Millennials Grow Up: New Study Explores the First Generation of Digitally Native Moms & Dads

Research from Crowdtap Highlights Nuances Between Millennial Moms &
Dads; Underscores Importance of More Authentic Brand Relationships

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Crowdtap,
the People-Powered Marketing Platform, has released the findings of a
comprehensive study on Millennial parents, who today head up a quarter
of all U.S. households (Source: Barkley Agency, 2013). Crowdtap which
focuses on brand engagement and insights, surveyed nearly 1,000
Millennial parents to inform the research, which unearthed similarities
and differences between how Millennial moms and dads view technology in
relation to parenting, make family purchase decisions and form
connections with brands after having children.

Eighty percent of U.S. Millennials – or 60 million people – will become
parents in the next decade. The Crowdtap study explores how Millennials
are bucking misconceptions as they mature into the next phase of their
lives. With an estimated $2 trillion in global buying power,
understanding Millennials as parents will be critical for brands
vying to capture attention and ultimately drive sales from this cohort
in 2016 and beyond.

To field the first-of-its-kind study, Crowdtap recruited Millennial moms
and dads from its member community and engaged them in a series of
online polls and discussions over the course of several weeks. This
iterative approach enabled the research team to explore and validate
trending themes as they emerged, leading to stronger insights over time.

The study found that today’s Millennial parents are driven by their
desire to simply be “good parents.” Millennial moms and dads (ages 20 to
35) agree that being a parent means “being there for your family and
putting the needs of the family before your own.” Additionally, parents
rely more on social media for advice and fathers are more “present” in
their children’s lives.

Key Findings:

• When describing their role as a parent in today’s world, Millennial
  moms were much more likely to proactively cite the words “technology”
  (35 percent) and “social media” (15 percent) than Millennial dads, who
  used these phrases 10 percent and less than 5 percent, respectively.
• On the other hand, approximately 15 percent of Millennial dads noted
  that being a “Millennial” dad is about “being there” for their
  children, compared to roughly 4 percent of moms who described their
  role in a similar fashion.
• For parenting advice, Millennial parents say they turn to their
  mothers (AKA “Grandma”) before consulting parenting websites, social
  media and blogs. The Internet and social media are the next most
  influential sources of parenting advice.
  • 46 percent of mom and 35 percent of dads say that social media is
    “extremely helpful” when it comes to parenting.
  • Millennial parents, especially moms, spend more time on sites like
    Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube after they have kids.
  • 20 percent of both Millennial moms and dads consider social media
    a “distraction” that detracts from quality time with family.
  • 17 percent of moms and 10 percent of dads are concerned with the
    “social pressure” that social media creates.
  • 11 percent of moms and 6 percent of dads say that social media
    contributes to “information overload” that can add to their
    anxiety and confusion.
  • When purchasing for their children, Millennial parents are more
    willing to splurge depending on the quality of the product and
    whether or not it will make their child happy.

  “As Millennials increasingly transition into parenthood, marketers must
  understand and speak to this digitally native and highly influential
  cohort as individuals who are dedicated to their families,” said Rachel
  Schwartz, Director of Client Success at Crowdtap. “The goal of this
  report was to unearth key insights to educate marketers aiming to better
  connect with this up-and-coming generation of parents.”

  The full report can be found here.

  About Crowdtap

  Crowdtap, the People-Powered Marketing Platform, is a new operating
  system for brands powered by the people who love them. Crowdtap makes it
  easy for marketers to build open brands by accelerating customer
  feedback and inspiring content and conversations at-scale. In 2014,
  Crowdtap was named one of the 100 Most Promising Companies in America by
  Forbes and the No. 54 fastest-growing private company in the Inc. 500
  List. The company has been ranked one of the Top 10 Places to Work in
  Marketing & Advertising by Fortune, the No. 3 Best Place to Work in New
  York by Crain’s, and the No. 6 Best Tech Company to Work For by Mashable.

  With a growing community of passionate members, Crowdtap works with
  leading brands including General Mills, Heineken, Kraft Foods, P&G,
  Verizon, Walmart and Yum Brands. Headquartered in New York, Crowdtap has
  raised $15 million through the Foundry Group, Tribeca Venture Partners,
  Alta Communications and The Mustang Group.

  Visit corp.crowdtap.com
  for more information.

  Contacts

  Media:
  Stephanie Tackach for Crowdtap
  347-244-3101
  Stephanie@kitehillpr.com