Have you ever tried to explain how Facebook works to a person over the age of 75? Or what a rotary phone is to a person under the age of 20? There are huge differences between the generations that brands aim to reach today, and some of those differences present problems for advertisers and the agencies that represent them.
Who Makes Up Each Generation?
Counting the oldest consumers down to the youngest, there are 6 generations to be taken into account:
Pre-Depression Generation - Pre-1930
Silent Generation - 1930-1945
Baby Boomers - 1946-1964
Generation X - 1965-1977
Generation Y - 1977-1994
Generation Z - 1995-Present
Of course, some products are marketed specifically to one or two of the generations, making it easier to craft an appropriate message. It’s unlikely, for example, that members of Generation Y will be the target of an advertising campaign for a product like Rogaine, or that members of the Pre-Depression Generation would have a need for iPods.
Sometimes, though, brands do have a need to reach multiple generations. Ads for toys are often directed at Generation Z, but their parents probably have the final say in whether or not an item is purchased. At the other end of the spectrum, a retirement home must appeal to both the person who will be living there, and those that take care of that person.
There are lots of products used by multiple generations, too. Food, for instance, is consumed by all generations — especially things like canned soup. How do you create a brand message that reaches and appeals to everyone from great-grandparents to little children?
Where Is Your Target Advertising Audience?
From print to text messaging, there are wide differences in preferences across the generations, and the advertising method used to communicate brands’ messages is almost as important as how those messages are put together. A large, beautiful print ad directed at Gen Xers is not as likely to be successful as a similar ad directed at the Silent Generation. Choosing the correct platform can be the best way to create a successful campaign.
The Pre-Depression Generation is likely to give more credence to information in print. They also watch television, but regard information in print as more reliable. Direct mail is a good bet, but an internet ad campaign probably won’t work as well.
Print works well for the Silent Generation as well, but they also have a higher regard for information they see and hear on the television. While radio advertising is unlikely to reach the three youngest generations, it may work well for these folks.
The majority of Baby Boomers are computer literate, and therefore are the first generation most likely to be reached through that medium. They also watch TV, still listen to the radio, and pay attention to print. For Baby Boomers, the advertising method used to reach them is less important than how the message is crafted.
Generation X watches less network television than previous generations, and is less likely to listen to traditional radio. In fact, Gen Xers are notoriously hard to reach, and when brands are successful in reaching them, those messages are met with a high level of suspicion. They do tend to have a high regard for peer recommendations, so social media offers one avenue for marketing to them.
As the first generation to grow up with constant access to the internet, technology is the key to reaching Generation Y. Print, network television and traditional radio advertisements are not good ways to reach Gen Y, but text messaging, internet marketing, and cable are viable methods.
The youngest consumers of all are members of Generation Z, and they are the most steeped in technology, particularly of the wireless variety. Gen Z watches lots of cable TV, and ads there do well. Many brands that are actually targeting an older demographic have discovered the power of the “kid influence.” Kids influence the purchases their parents make in many unexpected areas. Almost two-thirds of parents say that their children influence their automobile purchasing decision, for instance.
You Found the Audience. Now What?
Of course, choosing the best way to reach your target audience is only one piece of the advertising and marketing puzzle. The way the message is delivered is important, too, and the differences in how each generation reacts to various types of marketing are stark. The Silent Generation has a great deal of respect for authority figures, so expert recommendations are important to them. However, the same recommendations are likely to fall flat with Gen X, which has a notorious disrespect for authority.
Marketing the same product to multiple generations presents a complex challenge. Each generation is uniquely impacted by the previous generation, major global events, economic upheaval or success, politics and social change, as well as many other factors. Finding what types of advertisements (and placements) appeal to the target demographic, as well as what repels them, will help agencies and brands communicate marketing messages clearly and successfully.
Source: http://blog.redbooks.com/
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