Stop Blaming Millennials for Everything That's Failing

(DISCLAIMER: I am not a millennial, however I'm often mistaken for one.)

We all have constantly heard that millennials are the laziest, most entitled generation of all time...right?

C'mon already. We now have enough testimony and evidence to know that this is not in fact the case. But since THAT series of myths has finally been thrown out, we are now being regularly showered with the idea that this same group has ruined whole industries.

This recent post from Business Insider purports to explain how some specific industries and brands are being run out of business by (of course) millennials, and I want to address a few of them.

Cereal

"Almost 40% of millennials surveyed by Mintel said cereal was an inconvenient breakfast choice because they had to clean up after eating it, The New York Times reported in 2016. Instead, younger consumers are turning to convenient options with minimal cleanup that can be eaten on the go, from yogurt to fast-food breakfast sandwiches."

Are millennials too lazy to clean up, or too BUSY and "on-the-go"? If busy, this contradicts the idea that they're lazy. Also, there are different categories of cereal, and we ALL know the actual good ones, right? If sugar cereals were included in the polling, then that would tell me that they are trying to eat healthier and get a BETTER start to their day than forty year-olds who are woofing down Cookie Crisp every morning.

Casual dining chains like Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee's

"Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants," Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith wrote in a letter to shareholders earlier this year.

Wait...did the CEO of B-Dubs just try to say that the chain she's in charge of is somehow not in the "fast-casual" business? Maybe on NFL game day its a bit more leisurely, but in general I would put BWW in the fast-casual category. Also, isn't cooking at home a GOOD thing in general?? Sounds like some classic CYA action by Sally in her shareholder address.

I'll add this quote from a friend who will remain anonymous (she's actually the one who shared the BI post that is the basis of this)...

In all fairness- the food at Applebees is enough to 'psychologically scar' anyone.

"Breastaurant" chains like Hooters

Are we REALLY going to blame the decline of Hooters on MILLENNIALS?

On second thought, this one they may be happy to take credit for.

One final note: any group that is responsible for the demise of an industry commonly referred to as "breastaurants" is ok in my book.

Beer

"In late July, Goldman Sachs downgraded both Boston Beer Company and Constellation Brands based on data suggesting that younger consumers prefer wine and spirits to beer, as well as the fact that they're drinking less alcohol than older generations more generally. Beer penetration fell 1% from 2016 to 2017 in the US market, while both wine and spirits were unmoved, according to Nielsen ratings. Beer already lost 10% of market share to wine and hard liquor from 2006 to 2016."

Previous generations simply didn't have the choices available to them, so they became dedicated to specific brands. And when I say dedicated, I mean DEDICATED. My grandfather (and also his brother) were hard drinkers, and they only drank one type of vodka, or whiskey, or whatever floated their boat. Everyone knew what to be sure to have on hand during holiday season. But now, with all the various options out there, there's really no reason not to get adventurous. Why stick with beer?

As my colleague (and also craft beer connoisseur) Adam Leidhecker notes:

From craft beer to cocktails — for millennials it's all about the experience. Regardless of personal taste, the experience of enjoying a delicious beverage crafted with care, attached to a backstory and enjoyed with good friends is always in demand. So, actually we should raise a glass and cheers millennials for contributing to the resurgence and appreciation of all things craft.

Also, it's definitely not a bad thing that millennials are drinking less than their parents.

Banks

"Nearly three-quarters of millennials with a bank account visit a branch once or less a month, according to BI Intelligence data. And slightly less than 40% of millennials do not visit physical banks at all."

Well...yeah. I have vivid memories of standing in LONG lines with my mom at the bank when I was young. No iPhone. No apps. No mobile videos to watch.

Just. Standing. In. Line.

The payoff? A super small lollipop from the bank teller. NOT worth it for a kid, believe me. So it's of no surprise to hear bank branches are dying, but its not just millennials...I do NOT go to the bank, and no one I know does on a regular basis either. When you can get cash at the ATM, and perform every other function online or in an app and have it all be reliable, why wouldn't you prefer that type of frictionless interaction?

In closing... here's the tl;dr summation:

The data supports facts that tell us that millennials enjoy:

• eating healthy
• respecting women
• saving time
• convenience
• a good drink