SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Digital and social media play a big role in the pre-shop behaviors of Millennials, but surprisingly, so does a more traditional medium: radio.
Millennials listen to the radio on their way to work, at friends’ homes and on their way to the store, so radio is a good choice as an activation medium, Alice Sylvester, chief operating officer of the Media Behavior Institute, said yesterday in a session at the Shopper Marketing Summit.

Millennials are eight times more likely than older adults to stream music, she noted.
Hillshire Brands hired Media Behavior to use USA TouchPoints, a national study of five dimensions of shopper daily lives, to better understand how Millennials shop the sausage and cold cut categories.
The study comes at a time when Millennials are increasingly appealing to marketers. By 2020, Millennials over 25 will represent almost 20% of the population, up from 5% in 2010.
Among their food consumption and purchasing habits:
- Millennials cook, but value convenience and ease of use;
- They’re restaurant-oriented;
- Food is a source of amusement and exploration;
- Meals are an opportunity to socialize;
- They’re less brand loyal and more price sensitive, but willing to pay for relevant benefits.
According to Sylvester, when considering in-store activation strategies, marketers should consider the following:
- Compared to older buyers, Millenials are somewhat more likely to notice in-store television (in areas of the store other than the checkout);
- They are half as likely to use a Sunday newspaper flyer and almost 30% less likely to use a store flyer;
- They are 12% more likely to use coupons downloaded to their phones.
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