Millenials and Pop Culture

Entertainment companies of all kinds continue to seek the Holy Grail--young people between the ages of 18 and 29 who are the trendsetters in determining what is and is not popular culture. Millennials and Pop Culture, a new book by generational experts William Strauss and Neil Howe explores the reasons that Millennials, people born between 1982 and the present, have become turned off by the entertainment establishment and makes recommendations for ways the entertainment giants will have to change if they are going to attract this generation.


One reason this market is so important--in addition to its reputation as trendsetters--is that it is 80 million strong, even bigger than the baby boom generation. Its spending power isn't as deep as the boomers, of course, because these kids are just entering their earning years, but their influence over the spending of their parents and grandparents is great.


Strauss and Howe suggest four strategies for dealing with this generation:
Tell stories in an optimistic framework. Millennials are a "can-do" generation that believes they can sold problems. They are confident as a group and believe they will make a contribution to a better world.
Craft stories about ambitious young women. The new attitudes of young women may be key to this generation.
Craft stories with a new male style. While the baby boom generation wrings its hands about what is happening to young men, these very same young men are creating a new style for themselves. They are ridding themselves of many of the stereotypes that have held them back and accepting the fact that it is okay to adopt some new behaviors that don't emphasize traditional masculine values.
Treat Millennials as active users of culture, not just passive viewers. With all the electronic tools available to this generation, it was inevitable that they would make music, films, games, and other forms of entertainment, not just wait for someone else to do.