New Generation Marketing – How Best to Target Your Marketing Efforts by Generation.

It’s essential because each generation grew up and was influenced by the experiences and events that took place in their lifetime. New generation marketing is all about how you portray the message in a way your target audience will best understand or accept.

The message you’re conveying will be interpreted by each age group differently. When you genuinely want to get your news out, you’ll need to focus your marketing content on how your generation thinks. Let’s start with a simple example.

Here are three advertisements that Lee, known for their superior denim since 1889, used. Notice not only the quality of the advertising which technology has advanced over the years but let’s interpret the feelings of each generation.

This ’50s ad represent workers. The ad shows denim for men in the workforce of all fields. The models are in motion, clearly moving forward, which gives the viewers the feeling that they can get where they want in life, in Lee jeans.

In comparison, the ’70s ad had the attitude of a movie star. It’s clearly a fashion photoshoot with the model posing and looking away from the camera. The lack of eye contact gives him the air of superiority and mystique. This ad portrays to the customer that they can be a star and an elite member of society if they wear Lee jeans.

Finally, let’s look at the generation Z marketing tactics. The new generation marketing strategy is all about being who you are. The setting is an everyday background that young persons can relate to. It represents familiar surroundings either at home, school, or their nearby community. The model is relaxed and comfortable being himself. By looking directly into the camera, he lets you know that he’s not afraid of you seeing him. It’s about being comfortable and liking your own personal choices. This ad even has a tagline, “stand tall.” This tagline further depicts to the consumer that wearing Lee jeans represents accepting yourself for who you are.

These ads speak to three different generations with entirely different values.

This example gives you some brief insight into the difference in the advertising design, but WHY did the marketers choose to make these stylistic differences. That’s where we get into discussing generational differences. Each generational age group has beliefs that are important to them. It’s odd to think that everyone doesn’t have the same core values. But remember, every generation sees their own challenges and interprets the world differently because of the experiences they live through. For successful marketing, you’ll need to know you’re targeting the correct audience and relaying your message in a way that hits their values and concepts of life. Otherwise, your message is lost on an audience that saw it but failed to relate and therefore didn’t care. Having prospects that ignored your ads is a sure road to failure. Hence, people need to do more than see the message you’re putting out there. They need to relate and be inspired by it.

It is essential to understand each generation and how best to relate in their gen marketing. Each generation’s characteristics provide insight into guiding your message in a way that they are most apt to respond to. Generational marketing from each generation’s values helps get a natural response for top results. There are secrets to understanding why each generation reacts differently to stimuli. New generation marketing content puts them to good use.

We will start with marketing to Generation Z because generation Alpha (2013 to current) is still too young to develop their own values fully. Therefore the marketing strategies for generation Alpha usually is placed on the shoulders of their parent’s values. Don’t worry, Alpha, you’re coming up quickly, and we’ll see you in five to ten years.

The marketing communications best suited for marketing to Gen Z are social media marketing, instant message, text message, Enews, websites, and email marketing.

World events currently shaping generation Z are access to technology from a young age, the Covid-19 Pandemic, 1st black president, marriage equality, the rise of Populism, and the great recession.

Values that a young person in generation Z portray are instant global communication, social consciousness, entrepreneurship, and financial security.

Marketing to Gen Z will focus on the values of self-identity, digital reliance, open communication across the world, independence, individuality, and diversity. Along with this focus, they demand the brands they support to take a stand on social issues and world equality. This generation does not settle for sitting back silently on matters. Generation Z marketing content focuses on social issues as well as being an original personality and recognition of your unique individuality. We may also incorporate entrepreneurship and building yourself up to your strengths. Lastly, there is the power to communicate and hold real-life relationships across the globe. Gen Z is the first generation not to distinguish the difference between online people and in-person relationships. Above all else, Gen Z has a desire to be heard.

Marketing communications best suited for millennial marketing or Gen Y are instant message ads, Enews, websites, digital marketing, TV, and social media marketing.

World events that shaped Millennials are Columbine, 9/11, and the integration of the internet into daily life, including Google and social media.

Values Gen Y depicts are competitive and achievement-oriented, civil and open-minded, and a sense of responsibility.

Millennial marketing will focus on the values of unique experiences. This generation seeks challenges and growth. Gen marketing for millennials is often about personal growth and living a journey. Therefore, advertising to millennials shows them the voyage they can expect and long for. Give them something that appeals to their competitive nature or rings true to their open-minded civil nature. Millennial marketing often supports expressions of equality.

The marketing communications best suited for strategic marketing to Gen X are digital marketing, online videos, websites, Enews, face to face, radio, TV, print collateral, email marketing, and social media marketing. Gen X marketing has the widest variety of plausible avenues to reach its target audience. These many options may make it challenging but also provide plenty of room to play around with different campaign ideas.

World events that shaped generation X are the AIDS epidemic, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the emergence of MTV and the internet, the challenger disaster, and Desert Storm.

Values Gen X portray are independence, skepticism, and information gatherers.

Marketing to Gen X will focus highly on the values of work/life balance, personal interests over company interests, and diversity. Marketing to Gen X often brings out how they may have a life and a career without the need to sacrifice everything for one over the other. Gen marketing for this age group uses a succinct life/work balance that Gen X frequently wishes to achieve for their inner peace and happy lifestyle.

The marketing communications best suited for marketing to Boomers are face-to-face communications, radio, TV, newspapers, print collateral, email marketing, digital marketing, and marketing mailers.

World events that shaped the Baby Boomer generation are the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, Watergate scandal, Kennedy Assassination, and space exploration.

The values Baby Boomers represent are being both team-oriented and competitive. Boomers tend to be workaholics, and many are optimistic.

Marketing to Boomers focuses on the values of loyalty and a sense of duty. Boomer marketing shows the bright side of things and gives the consumer the feeling that everything will be ok if you work hard to get it. Both teamwork and competition provide the drive to get you further. When we talk about marketing for Boomers, it’s all about their sense of duty – duty to work, a duty to family, and duty to society.

Marketing communications best suited for strategic marketing to Traditionalists or the Silent Generation are radio, TV, newspaper, and marketing mailers.

World events that shaped the Silent Generation are the Great Depression, World War II, and McCarthyism.

Values Traditionalists represent are straightforwardness, dependability, and loyalty.

Marketing to Traditionalists focuses on the value of respect and recognition for their efforts. Content marketing for this age group boosts recognition allowing the Traditionalists to want the same for themself.

Marketing communications best suited for marketing to the G.I. Generation are radio, TV, newspaper, and marketing mailers.

World events that shaped the G.I. Generation is full of sadness and wars. This age group saw WWI and WWII, the Great Depression, and Pearl Harbor. On the other hand, they also had life-changing technologies and economic success, which soon led to the swooping downfall of the Great Depression.

Values the G.I. Generation mimics are bravery, sacrifice, and surviving hardship.

Marketing to the G.I. Generation focuses on personal responsibility, self-sacrifice, commitment, and work ethic. New generation marketing tactics for the G.I.’s are soul-felt stories about dedication and sacrifice and honoring one’s bravery and surviving struggles. G.I. Generational marketing shows how you can overcome battles, small or large, and that life comes with many responsibilities.