It seems to be the case that the ad industry is attacking millennials.
Recently Saatchi & Saatchi LA, the shop handling the creative for the Toyota Venza introduction, released ads it has created that are geared toward the middle to late–aged boomers with millennial-aged children. They are not very flattering.
The ad campaign harps on the well-known stereotypes of the Millennial generation: lazy, self-absorbed, and constantly "connected," while still living with their parents. In the meantime, those said parents are out of the house, nowhere to be found. Why? Because they are enjoying the company of others — offline — with the Venza in focus.
These commercials are interesting because they are detailing the sentiment that many boomers feel at this very moment. It is also reeling in the opinions of the boomer employers that are so turned off by Millennials' need to be connected, and the lifestyle they are choosing to have.
What makes the ads even more fascinating is the total disregard for the opinions those of the millennial generation. The ads make it clear that this ad — this car — is not made for them. In their opinion, it is made for the older folks who are out doing stuff.
Below is one of the ads.
The question is, will other companies and agencies single out the next biggest generation in the U.S.? Will they rely on the boomer base for purchasing power?
The answer remains unseen, but with ads like the one above, it certainly makes for an interesting debate.
Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.
