If you read our blog even semi-regularly, you know by now that one of the first steps in developing a marketing strategy is defining your target audience. It’s impossible to reach everyone with a marketing campaign, so the process begins with figuring out who is most likely to purchase your product/service and then creating/placing ads that are most likely to resonate with them. It’s best to be specific when defining a target audience, but even the professionals have to begin somewhere. A lot of times we define targets in their broadest forms by using the generation they were born into to describe who they are. It seems everything is about “Millennials” these days− that to be successful you have to get the Millennials on board. But who are Millennials exactly? And what about the rest of the population? In this blog, we’ll discuss each generation and the research we use to market to them. Let’s begin, shall we?
The GI Generation
Born: 1901-1926
Sometimes called the Greatest Generation, the GI Generation is the oldest living group of people today. Many of these people fought in WWII and lived through the Great Depression. These people are generally assertive, have a strong sense of civic duty, and abide by traditional values. The majority of brands are not marketed to, well…the oldest generation on the planet, but it’s still important to know who these people are.
Mature/Silents
Born: 1927-1945
Many of these people are Vietnam veterans and continued life into the years of post-war prosperity. Like the GI Generation, this group has mainly traditional, old-fashioned values, but many of them are living their retirement years with plenty of money and free spending habits.
Baby Boomers
Born: 1946-1964
I’m sure you’ve heard the term “Baby Boomers” because, until recently, they were the largest generational group. This was the first group to stray from “traditional” values− women worked, many are divorced, etc. Baby Boomers are known as the “me” generation and are characterized by optimism, self-righteousness, and a slow-developing relationship with technology.
Generation X
Born: 1965-1980
Gen X was the first group to have two parents that worked full time. This group values individualism, is skeptical of authority, and often feels misunderstood by others. Gen X is easily overlooked, as it lays between the two most well-known generations.
Millennials (Generation Y)
Born: 1981-2000
Millennials are the largest generational group today and are constantly being researched and studied. Unlike Gen X, Gen Y is optimistic about the future and very focused. Millennials feel pressure to be academically and professionally successful, and receive almost all their information online. This group lives life at a fast pace and values immediacy. Millennials tend to have strong views and short attention spans.
Generation Z
Born: After 2001
Gen Z is the youngest living generation and relative to the other groups, little is known about them. This group is more culturally diverse than any other and have no knowledge of a life without smartphones, tablets, and digital media.
We want to note that the time frames for each generation are not definitive− the ages of these groups will differ slightly depending on who you ask. The important thing is that, at Transformation, we know how to market to each group based on who they are. Confused as to who your target audience is, or not sure how to reach them? Let’s chat about how we can help your business!