Back in October, one of Tattoo Projects' copywriters headed to NYC to attend Share.Like.Buy 2012, a conference focused on marketing to Millennials. This demographic accounted for 41% of the US population in 2010, and hits right at home with the target market for several of our clients.

1. INSANELY USEFUL
ADVICE FOR
MARKETING TO
MILLENNIALS
A collaborative book written in one hour
during a Hyper Island Workshop
at the Share+Like+Buy 2012 Conference
sponsored by Barkley 1

2. Publisher’s note:
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the
information in this book is accurate at the time of going
to press, and the publishers and authors cannot accept
responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No
responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person
acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in
Insanely useful advice for
this publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher
or the authors.
marketing to millennials
Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the views of their employers, Hyper
Island, or the Cannes Festival of Creativity
First published in the USA by Hyper Island Press
Copyright © Hyper Island 2012
All rights reserved.
Publisher
Hyper Island
250 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013
http://hyperisland.com
Sponsor
Barkley
http://www.barkleyus.com
Contact:
Jeff Fromm, founder of the Share.Like.Buy conference:
jfromm@barkleyus.com
2 3

3. • Stay true to the core of your DNA
- Strong brand values are important in marketing to
their emotions and hearts not their brains
• Accept how they see your brand and embrace it
- Find a partner that gives you content to talk about
and engage with by catering to their lifestyle.
Telling a consumer about your great taste will not
make them brand loyal.
Chloe Lee
4 Laura Mellor 5

4. As Len Schlesinger shared:
“It’s more productive to raise your hand and say ‘I don’t know’
than to regurgitate the ideas of others to prove that you do.”
Innovation is born from seeking answers to questions you don’t
know rather than believing you must it all figured already.
Mark Logan
Nancy Giordano
6 7

5. Chris Cox There’s a paradox. Millenials want to be independent and
Melissa Im
empowered to do their own thing. They want to express their
individuality.
Yet they also want other people’s input on what to buy, where to
eat, what to listen to, etc.
Recognize this paradox. Then ask how your brand can help
empower millenials – how it can help them express themselves
and do what’s important to them.
8 9

6. Martin Predd
Jason Young Millennials are better understood as a cohort that
shares a common starting point rather than a group
with homogenous values and experiences today.
Focusing on where we came from may be more
useful than trying to lump us into a single box
based on our present.
10 11

7. Stop shouting. Start sharing.
Stop talking. Start listening.
Stop ignoring. Start responding.
Stop building monuments. Start building relationships.
Stop broadcasting. Start engaging.
Stop stereotyping. Start respecting.
Stop creating. Start co-creating.
Stop preaching. Start inspiring.
Stop fearing. Start embracing.
Stop looking backwards. Start looking forwards.
Katie Peck
12
Bruce Levinson 13

8. “Targeting millennials” means nothing.
It’s like saying “targeting people.”
We need to target conversations and states of mind (not
demographics) in a custom and personal way.
Opportunities exist that didn’t with other generations, including the
idea that they are always addressable, and that rich data layers exist
that will allow us to more effectively target and communicate.
The easy part is reaching them, the difficult part is making it
relevant. They will tell you what’s relevant, you just have to listen.
Christine Aruscavage
Seth Goren
14 15

9. Jeff Fromm
Alex Trevisan
Chris Gardner
Jennifer Kiffer
Self-expression and creativity is at the core of Millennial thinking
and behaviors. This is influenced by their purpose for being (which
is often tied to positive change), rapidly evolving technology,
content sharing, peer affirmation, and social interactions.
16 17

10. The entire way non-Millennials size up problems, our approach to
solving them, even our view of what a good outcome is – seem
Byzantine to this generation.
Their rejection isn’t for the sake of being contrarian, as we oldsters
are prone to think. As a generation, one could argue Millennials
were sold a bill of goods. They were told to just stay in school,
get good grades, go to a good college, study hard – and if you do
all that, a good job (and hence a good life) will be waiting for you.
Well, they did all that – and got a hot cup of jack sqwat.
The successes they see are cultural creators, entrepreneurs,
risk-takers – people who rejected that traditional path to a good
life. So the notion of getting a degree and working paycheck
to paycheck for a company vs. starting your own thing, creating
something, making their mark – even at the risk of failing
spectacularly – Millennials are choosing the latter, and with good
reason.
What was Plan A for previous generations, is more like a Plan B,
even C for Millennials. Far from being spoiled, entitled kids who
want it all right now – the Millennial attitude has been shaped by
cold, hard reality – and it impacts how they relate to the world,
institutions, and the brands we all work for everyday.
Jeff Graham
Becky Herman
18 19

11. Jeff Fromm Testing in the real world versus focus groups is more
Alex Trevisan
important than ever. In the ever-changing marketing
Chris Gardner
Jennifer Kiffer environment, you must not just test, but test FAST!
If it doesn’t work, modify and expand or kill it and move
on. In order to do this, you must embrace the concept of
acceptable loss.
20 21

12. Jeff Graham Millennials have an innate skepticism.
Becky Herman
They have seen firsthand how institutions do not deliver a
guaranteed path to ‘the good life’, as was promised by their
parents. They were screwed by the system and are electing to take
ownership over their futures in new, innovative ways.
They’re shirking traditions and literally creating their own legacies.
What may look like entitlement or apathy to older generations is
actually a conscious choice to pioneer a new future.
22 23

13. Tom Finneran Marketing “with” Millennials today is not about connecting
Jeff King
your brand to them. It’s about your brand being an
enabler for connecting them with others. This requires
experimentation and prototyping of ideas and content that is
useful and engaging to them.
Constant, high speed access to the internet now exists in
your consumer’s pants. The smart phone (and whatever is
next) allows continual connectivity with your content and
other people. To be relevant in this world, it’s no longer
about the one static idea, it’s about a lot of little ideas -
or small bets. And small bets require risk. If you are too
focused on ROI, you will never get there.
24
Bet small.
Think big.
You need permission to fail. One piece of sage advice
coming out or the conference was the concept of
“Acceptable Loss” (AL) to replace “ROI.” AL gives your
team the freedom they need to truly innovate.
G 25

14. Jennifer Stenger
Dan Fromm
Millennialls want the same qualities in all of their
relationships, regardless of whether it’s a brand or individual.
They want relationships that are authentic, creative, values-
driven, that add to their own social currency and that are
share-worthy.
26 27

15. COL
LAB
Alyssa Feuerer
Krithika Rosenthal
By nature, millennials have an entrepreneurial spirit.
They work with what they have to do something meaningful
that stands for something.
Brands need to create community experiences that facilitate
conversation and foster kinship, enabling members to make
an impact.
28
OR
ATE make an impact 29

16. Colleen Merwick Brands need to connect with Millennials on a social level-organically
Eniko Skintej
weaving your brand into their lives. You must reinforce or foster
current behavior, don’t create something that forces Millennials to
adapt a new behavior.
You can’t think of Millennials as a demographic, but rather as a
highly emotional and unpredictable group of individuals. Then you
can tap into their emotions and desires to connect with each other
and foster these connections and then you will be able to survive as
a brand.
30 31

17. Carol Phillips Millennial is more of a mindset more than an age.
Dennis Devlin
The Millennial mindset is based in a distinct subculture of music,
humor, fashion and cause that is hip and new and leverages
technology to the max.
But at heart the values are more those of “old souls”:
Take care of yourself, care for each other, tend to the environment.
The way in to touch the Millennial heart is “utility.” Functionality
trumps image. Brands must be able to answer question what USE
are you to me? How does this brand make my life easier, more
connected or more meaningful?
Without an authentic relationship building approach that results in
mutual kinship, efforts at brand building will #FAIL.
32 33

18. Jenny Gomez
Belle Domingo
Stay true to your brand.
Simplicity is sexy - by creating that relationship you’ll gain the trust
that will make your brand a part of a Millennials life.
Be a tool for empowerment by being a friend.
34 35

19. Kristina DeGrocco
Kimberly Rizzo
Bob Higginson The Millennial generation is inherently social. Therefore, in order for
your brand to be part of their conversations and relationships, you
must create an environment that fosters social engagement and
participation, empowering them to create, invent and interact with
your brand in a way that is organic to them.
Generation
36
Social 37

20. Janelle James Apple is an example of a brand who has stayed ahead of
Chere Boone
the wave. 75% of the products they sell today weren’t in
existence five years ago.
Blockbuster is an example of a brand who was washed
over by change, sank and drown.
Walter Levitt wants Comedy Central to be like Apple.
Marketers who want to be industry leaders need to stay
current and relevant or die.
38 39

21. Nicole Baldwin To resonate with millennials, brands must have a greater
Cathryn Posey
purpose, one that identifies with the consumer not only
functionally, but emotionally. And not just for the consumer, but
for the world. It is not up to the brand to dictate the answers.
The opportunity is to figure it out together.
40 41

22. Brenda Lynch Millennials are all about optimism and believe they can change
Laurie Jones
and impact the world. They’ve been raised to have an opinion and
a voice. Compared to older generations, generation x or boomer
babies who fought against society and sought to break traditions
-- millennials want to embrace the good in the world and create,
fix, and reinvent everything. They are a generation of innovation.
42 43

23. Sarah Showalter Millennials know how to “hustle”.
Christine Thurm
They will take matters into their own hands to get things done.
Enable them to be in control,
be creative,
and connect and share with others.
44 45

24. Build longer-term, deeper, committed
relationships with your consumers.
• Help them connect with their friends by
providing a platform for them to share their
opinions and experiences.
• Show them you’re in it for them, not just to
make a buck.
• Be authentic and real in your interactions
with them.
46 47

25. Susan Miller
Warren Junium, III
Build your product’s story and share the message
around an emotional connection to grab the customer’s
multi-sensory “listen”. Create an experiential benefit.
Products that are just talking about superior functional
performance are not heard.
48 49

26. Brad Alban
Sara Buck Single transparency isn’t enough anymore, Millennials
Sandi Moss
want to know how your product is made and they want
to participate in “baking the cake. “ Allow them to co-
create your products, ask their opinion, ask for their
suggestions, ask them to invent new products, they
want to share and you look like a hero for asking their
opinion and acting on it.
50 51

27. Brad Alban
Sara Buck Everyone knows that the conversation that matters is the
Sandi Moss
one that comes from the outside, not the inside. But we
have to do more than listen to everyone, we need to listen
to the 115 people who matter to your brand.
Find the bloggers, tweeters, and sharers who have a
strong following and are passionate about what you are
passionate about. Enlist them to participate with you...
and listen to what they have to say.
52 53

28. Christina Coccodrilli
Aiyshen Padilla The models of marketing are based in the 1950’s and
1960’s. In order to be relevant today, you need to be part
of their conversations.
Be where they are. Build the relationship first. Encourage
millennials to talk about your brand with those they trust.
Don’t force the conversation.
It’s a mindset, so be transparent and be authentic in order
to be share-worthy. Give them the tools to co-create with
you and take matters into their own hands.
54 55

29. Chris Cardetti
Anastasia Fletcher Productive stupidity is about embracing what you don’t
know and asking questions. Millennials actually find it cool
that brands don’t know it all.
- Simply rename failure.
- Study experiments and their genesis.
- All you need is enough to get to the starting line.
56 57

30. Chris Cardetti
Anastasia Fletcher The Apple brand is miles ahead of the competition.
Although they began with computers, today they’re brand
is known for creating the most useful and innovative
technology devices.
Blockbuster limited themselves in the way they provided
movie/video game rentals. Even when Netflix and was on
the horizon, they dismissed the two as fads. Now who’s
out of style?
So ask yourself, are you Apple or Blockbuster?
58 59

31. Hyper Island
250 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013
http://hyperisland.com