men55%
Women46%
Men38%18-2566%
26-3373%
I'm brand loyal and use the same
brands as my parents
I use many of the same brands my
parents use, but not all
I use a few of the same brands as
my parents
I use different brands than my
parents
26%
43%
More brand loyal than parents
Same level of brand loyalty as parents
Not as brand loyal as parents
Not brand loyal
24%
31%
40%
5%
Yes
No
61% 39%
Yes
No
23% 77%
80%
60%
70%
Parents a
influence
Parents a
50% 50%
MEN 27%
WOMEN 12%
18 - 25
TOTAL 72%
26 - 33
TOTAL 56%
27%
45%
41%
15%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
26 - 33 37%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
6%
18-2566%
26-3373%
20%
26%
43%
24%
31%
40%
5%
Yes
No
61% 39%
80%
70%
MEN 27%
WOMEN 12%
18 - 25
TOTAL 72%
26 - 33
TOTAL 56%
27%
45%
41%
15%
MEN 30%
WOMEN 17%
18 - 25 23%
26 - 33 37%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
18-2566%
26-3373%
women feel mobile is modern:
50% of male respondents
compared to 27% of female
respondents.
It should come as no shock to
brands and agencies that digital
natives, those aged 18–25, see
mobile as modern compared to
older Millennials aged 26–33, who
didn’t spend their formative years
with mobile phones and the
Internet at their fingertips: 50%
compared to 32%, respectively.

9. 9MILLENNIALS
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
adroitdigital.com 9MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Which advertising medium influences
you and other people your age the
most in how you perceive and value a
brand?
If agencies and brands want to hold sway over the
millennial audience, TV is the champ, but social is
quickly coming up on its heels. For a medium that has
existed less than a decade, social is offering TV some
stiff competition.
When asked which advertising medium has the most
influence over how our survey respondents view
brand value, TV and social were the clear winners,
with 70% and 60%, respectively. Traditional media
outside of TV fell flat. In the realm of influence, radio,
billboards (OOH), and magazines finished last, with
mobile and online—both display and video—
comfortably in the center.
Those who spent their youth in front of the TV and
not the Internet or game console show TV as their
primary influencer in perceiving brand value. 73% of
26–33 year-olds, compared to 66% of 18–25 year-olds,
consider TV to be their biggest influencer when it
comes to brand value.
Both men and women indicated social and online
display as their largest influencers beyond TV.
TV MAY STILL BE KING OF THE
HILL, BUT SOCIAL IS THREATENING
ITS CROWN
Yes
No
61% 39%
MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
80%
33%
39%
42%
21% 21%
31%
60%
70%
Mobile
evideo
Radio
lboards
display
gazines
Social
TV
40%
15%
9%
12%
2% 3%
4%
26%
29%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
Men55%
Women46%
Men38%18-2566%
26-3373%
Women31%
Men21%

10. 10MILLENNIALS
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
adroitdigital.com
THE FIRST ONE IS FREE
Through which advertising medium
are you and other people your age
most likely to be introduced to or
find out about a new brand you’ll
consider for trial?
The first step in winning over a new customer is moving
him or her from consideration to trial.
As our survey demonstrates, TV and social are the top
advertising media in influencing Millennials’ perception
of brand value. The same holds true in moving them to
trial.
For brands prospecting new customers, TV and social
will pave the way with Millennials: 29% and 26% indicated
TV and social, respectively, as the media most likely to
introduce them to a new product for trial.
Women are 1.5 times more likely than men to discover a
new product for trial through social media exposure or
advertising—31% compared to 21% of men.
Do you and others your age
choose your favorite brands
on a different set of criteria
THAN your parents?
While many Millennials may have brand loyalty equal to or greater
than that of their parents, they select brands using a different set
of criteria.
When asked if Millennials chose brands on a different set of criteria
from that used by their parents, the majority, 77%, indicated yes.
The variance between men and women is slight: 79% of men,
compared to 75% of women, indicated they use a different set
of criteria than their parents to select brands.
PLAYING BY A NEW SET OF RULES
Not as brand loyal as parents
Not brand loyal
40%
Yes
No
61% 39%
Yes
No
23% 77%
MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
80%
33%
39%
42%
21% 21%
31%
60%
70%
40%
26%
29%
Yes
No
23% 77%
Parents are m
influenced
Parents and I a
equally influe
50% 50%
50%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
Men55%
Women46%
Men38%18-2566%
26-3373%
Women31%
Men41%
18-2542%
MEN 79%
WOMEN 75%
Same level of brand loyalty as parents
Not as brand loyal as parents
Not brand loyal
31%
40%
Yes
No
61% 39%
Ye
N
23% 77%MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
80%
33%
39%
42%
21% 21%
31%
60%
70%
40%
26%
29%
Ye
N
23% 77%
Pa
in
Pa
eq
50% 50%
50%
26 - 33 37%
MEN 50%
WOMEN 27%
18 - 25 50%
26 - 33 32%
Women66%
Men55%
Women46%
Men38%18-2566%
26-3373%
Women31%
Men41%
-2542%
MEN 79%
WOMEN 75%
MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
40%
15%
9%
12%
2% 3%
4%
26%
29%
Recommendedbyfriend
Recommendedbyparent
Brandreputation
Eco-friendlybrands
Value/price
Entertainingadcampaigns
Brandexposurethrough
traditionaladvertising
Brandexposurethrough
socialmedia
Prestige/socialperception
Quality
Establishedbrand
70%
55%
25%
62%
47%
28%
23%
19%
29%
20%
35%
Women31%
Men21%
Women36%
Men15%

11. NO ONE WANTS A BAD
REPUTATION
What criteria do you and
others your age use to select
a new brand for trial?
Is having a quality product enough?
For Millennials, the answer appears to be
no. When we asked our Millennials which
criteria they use to select a new brand for
trial, quality was fourth on the list, with 35%
of respondents. It was preceded by brand
reputation at 47% and recommendation of a
friend at 55%. The most important criterion
to a Millennial is value and/or price, with 62%.
Rounding out the list of criteria are exposure
through social media at 29%, brands that are
eco-friendly at 28%, and a recommendation
from good old mom and dad at 25%.
The big standout difference between men
and women in their selection criteria is
exposure to a brand through traditional
advertising (TV, radio, magazines). Women
are almost 2.5 times more likely than men to
use traditional advertising in their brand
selection criteria, 36% compared to 15%.
11MILLENNIALS
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
adroitdigital.com
MobileOnlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
9%
12%
2% 3%
4%
70%
59%
16%
39%
56%
25%
37% 36%
Recommendedbyfriend
Recommendedbyparent
Brandreputation
Eco-friendlybrands
Value/price
Entertainingadcampaigns
Brandexposurethrough
traditionaladvertising
Brandexposurethrough
socialmedia
Prestige/socialperception
Quality
Establishedbrandsthat
instilltrust
70%
55%
25%
62%
47%
28%
23%
19%
29%
20%
35%
20%
Women36%
Men15%
Men
61%
Men61%
Women56%
Women
64%Women64%
Women54%
Men41%
Men50%

12. 12MILLENNIALS
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
adroitdigital.com
DIGITAL FOR BETTER CHOICES
Do you think you and other people your
age are making smarter brand choices
than your parents because of your access
to and familiarity with new technologies
(e.g., mobile, social, Internet)?
Are Millennials smarter than their Baby Boomer and Gen X
parents, or are they just able to gather more information
from a wider selection of sources with speed and accuracy?
Regardless of the answer, 73% of Millennials think they are
making smarter brand choices than their parents because of
their knowledge, familiarity and access to the digital world
at large.
Yes
No
27% 73%
Open dialogue through
social channels
Brands willing to change based
on consumer opinion
More advertising
Publicize fair business practices
Publicize eco-friendly practices
Become more charitable
Become more active in
local communities
Become less about the brand and
more about the consumer
44%
38%
28%
25%
32%
29%
Men 33%
Men 28%
W
Men 28%
W33%

13. 13MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Digital ads win
out with men
and younger
Millennials.
13MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com 13
DIGITAL DELIVERS
Do you think digital advertisements
(online, mobile, social) are more
effective in influencing your brand
decision making than traditional
advertisements (TV, magazines, radio)?
The majority of our Millennials, 45%, found strength in
teamwork. They indicated digital ads when combined with
traditional ad channels are equally or more effective in
influencing their brand decision making compared to either
as a standalone channel.
36% of the Millennials surveyed think digital advertising is
more effective than traditional advertising.
Men and younger Millennials are the true digital believers:
41% of men and 42% of those 18-25 feel digital advertising is
more effective than traditional advertising in influencing
their brand decisions.
When broken out by age set, the younger Millennials are
more likely to feel digital is the channel of choice for
influencing their brand decision making compared to their
elder counterparts: 42% and 32%, respectively.
Onlinevid
Rad
Billboar
Onlinedispl
Magazin
Soci
T
Onlinevideo
RadioBillboards
Onlinedisplay
Magazines
Social
TV
%
%
9%
12%
2% 3%
4%
26%
29%
Yes
No
edbyfriend
ecommendedbyparent
Brandreputation
Eco-friendlybrands
Value/price
Entertainingadcampaigns
Brandexposurethrough
traditionaladvertising
Brandexposurethrough
socialmedia
Prestige/socialperception
Quality
Establishedbrandsthat
instilltrust
70%
55%
25%
62%
47%
28%
23%
19%
29%
20%
35%
20%
50%
19%
Digitaladsaremoreeffective
Traditionaladsare
moreeffective
They’remosteffective
whenusedtogether
They’reequallyeffective
36%
17%
28%
Women31%
Men21%
Men41%
18-2542%
Women30%
26-3332%
MEN 79%
WOMEN 75%
Women36%
Men15%
omen64%

14. 14MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
LOYALTY CAN BE FLEETING
In which categories are you and others
your age the most brand-loyal?
It is good news for mobile phones and fashion. Some may
argue the two are entwined.
When it comes to brand loyalty, Millennials put their mobile
phone providers toward the top of their lists, at 59%. Not
surprising for a generation known as digital natives.
What they wear matters. The category where Millennials
also feel strong brand loyalty is in clothing, shoe, and
accessory brands, at 56%. With a marked decrease, health
and beauty finishes out the top three brand loyalty
categories, at 39%.
Millennial men are more loyal to their cars and phones
than women. Guys may love their cars, but they love their
phones considerably more—41% and 61% comparatively.
While the ladies still love their phones (56%), their brand
dollars also lie with health and beauty products (54%).
The Millennial ladies felt the greatest brand loyalty to their
clothes, shoes, and accessories (64%).
14MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
Mobilephoneproviders
Hotelsandairlines
Clothing/shoes/accessories
Financialservices
Healthandbeauty
CPG
Auto
70%
59%
16%
39%
56%
25%
37% 36%
RecommenRecommen
Bra
Eco-friEntertainingBrandexpotraditionBrandexpoPrestige/soci
Establ
Change in financial situation
Change in family/relationship status
Newer more attractive brand
More eco-friendly product attracts you
Advertising causes a brand change
Recommendation from friend/family
Current brand found to have bad
business practices
Current brand price increase
2
Men
61%
Men61%
Women56%
Women
64%Women64%
Women54%
Men41%
Men50%
Men
Men 25%
Don’t get
between
Millennials
and their
phones.

15. Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
15MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
What causes you and other people
your age to switch brands?
The key to brand loyalty is just that. How do you keep a
loyal customer over the long haul of a lifetime?
56% of Millennials would change brands when they
experience a change in finances. When finances change
either for the better or for the worse, consumers have
to evaluate their current brands and their associated
costs and value.
41% of Millennials would change brands if their current
brand increased in price.
The other top three reasons that Millennials would
change brands are a recommendation from a friend, at
38%; if their current brand is found to have bad business
Mobilephoneproviders
Hotelsandairlines
Clothing/shoes/accessories
Financialservices
Healthandbeauty
CPG
Auto
70%
59%
16%
39%
56%
25%
37% 36%
60%
Change in financial situation
Change in family/relationship status
Newer more attractive brand
More eco-friendly product attracts you
Advertising causes a brand change
Recommendation from friend/family
Current brand found to have bad
business practices
Current brand price increase
56%
41%
32%
38%
25%
29%
37%
20%
35%
8%
14%
8%
Men
61%
Men
Women56%
Women
64%Wom
Women54%
Men41%
Men50%
Men 35%
Women 45%
Men 28%
Women 36%
Men 25%
Women 35%
KEEPING THEM LOYAL
practices, at 32%; and if something newer and shinier
comes along, at 37%.
Women on average are more likely than men to change
brands on several counts: something newer, 45%
compared to 35%; a brand found to have bad business
practices, 36% compared to 28%; and an eco-friendly
competitor, 35% compared to 25%.
Outside of the constraints of financially driven motives,
brands courting Millennials should adhere to a few
ideas: keep people talking about your brand, make sure
you’re a good corporate citizen, and keep your products
and brand fresh and exciting so consumers aren’t
tempted away by the latest new product.

16. 16MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
KEEPING IT CREDIBLE
What advertising medium do you
and other people your age believe
gives a brand the most credibility in
influencing your brand decisions?
35% of the Millennials surveyed said TV advertising
is the medium that gives a brand the most credibility.
32% indicated social as a close second to TV in
providing a brand with credibility.
More than two-thirds of Millennials see TV and
social as having almost the same level of brand
advertising influence.
40% of women indicated social advertising as
having more of an influence in brand credibility than
TV, compared to 28% of men.
Given this information, it seems the tides of channel
influence are changing. Are brands and agencies
prepared to keep up?
16MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Recommendation from friend/family
Current brand found to have bad
business practices
Current brand price increase
TV
Socia
Radio
Onlin
Onlin
Maga
TV
Social
Radio
Online display
Online video
Magazines
35%
8%
3%
14%
32%
8%
Yes
No
22% 78%
Open dialogue through
social channels
Brands willing to change based
on consumer opinion
More advertising
Publicize fair business practices
Publicize eco-friendly practices
Men 28%
MEN 28%
WOMEN 40%
Men 28%
Men 28%
Will brands today have to work harder
to earn your loyalty than they did to
earn your parents’ loyalty?
Millennials say an astounding yes to the question above.
78% of Millennials in our survey said brands will have to
work harder to earn their brand loyalty than they did to
earn their parents’ loyalty.
Gone are the days of a flashy 30-second TV spot, a few
magazine placements, a smattering of radio spots, and a
little out-of-home mixed in. The next great generation of
consumers, Millennials, will require more from brands than
they’ve ever had to give. They won’t settle for being
advertised at. Brands need to roll up their sleeves and
engage Millennials in meaningful ways to win them over.
BRANDS HAD BETTER ROLL
UP THEIR SLEEVES
More eco-friendly product attracts you
Advertising causes a brand change
Recommendation from friend/family
Current brand found to have bad
business practices
Current brand price increase
32%
25%
29%
TV
Social
Radio
Online di
Online vi
Magazine
TV
Social
Radio
Online display
Online video
Magazines
35%
8%
3%
14%
32%
8%
Yes
No
22% 78%
Open dialogue through
social channels
Brands willing to change based
on consumer opinion
More advertising
Publicize fair business practices 3
29
Men 28%
Men 25%
MEN 28%
WOMEN 40%
Men 28%
Recommendation from friend/family
Current brand found to have bad
business practices
Current brand price increase
32
TV
Social
Radio
Online d
Online v
Magazin
TV
Social
Radio
Online display
Online video
Magazines
35%
8%
3%
14%
32%
8%
Yes
No
22% 78%
Open dialogue through
social channels
Brands willing to change based
on consumer opinion
More advertising
Publicize fair business practices
Publicize eco-friendly practices
2
Men 28%
MEN 28%
WOMEN 40%
Men 28%
Men 28%
Base: n=2,000

17. 17MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Base: n=2,000 Sums may not equal 100 due to rounding
How will brands remain relevant to
you and other people your age moving
into the future?
It’s a new age of branding, and the consumers are
running the show. To remain relevant in the future, our
Millennials told us brands need to listen to them and let
them chart the course.
52% of all respondents said to remain relevant, brands
need to listen to consumers and be willing to change
based on their feedback.
44% expect brands to have open dialogue with them.
It’s no longer a one-way street of communication.
38% of Millennials said brands need to become more
about the consumer and less about the brand.
Millennial women feel more strongly about this than
men, 45% compared to 33%. Women are also more
concerned about eco-friendly products, 40% compared
to 28%of men, and fair businesspractices, 37%compared
to 28% of men.
TV
Social
Radio
Online display
Online video
Magazines
TV
Social
Radio
Online display
Online video
Magazines
35%
3%
14%
32%
Yes
No
22% 78%
27% 73%
70%
Open dialogue through
social channels
Brands willing to change based
on consumer opinion
More advertising
Publicize fair business practices
Publicize eco-friendly practices
Become more charitable
Become more active in
local communities
Become less about the brand and
more about the consumer
44%
38%
28%
25%
32%
29%
52%
MEN 28%
WOMEN 40%
Men 33%
Women 45%
Men 28%
Women 37%
Men 28%
Women 40%33%
KEEPING IT REAL

18. 18MILLENNIALSadroitdigital.com
Conclusion
Looking back several years, a number of articles put forward the idea that Millennials aren’t
brand-loyal. As our study indicates, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Millennials are
brand-loyal. In fact, many consider themselves to be more brand-loyal than their parents,
more informed about brands, and in a better position to make what they consider smarter
brand choices. Because of their access to vast amounts of information, they are highly
informed about everything from a brand’s pricing to its product quality and even its
business practices—including good corporate citizenship, corporate values, and
eco-friendly practices.
There is no denying that gaining the brand loyalty of Millennials at the beginning of their
earning years will create an enormous upside for brands in delivering the maximum future
lifetime value of these consumers. Armed with a well-informed view of Millennials, how do
brands and agencies go about gaining the trust and admiration of the next generation of
super buying power?
The secret to success will lie in their ability to select the right partners, employ the right
strategies, leverage the right technology, and be prepared to constantly turn and pivot.
The wide array of ad tech available today is positioning brands and agencies to open the
dialogue of engagement and to lay the foundation for earning the loyalty of Millennials.
The loyalty of Millennials isn’t an elusive thing. However, it’s something marketers will have
to work hard to earn and even harder to keep. But with some willingness to try new things,
the ability to remain flexible and most importantly, meet Millennials on their terms, the
future for marketers is bright.

19. About Adroit Digital
At Adroit Digital, we believe people move technology,
not the other way around. Our team of programmatic
experts uses human insights, our exclusive data set,
and unmatched media access to intelligently drive
marketing performance. We work hard to delight our
customers every day.
We have offices in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and
San Francisco.
Contact Us
For press inquiries, please contact:
Hollis Guerra, Blast PR
hollis@blastpr.com
For sales inquiries please contact:
hello@adroitdigital.com
(855) 6-ADROIT
Sources:
* http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2013/03/21/millennial-engagement-and-loyalty-make-them-part-of-the-process/
** http://www.retailwire.com/discussion/16646/how-can-retailers-gain-the-loyalty-of-millennials
† http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-donegan/marketing-to-millennials_b_4025881.html
All registered trademarks and logos contained herein are the sole property of their respective owners.
19