© 1 2014

Youth

TRU-isms

Quick

Facts What’s

Changing

What’s in a

Name?

Formative

Events

Now What? Brands &

Marketing

Quotes

of Note

Other

Resources

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CENTENNIALS

© 2 2014

Quick

Facts

An assortment

of facts and

figures providing

a quick view

of Centennials

Born in or after 1997; the oldest Centennials are 17 in 2014

23% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau)

52% Non-Hispanic White; 24% Hispanic; 14% African American; 5% Asian American (U.S.

Census Bureau)

Centennials’ parents comprise both Xers and Millennials equally (42% for each; Boomers

account for the remaining 14%)

63% own smartphones; 48% own tablets; just 22% own basic cellphones (TRU Youth

MONITOR Consumers & Consumers 2014)

64% consider themselves “savers” rather than “spenders” (TRU Youth MONITOR Consumers &

Consumers 2014)

82% report their fathers are employed full-time

49% report their mothers are employed full-time

47% live in the suburbs (TRU Youth MONITOR Perceptions & Priorities 2014)

85% are single; 8% are seeing someone casually; 6% are seeing someone seriously

CENTENNIALS

© 3 2014

What’s

Changing

Shifting

dynamics that

businesses and

brands must

understand and

address in

reaching

Centennials

LESS SELF-ABSORBED,

MORE SELF-ASSURED

VIGILANT OUTLOOK,

TEMPERED EXPECTATIONS

CENTENNIALS

© 4 2014

VIGILANT OUTLOOK, TEMPERED EXPECTATIONS: Born in a time of trials and

traumas, Centennials’ parents have begun to shift from the Millennial-era emphasis

on self-esteem and self-expression to a focus on resilience and integrity. This group

plans for the future and tends to avoid frivolity and unnecessary risk.

BACK

What’s

Changing

Shifting

dynamics that

businesses and

brands must

understand and

address in

reaching

Centennials

30%

of Centennials agree:

“I like to do things

considered risky or

dangerous” (versus

44% of Millennials in

2004)

60%

of Centennials would

rather have the

guarantee they would

never become poor

rather than the

possibility they might

become rich

CENTENNIALS

© 5 2014

LESS SELF-ABSORBED, MORE SELF-ASSURED: Millennials were taught to

value communication, cooperation and collaboration. As young people, they tended

to aim for alignment with their peers, showcasing individual strengths as a way to

stand out slightly from the crowd. Centennials’ world has always been fragmented,

and they feel less compelled to conform.

BACK

What’s

Changing

Shifting

dynamics that

businesses and

brands must

understand and

address in

reaching

Centennials

Reactions to peers’ “different” or

“unusual” clothes (12-17s)

(2013 TRU Youth MONITOR)

I care a lot whether my

clothes are in style

(among 12-15s)

CENTENNIALS

62%

49%

2000 2014

65%

29%

22%

22%

4%

4%

Say or do nothing

Compliment them

Ask where they

purchased clothes

Assume they're being

fashionable/trendy

Make fun of them to

their face

Make fun of them

behind their back

© 6 2014

We expect Centennials will be a generation smaller in scope than their

Millennial predecessors. The Millennial cohort was a demographically

large generation that came of age at the turn of the millennium. Young

Millennials’ formative years were a time of plenty. The Centennial

cohort—a product of falling birth rates—was born near the turn of the

century and is intimately familiar with scarcity. If Millennials were taught

to dream big, Centennials are learning to buckle down and work on the

things they can control.

LOWER BIRTH RATES GROUNDED EXPECTATIONS

What’s in a

Name?

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years

CENTENNIALS

© 7 2014

LOWER BIRTH RATES:

• The Xer generation’s birth rate bottomed out in 1975 when the U.S. birth rate hit

14.6 per 1,000 population. (U.S. Census Bureau)

• At the Millennial generation’s peak in 1990, the U.S. birth rate hit 16.7 per 1,000

population. (U.S. Census Bureau)

• In 2002, five years into the Centennial generation, the U.S. birth rate fell to just

13.9 per 1,000 population. (U.S. Census Bureau)

BACK

CENTENNIALS

What’s in a

Name?

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years 19.4

14.6 15.6

16.7

14.2 13.9

5

10

15

20

25

Births per 1,000

1969 1979 1997

1975

1990

Gen X Millennials Centennials

2002

© 8 2014

GROUNDED EXPECTATIONS:

As children, Millennials dreamed big dreams of wealth and fame. Early data

suggest Centennials are adopting a more tempered outlook and smaller, more

manageable expectations. Although Centennials will drive many of the changes we

see going forward in the new century, Centennials aren’t saddled with impossible

dreams.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

What’s in a

Name?

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years 77%

19%

3%

59%

40%

2%

Better About the same Worse

Standard of living compared to parents (among 12-15s)

2005 2013 71%

of Centennials agree:

“Always having new

stuff is overrated when

what I have already is

good enough”

© 9 2014

Centennials as teens and Millennials as adults will share similar

challenges and opportunities; the difference will be the way each

cohort addresses them. Many of these differences trace back to

generation-specific formative experiences.

Didn’t touch this section

SOCIAL:

NEAT vs. NUANCED

CENTENNIALS

Formative

Events

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years

TECHNOLOGICAL:

EXPLORATION vs. SECRECY

ECONOMIC:

ROBUST vs. AT RISK

POLITICAL:

RESOLUTION vs. REVOLUTION

© 10 2014

SOCIAL: NEAT vs. NUANCED

For young Millennials, depictions of life were often pretty and polished. The

Babysitter’s Club books, Saved by the Bell and Clueless featured problems that

verged on trivial and were solved in due time. For Centennials raised on a diet of

Lemony Snicket, The Fosters and Hunger Games, life is nuanced and messy.

Centennials were never offered the false sense of security Millennials were; instead

they’ve seen the celebration of grit and resilience.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Formative

Events

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years

Centennial

pop culture

Millennial

pop culture

© 11 2014

TECHNOLOGICAL: EXPLORATION vs. SECRECY

Vigilance is second nature to Centennials, and it helps distinguish them from prior

cohorts. Centennials and their parents have learned from the mistakes of digital

pioneer Millennials—and so have brands. As a consequence, in addition to their

lifestage sensitivities, Centennials have developed workarounds and altered their

sharing practices to circumvent monitoring and show a healthy distrust of the

darker sides of digital life.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Formative

Events

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years 35% 52%

Very/somewhat

comfortable meeting

someone in real life

you only knew from

online

Centennials (12-17) Millennials (18-29) (2013 TRU Youth MONITOR)

© 12 2014

ECONOMIC: ROBUST vs. AT RISK

In 2000, when many Millennials were 12 to 17 years old, the economy had enjoyed

a long period of expansion. Teens at the time had only ever known economic

plenty, and overworked parents often coped by over-scheduling their kids. Fourteen

years later, Centennials’ experiences reflect the opposite: time is relatively

plentiful—money, not so much.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Formative

Events

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years 26%

24%

37%

17%

Not enough money Not enough sleep

Complaints about daily life: (among 12-17s)

2000 2014

(2014 TRU Youth MONITOR)

© 13 2014

POLITICAL: RESOLUTION vs. REVOLUTION

Millennials’ post-Cold War foreign relations, like their entertainment, seemed neat

and tidy, and the generation’s attention was largely focused inward.

The Centennials have grown up with interminable ground wars and social upheaval

around the world. Frosty relations between Russia, China, and the West suggest a

future of instability and risk. Centennials seem surprisingly aware of the uncertainty

in the world around them, but they’re determined to persevere.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Formative

Events

Values shaped

by shared

experiences in

Centennials’

formative years 54%

of Centennials agree: “I really like

to keep up with what’s going on in

the world (Top 2 Box)

86%

of Centennials agree : “I enjoy and

celebrate life despite its many

obstacles and challenges” (Top 2 Box)

© 14 2014

EXPERIMENTATION &

SENSATION-SEEKING

SELF-

DETERMINATION &

CONTROL

The journey from childhood to adulthood hinges on forging independence and

identity. The immense task takes place one step at a time. Using trial and error in

a series of interrelated experience areas, teens build their identities on a

foundation of personal growth, learning, and sharing. We call these areas “Youth

TRU-isms,” because although individual experiences may differ, the process is a

nearly universal one in the youth lifestage.

SELF-EXPRESSION &

STATUS-SEEKING

CENTENNIALS

Youth

TRU-isms

Three universal

quests that define

the teen years

and the youth

lifestage.

© 15 2014

SELF-DETERMINATION & CONTROL:

While Millennials were told they were each special in their own way and that their

futures were essentially assured, the younger cohort takes nothing for granted.

Centennials are already concerned that they are not adequately prepared for the

future. Centennials have adopted a level-headed consumption orientation.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Youth

TRU-isms

Three universal

quests that define

the teen years

and the youth

lifestage.

of Centennials say they worry

about not being prepared for the

future rather than saying they’re

too young to worry about it

68%

© 16 2014

EXPERIMENTATION & SENSATION-SEEKING: Millennials’ formative years were

a time of relative prosperity; frivolity ruled the day and there seemed little reason

or motivation to take on adult responsibilities and concerns early. Centennials’

experiences thus far have been completely different. Even as teens, they have a

more sober relationship with the concept of “fun.”

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Youth

TRU-isms

Three

universal

quests that

define the

teen years

and the youth

lifestage.

52%

26%

2000 2014

Agree: “We’re about fun” (among 12-17s)

44%

30%

2004 2014

Agree: “I like to do things that could be considered

risky or dangerous” (among 12-17s)

(TRU Youth MONITOR)

© 17 2014

SELF-EXPRESSION & STATUS-SEEKING: While Millennials pioneered the use

of social networks to amplify one’s personal brand, there’s less emphasis on “show”

and more on “tell” among Centennials. Millennials helped Facebook become the

ultimate see-and-be-seen platform and have remained steadily engaged despite

eroding privacy protections. Centennials are trading Facebook for smaller, more

private virtual ecosystems.

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Youth

TRU-isms

Three

universal

quests that

define the

teen years

and the youth

lifestage.

52%

77%

44% 37%

16% 9%

31% 26%

Centennials Millennials

Facebook as most-used social network to connect with friends

Facebook Instagram Vine Snapchat

(TRU Youth MONITOR Consumers & Commerce 2014)

© 18 2014

Now

What?

A roadmap for

developing

strategies related

to Centennial

lifestyles

WHAT’S YOUR ISSUE?

WHAT IS THE CENTENNIAL MINDSET?

WHAT DOES CENTENNIAL SELF-EXPRESSION LOOK LIKE?

WHAT CHALLENGES WILL CENTENNIALS POSE FOR ME?

CENTENNIALS

© 19 2014

What factors inform the Centennial

mindset?

1

3

2

Centennials are

comfortably

ensconced in the

youth lifestage—with

all its attendant

interests, wants, and

needs. They’re eager

to tackle the same

milestones and

quests that helped

shape prior

generations.

Still, how this cohort

interacts with these

new frontiers and

rites of passage has

much to do with the

world around them.

Their current

attitudes reflect a

more sober take on

fun and risk than

Millennials showed

at a similar age.

Look for Centennials

to temper youthful

exploration with

vigilance and

temperance. This

balance of marvel

and maturity could

result in a more

nuanced and

complex—and

trickier—target than

youth marketers are

used to.

LIFESTAGE COHORT MINDSET

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Now

What?

A roadmap for

developing

strategies related

to Centennial

lifestyles

© 20 2014

How are Centennials changing the

timeless youth need for self-expression?

1

3

2

Though Millennials

aren’t overly

preoccupied with

rigid conformity, they

still appreciate the

audience, attention

and acclaim they find

in broadcasting

themselves.

Centennials seem

less focused on self-

promotion and the

Facebook hive-mind.

Raised amid

unprecedented

diversity, Centennials

assume everyone

comes to the table

with different

strengths. As such,

they give wide

latitude for

differences in taste,

style, and ability.

They expect the

same courtesy.

Centennials are less

compelled than their

Millennial peers to

find a platform and

message that

reaches the largest

possible group. They

don’t need to spend

precious time

convincing people

they’re unique; they’d

prefer to speak their

mind and their truth.

CULTURALLY

INTELLIGENT SELF-POSSESSED

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Now

What?

A roadmap for

developing

strategies related

to Centennial

lifestyles

COMFORT WITH

NON-CONFORMITY

© 21 2014

What does the generational shift mean for

the marketplace—and my brand?

1

3

2

Much of the exciting

technological

progress that mobile-

native Centennials

see has come at a

cost to the traditional

market. If Millennials

were savvy

consumers expert at

working the system,

look for Centennials

to be bold consumers

ready to change it.

Millennials were

largely respectful of

institutions and the

marketplace, but

Centennials may be

less patient. 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.

Centennials may not even give you a warning sign before they identify a solution—potentially one that doesn’t involve you. Be ready to give up some control and work with this generation to drive your strategies and tactics—or risk them taking you out of the equation.

EXPECT

EMBOLDENMENT OPEN THEIR

PATH

INVITE THEM IN

BACK

CENTENNIALS

Now

What?

A roadmap for

developing

strategies related

to Centennial

lifestyles

© 22 2014

Brands &

Marketing

Brands and

campaigns that

resonate with

the values and

lifestyles of

Centennials

Prudential Insurance: If Millennials often dreamed huge dreams

but lacked concrete plans to achieve them, Centennials seem willing

to down-shift their expectations and work out a strategy for success.

Prudential shows consumers how baby steps they take today can

add up over the long haul. VIEW AD

Snapchat: Group-minded Millennials flocked to Facebook; it was a

virtual stage from which they could broadcast their lives for public

consumption and approval. Centennials, it seems, are looking for

smaller, more intimate virtual environments. Using Snapchat, they’re

able to communicate honestly and without much pretense to a

limited group of their own choosing. VIEW AD

Modern Family: One of the ABC comedy’s youngest characters,

Manny Delgado, thrives in a rollicking polycultural family with poise

and maturity beyond his years. In true Centennial style, he’s less

frivolous and more industrious than youth stereotypes suggests he

should be, and he’s outgoing without any of the self-consciousness

so common to the youth lifestage. VIEW VIDEO

CENTENNIALS

Android: Apple is still winning with Centennials, but Android’s new

campaign “Be Together. Not the Same” is custom-built for the

Centennial generation. The ad in question celebrates boldness,

personal bravery, and the power of millions all doing their own thing

together—all Centennial attributes. VIEW AD

© 23 2014

Quotes

of Note

Useful snippets

of relevant

content about

Centennials to

add color to these

insights

“[The Centennial generation] is innately liberal, overwhelmingly supporting gay marriage and transgender

rights, for instance. Fifty-five percent of teenagers surveyed believe anyone should have the right to

become a U.S. citizen regardless of how that person came to the U.S. And 64 percent say the U.S. gets

involved in too many wars. That may reflect youthful idealism—previous generations, too, have started out

as leftists and slid gradually toward the center—but [Centennials] may be different in being genuinely

bigotry-proof. It may be the first generation for which diversity is a natural concept that will not be ruined by

anything older people do or say.” (Will Gen Z Disconnect? Bloomberg)

“Although I do have a Facebook, none of my other friends do. My friends just thought it was a waste of

time. I decided to get a Facebook just to see what it was all about. I soon discovered that Facebook is

useless without friends. My only friend is, like, my grandma. Teens are followers. That’s just what we are. If

all my friends are getting this cool new thing called Snapchat, I want it, too! We want what’s trending, and if

Facebook isn’t trending, teens won’t care. In the end, Facebook has been trying too hard. Teens hate it

when people try too hard.” (I’m 13 and None of my Friends Use Facebook. Mashable)

“Teens today might have a mixed reputation, but there’s no denying their influence. They command

millions of fans on Twitter and Vine, start companies with funds they raised on Kickstarter, steal scenes on

TV’s most popular shows, lead protests with global ramifications, and even win Nobel Peace Prizes.” (The 25

Most Influential Teens of 2014. Time)

“Centennials are growing up with a less idealistic and more pragmatic edge. They’re facing situations that

the Millennials didn’t have to deal with until early adulthood, and as a result, Centennials are growing up

more savvy, in graver times when everybody doesn’t win and when choices are limited and success is

harder to come by.” (Erik Medina, Head of the TRU Youth MONITOR, The Futures Company)

CENTENNIALS

© 24 2014

MONITOR Download

Download on Millennials

MONITOR LIVE Spotlights

November 2014: The Millennials Have

Left the Building: Introducing a New

Generation of Youth

MONITOR Minute

Growing Up Gritty

Meet the Mamaculturals

Other

Resources

Links to additional

content on

Centennials

Other Sources

Report Says YouTube Overtakes Facebook Among Teens, Mashable

Will Generation Z Disconnect? Bloomberg

Millennials Are Old News—Here’s Everything You Should Know About

Generation Z. Business Insider

Will Generation Z Disconnect? Bloomberg

Gen Z Has Grand Ambitions for Homeownership. Entrepreneur

Quiz: Me and Gen Z. Marketplace

Portrait of Generation Z. Northeastern University

Survey Finds Generation Z To Be Motivated Lot. Boston Globe

Will Gen Z Be The Startup Generation That Never Retires? Upstart

Business Journal

CENTENNIALS

TRU Youth

MONITOR

The preeminent

youth syndicated-

research offering

fully connects

clients to U.S.

teens and twenty-

somethings

Learn More

© 25 2014

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All data are from the

2014 TRU Youth MONITOR, unless

otherwise noted

CENTENNIALS