The so-called “millennial question” has been addressed by popular psychology and business management gurus for over a decade, resulting in a robust archive of advice on how to deal with millennials in the workplace. The negative millennial stereotype goes something like this: narcissistic, impatient, distracted, demanding, social-media obsessed, selfie-taking “me, me, me” generation. At best, answers to the “millennial question” have offered advice on how to effectively motivate and mentor a new generation of workers, and at worst have spread and reinforced sweeping generalizations.

Analyzing millennial stereotypes reveals what our broader anxieties are over new trends and larger socioeconomic forces that threaten the stability of our already knowable past. Leadership guru Simon Sinek notes : failed parenting strategies, technology, impatience and environment. In Sinek’s 2016 viral talk, he stated that millennials’ unrealistic expectations and difficult-to-manage behavior was the fault of their helicopter parents, the influence of technology on their lack of social skills and lack of willingness to commit to a job. However, his advice on how to manage millennials focuses on how they need to change, adjust their expectations and develop the skills they lack, suggesting they need to learn patience, accept their place in workplace hierarchy, get off technology, talk to people, build trust and accept constructive feedback. His most concrete piece of advice is to ban mobile devices in meetings.

Whenever I hear the famous millennial descriptors, I wonder: Who exactly are they talking about? Who are the millennial workers that they encounter? Are they a narrow subset of a generation or a representative sample? Are they from a wealthy, middle-class or low-income background? Are they male or female? Are they white or are they racially diverse? Which millennials have access to decent, entry-level white-collar jobs?

Reactions and Critiques

In response to the popular negative stereotype, writers and researchers (some millennials themselves) have critiqued generational theory as unhelpful and even harmful. Developing a specific set of defining characteristics for any generation is . Generational theory can place blame on a specific group of people for workplace issues and challenges, rather than looking at the wider social, cultural and economic forces that impact how we all function and make sense of a rapidly changing world. Some researchers have claimed that a focus on identifying generational characteristics has produced a sort of generational “othering” where differences are constructed and essentialized. Kristen Hadeed, a millennial entrepreneur, claims that what managers face is a human problem—workers want to feel valued and respected.

A more sociological approach to understanding generational differences can help steer us away from blaming individuals (millennials or their parents) and look toward the social, economic and cultural forces that impact all of us. The parents of millennials (boomers and Gen Xers) experienced or were born into the civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement and a booming economy. The American Dream of advanced capitalism hasn’t changed; we were all hoping we could be anything we wanted, that we were protected from injustice and that higher education and a decent, meaningful job should be available to everyone. Those ideals haven’t changed, but our expectation that they are possible might have.

Myths and Counterpoints: Impatience, Purpose and Impact

A common complaint about millennials in the workplace is that they are impatient—they want to have purpose and make an impact, but are unwilling to commit. The missing piece from this common argument is what exactly the impact is. How is it defined and by whom? Some generational theorists claim that millennials are more socially and environmentally conscious—and that the impact they are looking for relates to business ethics and positive change. In light of recent events regarding Black Lives Matter, the #MeToo movement, the growing gap between rich and poor and lack of access to healthcare, perhaps positive, meaningful impact on the world is a goal that companies need to revisit.

Myths and Counterpoints: Employee Retention

Realistically, how many millennials flippantly leave secure, well-paying jobs? How many millennials have taken on unpaid internships and volunteer work in order to gain experience? Or worked three jobs at a time to get through school or make rent? How many have considered saving money for a down payment an achievable goal? Or feel committed to a job because they have a mortgage? In a recent survey, nearly half of millennials indicated that .

New Opportunities

Millennials aren’t kids anymore; they are mid-career professionals, parents and managers. The current global health crisis has placed us all in positions where we are hyper-dependent on technology and are physically and socially isolated. Workers and management have been forced into schedules that must be highly flexible and accommodating. These are situations in which generational theory claims millennials are comfortable. Perhaps pandemic working conditions have created an opportunity for companies to experiment by creating new ways to engage employees, reduce isolation and improve communication.

More recent research in human resources and employee relations suggests that companies should focus on their own localized work culture in order to identify and address generational gaps. , but that they wanted holistic feedback that includes performance and their role in the culture of the company. Another found that , specifically from their colleagues and peers. Researchers suggest that training opportunities could also be used to create a stronger company culture, with opportunities to socialize and build relationships and mutual trust. Torsello’s 2019 study proposed that . How can companies ensure that theory and practice align and that the work culture they want to promote is experienced by workers on the ground?

Finally, management should be wary of essentialized generational theories and question their assumptions about workers based on their age to ensure they are not ‘othering’ their workers. Generational features and membership are not strict or exclusive categories—but they may provide guidelines and ideas on how to engage and seek out further information on what employees need to thrive.

Photo by Austin Distel on .

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a primary global event that is affecting anxiety across the board. Fear is generally grounded in uncertainty—something which we are experiencing in spades at this moment. However, the American public was primed and ready for these unsettling emotions, even before the crisis hit. Our research at found that fear is nothing new for consumers.

When we conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,002 adult U.S. respondents, we sought to examine the data through multiple lenses. One of these was how fear is affecting different generations. Some marked similarities emerged among people of all ages and, less surprisingly, some key differences that illustrated how fears shift due to life stages.

The Top Fears of Each Generation

As it turns out, we may be more like our parents than we thought. When we tracked the top fears of all generations, we found that there were three areas that everyone—regardless of age—was worried about. From the maturing Gen Z young adults to the often-ignored Silent Generation, all were concerned with healthcare, personal finances and climate change. This cohesiveness was heartening to see, especially surrounding such a diverse set of challenges. Perhaps we can even lessen our combined impact on the environment if we’re all aligned across age groups.

As we , we found other age-related concerns that made sense. Gen Z and younger had education at the top of their list of concerns, as the oldest of this group are just now graduating from college. millennials and Gen X, the most likely to-be parents of school-aged children, were both concerned about gun control laws. With nearly since the highly publicized Sandy Hook disaster, this comes as no surprise.

When we looked a bit closer at the older generations, we found some interesting concerns. In a time when situations abound that should be causing immediate worry, even before the pandemic, baby boomers were most concerned about immigration laws, national debt and protection of religious freedom.

Optimism and the Generations

among the generational groups, combining them into Gen Z and millennials, Gen X on its own and, lastly, boomers and older. The overall picture that we found was one of little enthusiasm for current circumstances or prevailing societal trends, but pervasive optimism that better days lie ahead.

Specifically, younger groups were less likely than older counterparts to report optimism related to financial (29%) or personal issues (42%), but were more optimistic concerning political issues than their older counterparts. They were less likely to feel satisfied with their lives and are less confident overall. However, these younger respondents were also more likely than older generations to think that their future will be better. Respondents ages 55 and above were more likely to be personally happy with their situation (55% positive), but still viewed macro trends negatively, such as the political situation (21% positive).

How Brands Can Address Consumer Fear

Brands must ask themselves questions such as: How is our brand managing the pivot from addressing the needs of boomers to the cultural expectations of younger generations? What areas of social action make sense for us and what are ways to begin testing or developing these positions?

It’s important to deeply understand the changing needs of audience members. If a brand’s target audience is made up of diverse generations, providing services, products and communications that will resonate with all of them can be tricky. Many will be looking to brands to provide assurance during unstable times, taking on the challenge of boosting morale and rebuilding confidence. The right approach to market research and consumer insights can help brands develop consumer-centric actions in the months to come.

The fact is that people are operating from a place of insecurity, driven by long-running trends and emerging concerns. Brands and organizations need to adapt to this reality to maintain authentic, trusting and engaged relationships with consumers.

Photo by Giulia Bertelli on .

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If the “OK, boomer” meme demonstrated anything, it’s how quick many are to categorize and stereotype by generation. But of course, any millennial who’s had to scroll through headline after headline of “How Millennials Killed…” knows this.

Generational stereotypes are easy fodder for pop culture jokes and clickbait-y headlines, but they’ve crept into the workplace as well. In 2015, IBM’s Smarter Workforce Institute published a white paper titled, “Generational Differences at Work Are Much Ado ���������t Very Little,” which study co-author Sara P. Weiner says was written in part because she became fed up with articles making blanket statements about different generations in the workforce.

“It just sat wrong with me,” says Weiner, who currently serves as principal organizational development science consultant at Glint. “I felt that, as a consultant, my clients were getting sent down the wrong path and were focusing on things that were really not actionable.”

According to the IBM paper, a meta-analysis of 20 studies found small-to-moderate differences and inconsistent patterns across generations’ work attitudes. IBM also analyzed data from more than 115,000 employees collected over 18 years and found similar results: that differences in work attitudes were small. Only 0% to 2% of work attitude differences were attributable to generation. But Weiner says that the media latched onto what small differences some studies did show, and beat the drum on those figures.

In turn, some companies started using generational stereotypes to inform how they viewed their workforce.

“The problem is that a lot of organizations are using these heuristics, these generational labels to make decisions about selection or how they target certain groups,” says Margaret Beier, a professor in the department of psychological sciences at Rice University. “I’m not sure how valuable those things are going to be because it’s dangerous in some ways. What it’s doing is relying on stereotypes to recruit, select and retain employees, and that can lead you down a slippery slope.”

Assumptions are made that a millennial worker will be drawn to businesses that offer Friday happy hours, or that baby boomer employees are simply no good at using technology. But these lump categorizations don’t always hold true, and it removes the individual’s needs from the equation entirely.

The Problem with Generational Stereotypes

People are somewhat naturally drawn to using generations to easily categorize others.

“It goes back to this idea of social categorization theory,” says Elora Voyles, assistant professor of psychology at Southern Illinois University. “[It] states that humans naturally group people by their characteristics. It’s easier to think about people as distinct groups, rather than acknowledging that age is a continuum. It’s, for example, easier to say, ‘This person is Gen X,’ rather than just stating their age. When you conclude that they’re Gen X, then it’s easier to assign those stereotypes that you would associate with that category that we’ve, as a culture, developed.”

The stereotypes assigned to these generations don’t always track for each person. For example, someone born in 1982—who would be considered a millennial—likely has more in common with someone born in 1978 and considered a Gen Xer than a fellow millennial born in 1993. The time range we assign to generations tends to be relatively arbitrary.

“When you target any kind of effort on the basis of a stereotype, you’re really going to miss the mark with a lot of people because there’s just a ton of variability within each of these generational groupings,” Beier says. A lot of organizations use these heuristics or generational labels to make decisions about selection or how they target certain groups, but Beier is skeptical about the value of such categorization. Like other stereotypes—such as those based on gender, race or religion—it may not only miss the mark, it could be offensive. “It’s dangerous in some ways,” she says. “It can be as detrimental for different age groups as it can be for any other kind of group to rely on stereotypes to target individuals.”

Voyles outlines three variations on stereotypes and how they can be detrimental in the workforce. First are meta-stereotypes, or the ways in which people internalize how others have stereotyped them. “I found in my own research that when people are faced with certain negative stereotypes [about themselves], they are less likely to step up to challenges related to that stereotype.” For instance, if millennials internalize the stereotype that they’re narcissistic, they may not be as forthright in team projects.

Similar to meta-stereotypes, there’s also the issue of stereotype threat—the idea that when you’re aware of a negative stereotype regarding your group, it’ll negatively affect your performance. “For older workers, this has been shown in research, for example, with memory,” Voyles explains. “It’s been shown with training and technology that when they’re aware, or when they’ve been reminded of negative stereotypes regarding their memory abilities or training abilities, it can produce a decrease in their performance.”

Lastly, there’s evidence that even positive stereotypes related to age—which are stereotypes nonetheless—can have negative effects on workers. In a way, it’s a combination of both meta-stereotypes and stereotype threat. In her own research, Voyles found that people can feel threatened by not living up to a positive stereotype that’s ascribed to their group. For example, there’s an assumption that older workers are wiser and can be looked up to for guidance; however, an older worker who hasn’t been at an organization for long or who recently changed careers can feel threatened by this stereotype and unable to live up to the assumption.

Focus on the Individual

People want to be seen as multidimensional, as the sum of the unique puzzle pieces that makes them who they are as a person. Recognizing them as such—not just as their generation—gives workers due credit.

Just as well-rounded individuals make for strong employees, a strong team should have workers of varying backgrounds. In this way, it’s beneficial not to target specific generations to fill the ranks. Beier says research suggests that age-diverse teams benefit from the expertise of some of the older members and the energy or achievement focus of some of the younger members. Even then, don’t make too much of the differing generations in an organization or team. “When we focus on generational stereotypes, this can increase the likelihood of team fault lines appearing based on age,” Voyles says.

Much as marketers have learned the value of personalization over segmentation, the best course of action is to avoid the natural temptation to assign characteristics to demographics and instead focus on the individual. In fact, there is one driver that most workers agree on: a sense of purpose.

“What they really want is work that provides them with a sense of meaning,” Beier says. “And they want autonomy to be able to engage and work when they want to do it.”

There are five generations participating in the workforce right now, from the silent generation to Gen Z. But that’s only a fraction of the variation in a single company, and not every person from a generation will exhibit the stereotypes ascribed to their age group. As Beier jokes: “You’ll find just as many people in my generation who use their cell phone way too much as you will in the millennial generation.”

Illustrations by Bill Murphy.

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Lifestyle branding, once a term reserved for brands with intangible benefits and aspirational vapor, has blanketed the landscape. Examples of lifestyle branding can be found in even the most functional categories. But through the lens of lifestyle, we still see the powerful strategies of traditional demographic targeting: the semiotics, tone and brand voice of marketing strategies that appeal specifically to age groups or generations.

We can see these strategies manifest in the insightful and psychology-informed differences between ads directed at baby boomers versus their Generation X and millennial counterparts.

There is an inherent tension between customized brand experiences and universal, purpose-driven brand building. How can brands find their happy place, a resonant position in the landscape where every segment feels like the brand experience is uniquely designed for them?

First, let’s look at the attitudinal and behavioral diversity of consumers at large, and how brands are instigating connection and conversation.

Boomers: Respect and Control

The United Airlines Explorer Card campaign is about collecting maximum travel rewards for everything you do. Actress Tracee Ellis Ross, and the dynamic spokesperson for United’s Chase credit card, makes indulgent proclamations of getting ‘rewarded!’ with every move she makes, while service people around her treat her like a VIP. Her expressions of delight and sideways glances signal the deep need for relevance, respect and well-deserved indulgence. Baby boomers are moving into the phase of their lives where they feel entitled to ‘cash in’ on their lifetime of hard work and wealth-building, and it’s clearly reflected in these spots.

Anoro, a medication that manages COPD, is another example that manifests overlapping codes of meaning in its creative campaign. One testimonial-style line declares, “COPD tries to say go this way—I say, I’ll go my own way.” In this clever message, we see consumers’ desire for control and autonomy in their health decisions as they age—control they fear they’re losing. The music choice is perfect: Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” hearkens to a generational zeitgeist of freedom and rebellion, while remaining benign and optimistic. The brand deepens resonance by delivering its message with an overarching tone of individualism, confidence and empowerment.

Gen X: Cynicism and Self-Soothing

When insurance company Esurance rebranded, it tapped into a meta-universe where cynicism is hero and self-deprecation rings true. Its dry-witted spokesperson Dennis Quaid constantly breaks the fourth wall, acknowledging that shopping for insurance is an inherently miserable process. “Let’s be honest: Insurance isn’t sexy. It’s confusing, it’s a hassle.’ Esurance’s approach to radical transparency lays bare the crux of the Gen X condition: deep skepticism about marketing, advertising and, in a broader sense, capitalism itself. As the first generation of economic decline that didn’t do as well as their parents, Gen X wears this cynicism on their sleeves.

Buick’s holiday campaign is a manifesto for the “S(YOU)V”: the vehicle that you gift yourself. In a series of simple vignettes where consumers surprise themselves with a Buick (one vehicle has a tag inscribed with “From: me to: me”), the campaign taps powerfully into the deeply felt tension that Gen Xers live with—that their pride of independence and self-sufficiency comes with an undercurrent of resentment. No one is going to hand them anything, so they might as well treat themselves. The celebratory energy and signoff copy (‘Don’t forget you this holiday season’) puts a lighthearted spin and softer edge on a sharp but crucial insight.

Millennials: Idealism and Uncertainty

With the millennial generation came a new perspective on living: “You only live once,” “living your best life” and “fear of missing out” are all modern aphorisms that, though cliched, uncannily define their approach. In the face of climate collapse, economic shifts and workforce instability, millennials live with a cognitive dissonance between high expectation and profound uncertainty. It’s no wonder that brands are tapping into their longing for fairness and even entitlement more so than with messages of indulgence and lifestyle fantasy. One of the most aspirational of demographics, this generation of dreamers longs for luxury on a budget.

In response, the Jaguar E-PACE ad campaign below presents dynamic, creative lifestyle vignettes of entrepreneurs in the gig economy—an accurate representation of urban millennial lives. The copy, “I spend too much time in my car to drive something boring” and “I need the utility of an SUV, but I want the beauty of a Jaguar” projects an air of confidence and expectation that millennials working for themselves can find a reasonable option in the brand. But the lifestyle dissonance is obvious: The two young Jaguar owners depicted in the commercial are a florist and a painter with median salaries in 2018 of $42,000 and $53,000, respectively.

It’s true that the principles of lifestyle branding dovetail neatly with demographic insight. In broad strokes, generations deal with unique cultural contexts, seismic economic shifts, civic and political realities, and rapidly evolving technology in totally different ways. Their coping mechanisms and internal narratives about the world they live in can be drastically different. Indeed, their lives are drastically different. This is why lifestyle branding has been such a powerful force in our industry in the past 20 years, and shows no signs of slowing down.

The question for marketers is how can keep up with these rapidly shifting landscapes instigating a slow collapse of more conventional generational insights. As generations begin to rapid-cycle every two or three years, how will we respond?

Illustration by Bill Murphy

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I’m Michael McCain, CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, and these are personal reflections. I am very angry, and time isn’t making me less angry. A MLF colleague of mine lost his wife and family this week to a needless, irresponsible series of events in Iran…

— Maple Leaf Foods (@MapleLeafFoods)

The chief executive of the Canadian packaged meats company used his company’s Twitter account to strongly criticize the Trump administration for its actions that led to the downing of Flight 752 in Iran on Jan. 8. Michael McCain angrily launched a series of tweets at “the narcissist in Washington” following the crash of the Ukrainian flight, which killed the wife and son of one of his colleagues. It was an unusual move for a high-ranking executive to take control of their corporation’s social media account to voice such personal, political views. But McCain “gave great thought” to his remarks, according to Maple Leaf’s VP of communications, and asked to make the posts.

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A woman who flubbed a simple question on “Family Feud Canada” received $10,000 from the brand she incorrectly referenced. The question, which only had one answer, was “Name Popeye’s favorite food.” Rather than answering “spinach,” as the question was in reference to the cartoon character, the contestant answered “chicken.” Popeyes—the restaurant chain that’s seen plenty of PR for its highly in-demand chicken sandwich—responded to the gaffe by offering the woman $10,000 worth of Popeyes food, tweeting, “Our survey says you got that right. DM us to claim your $10,000 worth of Popeyes. #LoveThatChickenFromPopeyes.”

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After The New York Times about requesting access to user data—as required under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)—consumers were jarred by companies’ requests for additional data. For example, Berbix, a company that verifies people’s identities when they ask to unlock their data, asks consumers to upload photos of their government ID and to take a selfie. The company then requests a second selfie, but it asks the user to look “happy or joyful.”

While requestors may be flummoxed by the need to upload additional information about themselves, Berbix’s goal is to ensure the requestor isn’t faking their identity by uploading photos they find online of a person. Researchers have shown how relatively easy it is to claim another person’s identity when requesting data, which can allow for the unlocking of information from credit card numbers to passwords. “Regulators need to think more about the unintended consequences of empowering individuals to access and delete their data,” Berbix founder Steve Kirkham told the Times. “We want to prevent fraudulent requests and let the good ones go through.”

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The latest companies under fire for potentially violating data privacy laws are some of the biggest names in online dating. A new report by the Norwegian Consumer Council finds that Grindr, OkCupid and Tinder, mobile platforms meant for on-the-go romance, have been sharing user’s location information, gender, sexual orientation and dating preferences—and in the case of OkCupid, answers to sensitive, optional questions. The data is handed off to advertising partners, who can use the data as they see fit or sell it to other third-party vendors. These particular findings are troublesome in the European Union, where new privacy laws are being developed, as well as countries such as Pakistan and Qatar that outlaw same-sex practices. As of now, the report is still being circulated and no changes to policy have been reported.

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For many years, the name Hummer—a behemoth SUV made by General Motors—was considered a gas guzzler, and the line was pulled in 2010 when GM went bankrupt. Given the popularity of electric vehicles and gas-efficient cars, it seems odd that the Hummer could fit into today’s automobile landscape, but GM is reviving the brand as an electric pickup truck. Sales are expected to begin in early 2022, with a Super Bowl commercial starring LeBron James slated to air next month. Hummer will return as a member of the GM brand family rather than a standalone brand, as it was before discontinuation. The introduction of the new Hummer falls in line with a trend coming out of Detroit to offer larger electric vehicles while getting rid of many lower-margin passenger car models. As is the case with many electric cars, GM hopes niche customers will pay a premium for the new Hummer.

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The U.S. Census Bureau plans to spend $500 million on public education and outreach for the 2020 Census, including more than 1,000 ads intended to reach 99% of all U.S. households. The includes advertising, public events, partnerships and digital and traditional media. Many of the ads target immigrant and minority communities and emphasize that data collected is confidential and cannot be shared—including with other government agencies.

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Hummer photo by Spencer Davis on .

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To connect with younger generations in 2020, marketers might want to consider populating their materials with pictures of feathered hats, tarot cards and marijuana plants. , which compiles data from the company’s more than 1.9 million users, notes that popular images in 2020 will likely highlight “The Roaring ’20s”—the occult, floral prints and cannabis iconography.

The methodology behind the report includes analyzing query growth in each of the major categories. The phrase “gold pattern,” a staple of the 1920s, was searched 4,233% more than in previous years, with “’20s retro” at 189% and “linear geometric” at 106%. Searches for “magic” and “spiritual,” which return images associated with the occult, also increased by a triple-digit percentile. Shutterstock specifically notes that “alt-faiths and age-old beliefs are enchanting millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha.” In the following two plant-based categories, “flowerscape” results were up 141% while “marijuana” increased 154%.

Like cannabis, other entries in the nine-item list reflected societal shifts toward activism. The presence of “Wild life” demonstrating an increase in outdoor behavior and a mindset of nature and sustainability. No. 9, noted as “one to watch,” was “protest art,” in which searches for the inequality icon were up 465%.

Last year’s report was dominated by “everything old is new again” motifs. The 1980s featured prominently in the 2019 Creative Trends Report, including searches for “chain print,” “snakeskin pattern” and “leopard print.” The “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” theme featured bright neon light grids and trippy visualizations, and “romance” captured the historical timeframe with cherubs and bards abound. Most notably, the No. 1 trend, “zine culture,” included images that appeared to be assembled from analog magazine cutouts but were prominently featured on social media.

In a statement accompanying the report, Shutterstock’s associate creative director Flo Lau views this year’s trends as an indicator that consumers are hungry for answers and action. “The 2020 Creative Trends Report is filled with a sense of uncertainty, resilience and demand for change,” she says. “We’ve already started seeing these design elements being leveraged in various ways across the world in campaigns, social media, packaging and even fashion—from major retailers like Amazon and Coach leveraging elements of astrology online to help customers shop according to their horoscope, to florals exploding on the runway in major ways for Dior Cruise 2020 as well as Ralph Lauren pre-Spring 2020.”

to learn more about upcoming image trends and how your brand can utilize its findings to create a distinct look that roars into 2020.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock

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With the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) taking effect on Jan. 1, many publishers have sent out notices dutifully informing recipients of their changing privacy policies. But many websites appear to be complying at minimum with the statute’s regulations, burying “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” buttons or links at the bottom of pages or behind dense fine print. Smart marketers would do well to educate users on their privacy options, not simply uphold the letter of the law.

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Frederick’s, one of the first established lingerie brands to achieve mainstream popularity, is altering its brand with a new campaign to widen its audience and reach millennial consumers. Headlined by a 12-minute “action mini-series” video featuring four female internet personalities, the campaign is a major gambit for the notorious naughty underwear brand—critics question the overall strategy, positing that Frederick’s is only diluting its image.

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Eater takes a look at how the rise of plant-based meat substitutes has turned the phrase “plant-based” into a phrase that “means everything and nothing.” According to the article, the phrase is now being used to refer to products that were already vegan or vegetarian, like pasta. It’s a move not unlike marketers slapping the label “gluten-free” on products already obviously gluten-free. “By futzing with the assumed connotations of plant-based (i.e., a meat substitute made from plants), brands can use the buzzword to their advantage, and stretch it to cover almost anything but meat. But describing a product as specifically plant-based when the product it’s riffing on is also plant-based is redundant at best and cynical at worst, an attempt to sell customers something ‘new’ that’s not really that new.”

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Twitter introduced a new Promoted Trend Spotlight on Monday that allows advertisers to take over the top section of the social media platform’s Explore tab. Similar to its Promoted Trends ad, the Promoted Trend Spotlight allows for six-second videos and GIFs, along with static images, to appear at the top of the Explore tab for a user’s first two visits per day. After being viewed twice by that user, then placement moves to the Promoted Trend placement and organic editorial content replaces it in the Spotlight location.

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An article without a byline that positively describes Facebook’s efforts to safeguard political speech was posted to TeenVogue.com on Wednesday, but was soon edited to include a line in italics at the top that read, “Editor’s note: This is sponsored editorial content.” The post, “How Facebook Is Helping Ensure the Integrity of the 2020 Election,” was eventually taken down. Condé Nast, which owns Teen Vogue, apologized in the labeling of the piece and for any confusion it may have caused. Facebook pitched the idea for the article last year when it was in talks with Teen Vogue about the Teen Vogue Summit. Facebook was a sponsor of the event, and its paid partnership included sponsored content.

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While retail sales soared over the holiday shopping season, particularly online, some large chains posted noticeably weaker returns. J.C. Penney, Kohl’s and Victoria’s Secret saw lower sales in November and December, with the latter noting particular slumps in women’s retail. These three companies lost out to bigger retail outlets such as Amazon, Target and T.J. Maxx, which offer comparable products with additional convenience at lower price points. Analysts are not optimistic that these companies can turn things around in the new year, either. When companies like Costco and Walmart are similarly jumping up in revenue, it has become apparent that the bigger the retailer, the better the holiday 2019 positioning—even among titans.

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Photos: TIME home page screenshot via Marketing Land; ‘Plant-Based’ by Vegan Liftz on ; Teen Vogue via screenshot

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The buying behaviors and habits of millennials have influenced many industries, as companies try to tap into the group’s growing buying power. (Millennials are estimated to spend .) The healthcare industry, however, has largely ignored this demographic. But now, with the oldest millennials approaching the age of 40, healthcare marketers have a new urgency to reach them.

Millennials generally haven’t had a significant need for healthcare besides maternity needs or the occasional urgent care visit. But as they get older, they will start to need more profitable service lines such as cardiology or orthopedics.

Here are three ideas to consider when creating marketing to reach millennials.

Use Social Media to Your Full Advantage

Millennials and social media go hand in hand, as they have grown up using these sites to do everything from keep in touch with friends, read the news, search for reviews or ask for advice. However, simply being active on social is not enough to get the attention of millennials. With thousands of images, videos and messaging flying by every day, why should someone stop and pay attention to something from a healthcare brand?

In order to gain traction, both organic and paid content needs to provoke “meaningful interactions.” This primarily means getting comments and shares. Marketers should think, “If I saw this in my newsfeed, would I want to share it with my friends?” If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board.

Here’s one example of a successful social video: a by Bellevue Woman’s Center that highlighted what it means to be a woman and generated the most social engagement from any campaign in the company’s history.

Here’s an example of two physician-promotion posts on Facebook. It’s easy to see which is more visually interesting and intriguing.

Build and Maintain Trust

Many millennials have a distrust of the healthcare system because it has become so difficult to navigate, not to mention the of seeing a physician. This causes many people to put off getting care, or to self-manage their own conditions, which can lead to misdiagnoses that cause more future problems. Is your digital marketing doing anything to build trust or is it purely informational? Is there a way you can tie in trust to your brand?

Despite stereotypes of millennials going all-digital, they still want a human connection. For healthcare, this means being able to talk to a human being when they have a question or concern, or feeling like they’re truly being heard by their doctor. Do you have phone lines that are answered by real people? The ability to chat 24/7? Transparent pricing listed on your website? These are all important things that your millennial consumers will want to know about.

was focused on the message: “We’ll treat you right.”

Manage Online Reviews

Because millennials rely on user reviews before making any kind of purchase decision, reviews play a very important role in bringing new patients to your organization. Positive reviews are great, but negative reviews need to be addressed as well. Every negative review should be responded to in a timely manner. The marketing and administration departments should work together to create standards on how to handle negative reviews. Even if nothing can be done to fix the situation, patients need to at least be acknowledged. Then, when a potential new patient is looking at reviews, they can see that the health system is at least reaching out to try to amend the situation.

When planing your next digital or social media campaign, don’t discount the wants and needs of millennial patients. And don’t expect the same tactics you’ve been using to suddenly gain their attention. Focus on building trust now, and they will be more likely to continue coming back.

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Gen Z, now the largest generational group, is quickly getting more spending power.

Millennial Marketing’s “” reports that Generation Z—the generation born in or after 1996—already spends $44 billion a year on themselves and influences $600 billion in other people’s spending. Earlier this year, research from Epsilon found that Generation Z is than any other generation.

Francisco Serrano, CEO and president of and author of Brain-Ding The Strategy: A successful marketing plan has to include brain-ding as the ultimate strategy, says that he’s built his company on the principles needed to reach Generation Z: Reach them fast, provide instant gratification, be relevant and engaging.

“Brand marketers that currently market to Gen Z successfully are doing so by appealing to this sense of freedom,” he says. “Being transparent, creating brand experiences and marketing tactics that subvert gender and racial stereotypes are all ways some of the best brands are getting through to Gen Z.”

Marketing News spoke with Serrano about how brands are currently marketing to Generation Z, what must change and what will happen to brands that don’t change to meet the desires of the youngest generation.

How do most brands currently market to Generation Z?

Many brands market to Gen Z as if they are millennials. This is largely due to both generations being technologically savvy, as most millennials and Gen Z members can maneuver the digital world with ease. However, these two generations should never be lumped together. Millennials are cord-cutters while Gen Z never had cords to cut. Their use of devices that aren’t tethered to a physical location is a symbol of the freedom Gen Z feels from traditional social norms.

Gen Z will represent 40% of the market by 2020. How must brands change to meet their desires?

Brands must be willing to be as diverse as this young generation when it comes to messaging. Gen Z has been miscast as not being loyal to brands—that simply isn’t true. Appeals based solely on the weight of a brand’s name are not as effective, but brands that prove they care about the same issues as younger consumers can turn perceived apathy into genuine loyalty.

Telling authentic stories that allow for an intimate look into the purpose behind the brand is one of the best ways to capture the attention of Gen Z. This is risky, as oftentimes this may result in taking sides on an issue, but this generation isn’t moved by neutrality.

If you aren’t visible and engaged with the media outlets they turn to, then it’s a moot point. Gen Z members are far more likely to be browsing social media on their smartphones than sitting down and watching television. The health and beauty industry, specifically makeup brands, has been a shining example of how to reach members of Gen Z where they already are.

Cosmetic brands, by taking advantage of mobile devices, Instagram and YouTube, have started steering away from celebrity endorsements and toward opinion leaders within the communities where younger people interact. These micro-influencers are proving to be a great investment for brands, but brands can and should be looking at a targeted mix of popular content formats such as podcasts and livestreams, which are great for engagement.

You said that brands must reach this generation of consumers quickly and provide instant gratification. What’s the best example of this you’ve seen on the market?

Amazon is one example of a brand that is reaching consumers quickly and creatively. We all know about two-day shipping, but they are constantly looking for new ways to innovate their delivery systems. Amazon is doing some cool things in the world of marketing as well, such as subscription services and the ability to make purchases with voice through their Amazon devices. These tactics highlight Amazon’s speed and innovation and are strongly pushing CPGs to market these capabilities.

Because of their size and ubiquity, Amazon has multiple niches and the luxury of being selective, so they invite influencers to sign up instead of seeking them out. A lesson that many brands can take away is how Amazon is able to lead Gen Z members to its own platforms. The company concedes space on their website to these influencers, which not only goes further than putting products in the hands of influencers, but links Amazon to Gen Z’s preferred sources for purchasing decisions.

What tools must brands use to provide content that’s not only fast and gratifying, but relevant and engaging?

Speed really is the name of the game. One of the more exciting tools available that can help deliver quality content efficiently is artificial intelligence. Providing mailing lists as an example—it is possible with AI to go further than just including the recipient’s name in the subject line while keeping body copy the same. Real-time data collection can deliver hyper-targeted information that is truly personalized, making for much more effective communication. It really should be the ace in the hole for brand and content marketers.

What do you think will happen to brands that don’t change their techniques to meet the next generation of consumers?

Saying brands will disappear sounds like an overstatement, but it’s corporate Darwinism. Seemingly eternal names such as Blockbuster and Kodak are famous cases of brands not being agile or fast enough to think about what’s coming and act.

Gen Z is driving what is to come and what is thriving here in the present. As brands are starting to tap into what makes Gen Z, well, Gen Z over time, it will become harder and harder to be appealing to a maturing generation.

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Millennials seem to be the hardest demographic to understand. Their online media consumption and sentiment toward online advertising is ever-changing—indeed, they could aptly be referred to as “the motion generation.”

To learn more about millennials’ online content engagement, conducted a of more than 1,100 Americans to discover what catches their eye.

One of their first findings: In an age where social media feeds are oversaturated with well-designed, high-quality, eye-catching static content, video advertising is the last remaining medium that can truly grab a millennial’s attention and hold it long enough to procure an engagement.

Shifting Preferences

Although it may not be immediately obvious, millennials do in fact engage with online advertising content—they’re to do so than older generations. Millennials said they were most likely to engage with online video over any other ad medium.

In many ways, YouTube has assumed the functional role of television for millennials. According to an , millennials watch more digital video than traditional video content, making YouTube an incredibly important tool for marketers.

While Facebook is still the dominant social media platform and reaches the widest audience, the preferences of younger millennials have begun shifting toward YouTube and Instagram, where video content is more readily available and more fundamental to the experience. However, despite the recent millennial migration away from Facebook, ads run on the social networking megalith are still more likely to lead to a purchase than ads run on any other platform.

The 18-24 demographic’s egress away from Facebook may be due in part to the security breaches and Cambridge Analytica scandal that have made their way around the news circuit the past year. In our survey, stated that they are concerned about how Facebook is using their personal data, and it appears these anxieties are affecting the group’s spending habits. Young adults are than baby boomers and Generation Xers to make a purchase after viewing a Facebook ad.

Facebook may be king of the hill, but Instagram and YouTube are becoming increasingly popular among younger adults. It’s time for brands to build on these platforms if they want to remain relevant.

Building a Personal Connection

As privacy scandals make younger audiences more suspicious of large, faceless organizations, they simultaneously push them to reposition users’ trust into brands with whom they feel they can foster a more personal connection: namely, influencers. Millennials are than older generations to buy a product that was suggested or recommended by social media celebrities.

The inconspicuousness of product placements in influencer promotions may be partly responsible for this trend. When it comes to social media marketing, the best advertisements are often those that appear just like normal posts. No better way exists to achieve this effect than by working with influencers. Ads are normally demarcated as sponsored content, but influencers promote products by less obtrusively slipping them into their feeds, easing the audience’s transition from leisure to promotional experience. This allows a trusted third-party buffer to temper the feeling that one is being advertised to.

Even when brands forego influencer marketing, they’re often most successful when making their sponsored posts blend into the user’s feed. Starbucks recently ran a successful in which it slyly featured one of its products in a picture of a mural. The ad could easily have been a post from a personal account, and the use of emojis in the caption gave a personal, non-corporate feeling to the promotion.

Millennials have made it clear that aesthetics are very important when evaluating the trustworthiness of a brand and their likelihood of engaging with it: stated that an app or website’s appearance is an important factor when deciding whether or not to submit personal information. With millennials’ increasing need to feel that they are dealing with organizations they can trust, looks are essential in conveying that sense of security.

While the mode of expression of a marketing campaign drastically affects conversion rates, the type of content is also of great importance. During a partnership with Google, HP found that it only had a to capture its audience’s attention with YouTube ads.

So, how can a brand pique a millennial’s interest?

The Power of Funny and Informative Content

Millennials want to laugh and learn, ideally at the same time. Marketing campaigns that provide value to their audience through funny and informative video content stand the best chance of engaging their viewers. Humorous content is the most likely to strike a chord with millennials (), while informative content comes in second ().

Both amusing and informative advertisements elicit good responses from millennials and baby boomers, with the latter demonstrating a slight preference for informative ads. However, marketers need to exercise caution when trying to grab their audience’s attention with a shocking ad, as these performed abysmally across both generations—only stated that unsettling ads resonate with them.

Although this generation has its idiosyncrasies, millennial marketing is not such a hard nut to crack. Millennials crave content that feels valuable, honest, personal and sticks out from the rest of their feeds. The best way to accomplish this is to create video marketing campaigns that utilize influencers and provide funny, informative content to a brand’s audience.

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