An expert panel in London presented the findings of a major new Ipsos MORI research study into Millennials and bust some myths and confirmed some realities.

1. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
© 2016 Ipsos. All rights reserved. Contains Ipsos' Confidential and Proprietary information and may
not be disclosed or reproduced without the prior written consent of Ipsos.
1
IPSOS MORI THINKS
Myths and Realities
MILLENNIAL

2. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public 2

3. 3Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
Top 5 words to describe:
54% Tech-savvy
34% Lazy
41% Work-centric
33% Arrogant
32% Community-orientated
45% Materialistic
31% Well-educated
39% Selfish
47% Respectful
30% Ethical
Millennials
Source: Ipsos Global Trends Survey 2017
Millennials describe themselves in the same way: 44% say
their generation is materialistic, 37% selfish and 33% lazy.
MOST DERIDED GENERATION ?
BabyBoomers

4. 4Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
The morals
of the young are
tenfold worse
than formerly
YOUTH HAVE ALWAYS HAD A DODGY REPUTATION …
A race of
effeminate, self-
admiring,
emaciated
fribbles
Youth were
never more
sawcie, yea
never more
savagely sawcie
Earl of
Shaftesbury
Town and
Country
magazine letter
Thomas Barnes
minister of
St. Margaret’s
Church
1843 1771 1624

5. 5Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
Period effect:
KEY IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF CHANGE SEEING:
attitudes and behaviours
of all cohorts change in a
similar way over the
same period of time
Not possible to entirely unpick – but can get idea: mapped millions of interviews
Understanding nature of change helps predict the future
Lifecycle effect:
people’s attitudes and
behaviours change as
they age i.e. attitudes can
be shifted by life events
Cohort effect:
a cohort has different
views and behaviours,
and these stay different
over time

6. 6Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MYTH OR REALITY ?
Millennials are more likely
to be a healthy weight than
Generation X at same age…

7. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public 7
MYTH

8. 8Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MILLENNIALS ARE THE FIRST YOUNG GENERATION
% with a healthy weight
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Pre war (probably born pre 1945) Baby boomers (probably born 1945-1965) Generation X (probably born 1966-1979) Millennials (probably born 1980-1995)
Millennials at average age 26:
Healthy weight = 48%
Gen X at average age 26:
healthy weight = 53%
England
WHERE OVER HALF ARE OVERWEIGHT
Source: Health Survey for England (HSE)_

9. 9Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
DANGEROUSLY MISLEADING CLAIMS…

10. 10Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MYTH OR REALITY ?
Millennials say they trust
other people less than
older generations

11. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public 11
REALITY

12. 12Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MILLENNIALS ARE LESS LIKELY TO
% trust the ordinary man/woman in the street to tell the truth
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
Pre war (probably born pre 1945) Baby boomers (probably born 1945-1965)
Generation X (probably born 1966-1979) Millennials (probably born 1980-1995)
G.B.
TRUST OTHER PEOPLE
Source: Ipsos MORI Veracity Index
But NO Millennial crisis of trust in institutions/business/adverts

13. 13Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MYTH OR REALITY ?
Millennials are more
focused on “brand
purpose” than
previous generations

14. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public 14
MYTH

15. 15Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
Source: Ipsos MORI Sustainable Business Monitor 1999 and 2015
MILLENNIALS ARE NO MORE LIKELY TO BOYCOTT
- AND GEN X WERE MORE LIKELY TO BUY ETHICAL
PRODUCTS AT THE SAME AGE
Boycotted a product
Chose a product/service
because of company’s
responsible behaviour
17%
16%
17%
12%
Generation X in 1999
When aged 20-33
Millennials in 2015
When aged 21-35
G.B.

16. 16Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MYTH OR REALITY ?
Millennials are having less
sex than Gen X did at same age

17. 17Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public

18. 18Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
THEY’RE MORE LIKELY TO BE ABSTINENT …
Haven’t had sex in
32%
19%Generation X in 2000
Average age 27
Millennials in 2014
Average age 27
the last 4 weeks
U.S.
Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

19. 19Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
… BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE
% had sex with three or more people in last year U.S.
MULTIPLE SEXUAL PARTNERS
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Pre war (born before 1945) Baby Boomers (born 1945-1965) Generation X (born 1966-1979) Millennials (born 1980-1995)
Millennials = 18%Gen X = 13%
Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

20. 20Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MYTH OR REALITY ?
Millennials will vote less
in the 2017 General Election
than Gen X did at same age

21. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public 21
DON’T
KNOW

22. 22Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
Source: British Election Study
Claimed turnout
average claimed
turnout
-4 pp
65%
79%
-14 pp
Baby Boomers
1983 General Election
Generation X
1997 General election
58% -15 pp
Millennials
2015 General election
Average age 28
Average age 27
Average age 28
Difference from

23. 23Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
… BUT THERE IS A STRONG GENERATIONAL DECLINE
% supporter of any one political party G.B.
IN PARTY SUPPORT IN THE UK
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Pre war (born before 1945) Baby Boomers (born 1945-1965) Generation X (born 1966-1979) Millennials (born 1980-1995)
Source: British Social Attitudes Survey

24. 24Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
▪ Defining features: conflict, narcissistic, entitled,
entrepreneurial etc – no real evidence
▪ Real patterns:
more materialistic
more praising, as well as complaining
not WoM, multiple sources of information to decide
higher education levels
delayed marriage and children
▪ Two true Millennial Mega-Trends behind these
Financial constraint in West = delayed adulthood
Influence of communications technology
THE TWO MILLENNIAL MEGA-TRENDS

25. 25Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
MILLENNIALS SPEND 24 HOURS A WEEK
ON THEIR SMARTPHONES
Number of minutes spent on a smart phone per week
Source: Ipsos MORI Tech Tracker 2016
1457
639
308
930
Aged 16-34
(roughly
Millennials)
Aged 35-54
(roughly
Generation X)
Aged 55+
(roughly
Baby Boomers
and Pre-War
Generation)
Adults 16+

26. 26Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE IN
G.B.
LIVING AT HOME WELL INTO ADULTHOOD …
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Pre war (born before 1945) Baby Boomers (born 1945-1965) Generation X (born 1966-1979) Millennials (born 1980-1995)
% living with parents
Generation X:
20% lived with
their parents
Millennials:
31% lived with
their parents
Source: British Social Attitudes Survey

27. 27Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
Thanks to Hannah Shrimpton,
Michael Clemence and
many other Millennials who,
despite being Millennials,
did all the hard work…
MUCH, MUCH MORE
IN THE REPORT …

28. 28Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
THE MILLENNIAL
INSIGHT CLOUD
”FACEBOOK
FOR INSIGHTS”

29. Millennials: Myths & Realities | May 2017 | Public
© 2016 Ipsos. All rights reserved. Contains Ipsos' Confidential and Proprietary information and may
not be disclosed or reproduced without the prior written consent of Ipsos.
29
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