On Millennials

Thoughts on millennials and how they are different.

The Accenture 'Get Ready: Digital Lifestyle 3.0' report ranks the top technologies - no surprise that it is mobile phone service and home Internet access (51% and 35%, respectively.)
This activity apparently effects brain development since various pathways are formed during adolescence. A study by a neuroscientist at UCLA "found that the brains of experienced 'net users were twice as active as those of internet beginners — particularly in the areas that control decision-making and complex reasoning." There are drawbacks with respect to human interaction and the ability to read emotional cues.
They were 3 years old (or younger) the last time a financial crisis it (1987) - they are in unchartered territory and their sense of the future will be altered.
The responsibility hormone should kick in as they get jobs, get married and move out. The on-demand world will clash with planning. Tapping into this shift will require close attention to messaging.
While college 'prepares you for a career or profession' - there is a split between wanting a specific career or a broad based set of skills that prepare one for different opportunities. This suggests two very different segments of people. Other college board findings: An increase in the desire to raise a family and a decrease in 'becoming an authority' in my field. Social aspects take precedence over job aspects; the kicker is that 'being financially well-off' is the same.
Outlaw Consulting asked this group what makes a brand trustworthy? The answers are here. No. 1: Simplicity, which is probably even stronger today. NYTimes site ranks 7th among the trendsetters' top 15 sites -- who says they're not reading.