Everyone loves to say that Gen Y is extremely addicted to the Internet. Wherever you look, you see people with their heads down, glued to their phones... But have you ever wondered what they are actually looking at? How much time do they spend on it? TerraBKK Research found some interesting numbers from ETDA, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, which revealed that in a 2017 survey, “Gen Y uses the Internet more than any other generation, both on workdays and weekends.” This should answer our question about how addicted Gen Y is to the Internet. Now, let's take a closer look at just how much they use it and what they do online.

Gen Y spends no less than 7 hours a day on the Internet.

               

On any given day, Gen Y spends at least 7 hours online, whether it's a workday or a weekend. Compared to other generations, they spend the most time on the Internet. To put it simply, even when compared to their younger counterparts, Gen Z, they are still significantly ahead. Interestingly, Gen Y has held the title for the highest Internet usage for three consecutive years!

Gen Y is the most addicted to YouTube.

                If we take a closer look at what Gen Y does online for those 7 hours, the ETDA survey found that Gen Y uses YouTube the most, at 98.6%. It's clear that this generation prefers watching online videos over traditional television. Following closely are LINE at 97.9% and Facebook at 97.8%.

               However, what bothers Gen Y the most about using the Internet is “online advertisements.” A staggering 71.5% of Gen Y reported that they dislike the online ads they encounter on various websites. Compared to other generations, Gen Y is particularly resistant to online advertising, indicating that they find it intrusive and annoying.

                If marketers see these numbers, they might think that investing entirely in online advertising is the way to go, but that might not be entirely accurate. Remember, Gen Y did not grow up with the Internet; they experienced technological changes, unlike Gen Z, who are the new generation that does not know the technology of the past. TerraBKK Research also found another interesting statistic from Kantar Millward Brown, a well-known research firm from England, which shows that ultimately, Gen Y (in Thailand) still consumes advertisements from outdoor media and other sources just as much as Gen X. In particular, radio, cinema ads, and outdoor media are still consumed by Gen Y more than any other generation.

                It can be said that marketing to Gen Y through various channels is not particularly difficult, as this group seems to accept media from almost every avenue. The only challenge is how to create advertisements that truly resonate with them. That is the tough question for marketers - TERRABKK