Overall, search engines and TV ads remain the most important brand discovery channels for millennials, as they do for Gen Xers or Baby Boomers. But it’s in looking at the over-indexes where it is evident how third-party digital content sources differentiate millennials from older generations.
Celebrity endorsements, vlogs, and blogger reviews – all forms of third-party content – point towards the potential of influencer marketing among a millennial audience. This is in contrast to Gen X, whose biggest over-index for a third-party source is the more neutral product comparison websites, and Baby Boomers, whose over-indexes are predominantly in print.
These newer types of media are not the be-all-and-end-all for millennials, but content, especially entertainment content, recurs throughout their purchase journey. Their biggest over-index for brand advocacy is access to exclusive content or services (like music or videos); for brand interactions, it is playing a branded game. At all stages of the purchase funnel, content is key to keeping millennials engaged.
