It’s no secret that millennials are a different breed of consumers. Taking an alternative route than their parents, they set high standards and have greater expectations for the companies they support and purchase from. This type of focus on both ethical and moral causes has pushed brands to try to better understand today’s millennial trends.

In this case, the idea of a trend isn’t necessarily “trendy.” And, we’re not talking about an idea that is fleeting or popular for the moment.

Rather, it’s a marketing term we use to highlight and study specific behaviors and actions of a demographic within a period of time.

We need to understand that these millennial trends are constantly developing and growing. And, they will continue to evolve and change in order to reflect this demographic’s wants and beliefs.

So, if you’re a brand in 2019 – you need to aim your focus and marketing efforts toward millennials.

To help you better understand them, let’s talk about 5 millennial trends that brands should be paying attention to.

5 Millennial Trends of 2019

A Focus On Sustainability

The first millennial trend that brands need to understand is that this is a generation dedicated to sustainability.

To millennials, sustainability means that a brand is transparent, authentic and interested in using their business to better the planet. This could include employing practices such as:

• Using recycled materials
• Developing an ethical production line
• Sourcing from local businesses and artisans
• Being a business that is built at home, rather than a mass product built abroad
• Including leftover fabrics to reduce fashion waste
• Production practices that limit a carbon footprint

These are just a few ways that a company can be sustainable. And, by utilizing even one of these practices, you can push your brand into a more positive, impactful direction.

So, if your brand showcases a passion for caring about and helping the planet, more millennials will be interested and engaged with what you have to offer.

Therefore, you will gain the attention of a growing demographic and in return, millennials will feel good about supporting a brand that aligns with their environmental ethics.

Gender Neutral Products

The second millennial trend of 2019 is their purchasing and support of gender neutral products.

In 2019, the construction of gender types has become fluid. This means that many individuals are promoting the idea of a genderless or gender neutral society.

The aim is to build a world where we longer recognize gender as just being male or female, but create an inclusive society that recognizes every person for who they are.

With this, many millennials are supporting products that lack a specific gender identity. Simply, they are leaning toward products that aren’t marketed just for men or women, but for everyone.

We are already seeing this rise in gender neutral makeup lines by long-time brands such as Covergirl and Anastasia. And, even with new brands coming into the marketplace such as Fluide and Panacea spreading the message that anyone can buy their product.

If you’re a brand within the makeup or skincare sector, a simple way to appeal to many millennials is to make steps to making your products gender neutral. By building a campaign that includes everyone, you are sure to gain the attention of millennial consumers.

Mental Health & Self Care

The third millennial trend for brands to know is that this audience is in tune with their mental health and self care.

Mental health and self care is an important topic no matter whether it’s a trend or not. Yet, it has been identified as a trend because millennials, more than any other generation, are concerned and outspoken about issues and causes that include mental health and taking care of one’s self.

Therefore, millennials are leaning toward products and services that instill the idea of personal care. Whether that be through wellness initiatives, health products or practices such as meditation – millennials are supporting companies that build ways for their audience to be more physically and mentally well.

So, if you’re a brand within the wellness, athletic or health space – understand that millennials are more health conscious than any other demographic. And, they will seek out brands that promote a positive message of overall well being.

Therefore, you need to develop a brand strategy that shows your audience that you understand the importance of taking a break to tend to your personal health needs.

Behind the Food

The fourth millennial trend is their interest in knowing the story behind their food.

The idea of knowing where your food came from and the exact ingredients within a product is an extremely important pillar of the millennial generation. They no longer support brands that have hidden practices or make products that contain elements that are harmful to your overall health.

Not only are millennials steadfast on knowing what goes into their bodies, they want to know the process behind the product.

They want to know the story behind their food – who is preparing it, where did the ingredients come from and what was the intention of creating such a meal. With this attention to detail, it’s no wonder that many millennials are ditching traditional ideas of fast or accessible food. Instead, they are choosing to spend their money at establishments that take food seriously and create something worth eating.

So, if you’re a brand that sells food products or someone who works in a commercial restaurant establishment, think about the story your products tell to your consumers.

Start using healthier ingredients, leave out the chemicals and create edible items that people want to consume. Even go the extra step to infuse cultural elements into your products to create something new fresh and unique.

And, realize that your food story is the key element to landing the attention and support of the millennial generation.

Subscription Services

The fifth millennial trend is the use of subscription services for anything and everything.

Millennials don’t waste any time. In fact, they aim to cut out anything that takes away from their productivity, focus and hustle. Enter, subscription box services.

The millennial consumer has revolutionized the subscription box. What first started as a few curated products, has shifted into virtually anything being delivered to your door.

This generation supports subscription boxes that supply makeup, skin care, alcoholic drinks, household cleaners, personal care items and even groceries. In fact, the list is incredibly vast – that it’s hard to find an item that can’t be delivered via subscription box.

So, if you’re a brand who wants to sell more of your products to millennials, consider the business model of subscription boxes. This method truly works for a multitude of brands. Making their products more accessible to a wide range of consumers across the country and world.

Don’t you want to be a a part of such a movement? Then, consider using a subscription box model to market and send your brand’s products.

So, as you can see, millennial trends are defining the new age of consumerism. From sustainability to gender neutral products, mental health/self care, knowing the story behind their food and using subscription box services – millennial purchasing habits are here to stay.

If you’re a brand, pay attention to what your consumers want and believe in. If you understand their ethics and values, you’ll be grabbing the interest and support of the millennial demographic in no time.

Are there any millennial trends that you believe stand out in 2019? Share with us on social at @h_collective