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Monthly Musings with Marilyn: The Slash Generation

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Sivo Insights

Millennials

According to a recent New York Times Article “The Lives Of Millennial Career Jugglers,” today’s youth switches back and forth between different modalities of fulfillment. This new phenomenon has developed a self-proclaimed “slash” mentality; Doctor/Writer, Scientist/Baker, Researcher/Artist, etc. “While one job usually pays the bills, another gig provides a more creative outlet,” points out the author, Sheila Mirakar. “More than hobbyists, these career jugglers consider their cocktail of roles essential to their well-being and dismiss the notion that they ought to focus on one thing for the rest of their adult lives as boring and antiquated.”

Every generation has a unique driving force that shapes their beliefs about life, work and society. The “Greatest Generation” grew of age during war and depression, which generated the value of profound labor to provide for their families. The Baby Boomers, blessed with their parents’ work ethic and a slew of opportunity, carved the pathway to white-collar careers and honored the value of an esteemed education and the pursuit of the American Dream. Though often targeted as a generation penetrated by laziness and indirection, the tides of interest for Millennials have simply shifted.

Rather than “keeping up with the Joneses,” Millennials believe that career juggling necessitates a more minimalistic lifestyle, at least until their creative entrepreneurship takes off, becoming another burgeoning start-up born out of the generation’s creative and technologically-advanced culture. Thus, they invest their resources into products and services that are disposable, community-oriented, and environmentally conscious.

Since permanence is not a priority to this young generation, companies must adjust their marketing efforts to suit the needs of a populace obsessed with the ability to be malleable in their choices.

Those that make it a priority to “keep up with the Millennials,” will have the opportunity to create brand advocates for life. The choice is up to you – adapt, invest, and understand, or risk the chance of getting slashed from the Millennial equation.

 

~ Marilyn Weiss

President & Founding Partner

 

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“Today’s consumers face unprecedented levels of choice for the items they are seeking to buy. Armed with an in-depth understanding of how shoppers navigate these choices, we can help clients define strategies that build brand preference and drive profits.”

Marilyn Weiss
President and Founding Partner

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