A new study by Nielsen​ ​Consumer​ ​&​ ​Media View​ ​research​ ​shows​ ​that​ ​just​ ​over​ ​half​ ​(53 per cent)​ ​of​ ​Aussie Millennials​ ​said​ ​they​ ​consumed​ ​alcohol​ ​in​ ​the past​ ​month,​ ​compared​ ​with​ ​65 per cent​ ​of​ ​Gen​ ​Xers​ ​(aged​ ​35​ ​to​ ​54)​ ​and​ ​72 per cent​ ​of​ ​Boomers​ ​(aged​ ​55-plus). As​ ​such,​ ​Millennials​ ​pose​ ​a​ ​challenge​ ​to​ ​alcohol​ ​marketers​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​range​ ​of​ ​factors​ ​that influence​ ​their​ ​drinking​ ​choices.

Millennials​ ​rate​ ​beer​ ​as​ ​their​ ​favourite​ ​tipple​ ​with​ ​26 per cent​ ​having​ ​consumed​ ​it​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​month​ ​- slightly​ ​less​ ​than​ ​the​ ​34 per cent​ ​of​ ​Gen​ ​Xers​ ​and​ ​33 per cent​ ​of​ ​Boomers.​ ​Compared​ ​to​ ​all​ ​other​ ​consumers of​ ​a​ ​legal​ ​drinking​ ​age,​ ​however,​ ​Millennials​ ​are​ ​more​ ​open​ ​to​ ​other​ ​drink​ ​choices.​ ​This​ ​group​ ​is:

●  33 per cent​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​have​ ​consumed​ ​cider​ ​(16 per cent​ ​said​ ​they​ ​had​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​month)

●  55 per cent​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​have​ ​consumed​ ​vodka​ ​(10 per cent)

●  18 per cent​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​have​ ​consumed​ ​premixed​ ​drinks​ ​(nine per cent)

New​ ​drinks,​ ​new​ ​ideas,​ ​food​ ​and​ ​technology​ ​all​ ​appeal​ ​to​ ​alcohol-consuming-Millennials​ ​who are​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​see​ ​themselves​ ​as​ ​trendsetters​ ​amongst​ ​their​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​are​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​pay extra​ ​for​ ​products​ ​that​ ​are​ ​consistent​ ​with​ ​the​ ​image​ ​they​ ​want​ ​to​ ​portray.

Millennials​ ​look​ ​for​ ​value​ ​but​ ​they​ ​also​ ​rate​ ​health​ ​factors​ ​such​ ​as​ ​low​ ​carb,​ ​calories, vitamin-fortified​ ​and​ ​organic​ ​as​ ​very​ ​important;​ ​compared​ ​to​ ​Boomers​ ​who​ ​favour​ ​value​ ​and price,​ ​particularly​ ​when​ ​purchasing​ ​beer​ ​and​ ​cider.

Marketers​ ​aiming​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​Millennial​ ​drinkers​ ​need​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​more​ ​than​ ​brand​ ​or​ ​product because​ ​62%​ ​of​ ​them​ ​are​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​reject​ ​brands,​ ​products​ ​and​ ​services​ ​based​ ​on​ ​concerns around​ ​their​ ​impact​ ​on​ ​the​ ​environment.

Millennials​ ​are​ ​out​ ​and​ ​about​ ​more​ ​than​ ​the​ ​older​ ​generations,​ ​with​ ​52 per cent​ ​visiting​ ​a​ ​bar​ ​or​ ​pub​ ​in any​ ​given​ ​week​ ​with​ ​a​ ​mobile​ ​phone​ ​clutched​ ​in​ ​the​ ​hand:​ ​more​ ​than​ ​half​ ​(54 per cent)​ ​agree​ ​that​ ​they cannot​ ​live​ ​without​ ​their​ ​mobile​ ​phone.​ ​While​ ​they​ ​may​ ​drink​ ​less​ ​overall,​ ​Millennials​ ​are​ ​still​ ​an important​ ​group.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​past​ ​month,​ ​Millennials​ ​who​ ​bought​ ​alcohol​ ​on​ ​premise​ ​were​ ​more​ ​likely to​ ​have​ ​spent​ ​more​ ​than​ ​both​ ​Gen​ ​Xers​ ​and​ ​Boomers.