Marketing to Different Generations

The marketing landscape is ever changing and there are more platforms for promotion available than ever before. However, that does not mean that every business has to keep up with every new wave of technology that presents itself and this comes down to the importance of identifying your target age groups.

If you have a broader range of age groups for your product or service, then it will be more beneficial to create separate campaigns and strategies depending on who you are looking to attract. Each generation has a different approach to how they discover new brands and how they shop. To help you get the most from your campaigns, here are some tips on how best to market to each generation.

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, they are oldest generation that is receptive to multi-channel marketing – older generations such as the Silents (1927 – 1945) aren’t commonly selected for generational marketing. Boomers typically have more disposable income and are more likely to splurge on top tier items, they usually opt for the latest technology even though they aren’t the tech savviest generation. However, don’t be fooled into thinking you can take advantage of social media marketing, they are likely to view your Facebook ad as spam. They only use the platform for its traditional use, socialising.

Speaking of traditional, this is how you will reach this age demographic. Look to direct marketing tactics such as emails, website offers and pop-ups, cold calling and print advertising. Other ways to hook this group and their larger wallets, is to introduce loyalty programmes or offer cash back for larger purchases. They also appreciate personal interactions and are less likely to shop online. Although if you do have a solely online business now is your chance to make it simple and seamless to check out. Last but not least, avoid discounts! This generation are ready to pay full price for premium products.

Generation X

Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X is the smallest generation of all. They are known for being the bridge between Baby Boomers and Millennials and they grew up with some of the biggest leaps in technology advancements. Having also experienced the pits of recession as they were beginning to make strides in their careers, they are big savers. Not only that, they are also juggling childcare, home-ownership and steadily building their pensions. Their priorities are with their responsibilities and it takes more for them to part with their hard-earned income.

This demographic is definitely more tech savvy than their earlier counterparts, mostly on par with Millennials. They respond well to marketing on platforms such as Pinterest and Facebook but still prefer an in-store experience to online shopping. Email marketing is the best way to reach this generation, especially those containing voucher or discount codes, Gen X loves a bargain. Another way to reach them is through more conscious shopping, this generation is less likely to shop based on trends and instead looks for good quality, organic and or ethically sourced products. Anything that will benefit the environment or society as a whole, they will rally behind.

Millennials

These digital natives were born between 1981 and 1994 and came of age in the early aughts. They are the social media babies and early adopters of new apps and technology trends. Though they grew up in a more affluent society than any generation before them, as they entered the workforce they were hit with the financial crisis of 2007-2008.  However, this just turned Millennials into the largest generation of entrepreneurs. They are known to be soft-hearted, you may have heard the term ‘snowflake’ thrown about, but this demographic is more in tune with what they want spiritually and emotionally. They value work-life balance and self-care over doing long shifts and the ‘daily grind’.

To market to this demographic, you should largely focus your attention to online marketing. Most of their brand discovery comes from Instagram and Facebook and they are the most responsive to online shopping. Think innovation when trying to appeal to Millennials, they like to be ahead of the curve. They are also easily influenced by their peers and rely on word-of-mouth, so keep up to date with positive reviews and perhaps introduce incentives for recommending a friend. Similar to Baby Boomers, Millennials are loyal customers so again loyalty programmes are a sure way to win over this group, just give it an innovative update by incorporating it into an app! Influencer marketing is also a great avenue to go down.

Generation Z

Generation Z or ‘Gen Z’ are the youngest generation currently in the workplace, born between 1995 and 2012 they are very similar to their Millennial counterparts, if more societally and environmentally conscious and a pragmatic bunch. Another recession hit demographic, this generation is definitely more in tune with economic struggles as well as political inequities. They are a progressive and forward thinking group that are very vocal on topics that older generations might have shied away from or even seen as taboo. They also value authenticity and are a lot less materialistic than the previous generation.

We’ve written a more extensive piece on how to market to Gen Z here but the key takeaways are – video marketing is a must, with growing technology advancements and the unlimited creativity available with apps like TikTok, their tastes have evolved past manicured static images. Which takes us the next point, as mentioned Gen Z values authenticity so your content needs to feel real, and it is always good to have an honest story. They don’t respond well to perfection so avoid partnerships with overly polished celebrities or reality stars. Social listening is a key marketing tool with this group, show them that you are willing to take their feedback on board, especially with tougher issues, and grow from it.

The New Generation – Generation Alpha

For the newest generation the information is fairly limited, they are born between 2013 and onward meaning the oldest of this group is around 8 years old. However, in marketing it is never a bad thing to be ahead of the curve and in life history repeats itself, so here are a few predictions for what to expect when this generations buying power comes into play.

• Sadly we are slowly exiting a global pandemic that brought the world to a standstill and is sure to greatly affect the economy for years to come. We have seen how recessions and economic issues have affected generations in the past and this one is sure to be no different. We predict that Generation Alpha will be great savers and trend deniers. They too will focus their attentions on better quality, sustainable products that better the environment, similar to the current Gen X.

• The move to online continues in an upward trend, with many businesses having to pivot during the pandemic nearly all products and services are available in some capacity, digitally. This also means a huge change in the workforce, with working from home likely to stick around for the long term. Not only will this be a great improvement for mental health, allowing Gen Alpha more time for health and well-being practices, it is also better for the environment, a continued focus for all our future generations.

• With Millennials as parents, this generation will be the most progressive and continuously focused on social, environmental and political issues. However, they will also be growing up in an era that is at its most divisive because of the instantaneous nature of ever growing social media. We predict that the social media landscape will change for this generation, switching to more intimate spaces for more like-minding people. A re-birth of the online forums of the late noughts, but in a more innovative way.