Airbnb – providing content with substance.

Millennials do not prefer hard selling – rather, they are interested in learning information about your brand or product that has meaning or purpose besides to sell the product itself. Viral videos, infographics or stories within advertisements should provide content that is both entertaining and informational. Research by Yahoo discovered that capturing a specific mood or moment is extremely effective when marketing to millennials. Airbnb is doing just that by emphasizing on adventure, exploration, and self-discovery, all by tuning into millennials’ desire to travel and experience the world. Their community feel encourages a sense of belonging and provides opportunities for young people to travel at inexpensive prices.

 Nike – encouraging experiences.

Millennials are all about memorable and enjoyable experiences – and are constantly looking for the next big thing to eat, watch, drink, shop, do, think or feel. Big brands like Nike are catering to this desire by promoting their product as an encompassing customer journey. The sports company, known for their motivational marketing messages, sells the experience of their products as much as the product itself. Nike has recently dabbled in long-form advertising by introducing a mini-series aimed at female millennials.

Carlsberg – Keeping it humorously relatable.

It is important not to over-generalize the millennial generation, and Carlsberg is a company that steers away from certain stereotypes to engage with their consumers. The beer company poked fun at the “Beach Body Ready” advertisements by introducing an “Are You Beer Body Ready?” advertising campaigns at subway stations. The combination of relevance of what’s going on in pop culture – getting ready for summer by working on a beach body – and relatable and sharable humor makes Carlsberg one of the most talked about and inspiring brands in the past year.