Just as Generation X defined the youth of a decade living in the shadow of the baby boomers, it seems that the ‘Millennial’ has become one of the biggest buzzwords in recent times in describing the generation who came of age at the turn of the 21st century.
Defining such a wide range of people has many issues, but it seems that one thing is perceived to unite the Millennial generation, and that’s their willingness to live a large amount of their lives within the digital realm.
It’s a concept that’s not been lost on major institutions and big businesses, as everything from politicians to TV shows and gaming sites seem to be in thrall of how they can best serve this increasingly influential generation.
Many cultural commentators have reported that the Millennial generation are not apolitical, but are increasingly sceptical of the established political parties. Such an issue has already formed a central point behind everything from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to concerns of how to boost voter turnout in the digital era where it’s Facebook, rather than mainstream newspapers that are more likely to form opinion.
The entertainment realm is full of interesting new programming that seeks to facilitate and give a voice to this potentially lucrative generation. Although the recent Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X television show may not exactly be highbrow culture, it swiftly indicates how there is a marked difference between the two generations that is rapidly being exploited.
It’s through the omnipresent smartphone that many big businesses are targeting the Millennials. Not only has it become essential for firms to develop their own apps and social media accounts to facilitate a Millennial-friendly relationship, but the endless thirst for faster and more responsive technology has meant that brands like Apple and Google have become almost totemic for the new generation.
And who’d have imagined this five years ago, but such is the rapid success of online gaming brands like Lucky Nugget Casino, that many other industries like music, publishing and movies are finding that their futures are also becoming increasingly reliant upon mobile handheld technology.
But it’s not just mobile casino games and music streaming sites that are entertaining the new youth market, as above all, it’s how they are entertaining themselves through social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat that could be perhaps the most defining characteristic.
All of which shows that it’s self-empowerment through digital technology that means that the Millennial generation will be perhaps the most informed and liberated generation yet.