Keeping An Eye on Generation Y Trends

Ownership will take a big step forward in becoming a thing of the past. Students have rapidly adopted platforms like Pandora and Spotify, making the need to ownmusic, even in digital format, less important. In less than six months, Spotify has made it possible for music fans to get access to artists complete collections online, on their tablets, and on their phones. Its easier than ever to carry around their favorite tunes, all organized and bookmarked, without needing to sync or upload songs to the cloud. To Gen Yers, its no longer a question of whether they can find their favorite music online to listen to at their leisure;they expect to be able to do so. And if they cant get the music they want through their subscription services, theyll find a way to get it, even if that means downloading it (gasp!) illegally. Moreover, bands that arent present on Spotify  particularly those indie rock bands students like to discover are missing a major free marketing opportunity via the services integration with Facebook, which posts what users arelistening to for their friends to see, like, and comment onand sometimes to follow up on by checking out the artist themselves.

While this trend may water down the value of individual songs or albums, it adds value to live performances, which cant be substituted, as Jessica Robertson of MTV Hive pointed out to us recently. Shows also add to the personal connection fans feel with bandsthat theyre forging thanks to bands activity on social media.

2. Cable Nets Will Report Higher Numbers Of Cord Cutters

TV networks, particularly those aimed at Gen Yers, are trying hard not to go through the same digital piracy mess that the music industry went through. Theyre finally embracing streaming services. In the final months of 2011, weve seen The CW, Disney, and ABC Family partner with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon to offer theircontent to subscribers, with little, if any, delay following the shows original airing. The nets realize that Millennials arent going to subscribe to expensive cable services when they can get their TV online  and on their own schedules  for just a few bucks a month. What can cable companies offer that Millennials value? Internet access. Thats one cord Millennials will never sever.

Allthis is not to say Millennials wont watch TV anymore. Theyll make an effort to catch their favorite shows when they air on broadcast networks, because they know their friends will be talking about them on Facebook, Twitter, and more (even while the show airs). If their busy schedules get in the way  or if they air on a channel they dont have access to theyll find the shows online rather than be left out of the conversation.

3.Well See What Works In Mobile Shopping Tools

With half the population empowered with smartphones, marketers tried every means possible to assist and persuade consumers making purchases. From QR codes to apps to Facebook pages to text alerts, 2011 saw it all. In 2012, were going to learn what actually works. According to our recent research into studentsback-to-school shopping, new media isnt breaking through the clutter. Even tech-savvy Millennials can be stymied by slick QR codes. Surprisingly, they preferred classic flyers and newspaper inserts to Facebook pages. That doesnt mean marketing via new media is destined to fail, but it does mean marketers need to learn how to better communicate their messages in this space. Social media is about conversation; students dont like marketers to simply use Facebook or Twitter asa megaphone to tell them about products and deals; for them, the purpose of the site is to interact.

4. Students Will Be Toting Tablets

No, most students wont have an iPad, though they aspire to own one. The price tag is too high, and few have received one as a hand-me-down from their parents. Instead, theyll be the proud new owners of a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet, which offer much of the same tablet functionality while fitting in the range ofstudents budgets. Plus, if they already own an e-reader, they can transfer their purchase history to their new tablet. We expect many students will be unwrapping these hybrid tablet/readers as gifts this December. Theyre not a substitute for an iPad, but theyre a step in the right direction.

5. Twitter Takes Over

One of the first apps students will want on their tablet is Twitter. While Facebook is still the leader in social media, youngpeople are increasingly using Twitter as a sort of social media filter. Millennials have been on Facebook for the majority of their teen lives, having amassed several hundred friends on the site  theyve friended just about everyone, from random acquaintances to parents to brands. They dont want to unfriend people (thats not nice), so theyre turning to Twitter as a means to follow just the people and brands they actually care to hear from on a regularbasis. Although the network is more open, it feels more private because theyve managed their connections on Twitter, unlike their approach to Facebook. While this trend is starting small, it will gain steam as more Gen Yers join the network to be where their best friends are. Twitter wont replace Facebook, but young people will spend more time with it because it fills a particular niche.

Gen Yers have also joined Google+, but only because it was the cool thing to do whenthe site launched. They thought the new network was full of possibility. But in fact, Google+ has failed to differentiate itself from Facebook, giving students little reason to invest their limited time in cultivating a presence there. Google+ isnt giving up, still adding new features, but as of now, its fighting a losing battle. Were looking forward to seeing how thingshake out in 2012!"