Compared to other age groups in Singapore, millennials--those aged between 18 to 25 years old--are more likely to use tools such as instant messaging (IM) and text/SMS messages in addition to email as their primary tool for personal online communications, but very few chose to use social networks. Nearly half (46%) of them cited instant messaging as their primary tool for personal online communications, whereas 33% cited text/SMS messages and 20% selected email. The survey also reveals that 18-25 year olds are viewing personal emails on the way to and from work more often than their elders. That may be the result of a greater penetration for the use of PDAs or smart phones to access emails amongst millennials.

A notable characteristic of this age group in Singapore (79%) is their desire to receive email containing health information. The millennials in general are interested in many different kinds of offerings and in receiving information preferably in their web-based email account. The top three types of commercial emails Singapore’s millennials report that they want to receive in their web accounts include: grocery coupons (80%), health-related content (79%) and household & crafts tips and recipes (78%). The findings also indicate a large variance amongst the Singaporean millennials in terms of how frequently they would like to receive email offers from online merchants, traditional (offline) retailers and catalogue companies.

Millennials in Singapore are also more willing to stay in email programmes compared to their elders who are more likely to unsubscribe. This appears to be in line with global trends in North America and the Asia Pacific region as a whole. However over two-thirds of millennials (73%) will unsubscribe to irrelevant content, and a higher percentage of them – when compared to other age groups – unsubscribe due to suspicion of permission or privacy violation.

“This global research highlights the fact that marketers anywhere in the world should be focusing on segmentation strategies that address the needs of the age groups within their customer base,” said Dominic Powers, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific at Epsilon International. “The needs and desires of these groups are clear, and we regularly see that a targeted approach based on age segmentation can drive significant improvements in campaign performance.”

“The research also shows that it is very important for marketers to understand where their customers and prospects are in the customer lifecycle so that they continue to deliver content and offers of value. A product or service a consumer wanted three or six months ago is likely not relevant now.”

The survey found that millennials are – as expected – savvy online users, demanding personalisation and regularly filtering emails from familiar brands or companies. They are particularly responsive to subject lines that contain discount offers (72%), the names of familiar brands or companies (64%) and free product offers (62%). Personalisation to their needs at the time (89%) and interests (79%) strongly or somewhat increase the likeliness that they will respond.

The 18-25 year olds in Singapore are also more receptive to certain types of cross-channel email than other age groups, including clicking to websites (90%), playing games (64%) and listening to audio clips (59%). About half of them would make purchases at retail stores (52%) and online (44%) as a result of opening promotional emails.

Singaporean millennials are very wary of all types of threats related to their use of email and the Internet, with viruses, identity theft, phishing and spyware are their biggest concerns. Marketers need to be sensitive to the concerns among this group as they use a wide range of tools to prevent spam and email threats, and do unsubscribe from irrelevant content on a regular basis.