Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2014 | Page 43
BY JEFF FROMM
Millennial Man
Do beer ads show marketers the way?
B
rands have a new love affair
with millennial men. Who
is the millennial man you
might ask? He is a hard
worker who is typically happier with
his current career and making more
money than his female counterparts.
He also values social media and loves
staying up to date with his favorite
sports team and entertainment news.
Millennial men are also considered to
be gadget gurus and are constantly connected through their multiple devices,
including their smartphone, laptop, and
video streaming software.
Aside from his various devices, there
are a few things that a millennial man
cannot live without. One of those things
is his favorite beer chilling in the fridge
for a night out with the guys or to drink
while watching the game on Sunday
night. As the youngest legal drinkers,
Millennials as a whole have embraced
beer drinking and are transforming
the entire industry. Craft breweries
are popping up all over the country
and Millennials are opting to pay more
for craft beers instead of public brands.
However, there are lessons to be learned
from beer brands that are staying relevant and available to the millennial
men taking over the market.
Brand love is never static
According to research conducted by
BERA Brand Management, there are
five stages of development that parallel human relationships: new, dating,
love, boredom, and divorce. Like every
great relationship, the idea is to remain
“fresh” and “exciting” to the other party.
Heineken has mastered the art of remaining relevant and leveraging their
brand authority to tap into the Millennial thirst for adventure. In its “Depar-
ture Roulette” campaign released last
year, Heineken pushed Millennial men
outside of their comfort zone.
According to Brand Director Belen
Pamukoff, “The only way to connect
with Millennials is to inspire them and
to talk about what they care about. For
Heineken, it’s go beyond your borders.”
Millennials responded positively to the
new campaign, which kept Heineken in
the top spot of favored Millennial beers.
There are a few
things that a
millennial man
cannot live without.
One of those
things is his favorite
beer chilling in
the fridge.
Millennial myths
Millennials are often misunderstood as
the “over stimulated” generation. This
has led to a myth that this generation is
disloyal and will jump to the next best
brand as soon as they are bored with
the first. Clearly people who believe
in this myth haven’t visited Chipotle
to see the line for consumers willing
to pay full price for their Burrito Bowl.
Millennials are an extremely loyal generation and will maintain a relationship
with a brand as long as they continue
to receive functional, emotional, and
participative benefits. Mature brands
are trying to stay relevant with young
Millennials while staying true to what
made them great. Budweiser has been
around for decades and still remains one
of the preferred beers of the Millennial male demographic, though clearly
not without challenges. According to a
study released last year by marketing
technology firm Unruly, Budweiser accounted for 59.2 percent of all alcohol
ad shares in the first quarter. Although
Bud is considered a more mature beer,
new companies have a lot to learn from
this old timer.
Grow Market Lead
Millennials
Corralling the lone ranger
One segment of Millennial men is more
likely than women to value the “lone
ranger” lifestyle. This segment believes
that manhood stems from a desire to
be independent. Research shows that
men, unlike women, would prefer to
eat and travel alone. Brands that target
this Millennial man mindset are aligning themselves with Millennial values
that rank high in the male demographic.
Think of “The Most Interesting Man
in the World” campaign from Dos
Equis. It’s important to note that the
main character is never talking about
the adventures he has with friends, only
of his independent journey. This lone
ranger style of communicating with
Millennial males is becoming popular
among top brands.
Five marketing lessons
1. Understand the headwinds and
tailwinds of Millennial culture.
2. Seek the intersection of your brand
authority and cultural trends.
3. Keep it fresh because love doesn’t
stand still (i.e., boys will look at ot \