The one beauty product Millennial women can’t do without, how the digital savvy generation is unplugging on vacation, organic fast food for under $5, links we’re passing, and more you wouldn’t want to miss before the work week is over!
1. And Millennial Women’s Top Beauty Product Is…
This week we rounded up 13-33-year-olds’ favorite beauty or personal care brands, and among Millennial females, Dove took the top spot for the second year in a row. But what is the one beauty product they can’t live without? Don’t miss Influenster’s infographic on 18-34-year-old American women’s beauty habits, that illustrates just how disruptive Millennials are. Over one third say they go three or more days without washing their hair (no wonder dry shampoo is so popular!) and about the same amount say they own more than 10 lipsticks. When it came to what makeup product they would choose if they were allowed only one, mascara came in at number one.
2. (Unplugged) Vacation, All I Ever Wanted!
Brands are updating travel marketing to appeal to the wanderlust generation, appealing to young consumers’ desire for adventure, shareable moments, and social experiences. But not all Millennials are staying hooked on social media while traveling. Don’t miss a new study revealing that (surprise!) Millennials are better at unplugging during vacation than the generations before them. The Intel Security study found that 57% of Millennials plan to unplug on vacation and 49% are willing to leave their smartphones at home, compared to 40% of Xers and 37% of Boomers. When asked to define “unplugging” 65% of respondents said it was abstaining from internet use.
3. Organic Fast Food…For Under $5?
Young consumers have already made healthy eating more mainstream, and we predicted that this year, their idea of eating well would impact more brands than ever before. Healthy eating is important to them, and they’re fueling a growing market of startups that are healthifying fast food. Don’t miss a new addition to the space: Kitchenette a new venture started by Elon Musk’s bother, Kimbal Musk. The organic fast-food chain will have a “Pret A Manger–style grab-and-go” options of sandwiches, soups, and salads—all under $5. Musk says “with a little help from local farmers,” they will be able to keep the pricing affordable by purchasing ingredients that are in-season.
4. The App Made For Venting
While brands battle it out for space on Snapchat, and Netflix steals viewers from cable, new sites and apps enter the fray, providing more opportunities for brands to engage with young consumers. We told you about three platforms earning buzz with Millennials and teens to make sure you’re the first to know about rising media players—now don’t miss another new app asking users to let it all out. Vent, which we heard about in our most recent social media tracker, is described as a platform that “helps you connect to a supportive, positive, and understanding community, making it easy to share your feelings with people around the world.” Users can express feelings—vent—on a feed similar to Twitter, receive reactions like “same,” and “hug,” and chat with other users. One reviewer calls the platform a “safe space to talk.”
5. (Weird) Links We’re Passing
Sometimes, the most attention grabbing marketing is just plain weird. Taco Bell’s recent Snapchat Lens success is one example, and you shouldn’t miss Cheetos’s weird, and weirdly appealing, new campaign. The brand is inviting their fans to participate in a unique contest to submit “uniquely shaped” Cheetos that resemble “famous landmarks or people, or animals or objects.” A Cheetos “museum” site, and eventually a real-life exhibit this summer, will show off the collection, and the best submission will win a $50,000 grand prize. A promotional video of a fan showing off his collection of Cheetos pieces shaped like King Tut, the Eiffel Tower, and more, and has racked up 5.6 million views on Facebook in under two weeks. And one more thing…you’re probably not going to want to miss Business Insider’s taste-tasting video of Burger King’s new highly-talked about culinary creation: Deep fried Mac N’ Cheese with Cheetos flavoring.
