Burnout is not a temporary affliction; it's the millennial condition. It's like we just churn out tired, exhausted souls like a widget factory. I don't know if you feel this at all yet in your body or in your bones. If you don't, it's because you're still young and you haven't been in the city very long. But you will. Trust me, you will.
Clothing that bears the name of a city near or far has become a closet staple for many consumers in recent years, evolving from impulse purchases to mainstream fashion.
But we in marketing also have a certain fixation on youth. Millennials (put roughly, those born between 1980 and 2000) are the prime suspect at the minute because from where we sit in London, it seems like they're reaching their prime consumption years. They value experiences over things. They want authentic connections to brands. They want to be marketed to via a social influencer instead of a traditional ad (ha! they want to be marketed to - insert laugh/cry emoji here).
Millennials aren't picking up side hustles for the love of the game. Rising costs and stagnant wages have made extra income necessary. Many of these gigs look modest at first, but the numbers tell a different story. A lot of people are told to make content for everyone, which usually leads nowhere. Creators who earn consistently tend to do the opposite by narrowing their focus until viewers know precisely what problem they'll solve.
Key stat: TikTok users ages 25-44 lead all age groups in taking action after seeing ads, with 54% gathering more info about products and 47% making purchases, according to an October 2025 survey from Edison Research. Beyond the chart: This shopping behavior tracks with broader social commerce trends. In fact, one-third of adults ages 18 to 34 have made a purchase on social media, compared with 23% of 35- to 54-year-olds, according to an August 2025 survey from Bizrate Insights and EMARKETER.
You can't get to the land of cool without first climbing cringe mountain.- Erica Mallett, New York Times. As dangerous as Everest and as technically demanding as K2, no discussion of the world's most challenging peaks is complete without a mention of Cringe Mountain. But for those willing to undertake the rigorous climb, the rewards waiting at the summit are extraordinary.
Millennials, the generation born between 1981 and 1996, have grown up in the middle of rapid technological advancements and societal changes. Their unique experiences and values have impacted several aspects of culture, from consumer behavior and communication styles to lifestyle choices and relationship trends. As a result, certain fads and practices that were once popular have fallen out of favor with this influential generation.
Their unique experiences and values have impacted several aspects of culture, from consumer behavior and communication styles to lifestyle choices and relationship trends. As a result, certain fads and practices that were once popular have fallen out of favor with this influential generation. While some may bash millennials for their perceived aversion to traditional norms, it's important to recognize that their choices often reflect an underlying longing for authenticity, sustainability, and social consciousness.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte reportedly mentioned the idea to President Donald Trump last weekend leading Trump to post about the idea on Truth Social. However, sources told CBS News this week that a 50-year mortgage plan hadn't been vetted by senior Trump administration officials and wasn't ready for release. Leaders across mortgage and real estate were almost uniformly against the idea.
Once considered a cornerstone of wealth-building, homeownership is now viewed as a barrier to retirement readiness. About 35% of respondents cited rising housing costs including rent, mortgage payments, property taxes and other expenses as the biggest obstacle to preparing for retirement. That figure surpassed concerns over market volatility and economic uncertainty (29%), insufficient retirement income (28%), and financial support for children or aging parents (27%).
Confidence among Millennials (28-43) fell dramatically this month, as their expectations for both the economy and their own finances fell by double digits. The same generation also cut spending expectations for the months ahead, though this was largely offset by improvements for Gen Z, who remain the most optimistic. Worries about the Budget, combined with the increase in the cost of living, have eroded confidence, with little sign that inflation will come down soon.
Those three small letters have become the topic of a generational debate that has been dividing the internet in recent months. The conversation started earlier this year across X, Threads, and Reddit when one user suggested: "Millennials use "lol" like STOP at the end of a telegram lol." In the comments millennials quickly defended their favorite acronym. "What of it?" one wrote. "Hold steady lads," another added. "In a culture that has taken everything from you, never let them strip you of your lols."
Many millennials reflect on their school days without the easy access to water that children have today, leading to questions about their hydration levels during childhood.
"I grew up in middle-class suburbia in the Midwest. Everything that is mentioned in the stereotypical free-range childhood is literally all the things my siblings and I experienced growing up. Outside all day, playing with all the other kids in the neighborhood, looking for our friends' bikes on the lawn to find out which house everyone was at."
As a millennial, financial insecurity has been a theme in my life for a while. But recently, it's grown louder, and I literally can't stop asking: WHERE IS THE GODDAMN MONEY?
