Generational MarketingThe Secret Ingredient to Maximize Marketing ROI

5 Generations of Consumers

• Matures born 1925 to 1942

• Boomers born 1943 to 1960

• Gen X born in 1961 to 1981

• Gen Y (Millennials) born 1982 to 2004

• Gen Z born 2005 to the present

Which group contains the most consumers?

• Matures born 1925 to 1942

• Boomers born 1943 to 1960

• Gen X born in 1961 to 1981

• Gen Y (Millennials) born 1982 to 2004

• Gen Z born 2005 to the present

What does this mean to you?

With Baby Boomers moving into retirement and their parents well into old age, marketers are going to need a deeper demographic understanding of younger customers if they hope to remain relevant.

Kenneth W. Gronbach, The Age Curve: How to Profitfrom the Coming Demographic Storm

Matures and Their Media Habits

TV news (39% of the audience)

Newspaper and print (40% of the audience)

2 of 5 members of this group participate in social/civic organizations

Radio also has influence

You'll win if you . . .

Appreciate they’re avid readers.

Put a premium on courtesy and customer service.

Understand they may havetransportation challenges.

Craft messages that speak to their sense of history.

Make your website easy to use, magazine-like, without fast-popping multimedia experiences.

Avoid . . . Trying to fast-talk them into a decision with razzle-dazzle media.

Making them feel like they're being hustled.

Too much personalization in marketing literature—it creeps them out!

Marketing Tactics that Work

Traditional collateral and direct mail

Advertorials with credible pitchmen

Print ads

Catalogs

Radio messages

Boomers and Their Media Habits

They still think it's all about them Buying decisions based on facilitating convenience or commemorating successes

Media habits are remarkably similar to Matures

TV news (40% of the audience)

Newspaper and print (40% of the audience)

2 of 5 members of this group participate in social/civic organizations

The only generation to respond frequently to direct mail

You'll win if you . . .

Capture their attention in seconds—or lose them. Appreciate they are the busy generation.

Speak to the rebel/trailblazer who wants to be in the know and leave a legacy.

Make your website easy to use, magazine-like, and limit the amount of multi-media.

Avoid . . .

Making them read lengthy marketing messages

Marketing Tactics that Work

Traditional collateral

Print ads

Advertorials

Catalogs

Radio messages

Personalized direct mail with factual information

Gen X and Their Media Habits

Market savvy

Overly complex lives seeking simplification

Love hip fun

If you make a promise, you better deliver

TV news on comedy channels (78% of the audience)

Web (86%)

Lifestyle events

You'll win if you . . .

Understand how they use their time.

Know they rely heavily on pure information.

Avoid . . .

Disappointing them with your brand

Making them stand in line

Including cookie trails in websites

Marketing Tactics that Work

Permission marketing

Personalized direct mail

Event invitations

Incentives

Sardonic messaging on the web and TV

Hip, fun multimedia

Gen Y and Their Media Habits

Influenced by brand-conscious Boomer parents

Brains are wired for complexity

Tech savvy generation

They’ll trust you, but will be more influenced by their tribe

TV but target by cable channel and by show

Digital media

Permission marketing but in groups so social media is effective

You'll win if you . . .

Understand how they use their time Go where they are—malls, concerts, ballgames, brew-fest, fun runs, music fests, local causes

Make your website a “sweet” place to visit

Direct mail with freebies, discount coupons and event invitations

Incorporate social media

Avoid . . .

Too heavy of a focus on traditional media

A simplistic website

Marketing Tactics that Work

Rich media

Personalization on direct mail

Events

Social media

Media that lets the audience create

QR codes

Mobile messaging tied to permission marketing

Two Areas Where Opportunity AwaitsBillboardsDirect mail

“No one has taken their mailboxes down, and the outdoor is still right there on the road facing you. Yet for some reason advertisers and marketers are missing two of the biggest opportunities,” Gronbach says.

Direct Mail Benefits

It reaches the recipient.

It is a tactile experience.

People look at it.

The Trojan horse effect.

Neuroscience research shows the benefits of direct mail over digital

Higher retention

More learning about brand information

Study was conducted by Millward Brown working in association with Bangor University and the United Kingdom’s Royal Mail.

What can you do with this information?

Thank you for your attention. If you need more information,

please contact your Hopkins Printing account executive.