Tuesday Buzz: Has “Millennials” Gone Too Far?

Who are we talking about when we talk about millennials?

Organizations and publications are constantly deriding millennials as industry killers  (opens in a new tab), but as this generation takes over the workforce, everyone is desperate to understand what makes millennials tick.

In an update to its style guide  (opens in a new tab), The Wall Street Journal admits to using “millennials” as a “snide shorthand” to sneer at them for their shopping habits and aversion to doorbells  (opens in a new tab). But no longer. WSJ style gatekeepers have had a change of heart about how they will use the term.

“Increasingly, we are not just covering how economists or marketers perceive this generation,” says the post. “We are writing for and about a group of people who are building major companies, altering the way we work and live and challenging long-held notions of family and society.”

WSJ intends to be more precise when talking about younger people and “resist the temptation to use stereotypes.”

Literally, Not Everything Is Epic

25 Event Marketing Phrases No Attendees Believe Anymore https://t.co/sBFTlkkn3V  (opens in a new tab) #events  (opens in a new tab) #eventprofs  (opens in a new tab) #marketing  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/zPSf02aYRq  (opens in a new tab)

— Skift Meetings (@SkiftMeetings) December 5, 2017  (opens in a new tab)

Event marketing is tricky. Marketers want to tout the value of their events and conferences using exclamatory language, but common marketing words have simply lost all meaning to your event attendees.

The Event Manager Blog shares a long list of marketing phrases  (opens in a new tab) that may make your audience’s eyes glaze over.

Take a look at your marketing materials. Do you see the words “epic” “phenomenal” “transparent,” or “authentic?” It may be time to whip out your red pen and rephrase.

Other Links of Note

Do you know what members expect from your design? CMSWire talks about the importance of design in digital technology  (opens in a new tab).

Are you making inaccurate assumptions about your donors? Future Fundraising Now shares ways to rethink your donors  (opens in a new tab).

Your content isn’t working for you if no one is reading it. Social Media Examiner shares how to get more traffic to your blog  (opens in a new tab) using Facebook.

(Mykola Sosiukin/iStock/Getty Images Plus)