10 Things to Know About Millennials

Millennials are a major part of a brand's future. So to help marketers better understand their thoughts, aspirations, motivations and behaviours, we offer a wide range of syndicated studies on this generation. Whether you would like to understand their media consumption, online habits, financial health, food and beverage preferences, gaming frequency or political mindset, we have the data to cover your needs.

We're sharing our latest findings right here for you. Based on our research, here are ten key things you need to know about Millennials.

1. Their media watching lags behind other generations.
   Millennials spend only 39% (2.2 hours) of their media hours watching TV, clips and movies, compared to 49% (2.5 hours) for Gen Xers and 57% (3.4 hours) for Boomers.
2. They're gaming, browsing and social networking.
   Trailing Millennials (18-24 years) spend more time gaming (78 minutes, 20% of 6.3 media hours), browsing (60 minutes, 17% of 6.3 media hours) and social networking (48 minutes, 13% of 6.3 media hours) than any other generation.
3. They love their smartphones...even to shop!
   One-third (33%) of Millennials indicate that they have made a purchase via their smartphone, compared to 8% of those 55 years and older.
4. Social isn't just for catching up with friends.
   Three-quarters (74%) of Millennials are using social networks to find out about news and current events.
5. Their financial health has a better outlook.
   There's no question that Millennials were hit especially hard by the recession, but it appears that signs of a brighter economy are starting to show. In 2015, Millennials have an average household net worth of $121K, which is up from $105K back in 2011.
6. But this generation still isn't satisfied with it.
   Despite this increase in household net worth, Millennials are not happier with their current financial situation. When asked how satisfied they are with it, only 1 in 5 Millennials said they are extremely satisfied.
7. Millennials are often thinking about food.
   While most recipe users are reactive (i.e., look for new recipes only when they know what they are preparing), Millennials are more likely to be proactive, searching for new recipes even if they have nothing specific in mind to prepare (41% vs. 31% overall).
8. They engage in political issues online.
   Millennials are politically engaged, but they are choosing to express themselves online, rather than at the ballot box. In fact, half (49%) indicate that they are active online monthly with political issues, compared with 31% of Gen Xers and 21% of Boomers.
9. You can bet that most will be gambling this year.
   74% of Millennials have played a lottery game in the past year, and another 29% reveal that they have gambled online for money in the past year.
10. Holding a Millennial's attention can be very difficult.
    For many Millennials, even watching a TV program is a multimedia experience - attention is split between the TV program and a multitude of other activities - texting friends, doing homework, eating, listening to music, downloading/streaming other content.

Interested in seeing more useful facts about Canada's Millennials? Download your copy of our detailed Fact Sheet here.