Topics: Millennials + Gen Z, Digital Media
Executives from the top social media platforms sat down recently and discussed how to reach Millennials. This generation is hard to target and understand. Brands struggle to keep their attention, and it’s not that this generation doesn’t like brands, it’s that they are not fond of advertising.
This generation clearly requires brands and advertisers to get creative and approach advertising differently. The speakers suggested focusing on how to use digital media and building marketing strategies around that. Below are four critical insights are taken from their talk.
1. Get Local
Steve Hwaang of Snapchat said that brands should think “local” when targeting Millennials. Snapchat has a feature where they showcase different live or local moments from the user’s area. Hwaang says that “authenticity is really important. There’s a ton of opportunity for brands to be involved in a more local in the real world.”
2. Less is More with Video
Video has been quite prevalent in ads lately, but that doesn’t mean that brands are using the right type of clips for the platforms. Facebook’s Trevor Johnson advised making four-, eight- and 10-second videos that grab young people’s attention in a news feed. On Facebook, once users tap on the video, the sound automatically plays, keeping users watching longer.
3. Find Social’s New Celebrities
Vine has genuinely taken off, and the stars on the platform are more popular than some Hollywood A-listers for millennials. Brands that can align themselves with these or emulate the star’s work will have more success. When posting videos, photos, and GIFs to twitter, it is wise to use these tactics.
4. Data-backed Creative
Pandora’s executive, Tamara Bedrosian, argued that data should determine how an ad should look. Millennial women like listening to a YouTube violinist, Lindsey Stirling, on the streaming service. Listening to her on the app version versus the desktop can help shape a campaign when more frequently appearing on mobile devices. Bedrosian said that a company shouldn’t always go mobile-first just to say they are on mobile. Gathering data and correctly analyzing it is essential.
