Millennials and optimism.

According to a recent study done by Pepsi (Pepsi Optimism Project), Millennials – those people born between 1980 and 1990 – are confident that 2009 will bode well for them. They also spend more time enjoying life than worrying about it and this group is most optimistic about their overall well-being and relationships with friends and family. Other findings include:
•  74% find that supporting causes make them feel more optimistic.

•  77% of Millennials report having a strong sense of optimism about their careers.

•  95% make positive associations when they think of the word “change,” associating it with “progress” (78%), “hope” (77%) and “excitement” (72%).

These numbers are great, but the most interesting and perhaps the most expected is their correlation to the recent election. According to the survey, 67% of Millennials say that the election of Barack Obama is making them feel optimistic about the future of the country. While Millennials may seem naive and less experienced (in the job market), they represent the kind of optimistic attitude that we'll all need to recover. They're not jaded by hiring and firing practices in AdLand and, in my opinion, are who I'd hire right now in the hopes that they're sentiments pervade my agency and my clients'.