Three ideas for marketing to the selfie generation

With an expected spending power of $2.45 trillion by 2015, millenials have become the 'must reach' consumer target for many brands. However, this can be an enigmatic task for marketers as their digital habits are very different from previous generations'.  24% of millenials say that 'technology use' followed by 11% saying that music and pop culture is what makes the Y generation most unique according to a 2010 Pew Research study. So how exactly, does one create a compelling campaign to engage the Selfie Generation?

First things first, it is important to make sure that brands tell compelling stories across multiple platforms. As millennials will spend on average 25 hours per week online, it is clear that successful marketers will focus their efforts on telling stories which will carry well across platforms. Moreover, it is crucial that the messages are conveyed take advantage of the platform in question's key strength (e.g. writing witty content for blogs, attention grabbing videos for Vimeo/ YouTube). 

In addition, in a talk hosted by AdAge, Billy Parks' VP of Digital Programming at Chernin Group stressed the point that co-creation is key in content strategy. When making content for the millenials generation, marketers  should harness the power of co-creating their brands together with consumers and tapping into the energy and creativity of their biggest fans. 

Thirdly, according to Advertising Age, nearly 70 percent of millennials will run major decisions by their network first. As they are so digitally connected, this shouldn't come as a surprise but marketers often emit this factor when they send out new campaigns. To help consumers engage with their networks about products, marketers should make sure that their campaigns are easily shareable and that conversations between networks of users is facilitated. 

If you would like to read more about the habits of millennials, I recommend this article and infographic.