This document discusses marketing strategies for Generation Y consumers. It begins by outlining key characteristics of Gen Y, including their heavy use of mobile technology and interest in world events. It then examines Gen Y as content creators who value peer collaboration and sharing information. The document provides tips for marketing to Gen Y, noting that authenticity, trusted relationships, and respect are important, while hype and pushy marketing turn them off. Finally, it analyzes brands that have found loyal Gen Y followings and why those brands resonate, such as having happy employees and simple, unique designs.

1. The Conversationalist
Scott Wilder
SVP, Social Media Architect
WilderVoices.com

2. The Gen Y Consumer

3. First
Printing
in
2007

4. Outline

5. Who
is
Generation
Y?
“Thumb
contact
more
than
eye
contact”
37%
access
web
from
Mobile
device!
Care
about
world
events
&
are
ethnically
diverse
“Technology
is
not
a
replacement
for
interpersonal
relationships”

6. 69

7. Type
of
Consumer
 Content
creators
and
Peer
Collaboration
 Do
research
–
Process
a
lot
information
 Into
sharing
and
spreading
buzz
 Think
spending
is
not
scary
 Are
value
seekers
 Want
to
be
part
of
a
‘tribe’
 Eco-­‐conscious
(Cause
Marketing) Forrester
Research
 Cautious
about
marketers
on
Social
Networks

8. Marketing
to
Gen
Y
Turn
ons Turn
offs
Show
respect
 Hype
or
promotion
Trusted
relationship  Email
blasts
Peer
to
Peer
interaction  Push
Marketing
Communicate
on
their
terms
 Facebook
Spam
Incorporate
‘local’
 Trying
to
hard
be
Hip
Authentic
manner

9. More
tips!
 Open
collaboration
 Constantly
evolve,
adopt
and
improve
 Think
‘eco’
 Leverage
your
own
Gen
Y
staff
 Authenticity
trumps
celebrity
 Niche
is
the
new
norm
 Bite-­‐Size
communication
dominates
 Personal
utility
drives
adoption
 Consumers
own
brands http://MrYouth.com

10. Bad
Example
•Created
a
campaign
highlight
Drake
Education
•But
associated
itself
with
‘near
failing’

11. Good
Example
•Gen
Y
employees
•Approachable
and
knowledgeable
•Often
give
you
something
for
free
•Let
you
‘hang
out’
(a
la
Starbucks)
•Aesthetically
pleasing

12. Some
Loyal
Gen
Y
Brands
 Apple  Target
 Trader
Joe‘s  H
&
M
 Jet
Blue  Zappos
 In
N
Out  Levi's
 Ben
N
Jerry's  Volkswagen
 Whole
Foods  Converse
 Adidas  Vitamin
Water
 American
Apparel  Red
Stripe

13. Why
These
Brands?
Clean
+
Simple=
Hip
(no
fuss,
no
muss!)
It's
trendy
to
be
simple
and
easy!
Quirky
and
Unique
(Jet
Blue
and
Trader
Joe's
are
both
known
for
being
one
of
a
kind
shops)
Happy
employees
(people
who
work
at
the
aforementioned
companies
say
they
LOVE
their
jobs!)

14. A
word
about
Mentoring
 FROM
THEIR
BOSSES:
 To
give
me
straight
feedback
 To
mentor
and
coach
me
 To
give
me
a
formal
personal
development
program
 To
provide
flexible
schedules
 FROM
THEIR
COMPANY:
 To
develop
skills
for
the
future
 To
have
strong
values
 To
allow
me
to
blend
work
and
life
 To
offer
me
a
clear
career
path
(and
maybe
this
is
NOT
with
your
company…HBR
did
not
say
that,
I
am
throwing
that
one
in
as
a
bonus!)
 TO
LEARN:
 Technical
skills
in
my
area
of
expertise
 To
learn
self
management
and
personal
productivity
 Leadership
Creativity
and
innovation
strategies
http://hbr.org/2010/05/mentoring-­‐millennials/ar/1

16. Thank
you
MillenniaLLeaders.com
WilderVoices.com
@skwilder
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