If you were born between 1977 and 2000, then you are part of the Millennials (or Generation Y, and also called the echo boomers). I may not agree with some of the descriptions of my generation, but I cannot dispute them.
"One thing that all of the Millennials have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology. They don’t just embrace technology, it’s a way of life." (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)
There has never been a more accurate assessment of my generation – we are so conditioned to life with digital technology, that living as our parents did before us would probably scare a lot of Millennials senseless. The perfect example of this, not just through our daily interactions with social networking and in keeping up to date on everything through digital technology, but also in how we are asked to explain to older generations just how something works. Take my father, for example: I was asked to come over and show him a step by step “how to” reply to a job posting on craigslist through email. Now, for me, this seems like a simple task that can’t possibly be as difficult as he’s making it out to be… but for my father? It might as well be rocket science. You see, my father was part of the baby boomer generation, therefore he knows hard labor more than he knows about computers and the internet. I must admit, I lose patience and get frustrated when asked to explain something that I have been doing for years, but I know that my father is even more flabbergasted and impatient by his lack of understanding than I am.
“All generations are comfortable with technology, but this is the generation that’s been formed by technology,” says a Yahoo! executive. For them, “it’s not something separate. It’s just something they do.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)
I spent a large majority of my teenage years on the internet. I didn’t just learn the new technology that was being enhanced on a yearly basis, I attempted to master it. I explored website building, graphic design, chat forums, blogging, and a multitude of other things that the internet provides – it was like having a friend that connected you to other people around the world, and to this day, I talk to people from other parts of the country and even from Europe.
“What really set the Obama campaign apart was its immense appeal to Millennials, the country’s youngest voters. The campaign’s mastery of cutting-edge social media, such as the my.barackobama.com Web site, was optimized for Millennial appeal. For this generation, “the new pronoun is me, my,” says a marketing expert. “Young people want to be in control of their relationship with a brand. They want to customize and personalize.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)
Millennials are very self-indulgent, and as a member of this generation, I am not embarrassed to admit this – I do, however, want to change it. Considering the technological state of society, it is very hard to reach other people on a personal basis that does not involve social networking or through a text or email. The most effective marketing is definitely through the internet, through social platforms that people use every day to communicate to others and to express their opinions. I, personally, post political opinions, videos, and articles on facebook to share with other people or to ignite discussions. If you want to reach the 83 million children of the baby boomers, the internet is the first and last place to start.
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