There are 1.8 billion millennials—or members of Generation Y—in the world. Needless to say, this age group makes for a huge target audience. Born between 1981 and 1996, this socially conscious generation constitutes 23% of the global population. In the United States, there are 74.19 million millennials, and they recently surpassed the baby boomers (born 1946–1964) as the biggest generational cohort.
Their demographic size and subsequent purchasing power make nailing millennial marketing critical, but winning them over is not always straightforward. Keep reading to learn how you can tap into the millennial mindset by creating content that resonates and building meaningful relationships with this expansive target market.
Who are millennials?
Forget the jokes about how millennials spend all their money on fancy coffee and avocado toast. In the past five years, they’ve been accumulating wealth. Millennials’ total net worth has nearly quadrupled since 2019: It grew from $3.94 trillion in Q3 2019 to $15.95 trillion in Q3 2024, according to Federal Reserve data.
Given the generation’s size and combined spending power, millennials are a crucial segment to win for the sake of ecommerce success. More than half of US millennials shop online at least once a week, so reaching them via social media platforms—especially on mobile devices—can go a long way.
Overall, the millennial audience values authenticity: 90% of them agree that brand authenticity is key when making purchasing decisions, so phony or cheesy marketing campaigns are a no-go for this age group. Other key values include social responsibility and sustainability.
Millennials vs. Gen Z
Both millennials and Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are tech savvy and at home with mobile-first technologies. But there are key differences between millennials’ interests and Gen Z’s preferences. Millennials grew up alongside the internet, witnessing its evolution, while Gen Z grew up with the internet, becoming the first digital-native generation. Here are two key differences to keep in mind when it comes to these two groups of potential customers.
Relatability
While both generations gravitate toward relatable and authentic content, successful millennial campaigns lean more heavily into emotional storytelling, aesthetics, and personalized engagement.
“Compared to Gen Z, who thrive on disruption and originality, maybe even quirk, millennials tend to prefer consistency, intentionality, and a sense of elevated style,” says Cristina Suarez Krumsick, founder and CEO of creative agency Isetta.
Social media consumption
Gen Z favors video-first platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. Eighty-two percent of Gen Z are likely to have a TikTok account, which supports a generational shift in app preference. While not immune to the allure of video-based apps, millennials still engage with text and photo-based apps, such as LinkedIn and Meta’s suite of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Gen Z is also more inclined than millennials to use social shopping, with 42% likely to buy holiday gifts through social media, while this behavior concerns only 26% of millennials, per EMarketer.
Millennials vs. Gen X
Compared to millennials, Gen Xers (1965–1980) have been neglected by marketers. Gen X accounts for only 5% of brand spending on influencer campaigns; that goes alongside a considerable lack of research involving this generation, with only 4% of generation research conducted by the advertising industry on this cohort.
Yet capturing Gen Xers pays off: Since 2021, it has been the highest-spending generation. Their buying power is around $15.2 trillion in 2025, projected to reach $23 trillion by 2035. Here’s more on how Gen Y and Gen X compare:
Meaning of authenticity
Millennials and Gen Xers differ in their preferred marketing approach. “Gen X gravitates toward authenticity grounded in practicality, with more straightforward messaging, whereas millennials are looking for deeper resonance that sends some kind of signal about who they are,” Cristina says.
Social media consumption
When it comes to social media, Gen Xers are faithful to legacy platforms. In particular, Facebook remains Gen X’s favored platform, with 92% of them having an account and 40% of them using it to find and buy products. In terms of marketing, 32% of Gen X consumers were very likely to make a purchase influenced by a brand’s newsletter.
Financial responsibilities
Millennials and Gen X share substantial financial preoccupations. Both are now sandwich generations, supporting both their children and their aging parents. “[Most] Americans in their 30s and 40s have an aging parent and at least one child younger than 18,” reports the Pew Research Center. “This is the case for nearly all sandwiched adults in their 30s (95%) and 65% of those in their 40s.”
4 tips for marketing to millennials
- Invest in user-generated content
- Cultivate genuine influencer marketing
- Curate your content and products
- Offer rewards and discounts
When it comes to developing your own marketing strategy, there are a few key approaches that can help you reach the millennial audience:
1. Invest in user-generated content
Most ecommerce shoppers have sifted through online reviews before making a purchase—but sometimes it’s hard to tell if reviews are legit. User-generated content (UGC) comes off as more thorough and genuine, and its value is projected to reach $32.6 billion by 2030. More importantly, more than 78% of millennials feel UGC is more trustworthy and valuable than brand, retailer, or influencer content, with a preference for video as a medium.
“UGC and reviews are key tools for eliciting participation and building trust, especially if it comes from someone within their network or a couple steps removed from their network,” Cristina says. “This means that building trust requires both macro- and micro-seeding within intentional subcultures that will really speak to the consumer.” Seeding involves sending free products to influencers (both macro influencers and micro influencers) with the hope that they’ll create content featuring the product.
Mayo brand Ayoh, for example, leverages seeding to sandwich aficionados of all types, including sandwich shop owners and family-oriented picnic packers in tertiary markets. “This creates social proof and a sense of inclusion for consumers, two key drivers of loyalty,” Cristina explains.
2. Cultivate genuine influencer marketing
As a professional category, influencers reached critical mass in the early 2010s, right with the rise of Instagram and when the oldest millennials were in their early 30s. Many of the early influencers started out as YouTubers or bloggers, building authority—and an audience—within a specific niche.
“Millennials can detect inauthenticity quickly, so influencer marketing must prioritize genuine enthusiasm,” Cristina says. “The most effective campaigns involve creators who are real fans of the brand, who use their own voice and storytelling, and who aren’t overly scripted.”
The OB/Gyn-founded vitamin brand Perelel Health, for example, often partners with lifestyle influencers like Pia Baroncini, who has PCOS and has seamlessly integrated Perelel’s different products into her daily routine.
3. Curate your content and products
Curation is essential for millennials’ self-expression, and this extends to marketing. “Millennials came of age with Instagram and Pinterest—platforms where curated lifestyles are the norm—for them, status is more visual and emotional,” reports Vogue Business.
“Millennial consumers love lo-fi authenticity over polish, but still with clean aesthetics—different from Gen Z’s proclivity for a more unfiltered, chaotic authenticity,” says Cristina.
Take brands that are now targeting new millennial parents. Clothing brand Dôen sells Family Sets that offer coordinated clothing for parents and children. It aims to create a unified aesthetic that appeals to the overall consumer palette for millennials.
Non-alcoholic apéritif brand Ghia combines high-design packaging with the story of founder Mélanie Masarin’s French upbringing and ties to Mediterranean culture and a robust line-up of products. All of those products come through in the brand’s Instagram, the founder’s Substack, and in the brand’s own Spotify page, which comes with curated playlists that match the mood of the drinks across seasons.
4. Offer rewards and discounts
Despite commanding a sizable amount of wealth, millennials came of age during the 2008 recession and are now caring for children and elderly parents. They may be more frugal as a result. Referral programs, discount codes offered during podcasts, and subscribe-and-save options are a good way to win them over.
Flamingo Estate, for example, offers site-wide discounts for its members and also uses its seasonal subscription boxes for limited-edition products.
Marketing to millennials FAQ
How do you market toward millennials?
In order to successfully market toward millennials, use a combination of authenticity and curated aesthetics. In terms of format, prioritize those that lend themselves to a clear narrative arc, such as founder stories on podcasts, Substack posts, and even lengthy, detailed YouTube product try-ons. Rely on digital marketing over more legacy mediums.
Where is the best place to advertise to millennials?
YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook are the platforms that millennials engage with the most. Millennials also have the largest presence on popular platforms like Reddit (43.3%), LinkedIn (35.8%), and Pinterest (33.1%).
What are millennials buying the most?
Millennials often prioritize experiences over possessions, so they make purchases in food, travel, and live shows. They also buy apparel, personal care, self care, and stress-reduction products.
