30% of Millennial men in Canada seek leisure recommendations from loved ones

Toronto (September 9, 2014)—Helping to affirm the old adage that word-of-mouth is one of the best forms of advertising, new research from Mintel shows that 30% of Millennial men in Canada are likely to look for recommendations from friends and family on how to spend their leisure time, compared to 17% of the overall sample. Canadian men aged 18-34 are also more likely than Millennial women to prefer being ‘more active’ during their leisure time (30% against 22%). Millennial men exhibit above average participation in a wide spectrum of activities, from the generally more popular such as going to the movies, to the less frequented (ie attending live shows).

“It may not be surprising that Millennial males are more likely than average to go to pubs and prefer physically active leisure activities and sporting events. However, they also over-index on frequency of visiting museums and spas which reflects an open-minded consumer group with diverse interests,” observes Jason Praw, lifestyles and leisure analyst at Mintel. “Regular visiting of spas may in fact be a reflection of their active lifestyle, with these venues offering services such as massages and healthy lifestyle plans.”

Some other interesting leisurely findings in the report include:

• Almost half of Chinese Canadians (49%) state that they cannot be without their devices during leisure time, suggesting an elevated engagement with technology among this consumer group. In fact, Chinese Canadians are more likely than the average Canadian to own a smartphone, a tablet and to be social media users.
• Interestingly, those in households with incomes less than $25,000 (44%) are significantly the most likely group to spend their leisure time on social networking sites. As many potential leisure time activities may come with a monetary cost, using social networking sites may act as an affordable alternative for this demographic.
• Shopping remains a common way to spend leisure time in Canada, with over three quarters of Canadians (77%) shopping at least once a month or more often, and a third doing so weekly (34%). Canadians also enjoy going out to eat at restaurants at a similar monthly frequency (74%). However, only a quarter do so weekly, reflecting the relatively high cost of dining out of home.
• Other popular monthly activities include going to the movies (32%), visiting a leisure centre or health/fitness club (32%), and/or going for a drink in a pub/bar (31%).

”While disposable income affects the level of participation in various activities, it does not appear to deter Millennial males, further illustrating their willingness to take part in a variety of events and activities. With social media making it that much easier to interact with others in regards to shared interests, Millennial men seem the most apt to take these recommendations and act on them,” continues Jason.

“While marketing to younger men should continue to focus on physical activities to reflect their leisure time interests, there may be opportunities for perceived ‘non-male’ attractions and venues to directly boost their appeal to this group. Programs at attractions like museums, combining subject matter like sports and movies may be an incentive for men to increase their frequency of visits. Similarly, health clubs should focus on how their services can be a remedy for sports-related injuries, as well as providing an opportunity to relax. Reminding men that this can come at no or low cost for those with benefits may help them to think even more creatively when it comes to planning their leisure time.”