This is a guest post by Amanda Winstead, a Zillenial who can’t be reached via cable ads.
The sound of infomercials and commercial jingles brings a rush of nostalgia to my mind. “Only five payments of $39.99!”, “The best part of waking up…”, “Like a good neighbor…” are just a few phrases that remind me of my childhood with my Boomer parents, who were all about TV and radio.
But as an adult, my preferred lifestyle looks more like this: Netflix on a laptop. Social media as entertainment. Spotify on every drive.
I was born in the late 90s on the millennial and Gen Z generations (some call us “Zillennials”).
My friends aren’t much different. The last time I watched cable, it was because I was on vacation — in an Airbnb, rather than a traditional hotel, of course — and the TV had no other source of entertainment. One of my peers said, “Wow, I don’t remember the last time I watched a commercial.”
Younger generations no longer pay attention to outbound marketing. Those intrusive, interruptive, and largely untargeted past ads are fading memories. We’ve grown up in an age of information overload, so we’re accustomed to scrolling past anything that doesn’t pertain to us.
These differences illustrate the importance of generational marketing. When brands want to target all demographics effectively, they can no longer use the same tactics all across the board.
Personalization Is Irreplaceable
In generational marketing, personalization is critical for building engagement.
Baby Boomers, for instance, are best reached via search engines and email — the more traditional internet tools —, and many respond to TV and print ads, too. And while Baby Boomers are growing tech-savvier, they’re still going in-store when it’s time to shop.
Generation X is the oldest generation that prefers shopping online. The vast majority of Gen X uses Facebook and researches businesses across various channels, including Yelp, Google, and social media. However, they still appreciate the relevant direct mail they receive.
What makes millennials and Generation Z or Zillenials different is our absolute focus on all things digital. Social media is essential, primarily highly visual or video-based platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
We’re also responsive to influencer marketing too. We can quickly sniff out traditional marketing (and dislike it), so we turn to people we trust for recommendations. For this same reason, local brand ambassadors and micro-influencers — those with just 1,000-10,000 followers — are on the rise.
I’ve never even considered buying Tommy Hilfiger just because Zendaya and Gigi Hadid showed up on their ads. However, I bought into the Glossier and Outdoor Voices hype because they worked with small-time influencers who feel much more authentic.
Personalization matters in a different way to younger generations, too. Growing up with technology, we’re accustomed to brands that offer personalized customer experiences. From Amazon recommendations and custom HelloFresh subscription boxes to gig economy companies like Papa Pals and Airbnb, brands that market various options take the lead.
Millennials and Gen Z will even provide personal data just for more imaginative brand experiences. Businesses that take time to learn about their customers before selling win our business.
Marketers must start having strategic planning meetings that consider the differences between each generation in their target audiences. And they need to think long-term to build relationships with rising consumer generations, too.
Values-Driven Marketing
Millennials and Gen Z are also more values-driven than previous generations. 83% of millennials prefer to buy from brands with aligned values, with most seeking out companies that align with their political and social beliefs. Compare that with just 21% of Baby Boomers.
Younger generations love eco-friendly brands like Patagonia and brands that show diversity like Aerie and Nike.
The world is changing at a much faster rate than ever before, which means each generation has vastly different experiences — and right now, millennials and Gen Z are experiencing a changing socio-political climate. If you don’t yet have a designated marketing manager to help you intertwine your values with your brand, it’s time to seek one out. They’re trained to help you with your brand messaging and with market research.
Start personalizing for every generation to get the most significant returns from your marketing efforts.
This is a guest post by Amanda Winstead, a Zillenial who can’t be reached via cable ads. Amanda is a writer focusing on many topics including technology and digital marketing. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
Photo by Jana Sabeth on Unsplash
