Generational marketing

Generational marketing is a powerful tool that helps brands tailor their marketing strategies to different age groups' specific characteristics and preferences. Every generation has its own unique features and experiences that affect their purchasing decisions and brand preferences. By understanding their differences, marketers can create more targeted strategies that drive engagement and loyalty.

To demonstrate the power of generational marketing, let’s look at a real-world example. A Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand launched a new line of healthy, pre-packaged snacks. This brand usually markets to college students on the go, but they wanted to reach a new audience of families. 

To reach their target audience, the brand partnered with Experian to layer two audience segments, "Picture Perfect Families” and “Healthy Holistics,” to engage with parents who are committed to making healthy choices for their families. 

By using generational marketing data and pre-built audience segments from Experian, they were able to expand into new markets for healthy families and increase product sales.

Getting to know your audience is crucial for creating effective marketing strategies that relate to your potential customers. Today, generational differences play a major role in shaping purchasing behaviors and preferences. Here’s how generational marketing can benefit your brand.

Marketing to different generations lets you provide a more personal customer experience. This can include product recommendations and customer service interactions, which improve customer satisfaction and retention.

Targeting your marketing efforts to generational segments that will respond most positively can help you optimize your ROI. Generational marketing lets you use resources more efficiently by prioritizing the most effective strategies for each demographic.

Customers that have a positive experience are much more likely to make another purchase. By tailoring your marketing strategies to generational segments, you can foster loyalty and sustained growth over time.

Baby Boomers are a crucial demographic for brands to engage with because of their purchasing power and influence. Here’s what sets them apart from other generations and how to create effective marketing strategies they relate to.

Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are known for their dedication to their careers. Because they have so many years in the workforce, Baby Boomers have considerable purchasing power. While they initially lived in a technology-free world, they’ve since embraced the digital age by integrating social media, cell phones, and online shopping into their lives. Baby Boomers are known for their loyalty and tend to gravitate toward brands that offer personalized customer service and good deals.

When targeting Baby Boomers, marketers should consider using traditional channels, such as television, radio, and print ads. Personalized messaging emphasizing reliability, trustworthiness, and nostalgia resonates well with this age group. They also respond well to loyalty programs encouraging in-person interactions and social media ads leading to easy online purchases.

Gen X tends to approach purchases with a level of caution and skepticism toward brands. Below are some of their core features and marketing techniques that resonate with them.

Gen X, spanning from 1965 to 1980, is a bridge between the Baby Boomer and Millennial generations. They’ve been shaped by major historical events like the Cold War, economic recessions, and the rise of technology, making them resilient, independent, and adaptable. However, they’re also more cautious with money and may be skeptical of brands. This generation values work-life balance, authenticity, and individualism.

To connect with Gen X, marketers should focus on authenticity and relevance. Email marketing and social media campaigns are effective ways to reach this demographic. They also respond well to loyalty programs, coupons, and discounts.

Millennials are from the largest generation and have a lot of influence over the market. They’re digital natives that have been shaped by technology. Here are some attributes to know about Millennials and what marketing techniques work best.

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996. They're the first generation to grow up around technology. Millennials value authentic brand messaging and often choose brands that share their values. Millennials rely on user-generated content and value recommendations from peers, making word-of-mouth marketing a crucial part of their decision-making process. They also prefer brands that offer consistent affordability over random discounts and promotions.

Brands should use digital channels like social media, mobile apps, and influencer marketing to engage with Millennials. Authenticity, transparency, and social responsibility are important themes. They prefer brands that support their values and respond well to social media content and product reviews.

Gen Z is a very diverse generation with a wide range of interests, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds. Below is a look at their characteristics and what marketing techniques they prefer.

Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012, making them the youngest consumer segment. This tech-savvy generation values financial stability, often influenced by the stress of personal debt. Gen Z heavily relies on social media for reviews and recommendations and prefers brands that use social selling techniques. Despite wanting to save money, they’re less likely to enroll in loyalty programs than other generations. Authenticity, inclusivity, and innovation are important to Gen Z.

To attract Gen Z's attention, brands should embrace creativity, diversity, and interactivity. Short videos, user-generated content, influencer marketing, and immersive experiences resonate with this demographic. They also respond well to testimonials, mobile apps, and companies that support social issues.

Successful cross-generational marketing involves understanding each generation’s unique traits and preferences while maintaining a cohesive brand message that resonates with all age groups. Thorough research into values, behaviors, and communication styles is crucial. Tailor content to resonate with specific interests and lifestyles and adopt a flexible multi-channel approach. 

When it comes to the future of generational marketing, one thing is clear — quality, accurate data will always be the foundation of successful strategies. As consumer behaviors and needs continue evolving, access to reliable insights is paramount. Experian’s marketing data is a powerful toolkit for brands wanting to stay ahead in the market. With our support, businesses can unlock new growth and innovation opportunities for continual success. Speak with one of our data experts today to learn more.

Experian offers a comprehensive suite of marketing data attributes that empower brands to target and engage with different generations effectively. These attributes include a wide range of demographic information, such as gender, education, age, and career. Experian can also collaborate with you to create custom consumer segments to reach the right audiences.

Through Experian’s syndicated audiences, businesses gain access to pre-built audience types tailored to specific demographic segments. These audiences are carefully created based on Experian’s extensive consumer data and segmentation analysis to enable precise generational targeting. Our pre-built audience types offer valuable insights into the distinct characteristics and preferences of every generation.