My mother declined my Facebook request. After the traditionally chaotic Clark Christmas, which involved a wonderful 'How does this work?' intergenerational technological mish-mash, she declined my request.
Did I upset her, overcook the turkey, fail to send a thank-you card? No. After a two-hour demonstration of Facebook, followed by a sign-up and photo-upload frenzy, she decided it was not for her, but, as she put it, 'young people'. She did not want to find out what those 800m other Facebook users were up to.
Marketing departments are at risk of taking the same somewhat insular approach. Just look at the gleeful way in which WorldSkills London's research findings, that 72% of 18- to 24-year-olds can set up a wi-fi network, but just 9% can poach an egg, were reported. Generation Y-bashing is the new black.
One consequence of the downturn is that many businesses have stripped out their most junior levels of staff. The assistant brand manager is an endangered species. Research from High Fliers reveals that 49% of media vacancies are likely to be filled by graduates who already work for the employer.
The flip-side of this is that marketing departments are ageing fast. Had they graduated today, many of those now in senior marketing positions would never have got in their foot in the door.
Being young is not a prerequisite for understanding the youth market, but the contempt in which some hold this generation is counterproductive. Smart marketers recognise that engaging with young consumers involves taking on and supporting new, often challenging views and fluid ways of working. In short, there is a lot to learn.
This is going to be a brutal year for young people entering the workplace. The industry should support them, not berate them for their inability to poach an egg.
THE UPSHOT
What marketers need to know about Generation Y
- New ways of working
Vodafone's forward-thinking chief executive, Guy Laurence, re-engineered the entire company in a drive to attract and get the best out of Generation Y. This meant the end of command-and-control management, formal meetings and political wrangling. The decision has helped the company become the Netherlands' fastest-growing mobile operator.
- A new glass ceiling
The financial crisis, coupled with successive governments' strategy of encouraging more young people into higher education, has created a generation whose projected life-arc has suddenly switched from an upward curve to a downward one. The promise that a degree will lead to a steady job no longer holds true. Meanwhile, the lack of movement within companies has meant that many twentysomethings who did make it into the industry quickly hit a glass ceiling. This has left them disenchanted and prone to take career breaks or retrain for another field.
- A new moral compass
The young do not have a monopoly on having a strong moral compass or being concerned with sustainability and social responsibility. However, research by McCann Worldgroup reveals that 'justice' is one of the top three motivations for young people and 90% would tell their friends about unjust behaviour by a brand.
- 'Slacktivism'
Millennials are the least trusting of any generation, so those brands focused on connecting with this audience need to be in it for the long haul. Social media has made 'slactivism' easier than ever, so brands must also tread carefully to avoid being named and shamed on social networks.
Nicola Clark is Marketing's head of features. Follow her on Twitter: @nickykc.