Scott Wilder

The Conversationalist

SVP, Social Media ArchitectWilderVoices.com

The Gen Y Consumer

First  Printing  in  2007

Outline

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”

69

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)

Cautious  about  marketers  on  Social  Networks

Forrester  Research

Marketing  to  Gen  YTurn  ons Turn  offs

Show  respect  

Trusted  relationship

Peer  to  Peer  interaction

Communicate  on  their  terms

Incorporate  ‘local’

Authentic  manner

Hype  or  promotion

Email  blasts

Push  Marketing

Facebook  Spam

Trying  to  hard  be  Hip

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

Bad  Example

•Created  a  campaign  highlight  Drake  Education•But  associated  itself  with  ‘near  failing’

Good  Example

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

Some  Loyal  Gen  Y  Brands

Apple

Trader  Joe‘s

Jet  Blue

In  N  Out

Ben  N  Jerry's

Whole  Foods

Adidas

American  Apparel

Target

H  &  M

Zappos

Levi's

Volkswagen

Converse

Vitamin  Water

Red  Stripe

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!)

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

Thank  you

MillenniaLLeaders.comWilderVoices.com

@skwilderwww.slideshare.net