While many marketers are hyper-fixated on the tech-savvy, unapologetically authentic, 10-seconds-or-less Generation Z audience, marketers would be doing a disservice to themselves by ignoring Gen Z’s older, slightly more subdued counterparts.
When it comes to marketing to parents and families, millennials are still the sweet spot.
These highly diverse, constantly evolving digital pioneers are now in their late 20s to mid-40s, and just reaching major life-shaping milestones. They are progressing in their careers, gaining more disposable income, making major life decisions and purchases, actively parenting and planning for their family’s financial future.
Millennials have also become the largest living generation in the U.S., with a combined net worth of over $8 trillion dollars, spending over $600 billion annually.
They have a major impact on the economy and are shaping the future of consumer behavior.
Marketing to millennial parents requires a deep-rooted understanding of their aspirations and attitudes, their priorities and preferences, and of course, their “deal-breakers,” the things they just won’t tolerate. It also requires a keen ability to cut through the clutter for these busy, schedule-balancing chaos coordinators.
Here’s what you need to know to start reaching the hearts and minds of millennial parents:
They prioritize well-being and are open to help.
Seventy-eight percent of millennials say they are more focused on their and their family’s physical, mental and emotional health than ever before. The pandemic was an eye-opening experience that helped ground this group in what truly matters. They view decisions holistically and understand the impact of their decisions on all facets of their lives. Millennials use connectivity to their advantage and look for outside resources for parental support and guidance, making online groups, reviews and influencers important marketing components.
They put their children at the center of their lives.
While children in past generations largely had to adapt to their parents’ lifestyles and decisions, kids of millennial parents are often in the driver’s seat. Millennial parents spend more time with their children, incorporate their children into household decision-making and are hyper-aware of their feelings. They are focused on positive parenting and raising well-rounded and well-adjusted humans.
They are driven by their values and are willing to align purchasing decisions accordingly.
Coming into this chapter of their lives, millennial parents are more in tune with their own personal values and the societal impact of their choices, and they have a desire to live authentically. They are not easily influenced by marketing. Instead, they seek out brands and make hyper-intentional purchases that align with their parenting style and their goals for their family. They won’t settle for anything else and are 80% more willing to switch brands than older generations.
They look for ways to optimize their efficiency.
They are the have-it-all, do-it-all #FOMO generation, and this is only amplified as they become parents. Their children are more likely to be in multiple activities and have less unstructured, unscheduled time. Millennial parents recognize that they can’t do it all without help. They look for tools, products and services to make their overscheduled lives more efficient through personalization, time-saving measures, streamlining routines and increasing productivity. Multitasking for millennial parents is a way of life, and brands that hinder their ability to get things done won’t have a place at their table.
The digital landscape impacts everything they do.
Millennials are the first digitally fluent generation of parents, so they are more likely to seek advice, share recommendations, engage with brands and make purchases online. Having access to so much information, and having exposure to so many other parents’ lifestyles and choices for their own families via social media, has created a complex consumer journey. An omnichannel approach and transformative online experiences will be a necessity to reach and influence this group.
While these points really just scratch the surface, they emphasize the fact that simply selling products won’t get you to the heart of millennial parents. By understanding that millennial parents are instead seeking authentic and empathetic partners in parenting, partners that lead with their values and can contribute to the growth and optimization of their lives and family, your brand and business can thrive in a competitive marketplace as one of those trusted partners for this influential demographic.
Does your organization need help engaging Millennial Parents? Talk to our Parent & Family Marketing specialists. Drop us a line at [email protected].
