Well, the dust is still settling and people around the world are shocked to find that the has UK voted to leave the EU.
While it will be some time until the official numbers are available, unofficial reports paint a picture of Brexit as a deep generational divide.
A poll by YouGov showed that 64% of Britons aged 25-29 opted for Remain, along with 61% of the 30-34 demographic. It is reasonable to conclude then, that the 45+ crowd, largely comprised of baby boomers, were the force that tipped the scales in favour of leave.
Using the #Remain, many Millennials argued passionately for remaining in the EU in the days and weeks leading up to the referendum. However in the end, Leave won with 51.9% of the vote.
In the aftermath, Millennials are not hesitating to make their voices heard. Here are a selection of some notable Millennial responses:
As of 2015, Millennials officially make up the largest generation of consumers. As companies scramble to gain a competitive advantage with Gen Y, many would be advised to consider corporate social responsibility.
Corporate social responsibility (or CSR) is defined as “the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner”. Examples may include Google Green, an effort by the tech giant to contribute to environmental sustainability, or Microsoft, whose founder Bill Gates is a noted philanthropist.
But acts of CSR reap more benefits than simply the direct charitable impact. Studies show they also draw in Millennial consumers.
For instance, a 2015 Cone Communications Study showed that “More than nine-in-10 Millennials would switch brands to one associated with a cause”. Moreover, another survey by Horizon Media showed that 81% of Millennials expect businesses to engage in good corporate citizenship.
But why does CSR matter to Millennials? Well, our research shows us that, when asked about their values, Millennials identify a deep commitment to equality. Businesses that appeal to this value, are more likely to win Millennial support.
You don’t have to be Google or Microsoft to appeal to the Millennial Consumer. Contact Us to learn how our team can help your business engage with Canada’s largest and most influential consumer group.
Which Millennial type is most likely to be influenced by CSR: The Spark.
Our latest nationwide survey included some of our recurring measures about the state of public opinion on federal politics.
The highlights:
FEELINGS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
• 56% approve of the job being done by Justin Trudeau and his government, the highest number achieved by the new government. Only 24% disapprove.
• More approve than disapprove of the government’s performance in every region of the country. This is the second time we have seen more people in Alberta approve (41%) than disapprove (38%) of the performance of the Trudeau government. The last time was in November 2015, right after the election.
• Among Conservative voters, about one in five (19%) approve of the government’s performance. A solid majority (62%) of NDP voters approve.
FEELINGS ABOUT THE LEADERS
• Since his swearing in last November as Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has found very little fluctuation in his personal support level. Today, 55% say they have a positive feeling about Mr. Trudeau, more than twice as many as say they have a negative feeling (23%).
• Feelings about Mr. Trudeau are more positive than negative in every region of the country, including Alberta, where 36% say they have a good feeling about the PM, and 33% say they see him in a negative way.
• 62% of Conservative voters don’t like Mr. Trudeau, but only 15% of NDP voters feel that way.
• For the second month in a row, Thomas Mulcair encounters more negative (29%) than positive (25%) feelings. Since the launch of the election campaign last August, Mr. Mulcair’s positives dropped 16 points, and his negatives have risen by 8.
• Mr. Mulcair’s negatives are higher than his positives in every region but Quebec (39% positive – 22% negative). Among NDP voters, 59% have a positive feeling about Mr. Mulcair.
• Interim Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose also engenders more negative (24%) than positive (19%) opinion. This has been the case since she took on this role. Worth noting is that positive feelings about Ms. Ambrose have climbed from 14% to 19%.
• 53% of CPC voters have a positive feeling about Ms. Ambrose, while only 9% of Liberal voters and 7% of NDP voters feel that way.
VOTING INTENTIONS
• If an election were held tomorrow, 44% say they would vote Liberal, 28% CPC, and 16% NDP. Since the election, support for the Liberal Party has been consistently in the 40% to 46% range; the Conservatives have been in the 26% to 32% range. The NDP have been consistently below the 20% share of the vote they received last October.
• In Ontario, we see some tightening of the competition between the Liberals and Conservatives, as Liberal support has dipped a bit from the 53% highs we saw immediately after the budget. Today’s Ontario splits (LPC 45%, CPC 33%, NDP 14%) are very similar to those on Election Day last fall (45-35-17)
• In Quebec, the Liberals maintain a striking 28 point advantage over their nearest competitors, the NDP. These numbers represent a substantial 10 point gain for the Liberals over their result last October.
• In BC, the Liberals have opened up a 20 point advantage over the Conservatives – compared to the 5-point advantage last Election Day.
• If an election were held tomorrow, the Liberals would see 3% of their 2015 supporters shift to the CPC, while the CPC would see 6% of their 2015 supporters switch to the Liberals. The movement with the NDP is more compelling: only 4% of those who voted Liberal in October would switch to the NDP, while 20% of those who voted NDP would now vote Liberal.
THE UPSHOT
According to Bruce Anderson:
“Since the election, the new government has taken action on a number of its highest profile promises, including bringing in 25,000 refugees, cutting taxes for the middle class, ending our combat mission in Afghanistan, introducing a new Family Benefit, signing an international protocol on carbon emissions, putting in place new processes to evaluate pipeline projects and spending significantly on infrastructure.
Along the way, the conditions have been set for a much larger deficit than was promised.
In addition, the Prime Minister was on the international stage in a wide range of meetings from Davos to Turkey to Washington to Japan.
Throughout, Liberal support has generally strengthened a bit, largely as a consequence of NDP voters feeling well served by the agenda of this government.
Finally, perhaps most notable in these findings are the perceptions of Mr. Trudeau. In a sense, he has moved from receiving “the benefit of the doubt”, to a measure of confidence in his ability to handle the job and trust in his motives.”
According to David Coletto:
“The Liberal government ends the parliamentary session in much the same place it started: well regarded.
A majority of Canadians have a positive impression of the Prime Minister, the Liberal Party would get a larger share of the vote today than it did in October’s election, and more people approve of the government’s performance than at any point in its seven month tenure.
They have so far held together the coalition that elected them, with a majority of Canadians from all regions of the country (except for Alberta), all generations, and all genders approving of its performance to date. Moreover, they have earned the approval of six in ten Canadians who voted NDP demonstrating the appeal of its agenda and approach, as well confirming the deep desire for change most progressives were craving at the end of the Harper era.”
Methodology
Our survey was conducted online with 1,500 Canadians aged 18 and over from June 14 to 16, 2016. A random sample of panelists was invited to complete the survey from a large representative panel of over 500,000 Canadians.
The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association policy limits statements about margins of sampling error for most online surveys.
The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of 1,500 is +/- 2.6%, 19 times out of 20.
The data were weighted according to census data to ensure that the sample matched Canada’s population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region. Totals may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Abacus Data Inc.
We offer global research capacity with a strong focus on customer service, attention to detail and value added insight. Our team combines the experience of our Chairman Bruce Anderson, one of Canada’s leading research executives for two decades, with the energy, creativity and research expertise of CEO David Coletto, PhD.
For more information, visit our website at http://www.abacusdata.ca/
We all know the narrative about young people that we don’t vote. Article after article has been penned about Millennials’ political apathy. But that narrative may be about to change.
New data from Elections Canada showed a nearly 20% bump in voter turnout from Canadians aged 18 to 24 from 2011 to 2015. The increase was also significant for Canadians aged 25-34, with an increase of 12%.
In addition, we concluded, as stated in this excerpt, that the impact of this increase cannot be overstated:
“Young voters coalesced around one political party and leader unlike in the past decade. So much so that one could credit young voters with giving the Liberal Party its majoritygovernment.”
Not only was youth voter turnout higher than in previous elections, our study also found that a majority of young Canadians also believed that more young people voted in the 2015 election than in the past. 60% of respondents believe that more young people voted than usual, while only 7% felt that fewer young people had voted. The remaining 33% believed that youth turnout was about the same as usual.
We can anticipate with these new Elections Canada numbers, perceptions around young voters will continue to shift.
Given the significant impact that Canadian Millennials had on the 2015 federal election, it’s no surprise that PMJT named himself “Minister of Youth”.
For Millennials living in Canada’s biggest cities, buying a home is looking farther and farther out of reach.
With the price of housing sky rocketing, many Millennials are turning to their parents to help shoulder the financial burden.
Experts from HomEquity Bank are reporting a marked upturn in parents who are inquiring about assisting their adult children financially. To help their children with down payments, many are turning to reverse mortgaging their own homes.
Unsurprisingly, Toronto and Vancouver are the two cities where this phenomenon is most prevalent. The press release states:
“The average cost of a condo in Toronto, according to information released in April, 2016 by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) is $393,589. In Vancouver, according to information released in January, 2016 by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, condos now sell for, on average, $466,600.”
But not all parents are able to maintain financial self-sufficiency, along with making major gifts to their children. So what’s a Vancouver Millennial to do?
Many are choosing to move back in with their parents. A May study by Pew Research Centre showed that more American Millennials are living with their parents than any other living arrangement.
Whether through significant financial gifts or moving back into their childhood bedrooms, Millennials are relying on their parents for housing in a significant way.
Housing is one of many unique challenges facing the Millennial Generation. Contact our team to discover how we can help your business better understand Canada’s largest and most influential consumer group.
Which Millennial Type is Most Likely to Live with Their Parents?: The Pacer.
As the Government of Canada embarks on a sweeping review of the country’s cultural policies, we are pleased to share details about an upcoming national public opinion study, and to invite your organization to be a partner & sponsor of this work.
Canadian Content in a Digital Age will explore how Canadians feel about the public policy implications of the shift towards digital media and the role of public policy in supporting Canadian content creation.
Our subscription-based, syndicated study, will explore:
• How consumption preferences have changed and where are they may be heading • Thoughts about current public policy designed to support Canadian content • Priorities and expectations when it comes future policy in this area • Reaction to ideas to meet economic and cultural goals through public policy • Consideration of different demographic, regional, cultural, and generational factors
Subscribers to this project will discuss and shape areas of focus for the study, receive customized presentations of results, as well as detailed reports of our findings.
If you would like to know more about being a subscriber to this unique and timely study, please drop us a note at Bruce (banderson@abacusdata.ca) or David (david@abacusdata.ca).
Click on the image below for more details about this study:
Canada at 150 is a new syndicated study series produced by the team at Abacus Data. Studies will explore topics such as Canadian content in the digital era, marijuana, the future of unions, energy and the environment, healthcare transformation, generational disruptions, and the future of science, tech, and research in Canada.
For more information about subscribing to the syndicated studies, please contact either Bruce Anderson (banderson@abacusdata.ca) or David Coletto (david@abacusdata.ca).
In our latest survey of Canadian public opinion we included a few questions about the plans of the federal government to put additional resources into scientific research.
The findings:
• 78% believe that to “build a healthy economy for the long term Canada must invest increasing amounts in research and to attract this kind of investment from around the world.”
• In contrast, 22% believe that “research doesn’t do much for our economy today and is unlikely to be a big part of Canada’s economy in the future – our money is better spent on other things.”
• There are virtually no differences by age or region on this point, and only marginal differences between those on the left and those on the right of the spectrum.
• We also asked people to express an opinion about STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). A modest majority (59%) think “Canada should make a greater effort to encourage young people to study in these fields”. A substantial minority (41%) believe “that other skills are just as important or more important”.
• There were some more notable differences across different subsets of the population. Younger people were more convinced than older people that the country should be encouraging STEM studies. Those who voted Conservative in 2015 were also less inclined than others to feel this way.
• Those with more education are more convinced of the need to have more STEM students. Also, those who feel the economy is doing well are more convinced that this is the way to go.
THE UPSHOT
According to Bruce Anderson:
“Canadians know that the global economy is undergoing a transition and that future competitiveness for Canada will require change on our part — and probably constant change.
As the government reviews its approach to investing in scientific research for the future, a couple of things are clear. First, most people believe Canada can ill afford to fall behind in equipping our young people with the skills needed to propel our economy and build good futures for themselves.
Second, that Canadians also recognize that not everyone will be perfectly suited to these studies, and that Canada will require people with a range of other skills and talents too. Policy that promotes science and STEM studies, while still reflecting that “one-size-doesn’t-fit-all” sensibility will find the broadest support.”
Methodology
Our survey was conducted online with 2,000 Canadians aged 18 and over from May 17 to 20, 2016. A random sample of panelists was invited to complete the survey from a large representative panel of over 500,000 Canadians.
The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association policy limits statements about margins of sampling error for most online surveys.
The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of 2,000 is +/- 2.2%, 19 times out of 20.
The data were weighted according to census data to ensure that the sample matched Canada’s population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region. Totals may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Abacus Data Inc.
We offer global research capacity with a strong focus on customer service, attention to detail and value added insight. Our team combines the experience of our Chairman Bruce Anderson, one of Canada’s leading research executives for two decades, with the energy, creativity and research expertise of CEO David Coletto, PhD.
If you know anything about Millennials, you likely know about our love for food.
Past generations have shown appreciation for cuisine sure, but Millennials take this to a whole new level. Indeed, entire communities of Millennials have developed around food culture, dubbing themselves “Foodies”.
What does it mean to be a part of the “Foodie” community? Well, first and foremost, a desire to try new things. Millennial Foodies pride ourselves on our adventurous tastes. No longer do meat and potatoes suffice- instead we crave tacos, sashimi, kale smoothies, and raindrop cake.
But as any good Millennial Foodie will tell you, you can’t get raindrop cake just anywhere…
Desire for unique food offerings are leading Millennials to travel far and wide to access new culinary experiences. But while you might expect travelers to target world centers like London and New York, so-called ‘Food Tourism’ is gaining popularity in places you might not expect.
Take, for example, Pittsburgh. Once known by Canadians only for its collapsed steel industry and Crosby-led hockey team, Pittsburgh is gaining traction among Millennials for its cool restaurant scene. The official Pittsburgh tourism website devotes an entire section to food. The Globe and Mail recently suggested that the city was the best city in America to eat a sandwich. Foodie ‘demigod’ Anthony Bourdain has long praised the city.
With a focus on experience rather than sustenance, Millennial Foodies are elevating tourism industries around the world.
Contact our team to discover how we can help your business better understand Canada’s largest and most influential consumer group.
Which Millennial Type is most likely to travel to Pittsburgh for a Sandwich?: The Stampeder.
As the largest and most influential consumer group, Millennial shoppers have captured the imagination of the fashion industry. But as one new study shows, Millennial consumers buy one particular product in an unexpected way.
Handbags, a product owned by most Millennial women, are subject to a long consideration process before purchase a new study suggests. A study from NPD Group showed that over 40% of women considered buying a particular bag for a minimum of one month before purchasing.
Despite having less disposable income than boomers, Millennials consumers tend to care a great deal about the quality of the products they purchase. In fact, industry experts predict that, when it comes to handbag purchases, Millennials are far more driven by design details than designer names.
Millennials’ deliberative shopping style for purses is reflective of a larger Millennial attitude. The rise of the internet allows Millennial shoppers to heavily research items prior to buying them, leading consumers to take longer (a month and up!) to consider before purchasing.
With their focus on quality and reliance on peer reviews rather than name brand reputation, purse companies are having to transform their Millennial marketing strategies.
Contact our team to discover how we can help your business better understand Canada’s largest and most influential consumer group.
Which Millennial type is most likely to research a high quality handbag?: The Achiever.
As discussed in an earlier post, Canadian Millennials are opting to travel abroad rather than domestically. But where are they staying during their backpacking adventures? Ask any Millennial and they’ll all tell you the same thing – hostels!
The more affordable counterpart to traditional hotels, hostels are distinguished by their communal facilities and younger guests. And according to a recent study, millennials are driving the hostel business into the stratosphere.
Why the Millennial interest in hostels? Well, aside from the evident cost efficiency, hostels appeal to Millennials’ desire for travel as an experience. Hostels, with their communal-based designs, are ideal for meeting other young travellers to go on excursions with. Some hostels even facilitate this, with some going so far as to offer bike rentals.
An excellent example of a hostel chain that has cornered the Millennial market is St Christopher’s Inn. Marketed as “the best backpacker’s hostel”, St Christopher’s has 20 locations across Europe that draw a younger crowd. To learn more about St Christopher’s, visit their website.
Based on Millennial attitudes, we can expect the hostel trend to continue. For example, the same study found that 87% of Millennials saw travel as a very important aspect of their lifestyle, and 86% planned to travel the globe as much as possible in their life.
With no end of Millennial travel in sight, hostels may enjoy success for years to come.
For assistance evaluating your company’s millennial appeal to employees and customers, learn about our Millennial Audit.
What Millennial Type is Most Likely to go Backpacking: The Spark
