Generation Y (loosely defined as born between 1979 –1993, and also known as Millennials) is poised to change society. It is the biggest American generation ever - even bigger than their parents, the Baby Boomers. At nearly a third of our current population, this generation is too huge to be dismissed. Their attitudes toward work, home life and leisure will become our attitudes. Their artists, politicians, and filmmakers will all shape and transform our society in ways we can’t even begin to anticipate.

Raised by doting Boomer parents in a society that is in awe of youth, they have been coined the “Me Generation.” More than any generation before them, their career decisions, buying choices, and attitudes about politics and the media are all connected to the question, “How does it affect me?” Underneath the surface of this question is another important Gen Y motivator: “What does it say about me?” More than any other generation, Millennials buy to express their own individualized identity. Therefore, companies that want to stay competitive as this enormous group takes over must understand the Millennial identity: what they value, what they resent, what they secretly desire.