The New Lost Generation, The Disruptive Generation, The Loneliest Generation, The Burnout Generation….

The above monikers have been tagged to Millenials at various points in the last few years. The veracity of the above terms are subjective but one thing we can collectively agree on is that they are the ‘Most Researched Generation’.

But why are the millennials in the Middle East and around the world so intensely scrutinized?
On the surface, it’s easy to attach straightforward and templatized personas to this segment – they are born between 1981 and 1996, they don’t leave their homes without their smartphones, they’re obsessed with social platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, and they’re more vocal when it comes to issues like social inequality, climate change and oppression of freedom.

So why are brands and research agencies spending millions of dollars to study their psychographics and behaviors?

First is their sheer spending potential – In 2018, the global millennial spending power was calculated at a whopping $2.5 trillion!

And secondly – their familiarity with technology is at once disrupting and shaping the future of everything from media, manufacturing, education, retail and transportation.

How are millennials in the Middle East different from their global peers?
• Higher Spending Power
• Wider Generation Gap
• Greater Brand Loyalty
• More Entrepreneurial

Middle Eastern Millennials: Brand Preferences, Life Priorities & Personality Traits
• Not Afraid to Challenge the Status Quo
• Always Connected & Extremely Digital savvy
• Aversion to Politics
• Conscious Consumers
• Anxious Yet Determined

A survey by IPSOS revealed that only 6 in 10 millennials are optimistic about their future, especially under the current economic conditions and they are spending even more cautiously than they have in the past.

Engagement Strategies for Connecting with Millennials in the Middle East
The key to being successful is to create a customer engagement strategy that incorporates the above insights while being mindful of the socio-economic backdrop of the region.
• Personalized, Cross-channel Engagement across Social Media
• Authentic, Story-driven Approach
• Video & Visual Content Focused
• Mobile-first

Wrapping Up
Millennials are fidgety, distracted and want to get a lot done in less time. They want digital experiences that revolve around their lifestyle. Brands will need to adopt agile marketing strategies and technology solutions to keep up with their constantly evolving interests, needs and behavior. While it might seem like a whole lot of effort to capture the attention of this audience, their massive spending power and strong brand loyalty more than makes up for it in the long run.

Learn more at https://www.capillarytech.com/blog/marketing/engagement-millennials-middle-east/