MILLENNIAL IMMERSION

Research

Total Millennial immersion: Spent eight weeks sitting with Millennials (18-27 years olds), talking for 10-15 minutes with one after the other after the other for a YouTube video creation channel sponsored by one of the major Networks. Overall, it was an excellent deep-dive into the goals, habits and mind-set of this key demographic. (Note: the interview team of three was experienced, but youthful in both appearance and demeanor. This helped create honest and spirited conversations.)

We met all types: White, black, single, married, gay, straight, bi, those in long term relationships, those in fresh relationships, people who’ve been in L.A. a long time and people who just got here. Adopted, abandoned, raised by grandparents, raised by all women, children of Pastors, fat, skinny, tough bitches, gentle souls, shoe models, gender illusionists, gold star gays, little people, people secure with themselves, basket cases, models, mamma’s boys, twins, triplets, drag queens, club kids, singers, from a large family, only child, middle child, partiers, reformed partier, mimes, Gamers, loud voices, squeaky voices, baby voices, mumblers, those who’ve seen everything, those who’ve seen nothing, chess players, sorority girls, violinists, professional dancers, people with lisps, Native Americans, those with attention to detail, those who just go with the flow, people who like to argue, dry humor, sarcastic, literal, from abusive relationships, people with a big presence, shy types and more.

They spoke so many languages: English, British, Cockney, Scottish, Gaelic, Spanish, Catalán, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Dutch, Africaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Filipino, Vietnamese, Brazilian, Italian, Hebrew, Thai, Indian, Arabic, French, Armenian, German, Somali, Hungarian, Russian, Swedish, Creole, Hindi and more.

They came from literally everywhere: Sacramento, San Jose, Georgia San Francisco, DTLA, Vegas, Egypt, swamp country, Sudan, Tokyo, Denver, Canada, Wisconsin, Palo Alto, Simi Valley, Orlando, Compton, Austin, Arcadia, Toledo, Long Beach, Puerto Rico, Walnut Creek, Chicago, Hollywood, Boca Raton, Boston, the Inland Empire, St. Louis, Beverly Hills, West Virginia, Nebraska, Buffalo, Oklahoma, Michigan, Brooklyn, Columbia, Brazil, Long Island, Japan, Alabama, San Fernando Valley, Korea, Iran, Rhode Island, Orange, Hawaii, Germany, Burbank, Houston, Philly, Hermosa Beach, Minnesota, Vienna, Angola, Miami, D.C., South Texas by the Mexican boarder, Maryland, Silicon Valley, K-Town, Colorado Springs, Mississippi, Capetown, Alaska, Virginia Beach, Pismo Beach, and more.

We touched on just about everything: Art, politics, current events, trains, malls, running their parent’s business since 14 years old, hockey, skiing, the garment industry, Subway sandwiches, inappropriate comedy, being an au pair, computer science, fake IDs, being selective, having your ass grabbed, gay marriage, drag, drag mothers, drag queen skin care tips, Online dating, meeting people more traditionally, Tae Kwan Do, hiking, good Happy Hours around town, esoteric consciousness, strip clubs, monogamy, being very gay, approaching people out of the blue, volunteering, vegetarianism, vegan, failed vegan, being catfished, making an album, ladies mic night, being a lesbian, having a dog, writing poetry, California Pizza Kitchen, In-N-Out Burger, feminism, not being a fan of Texas, ballet, surfing, playing a princess at little kid parties, vagina exercises, three legged cats, skateboarding, open minded-ness, breaking up for religious reasons, making up words, DJ life, winning weird contests, soccer, serving in the Korean military as a U.S. citizen, choreography, anxiety disorders, beatbox, eating disorders, Trump, Hillary, Bernie, being discovered, Berlin’s hipster dark vide being bullshit, personality of hair styles, being a workaholic, boyfriend desperation, foodies, life as a diplomat’s kid, dialects, technology, fear of technology, going to the Jimmy Fallon show, being a military kid, living in small towns, living in big cities, working out, not working, getting ready to get back into working out, chasing down the list of “best sandwiches in LA.,” making money on Ebay, being a scene queen, tutoring math, Instagram, Target, being racially profiled, dubsmash, Dungeons & Dragons, leaving your girl back home, bad choices, horseback riding, comic books, circus training, going to the clubs, not giving it away, being really white, Snapchat, pro bike racing in Europe, dreaming of the Jack Daniels burger at Fridays, driving cross country, being a cute guy working at a Beverly Hills gym, having a shopping problem, mixed media collages, being named after a song, being a server, having a clothing label, Uber, dating older women, guns, hunting, having parents kidnap them and take to Mexico, marathon running, the concept of all day breakfast, a mayonnaise store in Brooklyn, being 19 and never further than Santa Barbara, baking with friends, babysitting in Manhattan, boxing, self deprecation humor, Burning Man, being inspired by the David Spade movie Dickie Roberts, learning English in a year, coming to America for political reasons, living with parents, impulsive tattoos, curses, watching YouTube, ADHD, liking Jewish guys, keeping the vodka away, Coachella, the importance of faith, religion and astrology, skinning gators, more.