Marketing To The Millennials Menkes Summary

In Suzy Menkes’ article, “Marketing to the Millennials,” she discusses the benefits of marketing techniques that are being used by elite fashion brands. However, she addresses the improvements that fashion brands should make to accommodate the targeted generations. Menkes believes that fashion brands are focusing too much on Millennials, forgetting about the much more important well-paid consumers, Generation X. Even though, I agree with Menkes in using technology as a marketing strategy to attract Millennials, I believe that fashion brands should consider expanding on their targeting group for those who are actually purchasing their brands. Suzy Menkes starts her article by giving the reader an imagery of watching a Hairspray advertisement,

Menkes draws the reader’s attention by using imagery, explaining the effects that it has on the people watching it. She mentions the Louis Vuitton brand, and goes on further to explain how they are trying to advertise their logo. Instead of using the marketing technique of “urgent offers to buy,” they use the “artistic image and cultural commentary” to create a mood for the person watching the advertisement (496). Menkes then talks to the reader, suggesting for the reader to search “LVMH,” giving the reader some interest in the groups that are recognize by the “world’s biggest luxury group” (496). Menkes also relies on the reader’s knowledge of fashion brands so she would not have to elaborate on their previous marketing techniques. Menkes’ overall purpose is to inform the reader how important the Millennials are for the fashion brands and how technology is becoming a big part of the fashion world. Her overall technique on the article is the appeal to

Furthermore, she explains how the companies are now using social networking to advertise their products. Because everyone is trying to advertise to the Millennials, the competition on the prices of each company’s products has to go lower, making it difficult for the elite companies to sell their products to them (elaborate in targeted group). I agree, that the marketing technique of using social networking is something that companies should do, because they would have trouble selling their product if they use “traditional, time-tested marketing techniques, such as cleavage and lying” (Feschuk). The millennial generation should not be the only aimed customers, the fashion brands should expand their targeted group to Generation X and Baby Boomers, because they are the actual consumers who buy the products. Although, they aren’t the ones that are more advanced in technology, they are the companies’ benefactors. Also another drawback, is that teens are now being considerable about what they are buying and what brands are being bought. “Today's teens do not allow brands to define them,” which means that now, teens don’t think about the brands that being bought, like Nike, Michael Kors, or Aeropostale (Zammit). Teens are now trying to find their own style, rather than letting the advertisement push them into brands (Zammit). According to Feschuk, “research