• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, January 10, 2014

The media consumption patterns of Generation C are quite different than others. They are mostly part of the Millennium generation. Technology empowers this psychographic. They are driven by community and thrive on creating, consuming and connecting online. In fact, 94% of U.S. Gen Cs create content at least once monthly, and 78% curate content at least once weekly.

Since Gen Cs interact with brands and media differently than other demographics, Google -- with help from Ipsos MediaCT, and TNS -- set out to better understand the differences that set these 18 to 34-year olds apart.

Here are a few stats, but the full study explains how Gen Cs actively consume content. Google estimates that 90% create online content at least once a month. They're passionate brand advocates. Two-thirds tend to tell everyone about brands they love. They're regular YouTube viewers and users. Some 76% visit YouTube weekly; and 36% visit daily. They're active consumers. About 56% take action after watching ads for a product or service on YouTube.

Gen Cs buy products and services more frequently, compared with their non-Gen C counterparts. In fact, they are more than 3.6-times more likely to make a purchase. They are 3.2 times more likely to attend live events, 2.1 times more likely to buy health and fitness products, and 2.1 times more likely to travel for leisure.

Video consumption remains a staple in their life. While it differs per country, 56% of Gen Cs worldwide take some sort of action after watching an ad for products or services on YouTube. In Brazil, the share jumps to 89%; followed by Turkey at 80%; Saudi Arabia, 79%; and Russia, 76%.

And while they are more than willing to sit through an ad for a product they like or want to learn more about, this psychographic wants a choice. It turns out they are nearly twice as likely to embrace an ad that give them a choice to skip it. Gen Cs are 1.6 times more likely to agree that the only ads they like to watch are ads they have a choice to skip. The study identifies this more strongly in the U.S. and Brazil, where Gen Cs are 2.4 times more likely to lean toward ads that give them a choice to skip.