Millennials Engagement and Loyalty to their Loved Brands on Social Media

The Millennial generation exerts a peculiar fascination on both managers and academics. Yet, the way Millennials engage with brands in social media is an area meriting more research attention. Are they mainly passive observers, or are they actively engaged with and loyal to their loved brands? What are the real benefits brands can reap from Millennials avid use of social media? In order to answer to these research questions, this study focuses on this generational cohort and develops a holistic model of social media engagement, validated across different social media platforms. Through an online survey, data was collected from 343 social media users (all belonging to the Millennium generation), based on self-selected self-expressive, loved brands. Findings suggest a disconnection between online and offline brand relationships: though Millennials love and are very loyal to their favourite, self-expressive brands, they are not very active or engaged online. Moreover, brand experience was found to play a major role in developing brand love, which in turn is positively related with engagement and brand loyalty. Managerially, this study provides insights to brand managers who wish to successfully use social media to stimulate engagement and build relationships with Millennials.