Decoding Y: Millennials Revealed
January 16, 2014
By Roberto Ruiz – Univision Communications
5 Rules for Storytelling to the Next Generation
Effective storytelling, as it always has, boils down to one thing: knowing your audience. No matter what the technology or the user experience, understanding your consumer’s mindset is paramount to communicating with them.
More than any consumer out there, marketers are most mystified—and excited—by Generation Y, or Millennials. That’s why Univision partnered with one of the leading consumer insights researchers, GfK-Roper, to take a closer look at what makes Millennials tick.
This year at Publicis Groupe’s Bright Lights Big Ideas program at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Univision and GfK-Roper shared 5 rules for storytelling to the next generation – Millennials. Whether your strategy includes data, mobile, social or convergent technologies, these rules offer a universal framework for effective storytelling, supported in sound data from one of the world’s leading research companies.
Leverage Nuances: We all know that Millennials are the most ethnically diverse generation – in fact, 21% of all Millennials are Hispanic—and when it comes to values or guiding principles they are even more diverse and growing that much more so. Storytelling to this generation must recognize, acknowledge and accept these nuances.
Embrace the New “Status”: Status isn’t what it used to be. Millennials rank status, wealth and power among the least important on their list of life’s guiding principles. Today’s young adults have a different vision of “The Good Life.” Stories for this generation need to be in sync with this new and emerging balance sheet.
Be Nimble: Millennials are not following traditional, linear life trajectories. They are not following the trajectories researchers predicted 10 years ago. The old forecasts are gone, new ones need to be created, and you need to be prepared to course correct along the way.
Be Open-Minded: Millennials are more open-minded and less judgmental about new definitions of family, gender roles and culture. Brands need to get comfortable with these “new normals.”
Invite Them In: Perhaps the scariest rule of them all: It’s important to break down the fourth wall with your consumers. Successful marketers are already beginning to see the value in being inclusive of this participatory generation.