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Book
Summary: Rocking
the Ages: The Yankelovich Report on Generational Marketing
Printed
with permission from TCI
Management Consultants. A group of senior-level management
consultants, offering strategic planning and marketing services
to a wide range of public and private sector clients.
Rocking
the Ages: The Yankelovich Report on Generational Marketing
by J. Walker Smith and Ann Clurman
HarperBusiness, New York, 1997
Smith
and Clurman are both senior members of Yankelovich Partners,
one of the largest consumer research organizations in the
US. The book they have written investigates differences
in society that are generational - that is, based on age
groupings - and discusses the types of marketing approaches
that will have appeal to each age segment. The findings
are based on the annual MONITOR survey undertaken by Yankelovich,
which asks consumers about their values, attitudes and buying
behaviors. The MONITOR survey dates back to 1971, so there
is a good track record of trend data to rely upon. (In fact,
throughout the book there are so many references to the
MONITOR survey that it's difficult to avoid the impression
that the book is just one giant pitch for Yankelovich.)
Generational
marketing makes sense, say the authors, because the marketplace
evolves in response to the different needs of each generation.
These needs in turn are conditioned by three factors:
formative
cohort experiences
age and life style
current social and economic conditions
As each
of these factors differs from one generation to the next,
we can accordingly expect their marketplace behaviors to
vary, and thus the marketing strategies that will maximize
appeal to each group to in turn be different.
Smith
and Clurman identify three major generational groups in
society today, which are:
the 'Matures', who were born before 1946, and tend as a
group to be cautious and somewhat conservative in their
buying behavior as a result of experiences in the Great
Depression and World War 2 - this group in the US accounts
for approximately 68 million individuals and 41 million
households;
the
'Boomers', who were born between 1946 and 1964, and currently
comprise 78 million individuals and 43 million households
- unlike Matures, Boomers tend to reject sacrifice in favor
of self expression and a quest for personal identity; and
'GenX'
(short for Generation X, the term popularized by Douglas
Coupland in his novel of the same name), born in 1965 or
later, who number 45 million individuals and 14 million
households - GenXers have never taken the future for granted,
as have the Boomers, so they are much more likely to be
cautious about their lives, demanding of candor and honesty
- the authors take some pains to point out that the reality
of GenXers is quite different from the popular stereotype
of them as a 'lost' generation which is looking for diversion,
a momentary thrill, and not expecting too much from the
future.
"The
Matures, born between 1909 and 1945, came of age under the
shadows of the Great Depression, World War II, Korea and
the Cold War. Their attitudes toward life and work were
formed in the crucible of economic upheaval, common enemies
and America's role as an emerging superpower. Matures grew
up in tough times, so they had a more constrained set of
expectations. As a result, their core values are what we
think of today as traditional values - discipline, self-denial,
hard work, obedience to authority, and financial and social
conservatism.
These
values still determine the way in which Matures relate to
the marketplace. They have been slow to embrace new products.
They saved their money and saw retirement and leisure time
as rewards for hard work. Products that fit their basic
values have succeeded - and will continue to succeed - because
these values grew out of their shared experiences and still
guide their consumption." (p.8)
In marked
contrast to the Matures, Boomers were born into times of
prosperity and economic expansion. They took for granted
that they 'deserved' these riches and opportunities, and
developed the philosophy of the "Me Generation",
predicated on a sense of entitlement. This philosophy enabled
them to easily embrace inclusive social policies, since
there was 'enough for all'. "Boomers believed there
would always be plenty to go around - lots now and more
and more in the future - so why not share with everyone."
(p.10)
"The
next group, Generation X, or Xers, could be dubbed the "Why
Me?" generation. Born in the wake of the dominant Boomers,
they have been buffeted by tumultuous political and economic
conditions. They are wary and uncertain about America's
position in the world and about their own place in America.
Yet contrary to the image portrayed in the popular media,
this is a savvy generation, enthusiastically ready, willing
and able to take on the challenges they face.
For
Xers, hard work is a pragmatic necessity and they are careful
in planning for the future. In many ways, Xers are embracing
some of the values of Matures because they too have lived
through uncertain formative years. For this reason, Xers
seem better able to deal with economic downturns than their
Boomer predecessors." (p. 10)
Rocking
the Ages is divided into two parts. The first describes
each of the three generational groupings in some detail
while the second focuses in upon the implications of generational
marketing upon certain key sectors and areas of life: technology,
computer and Internet use, health care, consumption patterns,
leisure, and home-buying activity.
Key
marketing conclusions coming out of the first part of the
book are:
Don't think of Matures as 'seniors'; they resist the label
and will punish products and services that attempt to pigeon-hole
them into that stereotype. Rather, promote the convenience
and accessibility of products along with the idea that 'you've
earned it'.
In
contrast, Boomers feel that they deserve products and services
as an inalienable birthright, rather than having to earn
them. Marketing approaches to this group have got to walk
a fine line between realizing that Boomers are aging (while
never mentioning the dreaded word 'senior') and thus will
require in time the full range of age-related products and
services, while at the same time continuing to cater to
their need to rebel and forge their own path. Particular
interests of the Boomer generation at this point in their
lives and at this point in the economic cycle is the desire
to simplify, and a focus of the family.
GenXers
tend to be skeptical of modern advertising and overly-slick
marketing pitches. Approaches to this group that work
particularly well tend to be frank, not take themselves
too seriously, and involve a little fun - at the same
time, though, GenXers are still somewhat unsure of themselves,
and need to be reassured that the choices they are making
are fundamentally sound and practical.
Using
this generational framework and a sea of data from the MONITOR
survey, Smith and Clurman identify in the second part of
the book a number of generational differences that have
interesting marketing implications in specific areas:
Regarding
technology, the authors make the point that simplicity of
use will be a key selling feature in the years ahead. This,
though, should be presented to the three generational groups
in different ways:
Matures
will interpret simplicity as accessibility, which implies
ease of use, service and support, as the key features that
will sell them on new technologies and products.
Boomers
will be attracted by the efficiency of new products and
technologies, that will make their lives easier and save
them time and headaches, or contribute more directly to
their personal productivity.
GenXers
will value practicality, and will be attracted most by technologies
that will make things more useful and functional.
Turning
to the use of computers and the Internet, the authors here
define a new concept, cybercitizens, which simply means
people who are comfortable with and frequently use this
technology. Matures who are cybercitizens are quite different
from the general profile of Matures overall, who tend to
shy away from direct computer use. Mature cybercitizens
seek out novel experiences and opportunities for personal
creativity, and actively embrace computer technology. Boomer
cybercitizens, in contrast, are much like Boomers overall,
and use the Internet for work and personal fulfillment.
Xer cybercitizens are again a little different from their
generational cohort overall, and tend to be on-line for
fun and recreation rather than business reasons. (The authors
expect that this will naturally change over time, as Xers
become more job and career-oriented.) Clurman and Smith
do make the point that while Matures and Boomers see the
Internet as a separate technology to be incorporated into
their work or personal lives, Xer cybercitizens see the
Internet and the world wide web as completely integrated
into their day to day being.
In a
related area, entertainment, Smith and Clurman note the
following:
Matures
want entertainment that is easily-digestible, presented
in a non-confrontational and non-controversial manner. They
want their information presented to them in summary form,
and feel as a group no compelling need to be part of the
'information age'.
In
contrast, Boomers need to feel and be plugged into the information
society. They need their information presented in terms
of categories and options, so that they have full access
to the entire range of options available. Organization of
content and programming is important here.
Xers
want to participate in their entertainment experiences,
and interactive and highly participatory media and technologies
that allow them to do this will do well in appealing to
this group. For example, they are the most likely generational
group to time-shift (tape television programs on a VCR to
watch later) as well as being the most likely to purchase
pay-per-view experiences.
Incidentally,
the authors see the real growth of the Internet in the area
of on-line entertainment, and not (as was once touted) on-line
shopping.
Regarding
health care:
Matures look for continued reassurance that their health
care needs will be met, but a major worry to them is whether
they will outlive their savings.
Boomers
are slowly coming to terms with their health care needs
as they age. A big concern for them is the health care needs
of their family.
Xers
have few illusions about the dangers they face (AIDS, new
viruses, etc.) and are looking to empower themselves through
information to develop their own health care strategies.
All
generations are looking for healthier lifestyles. Simple
and direct messages that appeal to them to a greater degree
than ever before are 'low in fat', 'fresh' and 'ethnic'.
Other chapters in the book take the same sort of approaches
to consumption patterns for homes and consumer goods.
Throughout
the book there are cute comparison tables showing the differences
between these three mega-generations. Examples include:
|
| Matures
| Boomers
| Xers
|
| Generational
Remembrances
| -
Orange juice
-
Dr. Spock
-
Mom, Dad, Grandfolks
| -
The Juice runs
-
Dr. Strangelove
-
Mom and Dad
| -
The Juice walks
-
Dr. Kevorkian
-
Mom or Dad
|
| Media
Icons
| -
John Huston
-
Edward R. Murrow
| -
Robert Altman
-
Walter Cronkite
| -
Oliver Stone
-
CNN
|
| Parts
of the Dream Life
| -
First Kiss
-
Sex on honeymoon
-
Doubleheaders
| -
First House
-
Sex in the back seat
-
Super Bowl
| -
First Computer
-
Sex on the Internet
-
Dream Team
|
| Major
Theme
| -
Save the world
| -
Save the country
| -
Save yourself
|
Rocking the Ages makes for an interesting (and relatively
quick) read with some good observations on the types of
marketing approaches that are likely to work best in appealing
to each generation. Where it falls short somewhat is in
describing the underlying drivers of differences between
the generations - compared to books like, for example, David
Foot and Daniel Stoffman's Boom, Bust and Echo or David
Cork and Susan Lightstone's The Pig and the Python .
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