Which Generation are You Marketing to?

Generations have been complaining about other generations for — well
— generations! The good news is that it is not always a complaint.

Dan Kubic frantically pushes a wheelchair, occupied by his very
pregnant wife, through the hospital’s emergency room. The look on his
face is that of pure terror. His wife, Carley, is holding her stomach and breathing rapidly as a nurse approaches them.

Twenty-five hundred miles away lives Anne and Bob Kubic. They
are Dan’s elderly parents. The phone that hangs on the kitchen wall
rings. Anne answers. It is their son, Dan, letting them know that they
are now grandparents for the first time. Her name is Brittany Anne Kubic. She was born at 11:23 am and weighed in at 7 pounds 8 ounces. Anne’s eyes tear up as she hears that her name was used as the child’s middle name.

Dan tells his parents that he will Face-time them so they can see the
new baby. The only problem is that Bob and Anne Kubic don’t own a
smart phone, and they have no idea what Face-time is.
Dan tells them not to worry. Dan’s childhood friend, Dave, is going
to come by with his iPhone and show them how it is done.

Ah… Generations.

We have all heard the term “Generation Gap.” A generation gap
is commonly perceived to be differences between generations that
cause conflict and complicate communication. This creates a ‘gap’. It is
perceived both internally and externally. Some examples would be: long
hair, short hair, piercings, tattoos, politics, work ethic, music, moral
values, and respect for others.

One thing is for certain, generations exhibit similar characteristics. This
is due to experiencing the same trends during a particular time. Because of
this, they will develop and share similar values, beliefs, and expectations.

Let’s look at the 5 generations that currently inhabit the planet.
Let’s see how the world has changed for each and how marketing to
them must change as well.

The first generation we will talk about is known as the ‘Traditional’
or ‘Silent’ generation. They were born between 1925 and 1945 and are
now in their 70’s to early 90’s. They make up about 8% of the American
population (as I write this).

There are several theories as to why they were called the silent
generation. I am going to go with the most obvious.
First, as they were growing up, they were told to be seen and not
heard. Many of them still carry that as a way of life. They know a lot, but
they won’t share unless you ask them. Ask them!

Second, they grew up in the era of McCarthyism. They were afraid
to share their beliefs or chance being called a communist. A BIG no-no
at the time. They became cautious about where they went and with
whom they were seen with. Better to just stay silent.

The name itself is attributed to a 1951 article that appeared in
TIME magazine.

As children, this generation grew up in conditions complicated by
war and economic troubles. From 1929 to 1939 America suffered from
the ‘Great Depression’. All social classes were affected. Many losing
everything. This event alone led them to become frugal when it came to
spending their money. Don’t expect a member of this generation to buy
the latest smart phone when their flip phone works just fine. Remember,
they were raised by parents that just survived the Great Depression.

They were also called the ‘Traditional’ generation. They were/are
very traditional in their values.

As far as the family structure; mom would stay home and raise the
kids while dad went to work. Chances are that dad worked for the same
company his whole career.

If they drank Coca-Cola, they didn’t switch to Pepsi (or the other
way around to be fair to both companies). If you want them to change,
you better have a good reason.

They believe in adhering to rules. They trust their government. They
are hard workers and sacrifice for the greater good.

When it comes to money, they are savers. They put it away and
when making a purchase they pay cash.

They have a strong belief in respecting their elders and are very
polite in communication. They say “Yes, sir”, “No, ma’am”, “please” and “thank you.” Use of profanity is a no-no.

Some of the events that helped shape their lives include:
— The Golden Age of Radio
— Swing Dancing
— 1929 Stock Market Crash
— 1933 The New Deal
— 1935 Monopoly Board Game
— 1935 Social Security System put in place
— 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast
— 1941 Pearl Harbor attacked
— 1945 Atomic bomb dropped on Japan
— 1945 FDR elected President for 4th term
— 1945 The Cold War begins with the Soviet Union

When marketing to this generation, remember to be polite and
respect their traditionalism. If you want to know something from them, you must ask. They will not volunteer.

Next is the Baby Boomers!

Born between 1946 and 1964, the Boomers make up about 23% of
the American population (as I write this). They are currently in their late
50’s to mid-70’s.

They got their name from the Washington Post article: ‘The Post
War Baby Boom’. After the return of soldiers from World War II, there
was a huge spike in child births. At one point over 10,000 per day.
When you have that many people being added to the population,
you must put them someplace. Suburbia was created!

The “Me” Generation was another name given. That’s because this
generation was all about how much wealth and power they could accrue.
I believe a lot of that came from the way they were raised. Remember
that their parents went through the Great Depression. Their parents
were frugal and watched every penny. That meant (usually) fewer gifts
on birthdays and holidays.

What they were given was the promise of the ‘American Dream’ if
they pursued it. Boomers took that to heart, and it became their focus.
The WIIFM radio station was created. That is a fictitious radio station
that played in Boomer’s heads. It means “What’s In It For Me?” As a
result, they were seen as greedy, materialistic, and ambitious.

They attacked the workforce with passion and pure determination.
They created the term ‘workaholic’ with fifty and sixty-hour work weeks
becoming the norm.

Due to this focus, they became the largest economic group. They
made a lot of money, and they spent a lot of money. Credit cards made
their way into the mainstream. The philosophy became “Buy now, pay
later.” Of course, this created new problems.

Long work hours and financial issues had a detrimental effect on
their family lives. Although many moms would still stay home and take care of the kids, dad was seen less and less. Many of the moms went to work as
well to increase the household income. This generation had the highest
divorce and 2nd marriage rate in history.

Unlike their parents, this generation did not adhere to the rules and
they did not trust the government.

American society was changing. Some Boomer values included:
anti-war, anti- government, trust no-one over thirty, equal rights, equal
opportunities, and personal gratification. Civil Rights, Women’s, and Environmental Movements played a big part in the Boomers’ development. There were protests and sit-ins. The Vietnam war had taken its toll.
The assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and
Martin Luther King, Jr. dampened their view of what the future might
hold. This may have been the seeds that were planted for Boomers to
eventually become the power in local, state, and national politics.
There was also peace, love, and rock and roll. The sexual revolution,
flower power, hippies, and Woodstock all happened during this
generation.

A lot of wealth was lost in the financial crisis of 2008. The stock
market took a bad turn and 401K’s lost their value. The real estate
bubble burst. This crisis left many of the Baby Boomers unable to retire
with financial security.

Some of the events that helped shape their lives include:
— 1950 The Korean War
— 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to sit in the back of the bus in
Montgomery, AL
— 1961 Peace Corp is established
— 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
— 1963 Kennedy Assassinated
— 1965 US sends ground troops to Vietnam
— 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated
— 1969 Moon Landing
— 1974 President Nixon resigns
— Cold War with Russia continues

When marketing to this generation; remember to focus on what
is in it for them. Instead of WIIFM, think WIIFMC (What’s In It For
My Customer).

Generation X, or ‘Gen X’ as they are known, were born between
1965 and 1980. Currently in their late 30’s to mid-50’s, they make up
about 20% of the American population (as I write this).
They got their name from a book titled ‘Generation X: Tales for an
Accelerated Culture’.

In hindsight, it may have been better to name them Generation A.
We are going to run out of alphabet for the upcoming generations.
Another name attached to this group is ‘Latchkey Kids’. A Latchkey
Kid was a child who came home from school to an empty house; nobody
was home. These kid’s parents were mostly Baby Boomers. Both mom
and dad were working, so these kids had to fend for themselves until
mom or dad came home from work.

On a positive note, these kids learned independence. They could
cook, do laundry, respond to a crisis, and make decisions on their own.
They have carried these traits into their adult lives.

Because they witnessed their parents being workaholics, they focus
on a clearer balance between work and family. They are self-starters and self-sufficient. It is, however, a double edged sword. Their ability to survive on their own includes: if they are not happy in a job — they leave it. If they are not happy in a relationship — they leave it. Their divorce rate increased over any other generation. They defined the term ‘Single Parent Family’. They are also the first ‘Day-care’ generation, putting that business model on the map.

They have the ‘Carpe Diem’ attitude to make the most of the current
time and give little thought to the future.

They are the first generation to become comfortable with technology.

Some of their characteristics include:
— Expecting immediate and ongoing feedback and are
comfortable with giving feedback to others.
— Mistrust institutions
— Mistrust politicians
— Value control of their time
— Prefer to trust people instead of a company
— Work smarter not harder

When it comes to money, they are cautious and conservative.
They adapt well to change. This makes them a good candidate for any
company. However, a few of the keys to working with them is to give them
time to pursue other interests. Again, they pursue the work/family balance.
They work to live, not live to work. They work with you, not for you.

Some of the events that helped shape their lives include:
— 1974 Watergate/Nixon resigns
— 1981 first AIDS scare
— 1986 Challenger disaster
— 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
— 1989 Fall of Berlin Wall
— 1990 Gulf War
— 1991 End of the Cold War
— 1993 Waco Texas raid by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives
— 1999 Y2K scare

When marketing to this generation, you need to recognize their
independence. Let them make the decision; they like to be direct. Use
straight talk and present the facts. Tie your message to results.

Millennials, or Generation Y, were born between 1981 to 1996.
Currently in their 20’s to mid-30’s, they make up about 23% of the
American population (as I write this).

They got their name from the 1991 book; ‘Generations: The History
of America’s Future’.

They are also the most educated generation. Millennials went to
college. They went to college with the promise of a job when they got
out. That promise wasn’t kept. A lot of Millennials had to move back in
with mom and dad. Many are still living on mom and dad’s wallet.

Only the Baby Boomers rival the size of this generation. This means
that this generation is going to be making a huge impact on society
moving forward. They are the second largest generation entering the
workforce behind Baby Boomers. As marketers, we must pay attention
and we must listen to them. Millennials do like instant gratification, so make sure that what you offer them has an immediate result.

There are more Google searches on Millennials than any other
generation. I believe that is because people, companies, and marketers are
trying to understand them and learn how to communicate with them.

They typically are children of a divorce. They grew up more sheltered
than any other generation. Parent(s) would try and shield them from the
evils of the world. Unfortunately, the evils of the world made themselves
visible to this generation in a big way. Because of that, Millennials hope
to be the next Great Generation and turn around the ‘wrongs’ of today.

Think about it. Baby Boomers mostly run the US Government.
Rules and laws are passed on their values and beliefs. The reality of it
is that they are near the end of their reign. They are retiring, dying, and
being replaced. The Millennials will be the ones replacing them. Why?
Because they are educated.

In this country, you must be thirty-five years old to run for President.
The oldest Millennial is now thirty-five.

This is good news!

Some of the greatest characteristics of Millennials are that they
are tolerant, inclusive, spiritual, extremely techno savvy, and consider
themselves as members of a global community. They are concerned
with the environment and the future of our planet.

Millennials don’t care about the color of someone’s skin, religious
beliefs, or sexual orientation. They do care about the political beliefs of
others. Tread lightly in that area when you are talking with them.

They have not lived without computers. Their preferred style
of communication is texting, although this may change with time as
technology changes.

Although they may have huge student debt, they have no problem
spending money. Financing is a word that is in their vocabulary.

Some of the events that helped shape their lives include:
— 1995 Bombing of Oklahoma Federal Building
— 1995 O.J. Simpson Trial
— 1999 Columbine High School Shooting
— 2001 9/11 Terrorism attack in NYC
— 2003 My Space Launches
— 2004 Face Book Launches
— 2006 Twitter Launches
— 2008 Election of Barack Obama
— 2008 Crash of Wall Street

When marketing to this generation, speak their language. Use text
messaging. They like instant gratification and want everybody to win.

Generation Z is born after 1996 and they make up about 26% of the
American population (as I write this). Although that number is big, right now,
it has no direct impact as far as our marketing efforts go. They are not the ones
who spend the money. Their parents and grandparents are the spenders.

According to an article in Bloomberg, they’re 61 million strong in
the U.S. alone, or more depending on which data set you use, roughly
between the ages of seven and 22. That means that we should start
thinking about how we are going to market to them soon.

One of the areas that I am noticing is that this generation likes
things brought to them. They have had Amazon available to them their entire lives. We are seeing an increase in: online shopping, delivery of food, and grocery store pick up lanes.

Other names for this generation are: Founders, I Generation, and Post-
Millennials. They are mostly the children of Generation X and were born
during the minor fertility boom surrounding the global financial crisis.

Our knowledge of this generation is evolving as they grow.
They are growing up with the World Wide Web. It appears that
they are not as social in person as the other generations. This is due to
Social Media. Their friends are on-line, and they are highly connected to
this form of communication.

They thrive on little bits of information, think status updates, and
twitter feeds. They process information at lightning speed.
I look forward to learning more about them as time goes by.