Is Your Marketing Message Reaching All Generations?

By Brien O’Brien

There has been a lot written in the human resources world about generational differences in the work place and how to create an environment where everyone understands each other and works well together.  That is because for the first time we have four very distinct generations working side by side in the company and each of these generations has their own unique characteristics, values and preferences.  Human resource managers, consultants and trainers have spent hundreds of thousands of hours studying this phenomenon and coming up with workable ways to better communicate with all generations – while teaching them all how to communicate with each other.

So, if that is the case in the human resources field doesn’t that stand to reason that we, as marketers, face the same challenges?  If there are four different generations working within companies, don’t we need to mold our marketing messages and deliver them so that they reach all of those generations?

First let’s take a look at the four generations:

The Radio Babies or Veterans –  born between 1922 and 1946.  This generation did not have television as a child, most likely either fought in a war or was married to someone who did, knows about stock market crashes, is fiscally conservative, reads the newspaper every day and is loyal.

The Baby Boomers – born between 1946 – 1964.  They are very ambitious, most educated as compared to the other three groups, strong work ethic, multi-taskers, loyal to their careers, being forced in many cases to use technology but not always embracing it as they find that they often need help fixing their technology problems from a younger generation.

Generation X – born between 1964 and 1980.  This is a very independent group, highest number of divorced parents and dual income families.  They were the first latch key kids and so they figured out how to do a lot of things on their own.  They were the first generation to grow up with technology and so care more about productivity than hours spent doing a job.

Millennials (Gen Y or Nexters) – born between 1980 and 2000.  Grew up similarly to Gen X but with different parenting styles (time outs, no spanking, protective parents).  They are very conscious of the global environment, open minded and accepting of diversity.  They are a generation entrenched in technology, consummate multi-taskers and bore easily.  They believe that fax machines and emails are so yesterday.  They want immediate gratification to keep them interested.

What does this all mean to a marketer?  It means that each of these groups receives messages in different ways and all of our marketing campaigns must be tailored so that it reaches each of these individuals.  Radio Babies and Baby Boomers generally prefer to get their information in a printed form.  Although more and more of them will take to the internet to research a subject, few of them will read a book or a magazine that way.  They are only now learning to use a DVR and most would probably never consider listening to a podcast.  They would much rather attend a seminar or trade show in person than get information in a webinar or a GoToMeeting format.  They need to see traditional marketing and advertising messages.

On the other hand, Gen Xers and Nexters are so entrenched in technology that they cannot imagine carrying a book or a magazine on an airplane when they own an iPad.  They don’t check their email continually because they believe that if it is important enough someone will text them.  They don’t have land line phones in their homes and rely on the smart phone for everything from getting directions to their next appointment to making dinner reservations.  They get bored and need interactive messages.  They will be the ones to play with a tablet edition magazine, click on videos, spend countless hours on social media and spend less time actually talking to people either in person or on the phone.  They need to be reached in their world.  Video campaigns, social media, text marketing and tablet edition advertising is the way to go with them.

Does your marketing messages meet the challenge?  The industrial maintenance and reliability market, once heavily weighted toward the older generations is now seeing an influx of younger, more tech savvy workers whose attention you will only have for a moment, and who want to be entertained.  That makes the case for a well-planned, multi-faceted advertising campaign using all of the print, digital, face to face and interactive components available.