The Millennial Generation

Being a Millennial

I am proud to be part of the Millennial Generation. It wasn't until last year that I actually realized that I was part of a generation, a very significant one nonetheless. Gen Y, The Millennials, etc are all sorts of names that are used to "define" us. I believe that the reason why we do not have an established title is because we are so diverse and distinctive. There are many things being said about the Millennials, both positive and negative. Some people label us as narcissists, spoiled, and simply "bad kids." However, there are others such as generation experts Neil Howe and William Strauss who believe that we are a rising generation that is educated, motivated, and very independent; I agree. High self-esteem and independence are factors that make up our distinctively defined generation. Millennials have grown up in a society that encourages the individual to succeed and depend on no one.

Advertising to Millennials

To some extent I do believe that advertisers are reaching out to our generation. The Millennials are such a large generation, that it is very important for advertisers to target us. I enjoy reading magazines when I have the time and so do many Millennials. Since our generation has grown up in a celebrity gossip era that is surrounded by fashion, we have developed an interest in such things. Therefore, I believe one of the best ways for advertisers to get my attention is through magazines. I usually do not buy a product as soon as I see it in an ad, but it does create awareness. I only buy a product immediately after seeing an ad if I really like the brand.

Social networks are a great way to advertise a product since many Millennials have an account to either MySpace, Facebook, or both. However, the ads that pop up on the Web sites are usually products that I would never buy. Facebook and MySpace definitely need to find a better way advertise and place those ads in the right places.