Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever - Paperback

by Jeff Fromm (Author), Christie Garton (Author)

Marketing to Millennials is both an enlightening look at this generation of spend-happy consumers and a practical plan for earning their trust and loyalty.

The jokes at the Millennials' expense are plenty, but not nearly as much as the $200 billion in buying power they now wield as they enter their peak earning and spending years. Love it or loathe it, you are doing business in their domain now, and your future depends on your ability to successfully connect with them.

Based on original market research, this book reveals the eight attitudes shared by most Millennials, including how they:

• Value social networking and aren't shy about sharing opinions
• Refuse to remain passive consumers but expect to participate in product development and marketing
• Demand authenticity and transparency
• Are highly influential, swaying parents and peers
• Are not all alike; therefore, understanding key segments is invaluable

Complete with expert interviews of those doing Millennial marketing right, as well as the new rules for engaging this increasingly vital generation successfully, Marketing to Millennials is the key to persuading the customers who will determine the bottom line for decades to come.

Front Jacket

With more than 80 million in their ranks, the Millennials (aka Generation Y)--born between 1977 and 1995--are the largest generation in American history, outnumbering Generation X by far, and even the Baby Boomers by 1 million. Their direct buying power is estimated at $200 billion, and their indirect buying influence at least double that--and now their oldest members are entering their peak earning and spending years. It's time for anyone seeking to make inroads into this huge market to move beyond setting up a Twitter profile and start understanding how they think.

Millennials demand authenticity and transparency. They aren't shy about sharing their opinions. They're quick to spot a faker and believe in "cause marketing." They are highly influential, have an expansive network of contacts, and they expect to actively participate in the creation and development of new products. Based on groundbreaking proprietary research and one-on-one interviews with top brand executives and Millennials, Marketing to Millennials identifies specific behaviors and attitudes common to this revolutionary group of consumers. It will show you how to: - Build a listening and participation strategy that will help you connect with your brand advocates - Engage these early adopters of new technologies and social tools - Incorporate a sense of adventure and fun into your brand experience - Help make them look good among their peers - Retain their loyalty by giving them no reason to cheat on you. From start-ups to Goliaths, this book takes a serious and fascinating look at the companies and brands that are getting it right when it comes to engaging the Millennial consumer. Featuring examples and case studies of organizations including Ford, Sephora, Android, Victoria's Secret, PepsiCo/Frito Lay, Facebook, DoSomething.org, TOMS Shoes, and more, the book reveals "The New Rules" of marketing to Gen Y. You'll discover the differences between younger and older Millennials, those between Millennial men and women, and six distinct segments of this important demographic, from the cautious, charitable, and information-hungry Hipennials to the more conservative Anti-Millennials . . . and everything in between. Let's face it: No brand can afford to ignore Millennials. But it's hard--if not impossible--to market successfully to a generation you don't understand. Marketing to Millennials takes an unprecedented look at this broad new army of consumers and gives you the strategies you need to win their hearts and minds. JEFF FROMM is Executive Vice President at Barkley, the largest 100 percent employee-owned ad agency in the United States, which partnered with The Boston Consulting Group and Service Management Group to commission a deep study of American Millennials as consumers. He has 25 years' experience working with major brands, including Hallmark, Sears Auto Group, and Payless Shoe-Source, and is founder of Share.Like.Buy, a trends conference. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Twitter @JeffFromm email: jfromm@barkleyus.com website: millennialmarketing.com CHRISTIE GARTON is a lawyer and en-tre-preneur (and Millennial) whose U Chic Media company and best-selling college guidebook series for women have received national attention. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri. website: UChic.com

Back Jacket

ADVANCE PRAISE:

"An outstanding guide to better understand and communicate with the fastest-growing customer segment in the market--the Millennials. Excellent in-depth analysis of the data and extensive interviews with this customer group provide one of the best marketing tools available for reaching Millennials."-- Ken C. Hicks, Chairman and CEO of Foot Locker, Inc. "Why study Millennials? Because they'll drive the trends that dominate the next 20 years of marketing. Marketing to Millennials is the quickest way to get inside the minds of this participatory, diverse, and misunderstood generation."-- Josh Bernoff, SVP, Idea Development, Forrester Research, and coauthor of Empowered: Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, Transform Your Business "Grounded in research and chock-full of actionable insights, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know what really works in engaging and winning the loyalty of Millennial consumers."-- Maxine Clark, Founder and Chief Executive Bear, Build-A-Bear Workshop "Marketing to Millennials is a long-awaited investigation of Millennials as consumers, breaking this generational monolith into addressable segments that provide both a map and compass to marketers looking to target the largest generation in American history." -- Dan Coates, President of Ypulse "It's so refreshing to read a book about Millennials that treats them as whole, distinct people and actually recognizes that they have diverse points of view and outlooks on the world. This book is not just for 'marketers who want to reach young people, ' but in fact for anyone who works in an office with Millennials, strives to reach a new audience, or simply wants to understand the new world of engagement that we live in today." -- Aria Finger, COO of Do Something "If you think this is just another research book--think again. Marketing to Millennials offers a direct line into the lives of this generation and explains what drives their behavior. With one-on-one interviews with both Millennials and the brands that are succeeding with them, this book delivers invaluable insight for any brand marketer interested in this generation."-- Amy McAnarney, President, Retail Client Services at H&R Block

Author Biography

JEFF FROMM is Executive Vice President at Barkley, with over 25 years' experience working with major brands including Hallmark, Sears, and PayLess.

CHRISTIE GARTON is a lawyer, entrepreneur, (and Millennial) whose U Chic Media company (www.UChic.com) and best-selling college guidebook for women have received national attention.