• by Vanessa Voltolina , September 23, 2005

As a member of the elusive early-20s college target, I know that marketers have been trying to crack my code for years. Here's one clue: I once bought an overpriced lip gloss based on a friend's suggestion. After querying my friends about effective marketing to Gen Yers, I have some tips to pass on to advertisers.

>>Reality check: In an age of hyperbole, we want something that's real -- ads that speak to us on a personal level, like the Keds "Cool" campaign and Dove's "Real Beauty" ads. And although sexual content can be appealing, try to keep it to a minimum. There's intrigue in leaving something to the imagination.

>>Less is more: We may ogle pricey apparel in Vogue or GQ, but few will actually take the next step to buy, no matter how great the ad. We're especially reluctant to squander our hard-earned cash on something that appears frivolous. Inexpensive or free on-campus promotions interest us. Think of it as an investment; when we're in the real world, we'll remember who gave us handouts in college.

>>He said, she said: We all came to a consensus about the importance of reputation. A reputable brand is more likely to get noticed, and with the "OK" from our peers, we are even more likely to buy. Take the iPod, for example. The product's ads are appealing because we can relate to young adults dancing around like idiots, yet we also know the iPod is reliable and recommended by friends.