Matt Carmichael, the author of Buyographics, offers an interesting perspective on millennials and cars in the latest issue of Advertising Age.
“They have much less of a love affair with the car than previous generations did.”
Do they?
PMB asked Canadians if they agree or disagree with the statement “I get quite attached to my car”. 29.2% of Canadians millennials (between the ages of 18 and 29) agree. Among millennials in Québec, the level of agreement climbs to 34.4%.
Among their parents (Canadians between the ages of 50 and 59), slightly more (32.5%) agree. That is not a major generational difference. It may well be that when these parents were in their twenties the love affair was stronger but we don't have data on this.
Carmichael advises automakers to “quit talking so much about miles-per-gallon - even though sustainability is important. Talk more about the social aspects. Show the people interacting each other, sharing experiences and sharing the road.”
No doubt that sociability and connectivity matter to the millennials. But don’t completely stop talking about fuel consumption, at least not in Québec.
25.4% of Canadian millennials living outside Québec agree with the statement “I refuse to buy a car that is not fuel efficient”. Among millennials in Québec, it’s 49.6%.
For an insightful look into millennials and cars, read Jeremy Cato’s article published in the Globe and Mail earlier this year.
According to Cato, “millennials, like their parents, will warm to car ownership when they have the money and the need. The real issue is the barriers young people face in entering the car market. Aside from the cost – for example, astronomical insurance rates – governments have implemented graduated licensing programs that have slowed the rate at which young drivers take the wheel. Thus, the love affair blossoms later.”
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