Multicultural Millennial consumer attitudes on advertising and influence [REPORT]

In order to reach millennials, consumer brands have to target more multicultural audiences in their advertising and social campaigns, according to a recent study by Buzz Marketing Group (BMG).

BMG in October conducted an online survey of 400 diverse men and women for its first-ever Multicultural Millennial Study. The in-depth online survey, which gathered responses from adults aged 21-36 living in all 50 U.S. territories, researched millennial attitudes about advertising, influence, social activism and media.

Among the key findings: millennials are flexing their influence and buying power with brands that openly target multicultural audiences.

“When it comes to loyalty, Multicultural Millennials give as much as they get,” said BMG CEO & Founder Tina Wells. “They know what they like, and aren’t shy about sharing that information with their friends and contacts. And they are not in the dark about their own influence. They don’t want anyone talking down to them. They are buying luxury brands just as much as anyone else — and they know it. But don’t mistake this for being frivolous. Only 24 percent buy luxury items that they cannot afford, even though they would like to own them anyway.”

On advertising, 72 percent of survey participants prefer when brands speak directly and specifically to their respective ethnic group, and more than 82 percent of participants would like to see more brands focus their marketing and advertising on minorities. A majority of respondents (83 percent) prefer when consumer brands take a public stand for or against issues they also believe in.

Millennials consider themselves influential with both peers and companies—a whopping 95 percent of respondents said they’re viewed as an influencer by people around them, while 78 percent believe they have consumer power to influence brands.

In terms of activism, respondents revealed that they are more likely to use technology to speak out on social issues—61 percent of participants have used a specific hashtag to support a cause on social media in the last year, though only 28 percent have participated in a boycott. Technology is considered the most important aspect of one’s life for more than 60 percent of survey respondents.

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