Millennial Viewpoints:

STUDENT PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS TARGETED ADVERTISING

Research Methods
Miller
October 11, 2016
Allison Conway, Julio Dragonetti, Savanah Gilbert, Bobby Hoechner, Emily Tweedie

Background:
Advertising combines the latest technology and advancements to target a specific audience in
order to deliver results for the brand or product. Ad agencies have been able to narrow down
target audiences and direct messages to one gender or one specific group of people. With the
advancement of society and media outlets, it is important to consider how people gather their
information, especially among Millennials, who are both common social media users and a
market segment with increasing purchasing power. The aim of this research is to further look
into the implications of targeted advertising.
Research Objective:
Our objective is to research student attitudes towards gender targeted advertising to see if it is
found to be effective.
Research Questions:
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Do students feel they are targeted based on gender?

What are students definitions of a gender targeted ad?
What are some concerns or praises about gender targeted ads?
What are some of the traits students find in these advertising? Good or bad?
What are students thoughts on the effectiveness of ads?
How do they feel about the role of social media in targeted advertising?

Procedures and Methodology:

To determine students attitudes about gender target advertising, 6 students, including men and
women, were gathered to participate in a focus group. The focus group was completed in an
on-campus room last Wednesday evening. We did not pre-screen for specific qualities, we only
aimed to have a variety of people who would bring a variety of different opinions to be
discussed. Students were gathered through mutual friends and asked to participate. We notified
students of the intents of our study and assured them that their identity would remain
confidential. The focus group went as follows:
As an introduction we asked each student participating to make a themselves a name tag and
introduce themselves to the group, including the moderators. To begin, we asked students what
some of their favorite advertisements currently in the media were, and what they looked for in
an ad to gain their attention. We continued to ask if students noticed gender targeted ads and
what their perceptions were on them. Following, we showed two ads that were targeted towards
men and women including a Secret Deodorant commercial and a Bud Light commercial to see
how effective these ads would be on them.

We further continued the discussion by asking students to pull up their own social media feeds
and see what ads they found. We wanted to see if these ads were targeted towards them and if
the students liked seeing ads on their social media accounts that were very specific to the
content they had been searching.
Finally, we concluded the focus group by asking students what they would like to see ad
agencies doing. For example, how they would like to see an advertisement or what kind of
advertisement is most effective for the students. To conclude, students were asked to give any
final thoughts or comments on advertising, gender targeted advertising, and advertising targeted
specifically to you based on your past internet searches.
Detailed Findings:
Students are divided upon which media platform they prefer to see advertisements
I see the ad on Facebook and it freaks me out.
When asked how what the best platform is to target millennials, the individuals in our focus
group were very split. About half of the group preferred to be targeted individually on their
computers, while the other half thought that they pay more attention to television commercials.
The students who thought YouTube and Facebook ads were more effective also said I dont
watch T.V. and YouTube grabs my attention more because I forget that the ad will come up.
One individual who preferred online ads told us that she liked shorter ads. Ads that get straight
to the point and get their message across quickly are ones that resonate most with millennials.
A theme among this preferred option was also that they like noticing when the ad is targeted at
them, say from a website they have just visited. One respondent said, I notice when theyre
targeted at me. When I go on a website and look at a dress it will then show up in my Facebook
timeline. Another respondent said that if he sees a Facebook ad that is from something he has
searched on the web he will look on amazon and start perusing what the ad showed him
because it might remind him to buy what he had earlier searched. This is a direct purchase
from a targeted ad, that works.
The other half of the groups who preferred television ads that are not as targeted expressed
very negative feelings towards online, targeted ads. Comments such as, I see the Facebook ad
and it freaks me out that they know what Ive searched and I dont like that it knows and I dont
click on those ads. They not only think television ads are more effective, they think that online
ads are actually bad. Other feelings they had were that its easier to not pay attention to online
ads, you can skip them and scroll over them. One respondent said, I feel like when I watch T.V.
I would pay attention to those more because theyre in front of your face and you cant change
it. Although you can change the channel, you cannot press a skip button like on the computer.
While the group was split with what they thought was more effective, what was not discussed
was if students see more computer ads than television ads due to the trend of watching
television shows on the internet.

Gender targeted ads are necessary when the product is geared towards a specific gender
Ya I guess [stereotypes work] for a lot of people.
With all the negative stereotyping and talk about equality in our country, we figured the
respondents would have something powerful to say about gender targeting and its effects.
Instead, they proved to us how they were useful and needed. One female respondent pointed
out that, shaving commercials of guys shaving their faces, that has to be targeted to them,
[she] wouldnt use that. Which makes sense. If it is an ad for a product that only males would
have any reason to use, then females would not care that they are not being highlighted in the
ad as well. However, then respondents were asked to think about products like food and items
that had no gender bias need.
The respondents were shown a Bud Light commercial that clearly targeted males only and then
a Secret deodorant commercial that clearly targeted women only. One respondent said, The
Bud Light commercial was very clearly drawing into the male stereotype, while the Secret
commercial was definitely trying to reverse the stereotype of women. This seemed interesting
because women are thought of to be unfairly gender stereotyped and the recent commercials
we showed them did not do this. With this insight and knowing their casual view on gender
stereotyping, another question can rise: does gender stereotyping only get viewed negatively if
the stereotypes are unfair and untrue? When we directly asked, so stereotypes work
basically? one respondent said, yes for a lot of people.
Another thing that got brought up was packaging. Packaging is important for a lot of people.
One respondent told us, My roommate refuses to buy the Chobani sugar free yogurts because
the packaging is straight black. She says theyre boy yogurts, and Im like, theyre sugar free!
So packaging may have an influence on which product a certain gender chooses based on their
own stereotyping within their heads. Lots of our female respondents said they did, in fact,
purchase and use men's deodorant because it is more durable and long-lasting. When we
asked the males if they have ever considered buying a female product like deodorant, they
quickly said no. Another research question that would be interesting to look into after this is if
females more happily go against typical stereotypes than men.
Women are more likely to buy male-targeted products than men are to buy
female-targeted products
I buy mens deodorant.
After conducting the focus group, it was found that women are more likely to buy male-targeted
products than men are to buy female-targeted products. A participant commented, I think a
girly ad is gonna keep men away but a more manly ad doesnt bother girls. When discussing
certain products, deodorant came up and the focus group almost unanimously agreed that
mens deodorant is better, with one participant stating that Old Spice is good stuff. A Female
participant said that she buys mens deodorant and does not feel weird buying it.

The next idea discussed was a Bud Light commercial that was mentioned previously. When
asked if the participants thought the commercial was effective, the general consensus was that
it was effective for the demographic of people who drink beer, but that the commercial did not
make the participants want to drink Bud Light. Students said the commercial was making the
idea of drinking the beer almost satirical. Some of the participants stated that they do not think a
certain advertisement will turn them against a product and when referencing the Bud Light
commercial stated that they still found the advertisement entertaining. The question was raised,
asking, Would you still buy the product as a girl? With a unanimous answer being yes.
Millennials are more likely to be motivated to buy products from a specific targeted ad
rather than a commercial
If its gonna [sic] be more targeted than all the better.
During the focus group, it was found that millennials are more likely to be motivated to buy
products from a targeted Facebook ad rather than a commercial, even though some of the
participants still offered varying viewpoints. The participants agreed that there should be shorter
ads that get straight to the point and get a message across to the audience. One participant
stated, YouTube grabs my attention more because I forget that the ad will come up. Another
participant voiced their thoughts, saying that they like targeted ads. The more specific the
better. I dont have an issue with my information out there. If its gonna be more targeted, than
all the better. To finish this part of the discussion, one participant found that when searching
products on Amazon, any purchases made through Amazon would bring up similar products as
targeted ads on Facebook. A participant state that one of the only times they clicked on an ad
from Facebook was because it was targeted for them from a product they bought through
Amazon, and that they clicked on the ad so it might remind them of something they wanted to
buy or had bought in the past.
Millennials are more likely to be persuaded by their friends and peers to try a new
product rather than seeing an advertisement
...I would try it more [if a friend recommended it] than if someone random said eat that
candy.
After hearing students opinions regarding targeted advertising and gender stereotypical
advertising, we asked for students opinions about advertising in general. A majority of the
students in our focus group felt that advertising does not make them go out and try a product.
One student claimed, I havent ever gone to the store and said I saw the commercial and would
buy the brand. Students claimed that advertising may have a subconscious effect on what
brand they choose-but nothing that changes their opinions right away and makes them want to
go out and buy a product.
Students know that advertising is an essential component in marketing a brand or product, but
do not feel it is an effective way of deciding whether or not to buy a new product. All the
students claimed that they would more likely try something their friends had or recommended,

rather than seeing it on television. Students stated that they prefer to try a new product through
trends, friends, and by looking at reviews. One student even stated that, Amazon has changed
everything, by influencing their future purchases by looking at the recommendations Amazon
has suggested based off of previous purchases. It has become more common to avoid ads
altogether or view them as a form of entertainment. It came as no surprise to our group that
students prefer to try a new product based off of a recommendation. Students feel their money
will not be put to waste if someone they trusted has given an honest review. A lot of the time,
advertisements are highly exaggerated and often do not represent true results.
This idea goes hand-in-hand with our results of some of the students opinions of targeted
advertising. Several of the students in our focus group felt that targeted advertising was the way
to go. Why not make an advertising as specific as it can be? Some students found that they
purchase the items that are coming up on suggested products because they were based off of
something they had bought previously. This is very different than viewing an ad on T.V that is
grossly generalized to the consumer public. This raises the question-does advertising even work
anymore?
Millennials look for ads that grab their attention
Funny commercials-those really get my attention.
Based off of this idea that millennials do not view ads as suggestions to try different products,
we found that millennials often view media differently. Students that participated in this focus
group clearly stated that an ad needs to gain their attention for them to even be remotely
interested in it at all. Some of the suggestions students had in regards to this were telling a
story, creating something funny, or starting with a startling fact. One student said that
commercials that, tell facts like the stop smoking commercials always stick in my mind.
Another factor in advertising millennials focused on was the length of the ad. Students wanted
ads to be short and get straight to the point. They did not want to have a minute of their time
wasted on something that was not even relevant to the product.
The conversation then switched back to stereotypical advertising. Students were shown a
Secret Deodorant advertisement that was a little different than a regular advertisement. This ad
was about empowering women. After watching the ad, several students suggested that
companies need to stop doing the, frolicking in the flowers type thing, in regards to products
like womens deodorant and razors. One student said that, you get better attention by switching
the stereotype. Meaning, do not make a girl product always about beauty and flowers. This will
have a better shot of grabbing the attention. However, it still will not make the student run
straight to the store and buy it, but the student will have an overall better view of the company in
their minds.

Summary and Implications:

Our focus group found that students are not necessarily affected by gender targeted advertising.
Students even feel that it is necessary sometimes when marketing a product. Our focus group
unveiled the different thoughts students had in regards to advertising and some improvements
that could be made. Millennials have a different view of advertising then generations before and
are an increasingly harder group to market towards. Students expressed their views of targeted
advertising based of off computer searches and previous purchasing-signaling this is the route
companies may need to turn to if it is having a difficult time reaching consumers. Otherwise,
advertisements need to be intriguing for them to gain interest. Our focus group started with the
idea of gender targeted advertising being a problem but evolved into so much more when
discussing the advertising world in general:
Companies can target based off of gender
Initially, we believed that focus group participants would have strong viewpoints about gender
targeted advertising and would raise questions of equality and stereotypes. We quickly realized
this was not the case and students care more about the content rather than what is portrayed.
Students even feel that gender targeted advertising is necessary in some cases. It seemed that
as long as the company was not making fun of a certain type of person or degrading to humans,
students were indifferent to the way the ad portrayed men and women. Based off of this idea,
companies can continue to target towards men and women while keeping positive images of
both in the advertisements. Companies may consider:
Gender targeting to an extent
Making sure to keep a positive image of whoever is in the advertisement (men, women,
LGTBQ, etc.)
Making a powerful point
More specific targeting techniques are needed
It was clear that students do not try a new product based off of the ad for it. Students would
much rather hear from the opinions of their peers. With this in mind, companies may question if
it is even worth it to display an ad. Companies should still keep up with advertising, but also may
consider:
Making reviews more prominent
Focusing on social media targeting (based off of interest and searches)
Promoting products based off of previous purchases and reviews
Create advertisements that will gain attention
Students stated that a regular ad does not grab their attention anymore. There needs to be
something more to it. Focus group participants stated that they really need to be interested in

the advertisement in order to listen to and engage with the brand. In order to do this, students
suggested:
Telling a story
Making the ad inspiring
Even though gender based ads are okay, do not always focus on the stereotypes
Developing an ad that will turn heads
There were several themes and implications that emerged based off of this focus group in
regards to targeted advertising. However, this focus group only contained Elon students. If
companies were further interested in exploring these topics, the companies should focus on a
larger, more diverse group of millennials from across the country. This would help the company
gain a larger understanding of the differences of millennials and how to target-advertise the
group better.

Appendix- Moderators Guide:

1. Warm Ups:
Introduction: Have everyone go around and introduce themselves
Ground Rules: No wrong answers, we would encourage if you have comments to please
share them, one person talk at a time, please be respectful of others answers/opinions, if
you need to leave for any circumstance, please do so quietly
Rapport: Answers are confidential but audio is being recorded for further research,
identity will be kept secret
Procedure: There will be a motion made between the moderators and note takers if there
is an individual that seems to be causing issues during the discussion, the individual will
be asked to step outside for a personal interview by one of the note takers, and after
being interviewed will be asked to leave
2. Lead-In:
A. Ads in the media right now
What are some of your favorite ads right now?
Are there any ads out right now that you like?
Have you bought anything after seeing an ad recently?
B. Have the students find an ad on their own that appeals to them
What about this ad appeals to you?
Do you think this is targeted towards a specific group of people?
3. Sequence/Discussion:
A. Target Audience
Do you generally notice when an ad is directed towards a certain gender?
Are you more likely to buy something that is targeted towards your gender?
Are there any ads or companies that you find only target a specific gender?
Have you noticed that they like ads that appeal to their gender?
B. Advertisements

Think about the last time you saw an ad that was targeted for your gender, what
made you think it was targeted for your gender? How did you feel about that
specific ad?
Do you generally purchase a product based on the ad?
Do ads targeted towards your gender make you want to buy the product?
What do you look for when buying a certain product they see in an ad?
C. Debate: Pros and Cons of Gender Targeted Advertisements
Is this effective?
What are the potential benefits and concerns about gender stereotyping?
How do these ads make you feel?
D. Pull up your Facebook news feed
What ads do you see on your page?
Are they targeted to you?
Have you ever bought or searched for these items online?
With ads on Facebook and YouTube that are created from your search history,
do you find those ads effective? Why/why not? How do you think they represent
you as a consumer?
E. What would you like to see ad agencies do?
What would be an effective way to target millennials?
Is gender targeted advertising necessary? Why/why not?
What ads do you pay attention to, if any?
What ads do you not pay attention to at all?
What influences you to buy products?
4. Wrap-Up:
Summarize important points made during the discussion
Allow each person to share a final thought about ads and their placements.