Reaching New Generations
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 08:48AM 
During May and June of 2008, the Economist Intelligence Unit asked 164 corporate executives from around the world what techniques they have found are most effective at marketing to the millennial generation (the generation born between 1982 and 2001).
How to Reach the Millennial Generation
- 41% say participate in viral marketing and peer-to-peer recommendation sites
- 36% say sponsor or advertise in areas of interest to millennials
(e.g., extreme sports, music venues, chat rooms, social networking sites) - 35% say deliver a great product at a great price
- 30% say focus on millennials’ key influencers
(e.g., parents, peers) - 28% say contribute to social causes that millennials support
- 21% say contribute to corporate or issue blogs
- 21% say message millennials through wireless text messaging
- 19% say exploit contests, promotions, and retail tie-ins
- 12% say develop online games for company website
In other words, if your church wants to reach the millennial generation, create a great church experience that is remarkable (creates word of mouth) and targets the key influencers and social catalysts of your local millennial community.
Also, show that you care about the things that they care about by sponsoring local events or participating in causes that they are passionate about. Blog about what you do and use text messaging. And be sure that you keep things fresh and fun with occasional special events, games, etc.
For Discussion:
- What techniques have you found are most effective at marketing to the millennial generation?
No cake - I’m 21!!!
The University of Texas at Austin spent four years studying the drinking habits of 2,200 college students. Using a smaller sample of students, they focused part of their study on how students celebrate their 21st birthday. Astonishingly, 98.7%of college students drank alcohol to celebrate their 21st birthday.
Side Effects of a 21st Birthday
- 78% had ill effects
- 54% got a hangover
- 44% had a blackout
- 39% did not know how they got home
- 34% threw up
- 26% suffered embarrassment
- 22% found out later that they had sex
- 22% got in a fight or argument
- 16% had to miss school, work, or another obligation on the next day
And it is not just binge drinking (defined as 4-5 drinks). Many students are pushing their physical limits to over 20 drinks, an excess that researchers feel is too gluttonous to be only labeled as binging.
Binge drinking sets a lower threshold than what we’re talking about. We’re saying this is more than four or five drinks. Here it’s people having 10 or 20 drinks. Obviously, binge is a bad thing, but it’s not capturing the high end of drinking we’re interested in characterizing here.
One of the things that really struck us is not only that they’re drinking a hell of a lot but about half of participants were drinking not only more on that night, but they’re drinking more than ever in their lifetime. They’re putting in their lifetime maximum number of drinks in that 24-hour period of their birthday celebration.
- Kenneth Sher :: Professor of Psychology :: University of Missouri
Studies show that between 12% to 34% of students consume 21+ drinks on their 21st birthday. If you minister to college students, realize that their drinking problems may be worse than you thought.
For Discussion:
I understand that some theology condemns all drinking and some says that drinking without getting drunk is fine. Clearly, in this situation, the students are getting drunk.
- What are some effective ministry methods to help students overcome the temptation to drink too much or even drink at all?
(please keep the discussion on methods and not dogma)