Are the Millennials loyal to any brand? On the surface it looks as though they are not. They are wirelessly connected and not afraid to use their mobile devices to find the very best price regardless of the brand. They are wary of any advertising claims and seem to change their minds based on the latest trending tweet. However, studies have found them to be extremely brand loyal - even more so than their parents’ or grandparents’ generations. However, they prefer to engage with that brand much differently and be marketed to in an entirely different way than previous generations.

Two studies came out in the past year which focused on the brand loyalty of Millennials. One was published in Forbes¹ and the other in Inc. Magazine². They both hone in on the importance of marketing that is acceptable to Millennials. Here are a few of the components that drive brand loyalty in the latest generation to capture the attention of corporate marketing.

The social connection is paramount

Marketing to this generation needs a social media component to it where real people can let their likes and hates be heard. There can be no hint of corporate finagling that would put a positive twist on a product or service – that would be seen as disingenuous pandering by the Millennials. They seek out consumer information from blog sites and look for brands that give the consumer a voice on their social media sites. That is not unlike what happened during the Baby Boomers generation with watchdog publications like Consumer Reports. The difference is now there is no middle man/watchdog. The consumer is the watchdog and social media is his publication.

They want to engage beyond a simple purchase

It is not enough for a company to market their wares on social media. Millennials want to engage beyond the purchase. Here are three things that the Forbes study brought out regarding engagement. First, they want corporations to be active on social media and to reach out to them via the new media. According to the Forbes report, 62% of Millennials said they are brand loyal to companies that engage them in this way. That is a bit tricky, because Millennials do not trust advertising. So what kind of engagement do they expect? Special offers and discounts on products? Yes, but it is more than that. The second point that this report made was Millennials want a say so in how you make your products. They want to know where you are purchasing your raw materials, whether or not they were extracted in a way that is in line with their beliefs (non GMO, made from recycled waste, etc.), where your workforce is located, if you are in compliance with child labor laws, etc. But beyond this, Millennials also want a say in making your products better. If it feels like they want to come into the kitchen to cook with you, you are not too far off. If you are making salsa, they want to make suggestions on the latest flavors of your salsa. This needs to be considered when engaging them on social media. It is their expectation. The third part of engagement has to do with corporate giving. Millennials engaged with brands that told about their philanthropic endeavors and beyond. Companies that not only give a portion of their profits to help others, but also allow their employees to give back in hands-on experiences are looked on favorably.

Are the Millennials that much different than other generations?

I am a late Baby Boomer. Being born in the early sixties, I grew up being mentored and taught about life from my parents’ generation, many times referred to as the Silent Generation. Our next-door neighbor was a veteran of WWII. He was fiercely loyal to any brand that was American made and had nothing to do with that which was imported. He was not alone. His generation had made huge sacrifices and bore the scars of turning back tyranny and defending the American way of life. He loved motorcycles. I remember when Japanese made motorcycles – particularly Kawasaki cycles - began to gain a foothold on the American market in the 1970s. He would turn his back whenever he heard one coming down the road, but looked on in fascination when he heard a Harley-Davidson approaching. He worked as a design engineer at a major truck and farm implement manufacturer. When the company was sold to an international conglomerate, he cut the company’s logo off of his hats. Is this really any different than the attitudes expressed by Millennials? They want their say so in who, where, and why a corporation is going about business. They demand certain things from a company before they will purchase anything from them. They are loyal to the brands that play within their parameters. If you step outside their lines, they will cut you off of their hat, too.

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1.10 New Findings About the Millennial Consumer, by Dan Schawbel, Forbes, January 10, 2015, http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2015/01/20/10-new-findings-about-the-millennial-consumer/#3c0d3e3e28a8