By Lauren Brewer, Webmaster

Local YAYAs have an opportunity to attend the tenth edition of the True False Film festival this weekend, February 28 through March 3. And expect them to come out in full force, because it has so much appeal, but why?
Some reasons why True/False attracts YAYAs:

• Affordable, YaYas can purchase a simple for $75 and see at least 10 films
• Trend, currently T/F is on the rise in the documentary scene and brings people from across the globe
• Involvement, with interact before or after films there is a window of opportunity for YAYAs to engage with those who played a part in the films

Millennials seem to have an overarching attitude of wanting to be knowledgeable in causes that are affecting the world around them. Which could draw them toward some of this year’s documentaries at the festival.

Some documentary filmmakers are evening looking to target their films at Generation Y. With a wide array of films coming to True/False this weekend millennials can engage with those across the globe in multiple generations groups.

“A group of independent filmmakers in their early 20s are embarking on an international documentary project to understand where their generation – the Millennial Generation, or, Generation Y – fits into society.” According to an article on Online PR Media. Helping to prove that YAYAs are engaged in the documentary world.

What does this mean for the film industry and how they target YAYAs? Does this affect how YAYAs think about films and do they plan to fully engage in film festivals, even outside of their local areas?

Sources:

http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/337156-1360087673-generation-y-filmmakers-explore-millennials-in-new-globetrotting-documentary.html

www.just-spotted.com

http://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=391285794234173&set=a.38

5339711495448.101723.165345083494913&type=3&theater

By Katy Tripses

One of America’s most popular pizza chains Papa John’s has been slapped with a $250 million class action lawsuit for sending out more than 500,000 spam text messages in 2010. The SMS messages were a part of a mobile direct marketing campaign that sent customers coupons and deals via their phone.

 

Mobile campaigns such as this one have grown in popularity among advertisers as of late due to rising accessibility to smartphones. In fact, many companies believe mobile advertising is particularly successful with hard-to-reach groups, such as the YAYA market, who are known to be heavy users when it comes to their phones. According to Pew Internet, 18-24 year olds send an average of 109.5 text messages a day. That adds up to more than 3,200 messages per month.

 

But what advertisers like Papa Johns don’t seem to understand is that, for Millennials, phones are often more than just always-on, all-purpose devices. For many, receiving ads on their phone can fe

el invasive to their personal space. They want to feel that not just anyone can come into that space; advertisers must be invited in.

 

And for Papa John’s, it looks like it pays to get permission. The suit is relying on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which requires companies to obtain permission from consumers before sending advertisements via text messages. In this case, customers are saying they never opted in to the ads, but rather began receiving the spam messages after placing orders. Moreover, plaintiffs even reported sometimes receiving more than 15 messages from Papa John’s in a row, including during the middle of the night.

 

For now, it remains to be seen if the court will award the class. But a guilty verdict could prove costly for the pizza chain. Donald Heyrich, the attorney representing those affected, says plaintiffs are currently seeking damages of $500 per text. However, if the court finds that Papa Johns “willfully broke the law”, those damages could more than double to $1,500 per message. Do you believe text message campaigns such as this one can be considered invasive?

Sources:

http://gizmodo.com/5960412

http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/13/technology/mobile/papa-johns/

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Cell-Phone-Texting-2011/Main-Report.aspx

Photo courtesy of PapaJohns.com

Lindsay Lutz

Inattentive, entitled, lazy, pampered, and self-absorbed. These are all words that have been used to describe Generation Y in the workplace. It seems like Baby Boomers and Generation X remain baffled by their young successors, especially in regards to their work ethic. As a result, management gurus are pumping out articles on how to supervise Millennials, which oftentimes read as if members of Gen Y are ornery dogs in need of training. Instead of recognizing the unique skills and characteristics of this young generation, these manuals reveal a corporate attitude that may not be able to utilize Millennials to their fullest potential.

Older generations complain that Millennials are self-centered and have created a culture of “me.” Nevertheless the resident experts on collaboration and community are the under 30 market. The post-industrialization of America has put thousands of miles in between families and friends, as well as companies and consumers. But it’s the Millennials who are sharing files, pictures, videos, product reviews, goods and services, creating an interconnectedness that defies distance. Gen Y has taken networking to an extremely profitable new level.

Millennials are opportunistic. Employers moan about this trait citing it as bad for their companies because their young employees are looking for their next job rather than working for their promotion. However, the opportunistic/entrepreneur spirit of a Gen Y worker can be used to seize business deals and identify untapped markets that are good for a company’s bottom line. Young employees are often the earliest to adopt trends or technology keeping their employers ahead of the curve.

Even with all of this positive information, the Millennial-bashing continues. If Millennials succeed, they are deemed cocky, egotistical or unappreciative of parents who handed them the achievement. If they fail, they are considered void of any work ethic with no mention of the economy or people who raised them. Ultimately, employers and marketers should realize one thing: Millennials are the future. Generation Y is inheriting some huge issues, and they will be the ones stepping up to the plate. They bring new attitudes and new skills to the table and it is time to view this as innovation rather than a threat to the existing order.

How can employers better take advantage of what Millennials have to offer?

Errol Morris’ last-ditch efforts to get Millennials to the polls

By Kyle Fiehler

“Would you be willing to make the argument for not voting?”

“Sure,” responds a well-dressed, well-spoken young man. And so begins Oscar-winning director Errol Morris’ short film, “11 Excellent Reasons Not to Vote?”

In the final run up to election week, there has been much discussion about undecided voters. Who are they? Media outlets continue to speculate about this blurry demographic. Some say they’re women, some say they’re pastors, and some say there just aren’t many left.

Morris tackles another group of the undecided, also known as the Millennials who are unsure whether to turn out at all, in his op-doc. The piece, running just over seven minutes, begins with a persuasively funny collection of reasons to stay home on November 6^th. Some, like the supposedly high incidence of car accidents on Election Day, are tongue-in-cheek. Others, like not living in a swing state or being unable to predict which candidate will respond better to unforeseeable circumstances, are all the more cynical for their plausibility.

Just when audiences begin feeling really pessimistic, Morris uses the same bright youths to smack them in the head. An expectant mother is now voting for two. A Floridian missed the deadline to file for an absentee ballot while studying abroad in 2000. A seventeen year old is missing the election by four days. An African American recalls how his grandmother voted for this first time as a forty-year-old woman, following the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The debates may be over, and time may be running short to remain undecided, but Morris’ Millennials make a strong case for swallowing doubt and showing up at the polls tomorrow.

Image Credit: humanevents.com

By Seth Gregory

For the past month, the presidential candidates have sparred during three long debates over the economy, foreign policy and over which one of them deserves your vote. However, both candidates made one common mistake. They forgot the Millennials! This could be a grave mistake since Millennials will dominate the voting power in this country in just a few short years. It’s no wonder YAYAs chose to focus on Big Bird, the binders of women, horses and bayonets after the issues they care about got skirted over.

Millennials have great concern for clean energy, marriage equality, health care and the job outlook, but none of these topics were given much thought. While clean energy was discussed, no answer was given. Marriage equality was never a topic of discussion during any of the debates. Healthcare was a back-and-forth conversation about the dangers of Obamacare, and how it’s the same plan that Mitt Romney passed in Massachusetts.

The most important issue to Millennials is probably the job outlook when they finish their education, whether that is high school or college. The first question during the second presidential debate was about jobs for recent graduates. You can watch that question here. Neither candidate provided a definite answer or plan as to how they would improve the job outlook. Both talked around the issue by throwing statistics around. The moderator even tried to get a definite answer, but failed.

Millennials were highly underrepresented in the debates. The moderators were either over the age of 60 or close to 40 years older than the average Millennial. Even during the town hall debate, the majority of people asking questions were Baby Boomers and members of Generation X. Since the number of Millennials in the United States almost equals the number of Baby Boomers, and Millennials definitely outnumber Generation X, it just seems that Millennials should be represented proportionally.

Maybe Millennials are the hardest generation to motivate to vote because they are underrepresented in politics today. The election is merely days away. Do you think Millennials were left out of the debates?

By Jackie Smith

 At one point or another, everyone has “slapped the bag” too many times, taken too many swigs, and swore the next morning to never drink wine again. Well, at least until the next frat party. But, even years after your college career, the occasional hangover still occurs. And lately, young adults have started ditching the bags for bottles of wine due to the wine industry’s newest target market: Millennials.

More Millennials, 21 years and older, are consuming wine of better quality and quantity than any other generation before them. Wine is no longer just for “sophisticated old folks.” Thanks to smart advertising, Constellation Marketing, the world’s second largest wine seller after E. & J. Gallo Winery, says wine sales have increased by more than 40 percent in the last year thanks to Millennials.

The digital generation has played a huge role in developing wine brands specifically marketed towards Gen Y. When it comes to selling their product, wine companies are teaching their employees new tactics, such as creating online conversations with users instead of resorting to the traditional hard-sell. Brands have been able to utilize online venues, social media, and even cell phone apps to connect with wine drinkers.

Generally speaking, when it comes to price, Millennials aren’t looking to break the bank and spend $190 on a bottle of Barbaresco, Gaja 2001. For many younger wine drinkers, wine quality may simply be based upon it being enjoyable to drink, a pretty label, or a brand name they recognize. Advertisers have acted on those popular qualities by creating catchy looking bottles with recognizable brands that sell for $9.99 or even less.

Digital marketing and social media have successfully connected this new generation of drinkers to wine. A simple tweet is now able to change the sale of a product. An easy to use Facebook page allows a brand to attract thousands of followers a day. The touch of a phone app can connect a business to wine drinkers around the world. As social media and digital marketing keep evolving, the wine market will keep expanding as well. Many people in the wine industry believe this new kind of Millennial wine consumption offers growth potential never seen before in the industry. Do you feel the same?

Image credit: Beverage Media

There was a debate Monday night? Yes, between Monday Night Football and Game 7 of the NLCS, viewers had the chance to catch the third and final debate between the two candidates. Who won? It’s no surprise to YAYAConnection that no one can seem to agree other than that the American people may have lost. Millennials were watching, and many who are trying to find a job or look for a better job view this as a very important election. Here is an interesting article showing a few different sides. Read on for this article from PolicyMic for a look into six different Millenials’ reaction to the debate.

 Debate Results: 6 North Carolina Millennials React

By: Adam Jutha

Debate Results 6 North Carolina Millennials React

It was hard to tell if Monday night’s presidential debate was really the “foreign policy” debate we were all promised as Governor Romney and President Obama jumped back to the economy at every possible moment. It’s easy to lay some of that blame on the moderator, Bob Schieffer, but the candidates also dodged the real discussion topics.

Substance and quality were lacking in the debate. As one Pakistani citizen put it, “Even though the Middle East was a central topic in the debate, there was no mention of state of the Palestinian refugees and what either candidate hopes to do in encouraging peace talks to resume. Furthermore, neither candidate discussed drone attacks in Pakistan and the civilian causalities caused by them. As the debate kept being reverted back to the economy, issues of international aid, the UN, and climate change were ignored. At the end of the day, Romney and Obama had similar opinions regarding Iran, Middle East and Israel.”

Let’s take a look at some reactions from young adults across the battleground state of North Carolina:

1) Everett Lozzi ’13 remained unwaivered by the debate, identifying this frustration with the past four years of office and keeping firm in his opinion that significant changes would not occur in the coming four years. “The last 4 years have been a disappointment for those Americans who voted in 2008 for the protection of civil-liberties and a change in America’s foreign policy. The debate tonight highlighted the fact that there is no significant difference between Democrats and Republicans on foreign policy. Big issues, such as the National Defense Authorization Act, the renewal of the PATRIOT Act, Guantanamo Bay, undeclared wars, increased military spending, and drone strikes, received little or no attention in tonight’s debate. Much of the post-debate analysis will cover style or demeanor with the understanding, all along, that we will not see any fundamental changes to the military-industrial-complex in the next 4 years.”

2) Jeremy Saxe ’15, had a similar outlook, recognizing that, “there will be few foreign policy shifts with either a second term for President Obama or a first for Governor Romney. Both see the United States having a smaller role globally; a ‘shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere,’ rather than policing and bullying the bottom of the hill. A key difference in policy, however, is the continued expansion of the U.S. military versus limiting growth. Though both differ on military spending they see U.S. debt as a large national defense issue and pointed to their individual economic plans as solutions. Stylistically, both Romney and Obama continued to seep dislike of each other. Romney improved after the second presidential debate and exited seeming presidential. Obama, free from expectations and further debates, let loose and attempted to get more laughs than he received at the Al Smith Dinner. Ultimately, the electorate may see this move as either snarky or confidence exuding from a President who saw his opponent arguing his policies back at him.”

3) And continuing on with similar perspectives, Connor Belson ’15, could not determine a clear winner from the debate. “In a debate over foreign policy, the two candidates discussed very little foreign policy. Instead, the pair focused on degrading comments and negativities of the other. The debate came across as a final opportunity for both Obama and Romney to assert any remaining disagreements yet to be presented through the debate series. Obama prepared aggressively and debated aggressively—his comments developed and sharp when compared to the first debate. Romney, however, rebounded with aplomb to many of Obama’s arguments. Experience shined in the third and final debate. In terms of foreign policy, Obama’s successes over the last four years, including the capture of Bin Laden, cannot be ignored. No side appeared to have established a firmer or stronger foreign policy argument; the pair agrees on actions that need to occur in the future, even if they differ on some of the methods by which this will happen. Foreign policy has become a common goal of the United States, no longer a qualified topic for determining a “winner” of the debate. Both sides present future goals that need to be addressed within the next term of Presidency, and both sides contain agreeable solutions. No legitimate winner can be determined from such a debate.”

However, others felt more comfortable handing Obama the win on foreign policy.

4) Jake Lewis ’14 said he ”can only imagine that Mitt Romney’s strategy going into the debate was to agree with everything the President said. It was clear Obama knew much more about foreign policy, as expected considering his past four years in office. I found the only real difference between the two came when discussing the Middle East. Barack Obama was in support of finishing our objectives in Afghanistan and then leaving the country with an Afghan security force in place, while Mitt Romney insinuated that without an American presence there is a risk that the Pakistani government will implode causing future security issues for the states and our allies in the region. Aesthetically, Mitt Romney’s “seven point plan” clearly laid out how he will deal with Iran if he is president. Obama did not present an orderly plan like this in the debate, which could portray him as scattered and unorganized. I believe that his lack of a checklist when dealing with Iran shows his touch with reality, in that historically in the Middle East not much goes exactly according to plan. Overall I’d give the victory to Obama, as most of the thoughts in the debate were his. However, agreeing with the president on just about everything proved not to be a bad strategy for good old Mittens.”

5) Similarly, Austin Root ’15, outlined how high the stakes were for Romney to build credit and foreign policy clout, which was not very successful.  ”Romney had a lot to lose tonight. Judging by the amount of sweat on his brow, Mitt was well aware. Obama came in strong, with his usual denouncement of Mitt’s inability to do simple math (Mitt’s plan to balance the budget is more enigmatic than his tax records). The trite criticism of Obama’s handling of Israel and Iran seemed to land Mitt a few points with key demographics. All in all, the debate was rather stale. We have seen and heard every talking point the two have made in previous statements and debates. Frankly, I am very excited (and nervous) about November sixth – mostly because I will not have to receive any more solicitations from Obama or Romney.”

6) And here Annie Clark ’10 brings it all home with the general consensus among many young adults in North Carolina: “President Obama showed up tonight; he presented himself as a prepared, confident leader. This is a glimpse of the Obama we saw for four years, but was unimpressive in absentia during the first debate. This was an Obama speaking from presidential experience, as someone who has clearly made many tough decisions – I had almost a visceral reaction to hear him speak occasionally. I appreciated the fact that Obama consistently fact-checked Romney on the spot. Obama did get snarky with the “horses and bayonets” comment, but at this point, I think that’s what some voters wanted. It seemed like he was trying to possibly “catch up,” but overall I think Obama won the debate on points.

Romney used a lot of buzzwords, and much of what he said was truthfully: “I agree with what Obama did, but I would have done it differently,” without offering any specific examples. As a former teacher, I don’t want to hear Romney say “I love teachers,” I want policies which support education; as a supporter of Detroit, I don’t want to hear “I love cars,” I want polices which support growth.

Regardless, due to Romney’s aggressive nature in the previous debates, I think his strategy was to tone down perceived and prior extremism. He seemed to want to appear more moderate for undecided voters, and I think he did a good job achieving that. I can see how if not evaluating the issues at hand, particularly social ones, that one might describe the debate as close. However, I don’t see how Romney made any headway with women or minority voters in particular.  Finally, while strategically it behooves both candidates to discuss domestic policy, I would have appreciated a focus more on the questions, and for that, we need Raddaz back.”

Apart from the horses and bayonets, there’s a common trend floating among young adults tonight…“President Obama sunk Mitten’s battleship.”

We at YAYAConnection thought this was the perfect article for anyone trying to understand Millennials and politics. What did we learn? Perhaps there is no real true understanding of the Millennial Generation, but this still can help form a better idea. The viewpoints were different, but there does seem to be one main theme throughout the reactions: YAYAs are tired of the bickering and fighting. So take that away, if anything, from this article. Millennials aren’t getting tricked into the same talking points and distractions. They want substance. Did you watch the debate? What did you think Millennials believe to be the biggest issues concerning them?

Image Credit: theliberaloc.com

The motivation that millennials get out of achieving goals in video games could also apply to the workplace, according to Eric Holtzclaw from Inc.com. To get millennials to be more excited about work, Holtzclaw points out 4 main points that Gen Y’s have learned from video games: helping them understand the larger goal, thriving on new experiences, receiving peer support and enjoying immediate rewards. Check out the original article here.

 Motivate Millennials: Take a Cue From Video Games

In my view, Millennials are no more difficult to manage than past generations. Just look at the job from their perspective. I recently talked with a group of CEOs about how to best motivate and retain millennial employees. We covered everything from management style and compensation to technology and work environment. While this was all useful, I find the best hints to keep Millenials motivated and engaged at the office come from a perhaps unlikely place: the video games they played when they were growing up.

They want to understand the larger goal.

Millennials don’t readily accept doing tasks just because “I said so.” They want to understand why they should do something–the overall objective, goal, or purpose. And they want to wrap their heads around how the work that we do as a company impacts our customers.

To keep Millenials engaged, take time to explain the purpose, and cause and effect of how their role is important. Just like popular video games, they need a princess or a kingdom to save.

They thrive on new experiences.

A colleague of mine was recently frustrated about how hard it is to keep the millennial workforce engaged. The job he hires for pays very well–$150,000 a year–but because the job is monotonous, Millennials will not stay in it more than three years. And they often leave for a lower-paying job because it’s the experience–not the money–they’re looking for. The problem for him: It takes six years to receive a payoff from having someone in the position.

When they played video games, Millenials always had a new level to advance to. They still like to seek new experiences as well as the challenge and learning curve that comes with them. They crave the opportunity to master a new skill, but once mastered, they are ready to move on to something harder or different.

They look to peers for support.

Millennials look for advice from those who are most skilled and can give honest first-person input. When they face a problem, they’ll reach out for answers to someone in the trenches who’s had a similar experience before. In a professional setting, they’ll learn quickly who the team players are, as opposed to those who are overly competitive and don’t want to give away an edge. For this reason, traditional training methods are often not as effective for millennials; they want to hear from someone who has been or is in the trenches doing the work, not from a so-called expert, and they don’t like a top-down mentality.

They like immediate rewards.

I vividly recall taking a millennial to lunch to conduct her six-month review. She broke down in tears when I told her her short tenure did not yet warrant a promotion to the next level. While this was an extreme reaction, it was indicative of the millennial mindset. They think like a video game player: ‘If I collect more points or coins can I earn better tools?’ ‘What steps do I have to take to be recognized for my hard work?’

To keep them motivated until an acknowledgment or promotion is warranted, use quarterly review processes and small incremental benefits. And don’t assume it’s the same for all employees.

I have found millennials are no more difficult to work with or manage than past generations. It just requires that you look at the job from their perspective.

YAYAConnection is not surprised by how Millennials are encouraged by the values that video games instill. The whole objective of video games is to keep the players wanting to achieve goals and enjoy playing their game. Businesses want the same for their employees. Millennials need to understand the larger goal so that they stay engaged in their work. This also helps motivate them to thrive on new experiences, such as working hard to get a promotion. Millennials also rely on their friends or co-workers for support because it helps them know that they are not the only one in their position. As for the immediate rewards, Millennials are drawn to them like flies, because it gives them an understanding of self-worth. Video games do have some underlying morals that could help businesses motivate their millennial employees.

Image credit: Bluegoop.net

By Sara Mitchell

Quick! What was Doug Funnie’s dog’s name? Skeeter? Nope, that was his blue best friend. If you are like most YAYAs, you knew right away the answer was obviously Pork Chop, and you will now have the catchy theme song stuck in your head all day. (Sorry).

There is just something about YAYAs and the 90s. They don’t want to give them up. They want to hang on to every bit of their childhood that they can. Companies like Nickelodeon and Disney have learned this and are cashing in while they can. Nickelodeon has brought back some of the YAYA favorites that air on a time slot called “The ‘90s are All That,” a play-off of the show All That. The time slot also airs shows such as Kenan & Kel, Doug, Rugrats and Hey Arnold!. YAYAs have eaten up this block of programming, and Nickelodeon will probably not be taking it down anytime soon.

Let’s not forget about Disney. We grew up loving Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story. Disney/Pixar has brought back classics like Lion King 3D and earned a cool $29.3 million opening weekend. Toy Story 3 was an equally significant hit.

So what’s the deal? How can your business cash in on the YAYA nostalgia cash cow?

1. Auditory is easy. Give YAYAs a song they remember that brings back good memories. Check out a Billboard Top 100 from the 1990s if you need ideas.
2. If you need visuals, give 90s kids a vintage Polaroid. Nothing says ‘90s like a self-picture with a belly shirt.
3. If you need interactive, give them a game they remember. Oregon Trail is a classic they all know. For some reason, YAYAs love pixilated game play.
4. Make a play off of a board or popular ‘90s toy, like Pokemon cards, POGS, Tomagotchi pets. YAYAs will go crazy for those little guys.
5. And, if all else fails, join Nickelodeon and give them good old fashion cartoons or the wholesome shows they used to watch. Who didn’t love Cory and Topanga from Boy Meets World?

Image credit: static.fjcdn.com

 

Once again, Millennials and older generations see things differently – specifically, activism. Baby Boomers are much more focused on quick results rather than the beginning of a long social movement. The most obvious answer for the difference is Millennials have a long time to devote to making a social change. The ways Millennials attach themselves to movements is going to differ based on when we grew up. The biggest difference is obviously technology. Read this article from Forbes to find out more on Millennials and activism.

Larissa Faw, Contributor

Are Millennials Lazy Or Avant-Garde Social Activists?

Is it more effective to stand in front of a building to protest a company’s environmental policy or to lounge in bed and tweet about it? As odd as it may seem to deconstruct any well-intended endeavor, many older activists dismiss Millennials as “slackavists” for their preference towards digital advocacy rather than hitting (or sitting on) the pavement.

Even when Millennials take to the streets, they still encounter criticism from their elders. While Millennials feel Occupy Wall Street is a success, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers consider it a failure.

These contrasting viewpoints aren’t mere gripes about which generation possesses superior activism tactics, but reflect their different interpretations towards social engagement.

“Millennials looked at Occupy Wall Street as a social movement,” says Joe Kessler of The Intelligence Group, publisher of the trend-spotting Cassandra Report. “They wanted an opportunity to express their voice and attract attention, which they received. Older [Americans] are focused on results, effecting change, and a material end result. Now there may be a small group [of Millennials] still sitting in tents that may think differently, but the majority viewed [this movement] as a journey, and not about results.”

Now, it is Millennial’s journey-focused, continuous cycle of social activism that is emerging as the definitive description. Gone are the days of massive sit-ins and letter-writing campaigns championed by older activists. Millennials say today’s social activism incorporates social responsibility into everyday behaviors: 44% try to practice being green in their daily lives, reports the Intelligence Group. “Millennials view social activism much more as it relates to their overall persona than the generations before them,” says Kessler. “Our research indicates they are significantly engaged, but are less active in [individual] actions. [Their social activism] is insinuated in every aspect of their lives.”

As such, Millennials don’t feel the need to show up to a one-day rally to protect the spotted owl because they volunteer regularly at animal shelters, purchase eco-friendly products, and have been fans of the Save the Spotted Owl Facebook group for 10 years. Plus, they talk about owls with their friends and family all of the time.

“They actualize their most important values and stand behind them with every thing they do to bring about change,” says Altimeter Group’s Brian Solis.

As befitting of those who feel they can change the world with their daily decisions, only the President ranks ahead of them as the person they say is most capable of making a difference in the world, according to the Intelligence Group.

Millennial’s cause awareness relies heavily on digital technology. One in three Millennials initially becomes involved in philanthropic endeavors via the Internet, according to TBWA Worldwide. They also think their online activities deliver effective results. Two in three Millennials believe a person on a computer spreading the word can create more change than a person on the street, rallying or protesting, according to the Intelligence Group.

Yet social media’s impact on social advocacy isn’t without its critics. Even Millennials realize a disconnect between their social engagement and online actions — only 2% of Millennials find their online philanthropic involvement satisfying, says TBWA Worldwide. “For a lot of people, the lazy web eco-system makes it easy to support a cause without being productive. We all have been asked to support some team or to like a brand [on Facebook],” says Solis. “Social media is a strong platform for raising awareness, [but] the relationship between cause and effect is defined by action, regardless of medium,” he says. To this end, in May, more than 100,000 Facebook users signed up to be organ donors when the social network introduced a feature to links users to organ donation registries. Users were also able to add this decision to their timeline to encourage others to sign up to do the same. Yet, as an example of the problems with online social engagement, Facebook users quickly lost interest in this charitable endeavor after two weeks, and currently, organ donations via Facebook are at insignificant numbers, according to the Hastings Center.

The fact this online interest wasn’t sustainable isn’t surprising, say analysts. Effective social activism must connect online engagement with offline action, says Solis. “Brands can use the Internet for influence and resonance, but the missing part is what happens after that communication.” He advises all campaigns to tie online actions to specific, on-going, and detailed outcomes. “Otherwise they are just participating as personal avatars without any actual involvement.”

Perhaps the most challenging aspect about Millennial activism is keeping track of their priorities. In 2007, Millennials ranked their top causes as cancer, animal rights and education. This year, however, education, ending poverty, and the environment are their key concerns, says the Intelligence Group.

YAYA Connection agrees that Millennials are doing many things right in the activist world, like using technology, but YAYAs could to work on a few other aspects. We are a distracted group jumping from one ship to the other, and settling on a few key issues could make a world of difference. What do you think? Do you see Millennials issue-hopping?

Image credit: AP Photo/ Stephanie Keith