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THE CONSTRUCT OF HAPPINESS

Study of the Millennials in the construct of Happiness

                                                                                                                   By SHAHNAB AHMED

The Campaign architecture focuses on how young adults construct happiness, the purpose and meaning they seek from life and the behaviours they adopt to attain it. The research uncovered how Millennials define their own lives and values to live by in order to be happy. 

LEARNINGS: 

• Despite the economic conditions they grew up in, Millennials have more choices and freedom than previous generations. They intend to make the most of it. They want to fulfil their potential by embracing opportunities earlier generations lacked. 
• They value journeys of discovery, learning new skills, and prize experiences for their social value. Daring to take risks and being adaptable puts them in the right frame of mind to explore new opportunities
• Eroding job security, high profile corporate scandals and widespread downsizing has coincided with a shift in values and advances in technology, making it easier for Millennials to become entrepreneurs. 
•  Low barrier to entry means failure is taken lightly, but they expect to work hard and be rewarded for it. They also see great opportunity within the new "sharing" economy.
• Millennials seek meaningful experiences being more important than material goods. They spend their time collecting experiences which reinforce their individual and social identities. 
• Travel especially is seen as an opportunity for original experiences, a chance to go off beaten track and gather personal encounters that set them apart from their peers. 
• Millennials celebrate their individual uniqueness through creativity and self expression. They want to project the right image for people to take them seriously.
• They think life experiences aren't worth as much if they're not shared with others. They also rely on each other, sharing opinions with friends to help make more informed decisions. 
• Young people want to identify themselves with social roles that give them a sense of purpose and belonging being a good friend, sibling, parent or colleague. They make a conscious effort to nurture their relationships with family, friends and the wider world. They realize their potential not just through work, but relationships, passions and interests. 
• "New" networking is less about exchanging business cards and more about genuinely helping one another to make things happen.
• Having come of age in time of economic uncertainty, Millennials know that being happy is something they need to work on. They look for work in creative ways, and spend their money on experiences that they can share with family and friends, online as well as offline. 

KEY FINDINGS:

1. Becoming Adult is about INDEPENDENCE and DECISION MAKING

2. Aspects of life that are of HIGH IMPORTANCE to millennials

3. Saving up to FUND EXPERIENCES 

4. Using DIFFERENT CREATIVE WAYS to share stories

5. Creating types of CONTENT WORTH SHARING

THE HAPPINESS FRAMEWORK  FOR BRANDS

BRAND MANIFESTO: 

1. Help Millennials to LIVE FULFILLED LIVES

Happiness for Millennials means making the most of their lives, living with purpose and having meaningful experiences. Brands that help them organize their busy lives so they have time to spend with family and friends will be more valued. 

2. Help Millennials to GIVE THEIR BEST

 Personal development and high aspirations are really important to Millennials, and this mind set should start right at the product development stage for brands. Don't just be useful, be meaningful.   

3. Deliver MEANINGFUL BRAND EXPERIENCES

Millennials gather experiences in the way that earlier generations amassed prized possessions. Brands can help them do that, be it through helping them express what they stand for or by providing those experiences. 

4. Help Millennials TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS

Millennials have freedom, access and choice. This generation wants to be certain they've found the right answer. However, the abundance of choices and information may cause them to believe the stakes are higher than they really are, making them less confident about making decisions or avoiding them altogether. Brands need to find easy and convenient ways to help Millennials make decisions. 

5. Help Millennials to WRITE THEIR PERSONAL STORIES

Millennials are happy when they have meaningful experiences in aspects of their lives that are important to them. They creates their personal narratives. As enablers of happiness, brand need to think about how they can help. Millennials to have experiences that fuel their life stories. 

6. Enable and facilitate CONTROL

Millennials want structure of control in place. Being in control of their life brings more happiness. The brand's role is to help Millennials take control in terms of decision making, how best to use the products and services, and in getting the best deals. 

7. Respect the RELATIONSHIP

Millennials are savvy consumers who want brands that reflect their own values. Brands need to be authentic in what they stand for and to develop relationships with Millennials through shared values. In a digital era, brands that don't practice what they preach will be found out. Millennials only want to be associated with the brands that walk the talk. 

CONCLUSION:

Millennials might seem happy-go-lucky, but scratch the surface and you will find savvy, frugal consumers. There are cultural differences, often related to ease of ready cash in some of the quickest growing economies or about how involved their families get in decision making, but there are more similarities than differences among Millennials in India. 

Millennials may have more freedom than any generation before, but they don't want to squander it. Having seen their parents and grand-parents work all hours with mainly possessions to show for it. Millennials want to collect experiences. Brand that can help them to do that are in a great position to benefit from the ways.Millennials seek happiness in their life. A life well lived also has to do with being financially stable- Happy Millennials will save up to spend money on durable things for their houses, or for brand products that they feel express who they are. 

Millennials regard friends and family as important and they want to be seen as not responsible but also caring. This opens up opportunities for brands to tie in with inspirational figures or with charities. Brands need to be really careful to deliver on their commitments. In a digital era, there are no secrets, and Millennials are more considered than most- they will buy luxury goods, but they will do the research first. Self-improvement is really important for this generation- many young people feel that they  can't help others before they've helped themselves. 

Brands that help them stay in control will reap the benefits, as will those who are able to tap into social media with great content that Millennials want to share. But don't be fooled; what might look like just a few selfies and retweet of photographs are part of a bigger identity building project. Brands need to keep listening, engaging and offering great value if they want to be as happy as the happiest of Millennials. After all, happiness isn't just a feeling- it's a skill we learn.