Generation Y: Millennial Values and How Marketers Can Deal With It

Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996. They’re also known as Gen Y, the “Next” generation, the networked generation, the Peter Pan generation, and the first digital natives. Today, millennials are roughly between 28 and 43 years old.

This is a group that’s constantly learning, retraining, adapting to new realities, and even switching careers.

At the same time, millennials are far from homogeneous. That’s why connecting with them isn’t always straightforward — even though they’ve been studied extensively. What makes them especially important is that they are the largest consumer group and, arguably, the most financially active.

In this article, we’ll explore the values that define millennials and uncover how to turn them into loyal, long-term customers. We’ll also look at how interactive quizzes — short, engaging surveys and assessments — can be an effective way to capture their attention.

Who Are Millennials?

The term millennials comes from generational theory. It was first introduced in 1987 by writers William Strauss and Neil Howe, who used it to describe the cohort of people expected to graduate from high school around the year 2000 — the start of a new millennium.

Millennials grew up during the rise of digital technologies: the first personal computers, the internet, and unprecedented access to information. At the same time, they witnessed economic and political instability.

The world they knew as children and young adults was constantly changing, and the future was far from guaranteed. Many graduates from even the most prestigious universities found themselves unemployed, lacking the skills that were actually in demand.

As a result, millennials entered adulthood later than previous generations. Their career paths started later too, with many postponing what society traditionally considered the start of “real” adult life.

Key historical events that shaped millennials in the U.S.:

• The Columbine High School shooting (1999) and the rise of concerns about safety
• The September 11 terrorist attacks (2001) and the subsequent War on Terror
• The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq throughout the 2000s
• The rapid spread of the internet, mobile phones, and later social media
• Hurricane Katrina (2005) and its aftermath, highlighting social inequality
• The Great Recession (2007–2009), with massive job losses and student debt growth
• The election of Barack Obama (2008), symbolizing generational change and diversity
• The rise of smartphones and the app economy in the 2010s
• Increasing awareness of climate change and global activism movements

💡Sometimes researchers highlight a micro-generation between Y and Z — the so-called Zillennials, born roughly from 1992 to 1998. They still remember the world before everything went fully digital, yet they came of age in an era of constant online presence. One of their key traits is the ability to connect with both Boomers and Gen Z. Zillennials can switch easily between generations, finding common ground with each. They also recognize that much of modern life feels like being “plugged into the matrix” — and they often appreciate stepping out of it to spend time offline.

Traits and Values of Millennials

The defining characteristics of millennials can be grouped into four areas:

• Personal traits
• Behavioral patterns
• Consumer habits
• Attitudes toward work and education

Personal traits:

• They live in the moment — anxiety about the future pushes them to want everything at once.
• They are skeptics and individualists — they don’t trust authority and prefer to do things their own way.
• Their self-esteem is unstable — they often doubt themselves but want to appear confident.
• They strive to stand out — even if they don’t fully know who they are yet.
• They deal with anxiety and burnout — constantly overloaded, looking for stability.
• Excitement matters more than ambition — they love getting involved, though they don’t always finish what they start.

◑ How to work with these customers: speak to them carefully and clearly, help reduce anxiety, and always give them options.

Behavior and perception:

• They fact-check everything — they don’t trust advertising and prefer to verify on their own.
• Ethics come first — they choose brands that are “good on the inside.”
• They love visuals — packaging, design, and aesthetics matter.
• They make decisions slowly — they compare for a long time and like free trials.
• They don’t respond to classic marketing — “buy now” calls don’t resonate.
• They value honesty and meaning — they sense inauthenticity and support brands aligned with their values.

◑ How to work with these customers: show real benefits, be transparent, and make the experience visually appealing.

Consumer habits:

• They invest in experiences and learning — they buy memories, not just things.
• They make mindful choices — even coffee or a bag is treated like an “investment.”
• They prefer local and relatable — trust is higher for what feels close and authentic.
• They care about health and wellness — both body and mind matter.
• They want the best for their kids — if they have families, they are willing to invest fully.

◑ How to work with these customers: connect your product to personal value, life goals, and new experiences.

Attitudes toward work and self-realization:

• They switch careers often — always searching for themselves and new challenges.
• They dream of turning hobbies into jobs — meaning in work is essential.
• They don’t want to commit long-term — they value flexibility and quick results.
• They prefer horizontal growth — not always aiming to be bosses but open to change within teams.
• They value freedom — autonomy and personal choice are key.

◑ How to work with these customers: help them explore, and show how your product provides freedom and opportunities for growth.

How Marketers Can Work with Millennials

To effectively engage millennials, marketers need to focus on eight key traits — many of which millennials themselves might not even realize — and address them directly.

1. They don’t trust easily and always double-check — let them try and see for themselves

To overcome Gen Y’s skepticism and anxiety, it’s better to let them experience your product first before pushing for a purchase. Millennials only trust their own judgment, so give them the chance to test it out.

Options:

• Don’t pressure or persuade — instead, offer a trial. Millennials often say “no” at first, but if given space, they can overcome their own doubts and say “yes” later.
• Provide honest product descriptions and real customer reviews. They can spot fakes and won’t take anything at face value.
• Use a quiz to demonstrate value with a free first step — such as personalized advice, a consultation, or a trial session.

For example, you might offer a quick quiz on vitamin deficiencies that leads to tailored product recommendations:

You can use a ready-made template

2. They want to see the value of a product or service — show benefits in the context of their habits and values

Focus on outcomes and tangible benefits. Visual cues like “before and after” work particularly well.

What to do:

• Connect the product to the millennial’s values.
• Show results: “before and after,” case studies, or comparisons.

Highlight the product’s benefits using tools like Marquiz Pages — a simple landing page combined with a quiz.

For example, a stylist’s landing page can showcase photos of clients before and after the service.

You can view a ready-made Marquiz Pages landing template for promoting a stylist’s services in the Gallery.

3. They ignore traditional ads — find unconventional ways to promote

It’s better to avoid standard banners and focus on more creative advertising approaches.

What to do:

• Use quizzes or interactive tests to spark interest.
• Add humor, gamification, and interactivity.

For example, engage users with a quiz that introduces them to an educational course:

You can customize a quiz template to fit your needs — change the title, image, and offer your clients your own perks or discounts.

4. They don’t respond to traditional marketing tricks — use more sophisticated strategies

With millennials, long-term engagement works better — think influencer marketing and content marketing.

What to do:

• Add authenticity — through webinars, influencers, or valuable content.
• Afterwards, offer a quiz to collect feedback.

For example, run a survey to gather participant contacts for further warming up.

Use a quiz template to gather feedback on your webinar and find out what millennials think about your company.

5. They value aesthetics and beauty — make it visually appealing

For millennials, product packaging and other visual aspects matter. That’s why it’s important to use high-quality photos, videos, and images of your products or services.

What to do:

• Use visually striking creatives, include demo videos, or even a video consultant.
• Convey style and emotion through the interface.

Marquiz is a quiz builder with thoughtful design — even beginners can create a beautiful quiz. For example, you can feature a vibrant video on the landing page to make the quiz feel fresh and dynamic, standing out in a sea of repetitive ads.

This template is also ready to use and available in the Gallery.

6. They value big ideas — support their principles

Gen Y cares about ethics and prefers brands that share their values.

What to do:

• Communicate the ideas you stand for.
• Showcase your social projects and mission.

For example, a company selling office furniture in bulk might run a project that helps properly recycle waste. This way, the brand not only provides a practical product but also demonstrates its commitment to sustainability. For millennials, such alignment with their personal values can become the deciding factor in choosing your brand over competitors.

7. They’re focused on their own problems and want to be understood — ask questions and listen carefully

The best way to understand a customer is to give them the chance to talk about themselves and their challenges.

What to do:

• Let them share their story through a quiz. Don’t just ask random questions — aim to understand their situation.
• Set up branching logic so questions adapt to their answers, and then show personalized results.

For example, you could create a self-diagnosis quiz around resilience.

A quiz template for assessing self-resilience can help a client evaluate how mentally strong they are — and book their first session with a therapist.

8. They take a long time to make a purchase decision — motivate and remind them

Unfortunately for companies, millennials spend a lot of time browsing, carefully comparing options, and thinking hard about whether to buy.

What to do:

• Create a sense of immediate benefit — offer a bonus, promotion, or limited-time deal.
• Use a quiz with a growing discount.

This helps you stand out from competitors and convinces a millennial that it’s finally time to choose your brand.

You can view a quiz template with a growing discount in the Gallery, and if you like it, add it to your account, customize it, and use it for promotion.

What Brands Do Millennials Choose?

Looking at the general trends in Generation Y’s preferences, we can highlight the following patterns:

✅ Millennials prefer trusted brands with an established reputation.

✅ They often consult friends and family before making a purchase decision.

✅ They value local products and services, and even more so — familiar, neighborhood brands.

✅ They stick to their budgets when buying products or services. Many even calculate the return on investment when purchasing something like pants or a handbag.

✅ They are happy to spend money on food and leisure. For example, many millennials regularly buy expensive coffee in coffee shops, even though they have a coffee machine at home.

✅ They love brands that reflect their own values, such as social responsibility or eco-friendly practices.

✅ They prefer brands that invest in packaging design. The visual aspect of a product is an important factor for millennials.

So, to attract millennials, companies should communicate openness, eco-friendliness in customer relationships, authenticity, and not forget about the appealing look of both the packaging and the product itself.

Types of Millennials: A Patchwork Quilt

Generation Y grew up during a time when different subcultures were developing simultaneously, each with its own idols and ways of self-expression. That’s why this generation is very diverse. The portrait of an average millennial is not a solid image but rather resembles a patchwork quilt.

To promote products more effectively, companies need to identify the right target audience within the diverse mass of millennials.

Marketing agency Exponential conducted a study of Generation Y based on their attitudes toward the economy, globalization, and social media, and identified 12 types of millennials:

Types of Millennials — Who They Are

This list is certainly not exhaustive. Most likely, each of these groups can eventually be split into smaller subgroups, since millennials generally like to stand out from others and choose more or less their own individual path, rather than holding on to community values.

Types of Millennials — What Kind of Consumers They Are

There’s another classification, based on research by the consulting agency BCG. It looks at millennials as consumers of products and services.

Hip-Ennial, or “The Aware”

They are always up to date with the latest trends, fashions, and events. They actively participate in social media, keep track of the news, and strive to be the first in everything — from fashion to tech innovations.

Gadget Guru, or “The Advanced”

They are highly tech-savvy and always one step ahead when it comes to using the latest gadgets and apps. Passionate about high tech, they quickly adapt to changes in the digital world.

Millennial Mom

They combine a successful career with motherhood. They participate in community life, care about health and their children’s development, while still keeping their own interests in mind.

Clean and Green

They follow an eco-friendly lifestyle and try to minimize their carbon footprint. They recycle and strive for ecological awareness in their everyday life.

Old-School Millennial, or “The Conservatives”

They value traditional principles. They prefer a classic way of life and are not particularly interested in trends or new technologies.

Anti-Millennial

They don’t identify themselves as millennials. They avoid social media, prefer traditional forms of communication, and ignore trends, seeing them as superficial or unnecessary.

Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z: A Comparison of Generations

Generational Conflict and Millennials

One of the main causes of generational conflict is the difference in values and life experiences.

Unlike previous generations, millennials grew up during a time of rapid technological development and globalization. Older generations value stability and tradition — millennials seek change and self-realization.

Economic and social factors also shape intergenerational relationships. Millennials face high housing costs, rising education expenses, and an unstable job market, unlike earlier generations. For example, Generation X members often didn’t pay for education, while baby boomers typically stayed in one job their whole lives.

However, differences in values can be a source of mutual learning and growth across generations.

With their fresh approach to problem-solving, millennials can inspire others to adapt and embrace change.

Criticism of Millennial Theory

Criticism of how millennials are evaluated arises for several reasons:

• Generalizations and stereotypes: Critics argue that segmenting people by birth year oversimplifies their character, values, and behavior. Many other factors influence a person’s development beyond birth year.
• Ignoring individual differences: Millennials include people with diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. Generalizations often overlook individual uniqueness within the generation.
• Negative portrayals: In some cases, millennials are associated with negative traits such as selfishness, inconsistency, or lack of independence.

Overall, critiques of millennial theory highlight the need for deeper analysis and understanding of this generation.

Conclusion

Millennials are currently the largest and most financially influential generation.

In summary, Gen Y:

• Don’t take things at face value — you need to prove value.
• Choose with their eyes — visuals matter.
• Are drawn to brands with clear positions.
• Value a personal approach and choice.
• Take their time before purchasing — gentle engagement is key.

To build honest and effective relationships with millennials, it’s important not to “hard sell,” but to help them make informed choices. Marquiz quizzes ask the right questions — they are the perfect tool for this. Quizzes engage, collect data, segment audiences, provide a point of contact, and build trust.

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