A look at global Millennials and their perceptions on same sex marriage. The associated article is worth a read as well. Head on over to the Viacom Blog for more details: http://bit.ly/XESMAG 

nprfreshair:

These photographs with Calvin and Hobbes dropped into them are strangely beautiful.

via Geekologie

Calvin and Hobbes was a daily comic strip from 1985 to 1995. The comics and associated books are a wonderful memory from my youth. - Eliza

Experiences are valued over stuff. Interest is high in food, dining and travel with this group.

Millennials are willing to pay a premium for health-related items, electronics, food and dining, and travel. Less-so beauty and apparel. 

Via our recently updated 8095 Study on Global Millennials

“We beta, we swarm, we hustle, we hack.”

mtvinsights:

From @MTVInsight’s study on Generation Innovation

Click on image for larger, high res version!

This article originally appeared on PSFK. Big thanks to Piers and his great team for their support! Rick Murray: Why Millennial Shoppers are Alpha-Influencers. 

The Millennial generation is big. In fact, they’re now the largest generation on earth at 1.8 billion globally. But bigger than their size may be their influence over other generations… or so they think, at least. Indeed, 74% percent of them believe they have a direct influence over what their peers and those in other generations buy.

This week, our Edelman teams will share the results of the newest study from the 8095 Exchange, a global Millennial consultancy, named for the years in which the generation was born, 1980 to 1995. To conduct the study Edelman Berland talked to 4,000 Millennials in 11 countries, and built upon 2010’s benchmark 8095 study.

The world has changed and so have Millennials since the first study was unveiled in 2010. They aren’t kids anymore. The oldest are turning 33, and the youngest are out of high school at 18. As they step headlong into their 20s and 30s, their wallets, and the careers that fill them, will change business forever.

Part of the new 8095 study reveals how the generation is influencing those around them, and how brands can work with this group.

• Social Shopping Rules: Millennials don’t typically shop alone, and one in three won’t make a purchase if their friends don’t approve of it. As a generation of alpha-influencers, they want to engage with brands: globally, 7 in 10 say it’s their responsibility to share feedback with a brand whether it’s a good or bad experience. In India and China, 90% of Millennials feel it is their responsibility to share feedback with brands.
• Information + Community = Trends: The way this group is finding information, particularly around trends, is rapidly evolving, and the brands that aren’t fast followers are the ones being left behind. The decline in Millennials referencing brands as a top way they learn about new trends (35% in 2010 to 25% in 2012) might be a result of the increase in the number of trusted sources they have at their fingertips. Brands aren’t the only ones that define trends, no matter how hard they try. Communities do. Almost 95% of the 8095ers surveyed said they crowd-source before parting with their money on a purchase.
• (Quality or Price) + (Humor or Honesty) = Like: Millennials base their brand purchase decisions around the following: quality; price; what other people are saying about it; and “if the brand helps me in other parts of my life.” Humor, honesty and purpose also rank high in their decision journey. Show them value and make them laugh is a good approach. Work with their influencers to help define the brand and you’ll be even better off.
• New Paths to Success: The global recession is hammering Millennials, inspiring many to find new ways to succeed on their own. In Turkey, 76% of Millennials list starting their own business as a top life goal. Globally, nearly half of the Millennials surveyed said starting a business is a top life goal. When it comes to life aspirations overall, their goals are quite traditional. Millennials cite “owning a home” (78%) and “starting a family” (72%) as top three goals. These traditional aspirations are only outpaced in importance by “finding a job that matches my own personal passion.”

Engage Millennials online and off. Allow them to co-create and have two-way dialogue. Entertain them with great content. Provide value. We found that Millennials don’t mind advertising (only 3% found all of it to be boring) but they do expect something in return from brands. They want quality experiences, products and direct engagement from brands. To navigate the high standard Millennials place on brands, it is imperative for marketers to loosen the grips on what b-school told them defines a brand, and start listening closely to how Millennials define the brands they choose to support.

Rick Murray is definitely not a Millennial. He’s the 55 year old President of Edelman Chicago, but he gets to work with a lot of Millennials every day. Some even say they like him. He’s also got three of his own. Follow 8095 discussion on Twitter at @Edelman8095, Tumblr and Sina Weibo, or Rick himself @rickmurray.

Love this graphic, great representation of the data!

prweek:

Edelman released today updated insights about the evolving impact of the Millennial generation - individuals born between 1980 and 1995. The agency’s second “8095” study, which launched in 2010, included interviews with 4,000 Millennials in 11 countries. The new study was issued to better understand the roles of brands in Millennials’ lives and how cultural changes are impacting their behaviors. This latest report revealed that 74% of Millennials believe that they inspire the purchase decisions of peers and other generations, and 7 out 10 believe that they are influencers who are responsible for sharing feedback with brands. 

Click the infographic to see more from the study, including how the recession has changed Millennials.