Millennials and Baby Boomers in Australia feel they are represented better by the media than by advertising, according to the latest research by YouGov.

The online survey comparing the opinions of respondents born between the mid-1940s and mid-1960s (Baby Boomers) and between the early 1980s and mid-1990s (Millennials), asked how well represented they feel by the way they see people look, act and have similar views to them in the media and advertising.

The survey found that more Millennials feel well represented than badly represented in both areas. By contrast, more baby boomers felt badly represented than well represented -both in the media and in advertising.

When it comes to the media, 60 per cent of Millennials say they feel well represented, against 31 per cent who feel that they are either not very well represented or not represented at all. The net score for Millennials (those who feel well represented minus those who do not) is 29; considerably higher than that of baby boomers (-21). By contrast, just a third of baby boomers feel well represented and 55 per cent feel poorly represented.

Both groups feel less well represented by advertising than by the media. The net score for Millennials is 14 points lower for advertising than it is for the media. Baby Boomers’ score plummets to -36.

Baby Boomers feel the biggest reason for feeling poorly represented is on account of their age (cited by 64 per cent of respondents), whereas Millennials who feel poorly represented say that race is the biggest factor (cited by a third of those polled).

A quarter of Millennials make purchases at least once a week based on things they’ve seen on social media

Millennials’ love of the digital world is well-documented, with selfies and social media playing a prominent role in many young people’s lives. Indeed, seven in 10 Millennials either read or watch content from social media at least once a day.

Less attention is paid to the time Baby Boomers spend on social media. The YouGov survey also found that nearly half (44 per cent) of Baby Boomers either read or watch content from social media at least once a day.

However, social media appears to shape consumer spending far more for Millennials than for baby boomers. While a quarter of Millennials make purchases at least once a week based on things they’ve seen on social media, just three per cent  of boomers do.

Commenting on the findings, YouGov’s head of omnibus, Jake Gammon, said, “With 44 per cent of Baby Boomers consuming content on social media at least once a day, and only three per cent influenced by the channel before purchasing items once a week, our research suggests the digital savviness of older generations is being underestimated by marketers. That coupled with the fact that age is cited as the biggest reason boomers feel misrepresented by the media and advertising makes the case for a digital strategy re-focused on engaging multiple age ranges.”