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Millennials, also known as Generation Y, remain a major demographic and economic force in both the UK and the US. In the UK, there were an estimated 14.4 million people aged 25–40 as of mid-2021, representing roughly 21.5% of the population, a bit less than “over a quarter.”
In the US, the Millennial generation is commonly estimated at around 72 million adults, though older estimates sometimes cite up to 80 million depending on how the generation is defined.
Millennial consumer spending in the US has, in prior years, been estimated at about US$600 billion annually, underscoring their significant economic weight. Recent data also shows that Millennials head around 26% of U.S. households, and among those households, average spending on retail and food service was about US$22,300 per year (as of 2024).
This digitally savvy generation is redefining the rules, changing buying habits and influencing trends. Millennials know what they want, and they know what matters to them. They value happiness, sharing and experiences over family, practicality and duty. They are budget-conscious and sceptical. And they have learnt to be multi-taskers and multi-screeners, becoming experts at sorting the good from the bad. But with attention spans now shorter than goldfish, grabbing their attention is key. So how can brands engage successfully?
Tech-savvy Millennials are frequently “always on,” often using multiple devices daily to consume content. Studies suggest many use two or three devices per day, and most own a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet. They increasingly expect brands to provide a seamless, omnichannel experience, across devices and platforms, and often judge brand interactions based on how smooth that experience feels.
Efficiency and convenience are key, so it’s a good idea to use AI and chatbots. Voice capabilities and mobile payments are also increasingly popular. In fact, mobile transactions are set to increase threefold in the next five years. Brands delivering content via a webinar studio are often better positioned to meet these expectations.
Don’t use generalisations about Millennials to make decisions, do real research and use real data to drive your marketing. Understanding your audience: work out trends about behaviours, needs, desires and problems. Then use these true insights, not stereotypes, to help you plan your strategy. Read our blog: Do you know your Generation X from Y or Z?
To engage with Millennials, you need to be willing to adapt your approach to your audience. This means testing your ads and content across a variety of channels and seeing what’s resonating best. Millennials communicate differently, so it’s essential to meet them where they are at; social media, gaming, fun apps and texting are crucial to grabbing their attention. Many brands now rely on live streaming services to stay agile and reach audiences in real time. But you must also be willing to change course if necessary; if something isn’t working, ditch it.
Millennials continue to be among the most active adopters of new technology, especially computers, smartphones, and other gadgets. A large share of Mac computer users now fall in the 18–34 age bracket, and macOS has grown to ~31% of the U.S. desktop-OS market. At the same time, a significant proportion of Millennials express a preference for iPhones over many Android alternatives, and research suggests that social-psychological factors like FOMO (fear of missing out) often influence their decisions to acquire new or exclusive tech products. This suggests that while not every Millennial automatically buys the “next big thing,” many are primed to respond to novel, innovative products or solutions, particularly those that offer status, convenience, or social signalling value.
Create a personalised ‘friendship’ with Millennial customers, make it a two-way relationship and an opportunity for conversations. For example, Oreo tapped into personalised marketing with the Oreo 3-D printer at South by Southwest that used Twitter to help customers customise their cookies. Other brands that have successfully attracted millennials through interactive and personalised marketing include Air Jordan, Pepsi, Macy’s, JCPenney, Ford and Pizza Hut.
Create a more personalised experience for your customers by making relevant recommendations; Millennials like to feel valued and understood. Plus, Millennials love stories about people that they can relate to, so tell them about a customer or employee. They want to see what it’s actually like to use the product, engage with the brand, or experience a company’s values through high-quality video podcast production.
They also want to see what it’s actually like to work inside a company and understand its mission and values, something a specialist video podcast agency can help bring to life.
Traditional advertising is increasingly ineffective with Millennials. Recent data shows that around 63% of Millennials use ad blockers, and surveys of UK internet users aged 16 to 49 consistently find that the majority choose to skip ads whenever the option is available. Compared with Generation X, Millennials are significantly less responsive to traditional branded content and place far greater trust in peer recommendations and social media connections over conventional advertising formats.
Many Millennials don’t just want to purchase from brands; they want immersive, two-way engagement through digital experiences and virtual events. They want to feel heard and build relationships rather than being sold to. Recent data shows that a substantial share of Millennials (about 72%) report rising social-media usage, and many follow or interact with brands on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For most consumers, fast, responsive social-media outreach is expected: roughly 79% expect brands to reply within 24 hours. Moreover, studies show that when brands actively engage, responding to customers, fostering dialogue or building community, Millennials (and younger adults broadly) are more likely to form brand loyalty and view the brand as “social-proof,” rather than passive advertisement.
Millennials are sceptical, so be transparent, genuine and consistent. Ultimately, be human. Share behind-the-scenes info and videos about your company and what you’re working on. Or ask for feedback about your product or service in return for a reward or freebie. If they can relate to and connect with your brand, they will be loyal to your brand.
Many Millennials see the brands they buy as an extension of their identity, for example, a significant proportion still report that a brand’s style, values or vibe reflects their own personality. At the same time, Millennials remain heavily represented in the broader content-creator economy, and a substantial share engage in content creation (e.g. posting videos or social media content). For marketers, this means there is real potential in encouraging Millennials to contribute user-generated content, photos, ideas, stories, linking their life and identity to your brand.
Many Millennials won’t commit to a purchase without doing their homework, reading reviews, doing online research, and often consulting people they trust. For example, a 2024 UK survey found that nearly four-in-five Millennials rank reviews as their top source when deciding what to buy. Others draw on advice from friends, family or trusted peer networks – especially when buying on social-commerce platforms. For brands, this underscores the importance of encouraging feedback, facilitating user reviews, and enabling peer-to-peer recommendations as part of the buying journey.
According to one frequently cited (though not independently verifiable) report, 63% of Millennials said they would be more likely to “check in” to a business via social media if doing so earned them a coupon or discount, and a 20 % discount was reportedly enough to convince nearly half of respondents to visit a retail store. While this suggests that discounts and social-media incentives can influence Millennial behaviour, the original data’s source and methodology are unclear. Therefore, this should be treated as suggestive marketing insight, not a confirmed behavioural norm.
A substantial share of Millennials, especially in uncertain economic times, say they prioritise brands that offer loyalty or rewards programs. In 2025, 81% of Millennials said they would favour brands with such programs. Many people now prefer to manage loyalty-program engagement through their smartphones: recent data shows that 59–70% of loyalty-program members choose mobile apps as their primary channel. This suggests that if your brand offers a well-designed, mobile-friendly rewards program, there is real potential to reach and engage Millennials (and mobile-savvy consumers) effectively.
Track your successes and failures so you can work out what to do next. Why make decisions based on instinct when data is available? Track clicks, conversions and cost per acquisition for every effort. Measuring ROI is especially important when investing in webinar production.
Track your feedback and reviews too – ensure the content you publish is appealing to your target audience. Pay close attention to social engagement and monitor the likes, shares, and comments.
Many Millennials are active in the content-creator economy and often engage in posting videos or social content, including live video streaming, linking their identity directly to the brands they support. A substantial share responds positively to peer reviews, user-generated content or trusted recommendations rather than traditional advertising. For marketers, this implies a valuable opportunity: by creating content that resonates emotionally, is easy to share, and allows for peer interaction, brands can harness social media as a form of organic, word-of-mouth marketing, especially among Millennials.
And why not use their expertise and creativity? Set up a contest to improve an existing commercial or correspondence. Pick their brains to make what you are doing better. Ask them to add to the story or conversation. Then recognise them and reward them, and you may well just win them over.