Marketing to the Millennial Masses

The new generation has been labeled and discovered to be very different from the previous generation-X and baby boomers. Mass marketing is the way to appeal to millennials, according to recent studies. Marketing campaigns in the past have had to be very niche-oriented because of consumers’ disdain for consumerism. But today’s youth seems to be drawn to larger scale campaigns. They like feeling part of a community. They like dependable branding. They like mass branding.

Companies will need to shift their advertising strategies in order to reach the millennial generation. Look at the success of Obama’s campaign. His brand consistently promotes him as a laid back and coolly confident politician. The younger voters love him because of this reliable, trendy attitude. Another example is the Apple logo. With recent releases of the iPod and iPhone, Apple has maintained its brand yet appealed to consumers nationwide with its trendy inventions. The “in” thing is customized playlists on the go. Apple has effectively created a branding bandwagon that the millennials are joining en masse.  

Successful branding requires a logo that represents a clear message consistently. For instance, the GE logo promotes the saying, “Imagination at Work.” It’s a brand that they have perfected over many years. Now whenever a new innovation comes out sporting the GE logo, everyone knows that they have used state of the art design and the most advanced technology. The millennial generation is attracted to brands they can trust, the ones that won’t change at a whim.

Some businesses may not think it necessary to change their marketing style. After all, their products only appeal to the older generation. The only problem with this plan is that, eventually, the younger generation will be the older generation. Millennials will become the middle-age consumers. And the age-old “I don’t want to be taken in by consumerism” trend will be entirely replaced by “I want what everyone else is buying.” Mass marketing is in – now. Companies that wait too long will be playing catch up while the millennial marketers sell products to the masses.