The research revealed that this generation, born from 1993 onwards, no longer fit into the ‘millennials’ category. The Centennials come with their own set of worldviews, beliefs and aspirations.
The new Youth Culture Report has dispelled several myths commonly held about the youth, such as the notion that young people are lazy and entitled; defiant of authority and therefore unemployable. Another myth busted was that the youth are not interested in reading challenging material and prefer superficial such as the Kardashians. The widely held view that the youth are a homogenous, predictable group, was also revealed to be untrue.
At a recent presentation held by Student Village, CEO, Marc Kornberger revealed a few insights into the habits of the incredibly diverse Centennials generation. “Our research shows that this generation has serious spending power, spending R32bn per annum which is more than the average South African,” Kornberger shared. “We know that brands want to target them, but don’t know how to be relevant. The research aimed to dive deeper into the new youth generation, looking at their drivers, values, and what makes them tick,” he added.
At this presentation, Kornberger elaborated further: “Swimming against the tide, this new group is creating their own culture, telling their own stories, setting their own rules and living by them. Unlike previous generations, this one is fearless and willing to take risks. They are exploring entrepreneurship earlier. Their understanding of the internet and social media has made it easier for them to run their businesses operational almost at no cost by simply using the web. They value money and power and strive to attain it by working smart rather than working hard.”
“Contrary to popular belief, centennials aren’t lazy and want handouts. In fact, they are self-reliant and believe in the spirit of hustling, going out there and getting what’s yours. This new group represents a huge part of the population and they have great influence on the country’s economy, what they like stays and what they hate goes,” Aires shared. Centennials have become more relevant as we see them engaging with culture, but mostly creating culture,” he concluded.