marketing camp to
millennial parents
today’s roadmap
work to understand our audience’s characteristics,
experiences, wants and needs
determine marketing messages that will influence our
target audience
learn tactics that will get our messages to our target
audience
Sarah Kurtz McKinnon
about me
www.thesummercampsociety.com
the original project
Kenta Yamamoto Anni Liang Sarah Kurtz McKinnon Gary Monteiro
+ billion-dollar childcare organization
additional credential
shiloh grace 10.14.18
the hypothesis
millennials parent differently than their baby
boomer and generation x predecessors.
youth-serving organizations must adapt to meet
their evolving wants and needs.
today’s roadmap
work to understand our audience’s characteristics,
experiences, wants and needs
determine marketing messages that will influence our
target audience
learn tactics that will get our messages to our target
audience
millennial facts
born between 1981-1996
(23 to 38 years old)
more than 73 million in
the U.S.
largest share of the
american workforce
came of age in the
digital era
82% of U.S. births in
2015 to millennial
women
1.3 million babies born
to U.S. millennial moms
in 2015
Source: Pew Research Center
but remember…
Source: Gallup
this is a hugely diverse group…do not
homogenize!
there is no “one type” of millennial, but there are
common characteristics among millennials
because of common experiences.
common experiences…
Source: Pew (March 1, 2018)
were impacted by the
great recession leading
to a “slow start”
most racially &
ethnically diverse adult
generation in history
are old enough to
remember 9/11
digital natives who had
off-line childhoods
grew up “in the
shadows” of the wars
in iraq & afghanistan
were teens or young
adults during the 2008
election
#millennialparenting
Source: Twitter
by the numbers
52%
say they monitor
their kids’ diets
say the
environment is
a top concern
64%
82%
say they want their
children to know that
possessions won’t
make them happy
77%
say they want their
child to graduate
college one day
48%
say “stay at home
mom” is best
61%
say kids need
more unstructured
playtime
Source: The Millennials as New Parents Survey,
Jeff Fromm (2013)
35% of millennial
parents have
posted to
facebook in the
past 24 hours
Source: The Millennials as New Parents Survey,
Jeff Fromm (2013)
1,000 number of photos
an average
parent will post
online before a
child turns five.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 2016
today’s roadmap
work to understand our audience’s characteristics,
experiences, wants and needs
determine marketing messages that will influence our
target audience
learn tactics that will get our messages to our target
audience
values of millennial consumers
authenticity and genuine
connection with brands
experiences are more
important than things
pragmatism: ”useful is the
new cool”
easy & fast access to
information
personalization &
customization
seekers of the
“meaningfully unique”
transparency
want to give back and
make a difference
Sources: Pew, Gallup, Fromm
today’s roadmap
work to understand our audience’s characteristics,
experiences, wants and needs
determine marketing messages that will influence our
target audience
learn tactics that will get our messages to our target
audience
our marketing levers
product
price
place
promotion
“They don't accept ’that's the way
it has always been done’ as a
viable answer. Millennials demand
that businesses approach them
differently and adjust the customer
experience to meet their needs.”
Source: Gallup (May 2016)
#1 explain the “why”
#1 explain the “why”
unlikely to accept arbitrary rules or policies
examine and share the reasons why you do
things big and small at camp
pre-emptive explanations (example)
“Millennials' hyper-connectedness
has helped them gain a unique
global perspective and has
transformed the way they interact,
consume content, browse, buy
and work.”
Source: Gallup (May 2016)
#2 understand their sources
#2 understand their sources
referrals from other parents, whether they know
them in person or through the internet
everything in their lives can be researched and
vetted before making a purchasing decision
crowdsourcing information is popular: ”word of
mouth” has even more power
example: facebook mom group
what comes up 1st when they google your camp?
“Trust is the new currency of
brand loyalty.”
“[Out of 2,000 millennial moms
surveyed], 83% said that they
trust a brand more if it offers
product transparency.”
Source: Forbes, Label Insight (August 2017)
#3 increase transparency
#3 increase transparency
write about or admit a mistake
share as much as you can about their children’s
experiences or potential experiences
what do you have to hide? (longacre purchase)
“70% of millennials say they’re
comfortable with brands tracking
their browsing and purchasing
behaviors in order to receive
more individualized
communications.”
Source: Forbes, Label Insight (August 2017)
#4 be flexible & personal
#4 be flexible & personal
return to choice and free play
highly-personalized experiences are the norm à
experiment with experience co-creation
value individuality
“Younger consumers prefer ’real
and organic’ over ‘perfect and
packaged.’”
Source: Social Media Today (November 2017)
#5 be a human
#5 be a human
millennials can sniff out “fakeness”
always ask: how can we make this (thing) a more
human experience?
who are you? how can I talk with you?
Sarah Kurtz McKinnon
www.thesummercampsociety.com/tristate2019
kurtz@thesummercampsociety.com
313.506.2891
thank you & contact

Marketing to Millennial Parents

  • 1.
  • 2.
    today’s roadmap work tounderstand our audience’s characteristics, experiences, wants and needs determine marketing messages that will influence our target audience learn tactics that will get our messages to our target audience
  • 3.
    Sarah Kurtz McKinnon aboutme www.thesummercampsociety.com
  • 4.
    the original project KentaYamamoto Anni Liang Sarah Kurtz McKinnon Gary Monteiro + billion-dollar childcare organization
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
    the hypothesis millennials parentdifferently than their baby boomer and generation x predecessors. youth-serving organizations must adapt to meet their evolving wants and needs.
  • 8.
    today’s roadmap work tounderstand our audience’s characteristics, experiences, wants and needs determine marketing messages that will influence our target audience learn tactics that will get our messages to our target audience
  • 9.
    millennial facts born between1981-1996 (23 to 38 years old) more than 73 million in the U.S. largest share of the american workforce came of age in the digital era 82% of U.S. births in 2015 to millennial women 1.3 million babies born to U.S. millennial moms in 2015 Source: Pew Research Center
  • 10.
    but remember… Source: Gallup thisis a hugely diverse group…do not homogenize! there is no “one type” of millennial, but there are common characteristics among millennials because of common experiences.
  • 11.
    common experiences… Source: Pew(March 1, 2018) were impacted by the great recession leading to a “slow start” most racially & ethnically diverse adult generation in history are old enough to remember 9/11 digital natives who had off-line childhoods grew up “in the shadows” of the wars in iraq & afghanistan were teens or young adults during the 2008 election
  • 12.
  • 13.
    by the numbers 52% saythey monitor their kids’ diets say the environment is a top concern 64% 82% say they want their children to know that possessions won’t make them happy 77% say they want their child to graduate college one day 48% say “stay at home mom” is best 61% say kids need more unstructured playtime Source: The Millennials as New Parents Survey, Jeff Fromm (2013)
  • 14.
    35% of millennial parentshave posted to facebook in the past 24 hours Source: The Millennials as New Parents Survey, Jeff Fromm (2013)
  • 15.
    1,000 number ofphotos an average parent will post online before a child turns five. Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 2016
  • 16.
    today’s roadmap work tounderstand our audience’s characteristics, experiences, wants and needs determine marketing messages that will influence our target audience learn tactics that will get our messages to our target audience
  • 17.
    values of millennialconsumers authenticity and genuine connection with brands experiences are more important than things pragmatism: ”useful is the new cool” easy & fast access to information personalization & customization seekers of the “meaningfully unique” transparency want to give back and make a difference Sources: Pew, Gallup, Fromm
  • 18.
    today’s roadmap work tounderstand our audience’s characteristics, experiences, wants and needs determine marketing messages that will influence our target audience learn tactics that will get our messages to our target audience
  • 19.
  • 20.
    “They don't accept’that's the way it has always been done’ as a viable answer. Millennials demand that businesses approach them differently and adjust the customer experience to meet their needs.” Source: Gallup (May 2016) #1 explain the “why”
  • 21.
    #1 explain the“why” unlikely to accept arbitrary rules or policies examine and share the reasons why you do things big and small at camp pre-emptive explanations (example)
  • 23.
    “Millennials' hyper-connectedness has helpedthem gain a unique global perspective and has transformed the way they interact, consume content, browse, buy and work.” Source: Gallup (May 2016) #2 understand their sources
  • 24.
    #2 understand theirsources referrals from other parents, whether they know them in person or through the internet everything in their lives can be researched and vetted before making a purchasing decision crowdsourcing information is popular: ”word of mouth” has even more power
  • 25.
  • 26.
    what comes up1st when they google your camp?
  • 27.
    “Trust is thenew currency of brand loyalty.” “[Out of 2,000 millennial moms surveyed], 83% said that they trust a brand more if it offers product transparency.” Source: Forbes, Label Insight (August 2017) #3 increase transparency
  • 28.
    #3 increase transparency writeabout or admit a mistake share as much as you can about their children’s experiences or potential experiences what do you have to hide? (longacre purchase)
  • 29.
    “70% of millennialssay they’re comfortable with brands tracking their browsing and purchasing behaviors in order to receive more individualized communications.” Source: Forbes, Label Insight (August 2017) #4 be flexible & personal
  • 30.
    #4 be flexible& personal return to choice and free play highly-personalized experiences are the norm à experiment with experience co-creation value individuality
  • 31.
    “Younger consumers prefer’real and organic’ over ‘perfect and packaged.’” Source: Social Media Today (November 2017) #5 be a human
  • 32.
    #5 be ahuman millennials can sniff out “fakeness” always ask: how can we make this (thing) a more human experience? who are you? how can I talk with you?
  • 33.