Noise|The Intelligence Group's First-Ever Global Cassandra Report Reveals Millennials Are 'Cultural Diplomats' Forging Shared Global Values

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Sep 30, 2014) - Unlike previous generations, Millennials have emerged as a generation of "cultural diplomats," according to the first-ever global Cassandra Report. Published by Noise|The Intelligence Group, the report reveals unexpected similarities among Millennials and shows this group to be surprisingly united in global attitudes about commerce, brand preferences and life goals, despite geographic boundaries. By building connections in a variety of ways, from gaming to couch surfing, "Global Ys" are spreading a new kind of global culture and establishing personal and non-political relationships.

When asked to characterize their generation, the prevailing descriptor global Millennials gave was "globally connected." In addition:

• 70% say the world has become smaller because of technology.
• 8 in 10 respondents said that the web helps them feel more connected to people in other countries.
• 69% use social media to stay current with what's going on in the world.
• Entertainment, world issues and sporting events foster their sense of global connectedness to other cultures.
• 67% want to strike a balance of maintaining tradition and being modern.
• Nearly three-quarters of Global Ys say that traveling the world is an important life goal.
  
  

"Millennials represent more than half of the world's population and have enormous cultural influence and spending power. Through their influence they have now made the world 'flat' and it is critical for today's marketers to understand how to speak to them in an impactful way," said Jamie Gutfreund, CMO of Noise|The Intelligence Group. "The Cassandra Report uncovered how global Millennials have been influenced by the person-to-person connectivity the internet and social media provide. This digitally networked demographic stands to alter or disrupt every sector, from travel and retail to food and entertainment."

The Cassandra Report gleaned insights and data among individuals born between 1980 and 1996, in 10 countries: Brazil, China, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. Following are key findings from the report regarding the relationships and attitudes Millennials have toward connectivity, brands, purchasing, family and career.

As consumers, Millennials view purchases as a means to achieve happiness, connectedness, eco-consciousness and self-improvement. They value the brands and technologies that help them do so.

• Global Millennials are three times as likely to wear socially conscious brands over luxury brands.
• 4 in 10 are willing to pay more for products/brands that are eco-friendly, especially in China (65%) and India (60%).
• More than 50% say it's important that brands are transparent about their business practices.
• 38% prefer to communicate with pictures instead of words, hence the growing popularity of visual platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat and Line.
  
  

This generation and their parents are still feeling the effects of the global recession that began in 2008, and it has shaped their attitudes about money, consumption and career.

• Global Ys define success by how generally happy they are rather than how much they love their job or the amount of money they have -- a marked behavioral shift from previous generations.
• 86% of global Millennials would rather have health over wealth.
• Only one-third think they will be better off than their parents -- this number drops below 25% in Western Europe.
  
  

The Cassandra Report reveals many more statistics and insights into global Millennial behaviors. To learn additional insights, visit www.cassandra.co.

Methodology
The Cassandra Report: Global Issue was generated through an online survey among 18-34 year-olds from the following 10 countries: The U.S., Brazil, South Africa, China, India, South Korea, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the U.K. A total of 3,044 respondents, or approximately 300 per country, completed the survey. All respondents were required to be smartphone owners and active on at least one social networking site. The survey was fielded from June 17, 2014 through July 3, 2014.

About Noise|The Intelligence Group
Noise |The Intelligence Group has offices in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles and a staff of nearly 100 cultural explorers, product developers, market researchers, strategists, technology experts, creative thinkers, and content producers. For nearly 20 years, IG has been the pre-eminent consumer insights and market research firm focused on young consumers. The firm has worked with some of the world's most respected brands such as Disney, Honda, Westfield, Microsoft, Red Bull, Unilever and Yahoo!, among others. IG brings to Noise proprietary research services, strategy consulting, and a range of live presentation and ideation programs, including its Cassandra Sessions series (formerly called Trend School), which more than 1,500 executives of leading global brands have attended. The full-service agency provides clients with research and strategy through creation and activation. It is part of The Engine Group.