The superhero prom photo proving geek culture is cool, the rise of fangirl content, and how the New York Times will soon be delivering more than news. Don’t miss those stories, and more trends and info on young consumers!
1. The Superheroes of Prom
Our recent research for Imgur revealed that Millennials have embraced being geeky. While Boomers and Xers might have seen geekiness as embarrassing, 82% of Millennials say the geek label isn’t a bad thing. Today, Millennial Geeks are influencing their peers, spreading trends, and fueling pop culture obsessions. Don’t miss this viral prom photo turned meme that illustrates the new definition of geek. The high school students came up with the idea for the coordinating superhero shot, and the picture has been shared hundreds of thousands of times. The photographer tells BuzzFeed, “They’re just teenage kids and they thought it was cool.”
2. The Fight For Fangirls
Brands might be missing a big opportunity to provide fandoms the fashions they want, and our research has found that 58% of 13-33-year-olds in a fandom have purchased something only because it was related to their fandom. Don’t miss how some brands are now catering to the “radically underserved” fangirl demographic. In March, female-led comic Black Widow was number 15 on the list of the 100 best-selling comic books, and about 40% of opening weekend audiences for comic book films were female. After years of Millennials fighting for more superwomen, female characters are now “coming front and center,” which means even more demand for products from female fans.
3. Whole Foods Needs Help from Millennials
Millennials are taking over the grocery store—and it may never be the same. Since they’re in control of shopping carts, we asked 1000 13-33-year-olds to tell us their favorite food brands, and why they like them. Our most recent monthly survey data also revealed that 15% of 18-33-year-olds shop for groceries at Whole Foods at least once a month. Don’t miss how the wellness-focused food retailer is counting on Millennials to help them out of a sales slump. Profits have fallen for the brand for three quarters, but they’re staying optimistic as they prepare for the May 25th launch of their Millennial-focused stores with more affordable foods, in-store fast casual restaurants, and quicker checkouts.
4. Delivering News…and Dinner?
Food delivery is “the biggest trend in food business.” Google, Amazon, Bite Squad, Door Dash, Lish, Caviar, Grub Hub, Plated, Blue Apron—all of these companies and more are battling to get young consumers to order their food on-demand and meal kit delivery services. Don’t miss a new, surprising brand joining the food delivery fray: The New York Times. This summer the paper is partnering with food startup Chef’d to send subscribers ingredients from recipes pulled from the NYT Cooking site and app, within 48 hours.
5. Phil Dunphy Speaks Realty to Millennials
Young consumers are more sensitive than ever to advertisements, and services are making it easier to skip over commercials, making product placement perhaps more crucial than ever. Don’t miss The National Association of Realtors’ integration into primetime to “speak to Millennials.” In spots airing before and after the latest Modern Family episode, Phil Dunphy, a dad on the show who works as a relator, comically speaks about his “real estate-themed ‘Phil’s-osophies.’” According to one of the show’s producers, unlike other “intrusive” integrations, this was easier (and more natural) since it “lent itself to a joke.”
