Generational Marketing
Est. 1980
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Generational Marketing G eneration
Matures Born 1925-42 75 Million
Cultural Influences & Tendencies What they hear in their heads: "Do the right thing". What they ask: "Is it sensible?"
What works: Traditional collaterals. Print ads. Advertorials with credible pitchmen. Catalog sales. Radio Messages.
Boomers Born 1943-60 80 million
What they hear in their heads: "Make a difference! Change your world." What they ask: "Is it meaningful?"
What works: Traditional collaterals. Print ads. Advertorials. Catalog sales. Radio messages. Personalization works when backed with factual info.
Gen X Born 1961-81 46 million
What they hear in their heads: "Show me the money," or "So not worth it." What they ask: "Is it fun?"
What works: Personalization. Event materials and incentives. Focus on web, TV, and sardonic messaging (poke fun at warm/fuzzy or at hyperbolic claims).
Gen Y Born 1982-2000 76 million
What they hear in their heads: "Been there, done that. Got the T-shirt." What they ask: "Is it cool?"
What works: Keep your media mix engaging by making it rich and complex, with invitations to have fun and to create. Use personalization plus event materials & incentives but with tribal values in mind. Focus on web and TV with sardonic messaging - e.g., create a (viral) video to get your message across (like the TIPP experience). Keep it digital and interactive. Gen Yers like working in a relaxed social group setting.
Media Habits & Media Involvment Make sure process, protocols and reasons are spelled out. Always keep them informed. Explain in terms of competition. "It's not the easy thing to do but it's also not too late". • • • •
TV news (39% audience) Newspaper and print (40% audience) Opinion leaders (2 of 5 in social/civic organizations) Radio also has influence
Boomers still think it's all about them ("we are the audience"). Buying decisions are either to find convenience ("let's make it with the Cuisinart") or to commemorate their successes in life ("no time to cook, so we got a Cuisinart"). Media habits remarkably similar to Matures. • • • •
TV news (44% audience) Newspaper and print (40% audience) Opinion leaders (2 of 5 in social/civic organizations) The only generation that responds frequently to direct mail
The world-weary cynic. Speak to their practical side. Market savvy- demands an honest upfront approach. Overly complex lives seeking simplification and function. Love of hip, fun includes love of retro! If you're going to promise it, you better deliver it. • • • •
TV News on comedy channels (78% audience) Web (86%) Lifestyle events such as family events and cultural currency events Permission marketing (you deliver first)
Influenced by brand-conscious Boomer parents. Brand-aware and loyal from a young age. Their brains are wired for complexity: this is a very tech-savvy generation, so speak to their imaginations. They'll trust you but they'll go with their tribe. • • • •
TV but target by cable channel and by show Web (goes without saying) Reach them via their digital world Permission marketing (but in groups)
Understanding your target market with regard to how they view and gather information is critical to ensuring your campaign's success. Take the time to review their media habits and learn how to best attract their attention.
You 'll win if you... Appreciate that they're avid readers. Put a premium on courtesy and customer service (matures think that sort of behavior's gone to hell in a hand basket). Understand they may have trouble with transportation - i.e., catalog and sales-by-mail will address this. Craft messages that speak to their sense of history ("It's for the future, for the children"). Make your web sites easy to use, magazine-like, without fastpopping multi-media experiences.
Capture their attention in seconds - or lose them. They are the busy generation - juggling kids, spouses, parents and careers - so anything that adds convenience to their lives will have appeal. Speak to the (tired) rebel/trailblazer who likes to be "in the know" and is looking to leave a legacy. Make your websites easy to use, magazine-like, and limit the amount of multi-media experiences: Boomers are looking for factual information so they'll perceive multi-media pop-ups as interruptions to their real quest.
Understand how they use their time: 37% Gaming 60% Work research 20% Download Music 5% Pod/vod cast 15% Multiple email addresses 72% Look for travel info 56% Access government sites
You 'll die if you...
Try to fast-talk them into a decision, which includes trying to razzle-dazzle them with too much media too fast. It's not that Matures are slow-thinking - they just don't like to feel they are being hustled.
Make them read lengthy marketing messages.
Burn them once, lose them forever. Make them stand in lines. Use cookie trails in websites. Use warm/fuzzy media.
Gen Xers rely heavily on peer info, so focus on word-of-mouth (incentives for recruiting buddies to your brand).
Understand how they use their time: 47% Download music 15% Maintain a blog 71% Online Banking 9% Pod or vod cast 68% Multiple email addresses 42% Keep their .edu alive 64% Look for viral video For Gen Yers and Gen Xers, keep your web site high on the hip factor with plenty of rich multi-media experiences. They won't respond to direct mail or traditional collaterals unless you include freebies, discount coupons, event invitations, or CDs. Also: Go where they are - malls, concerts, ball games, brewfests, fun runs, music festivals, local causes. Sponsor activities. Interactivity is key.
Use web service or web-based messaging. Have complexity in your web site. Use traditional media. Keep in mind: These folks aren't just consumers! They want to CREATE!
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