Never before has a generation been as independent or had as much influence as the current crop of youth aged one to 20, a.k.a. Generation Y.

This 80 million-strong group accounts for nearly 10% of the dollars spent by consumers in the United States. In other words, Generation Y accounts for roughly $600 million of the $6.5 billion spent annually on goods and services, according to KGA Advertising. Youths aged 12 to 17 have the most influence over their parents.

Teen-agers today are defined by time and money or, more specifically, their parents’ lack of time and abundance of money. In a majority of cases, both parents work outside the home, leaving Generation Y to become more self-sufficient and more mature at an earlier age than previous generations. Parents now treat their kids as near equals and give their opinions considerable weight. This means Generation Y has a direct input on every purchase that is family-oriented, including houses and cars.

How do you catch their attention? Relate to them. Generation Y likes to be entertained. They care about causes that cater to the preservation of the environment and spend a lot of time with radio, television and the Internet.

They prefer street marketing, or localized and personalized marketing that includes free giveaways, samples and special events.

Transforming Tomorrow

Adding more fun into your workplace and with your business associates can be as easy as using an unusual title on your business cards. Don’t take yourself too serious by using traditional titles that express little about your personality. The newest trend is to select unique titles that capture attention, but also reflect a little about the person you are. How about: Marketing Goddess, Paradigm Shifter, or Master of Mirth. What title could you use that better reflects your personality and style?

Published: June 15, 2000

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Kathy Lamancusa is a trend strategis, professional speaker and author who tracks the forces that impact our lives. Over 1.6 million copies of Kathy's books are in print, and she has appeared on numerous television and radio shows including Oprah! She is a public speaker who can offer organizations entertaining and enlightening peeks into what is coming and what is shaping change so that they can better reach their own customer bases.