New Study Shows That for Millennials, Taking Action on Behalf of Brands is a Core Value

NEW YORK--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations firm, today released 8095 (“eighty-ninety-five”) – a new global benchmark study on how Millennials connect with brands, make purchasing decisions and share their opinions on products and companies with family, friends and extended networks. The study, focusing on people born between 1980 and 1995, finds that globally, at least eight in 10 Millennials have taken action on behalf of a brand they trust – including sharing brand experiences with others, joining online communities and posting reviews online.

“2009 Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year.”

Encompassing interviews with 3,100 respondents in eight countries, Edelman’s 8095 global research indicates that 82 percent of 8095ers have joined a brand-sponsored online community, and nearly half have joined more than three. Forty-seven percent share positive brand experiences online, with respondents from China (61%) and Brazil (57%) most likely to do so. Poor experiences also spark this kind of action, with nearly 40 percent reporting they have criticized a brand on a blog or social network. Further, each action reverberates through extensive networks of sources and peers – online, offline and mobile. More than half of the global respondents say they consult at least four sources of information before making a purchase decision.

“Our Edelman 8095 research reflects a diverse generation whose defining life events thus far include being the first group to grow up with computers as part of their everyday lives, 9/11, the Facebook phenomenon and the Great Recession,” said Christina Smedley, global chair, Consumer Marketing practice, Edelman. “With 1.7 billion global citizens who spend more than $200 billion a year and use online and mobile technologies to amplify their voices, the 8095ers are actively defining today’s global and emerging brands.”

Key insights from Edelman’s 8095 global findings include:

Brand relationships are a form of self expression: Brand preference ranks with religion and ethnicity as top personal identifiers that 8095ers are willing to share about themselves online.
Information is a key to influence: In addition to 8095ers that use four or more sources of information to help them make brand purchase decisions, thirty-one percent use seven or more sources of information.
Taking action on behalf of brands is a core value: Fifty-seven percent of 8095ers would volunteer to try new products from a preferred brand and most would post an online review of the experience.
Reverberation is online, offline and increasingly mobile: For those brands that Millennials love, 68 percent have recommended their products to friends and family and 44 percent have friended/followed that brand on their social network.

“This generation has amorphous communities that are changing our social environment,” said Smedley. “Millennials are not a monolithic bloc; we believe the approach for brands and marketers is to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on participation with these communities.”

As part of the Edelman 8095 offering, Edelman is advancing the study of Millennials with 8095 Live in the United States, a market research online community that will allow brands to tap into a focus group of 500 8095ers. The community will provide real-time insights and opinions and track perception shifts in the midst of breaking news, competitive environments and life stage advancements.

About the Edelman 8095 Global Study and 8095 Live: This survey was conducted by StrategyOne among 3,100 members of the Millennial generation born between 1980 and 1995. The survey was conducted in the following countries: Brazil (n=300), Canada (n=300), China (n=300), Germany (n=300), India (n=300), Italy (n=300), the United Kingdom (n=300) and the United States (n=1,000) with weighting to ensure equal representation from all countries. The survey was conducted online between February 24th and March 8th, 2010, and has an overall margin of error of ±1.8% at the 95% level of confidence. 8095 Live is an online insights community (living focus group) of 500 U.S. Millennials born between 1980 and 1995, built and actively managed by StrategyOne, in partnership with PluggedIN, a full-service provider of online communities for market research and consumer insights. Members engage in survey questions, discussion forums, and more, on a wide range of topics. Not all respondents participate in all engagements.

About Edelman 8095: EDELMAN 8095 is a global initiative created to help brands engage and win over the most influential generation to-date by sparking meaningful conversations that get to heart of how 8095ers take action and influence others on brands’ behalf. With leaders and Millennials in almost every office across the global Edelman network, our thinking is informed to breakthrough to the generation no matter what location, age or subset of Millennials a brand is trying to reach. Find us at Edelman8095.Tumblr.com; Follow us on Twitter: @Edelman8095 and Sina Weibo: T.Sina.com.cn/Edelman8095

About StrategyOne: StrategyOne is an insights-driven strategic consulting firm owned by DJ Edelman, the world’s largest independent PR company. StrategyOne provides evidence based stakeholder insights, analysis and media measurement, and specializes in reputation, branding and communications research, with international capabilities. StrategyOne is a Honomichl top 50 market research firm with offices located in New York, Washington, Paris, London, Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, and Silicon Valley. Visit www.strategyone.net for more information.

About Edelman: Edelman is the world’s largest independent public relations firm, with wholly-owned offices in 53 cities and 3,400 employees worldwide. Edelman was named Advertising Age’s top-ranked PR firm of the decade and one of its 2010 Best Places to Work; Adweek’s “2009 Agency of the Year”; PRWeek’s “2009 Agency of the Year” and “UK Consultancy of the Year”; and Holmes Report’s “Agency of the Decade,” “2009 Best Large Agency to Work For” and “2009 Asia Pacific Consultancy of the Year.” Edelman owns specialty firms Blue (advertising), StrategyOne (research), RUTH (creative expression), DJE Science (medical education/publishing and science communications), and MATTER (sports, sponsorship, and entertainment). Visit www.edelman.com for more information.