Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
While the world watches Baby Boomers and Millenials go at each other in some kind of generational civil war, Generation X (Gen X) seems to have been quietly sitting this one argument out.
In some respects, they’ve been forgotten when it comes to a lot of marketing, with brands aiming at either end of the age spectrum instead.
With ads and events aimed at older people relying on more in-person promotions involving specially made promo by a flag maker and printers and traditional advertising in print and on the radio. Millennials on the other hand are almost exclusively targeted online and through social media.
Who Is Gen X?
This generation was born between 1965-80. There is also a kind of sub-generation, born between 1979-1983 know as Xennials.
This group was created to explain the technological disconnect between older Gen X-ers and Millenials. Xennials typically grew up without tech in their everyday lives but came of age around the time the internet and dot.com revolutions were happening.
Gen X is a relatively small generation, numbering about 65 million, and is already outnumbered by Millenials.
They are known as being self-sufficient and able to look after themselves. The youngest Gen X-ers are now in their early 40s, which makes the spending power of this generation very high. Due to recent economic events, the incomes of Gen X are higher than those of any other current generation.
How Gen X Chooses Brands
While it’s easy to assume that Gen X uses more traditional forms of media, this isn’t always the case. Though they do use traditional mediums, they will research companies and products online before making a purchase, so you need to get your website and social media right.
Social Media
The dominant social media platform or Gen X is Facebook. Some studies have shown that up to 90% of Gen X have had an active Facebook account at some point. Any brand wanting to target this market needs to be advertising and remarketing on Facebook.
Reward Loyalty
Gen X is the most loyal generation when it comes to brands, so ensure that once you get them through the doors, whether physical or virtual, that you treat them well.
Loyalty schemes and free gifts/discounts are the way to go here. You won’t have to worry about them jumping ship to another brand as often.
Get Nostalgic
Though Gen X spends a lot of time on their mobiles (up to 3 hours per day), research has shown that they love looking at things drenched in nostalgia.
They watch clips for old TV shows and movies, listen to songs from their youth and reminisce over events. It’s probably one of the reasons that Cobra Kai is doing so well on Netflix.
Final Thoughts
Though Gen X is relatively small, you shouldn’t ignore them. They are loyal customers with high spending power.
By ensuring that your online presence is spotless, as well as targeting them on their preferred social platforms, you’ll be able to target this generation precisely.
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