Last July Mark Mulligan produced a study of “digital natives” — the generation which has never known a world without online connectivity and unlimited content. At that time Mulligan, founder of MIDiA Research, said: “It is the attitudes and behaviour of the Natives that give us the best indication of how the digital music market will evolve.”
Another name for digital natives is Centennials, marking a demographic born in 1997 or later — the 0-18 year-olds. The Futures has produced an infographic about Centennials, which we found on the Kantar site. While not explicitly about media consumption patterns, the graphic burst is research is interesting, and notes three psychographic characteristics that could pertain to any business … especially in industries like music and radio undergoing disruptive technology change.
- Emboldened: “If Millennials were savvy consumers expert at working the system, look for Centennials to be bold consumers ready to change it.
- Empowered: “An ever-growing number of tools allow them to create their own workarounds if your brand doesn’t spot and eliminate friction before they do.”
- Controlling: “Be ready to give up some control and work with this generation to drive your strategies and tactics — or risk them taking you our of the equation.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centennial group makes up 23% of the U.S. population.