Eating is often a social activity, and for Millennials, this is even more so the case. They value experiences, which is why the culture of food is important to them from trying new cuisines and sharing their food finds to feasting at food trucks and food festivals. And even when they're trying delicious dishes with friends, they're sure to keep the rest of their network informed about what they're tasting. Millennials are putting their eating experiences online from checking in at restaurants to pinning what they're craving so they can share their discoveries with others and in return, they hope …

Marketers are far too acquainted with the "whats" of Millennials and social media. They can rattle off stats such as three in four Millennials use Facebook at least weekly and the average Millennial belongs to two social networking sites and has 231 connections. The two terms have become are interdependent-social media marketing efforts aren't successful without Millennials and Millennial marketing efforts aren't successful without social media. But success in either area is dependent upon understanding the "whys" behind Gen Y and social media, not just the "whats."

Millennials. You market to them, and you likely work with them. Short attention spans. Entitled. Job jumpers. These are just a few phrases that have been used to describe the emerging Millennial workforce. Millennials have been stereotyped by older generations as the lazy, schizophrenic misfits of corporate America, and it's quite possible there are a handful of Millennials that fit this description. However, if you choose to look past outward appearances, there are realities that would also lead you to believe this generation is highly educated and possesses noteworthy drive and passion.

Gen Y is different than their Baby Boomer parents - and they make sure everyone knows. They were taught from a young age that they could do anything they want, that they are special, and there is nothing that they cannot do. They believe deeply in themselves and in being individuals with their own sense of style, opinions and values. Anyone standing in their way or bucketing them into groups is in danger of being written off as misunderstanding them. Let's be honest: They want some genuine attention and recognition. More importantly, they want respect.

Millennials aren't rebels. In general, they don't partake in nearly as many risky behaviors as previous generations, and when they do engage in dangerous activities, it's usually not to act out. Instead, they consider risky behaviors - like texting and driving, underage drinking, and smoking pot - as experiences or choices where the payoff outweighs the risk. That doesn't mean their actions aren't dangerous, but Millennials have a different mindset when deciding what activities to engage in.

In today's complicated media world, it takes many layers to build effective marketing campaigns-digital, social and traditional, just to name a few. When building campaigns for Millennials, don't fall into the all-too-easy trap of getting lost in the details and missing one all-important element that transcends platforms: diversity.

It's widely known that Millennials are early adopters and high utilizers of social media. And many brands have tried to build social experiences to engage them...some more successfully than others. To find out what drives success, we conducted a qualitative study to understand what brands could learn from people who are truly sociable versus just active in social media. Rather than select the participants, we had people describe the traits of people they considered to be very sociable and then each brought people that fit that description. As seen by their friends, sociable people have four characteristics that brands could …

Each summer we hire a large group of interns from all over the country and for three months the agency is buzzing with full-of-hope teens and 20-somethings. Last summer, in particular, they not only made me feel older and less cool than I already do, but they also facilitated an in-depth study to help our Insights Team get smarter about the next generation of consumers - Generation We or Generation Z, as it's also called. The study included observational research, one-on-one interviews, and analysis of secondary studies and databases such as Iconoculture, MRI and Mintel. Gen We is the generation …

We're always keeping an eye on shifting Gen Y attitudes and habits. Here are a few trends we've noticed take shape during the beginning of the year that are impacting youth media and marketing as young consumers continue to put their stamp on the world.

Millennials have been marketed to for as long as they can remember. They know they are a desired demographic. They accept marketing and advertising as a necessary part of commerce.