Those born after 2000 who are now starting to enter the workplace, dubbed the ‘Post Millennials’,  are the subject of a study by agency M&C Saatchi called Risk, Realism & Ritalin. The report suggests this generation are like middle-aged teenagers – a more risk-averse and pragmatic generation than those that have gone immediately before them.

Integrity is key
Discussing the study, James Page, director at agency M&C Saatchi PR, believes that unlike their predecessors, those born after 2000 have developed a “think small, dream small” attitude. “Responsible, pragmatic and slightly selfish, post millennials aren’t buying the ‘noble purpose’ malarkey that brands are churning out. They want brands to get to the point: tell them what they’re good at, what they do and why. Integrity is the new social responsibility. The question for PR professionals now is will we accept this new risk-adverse mindset when developing future campaigns, or will we become the catalyst to empower them think big again?”

Keep it simple
Page says that communicating successfully with the post-millennial generation is going to require two things: “Firstly, not trying to convince them that by purchasing a particular brand of soap powder they are contributing to solving world peace. Secondly, brands and their strategists need to remember that the stickiest ideas are the simplest ones.

“It’s not that this generation doesn’t care or cannot be persuaded to become involved in a cause or to become a fan of a particular brand, it’s that companies’ mission statements need to be seen as authentic and realistic and be delivered without excess hyperbole.”

Keep it real
Page says that it is time for brand communicators to take a sensible approach, rather than a more whimsical approach that may appeal to previous generations. “The key difference is that post millennials are steeped in a sense of the reality of their own circumstances in opposition to the dreamy millennials who all think that fame and fortune is about to land in their laps. Opposed to appealing to millennial egos, you have to appeal to post-millennial sensibilities.”

The good news for brands is that honesty is definitely the best policy when it comes to appealing to post millennials. Even if this does mean taking what some may see is a more boring approach.

Background
M&C Saatchi commissioned its market research agency The Source to carry out a global qualitative/quantitative study, exploring the views of the post-millennial generation.