GENERATION
GENERATIONGEN X
THE SOUND 2
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
GEN XGENERATION
DaveGrohl1964-1979
JadenSmith1996-present
TaylorSwi51980-1995
GENERATION
THE SOUND 3
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
CULTURAL CONTEXT
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATIONGEN X
‣ Climatechange‣ Thewaronterror‣ Financialboom&crash‣ Internetrevolu8on‣ Youtube&Facebook‣ iPod
‣ Greatrecession&austerity‣ Widespreadglobalconflict‣ Firstblackpresident‣ Ubiquitoussmartphones‣ Snapchat&FacebookLive‣ Spo8fy
‣ Massdivorce‣ AIDScrisis‣ EndoftheColdWar‣ CableTV&dial-upmodems‣ Landlines&pagers‣ Walkman
IDENTITY SHAPED BY A MIX OF CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITY
IDENTITY SHAPED BY A MIX OF HARDSHIP AND INSTANT GRATIFICATION
IDENTITY SHAPED BY A MIX OF ACCELERATION AND FRAGMENTATION
THE SOUND 4
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
UPBRINGING
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATION
MillennialswereraisedbyhighlyinvolvedBoomerparentswhoins?lledintheirchildrenasenseofop?mismandwereac?velyinvolvedinfosteringtheirsuccess.
‣ It’shardforthemtoseethemselvesassolelyresponsiblewhentheyaresoreliantoncollabora8onandnetworking
SUPPORTEDGenEdgersarebeingraisedbycynical,rebelliousGen-Xerswhogivethemahealthydoseofskep?cismandself-reliance.
‣ GenEdgersaresavvyandwillleverageopportuni8esaffordedtothembutul8matelytheyfeelpersonallyresponsiblefortheirsuccess
SELF-RELIANTGen-Xerswerethefirstgenera?ontohave bothparentsworkingoutsideofthehomeandexperiencedivorceonagenera?onalscale.Theycamehometoanemptyhouseanddevelopedastrongsenseofself-sufficiencythankstolowlevelsofparentalinvolvement.
‣ They’reindependent;accustomedtorelyingonthemselves
AUTONOMOUS
GEN X
Asthefirstgenera?ontoexperiencefluiditywithgenderrolesenmasse,Gen-Xhasbeenattheforefrontofvariousequalitymovements.
‣ Tookupandpopularizednascentmovementsaroundgayrights,LGTBQ2,feminismandequality‣ Confusionaroundhowtotalkaboutafar morefragmentedgenderlandscapetoday
GENDER RIGHTS
THE SOUND 5
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
GENDER DYNAMICS
ForMillennials,genderandsexualequalityismoreestablished—yieldinghighlevelsofacceptance.Paradoxically,thisalsomeansthatthere’snotas muchawarenessofthehard-foughtbaTlesoftherecentpast.
‣ Stayathomedadsandequally-sharedresponsibili8es‣ Nojudgement;respectforpersonalchoices‣ Experiencea‘don’tknowhowgoodyouhaveit’fromGen-Xerswhohadtoovercomemoremarginaliza8on
GENDER OPENNESSCoinedthe“pluralistgenera?on,”GenEdgedoesn’tdefinethemselvesasmuchbygender.They’retheonesonthevanguardintermsofrejec?ngbinaries.
‣ Fashionthatcross-pollinatesbetweengenders‣ Ac8velynego8a8nggenderpronouns—i.e.,shevstheyvszevshir‣ Theyseegenderandsexualdiversityasnatural,notpoli8cal
POST-GENDER
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATIONGEN X
THE SOUND 6
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
ROAD TO ADULTHOOD
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATION
Millennialsbenefitedfromalongperiodofrela?veeconomicstability,sotheywereabletodeveloptheiriden?tyinaprolongedyouthcontext.
‣ Thisstressesthemoutastheyfearmissingadultmilestones‣ Successdefinedbypersonalsa8sfac8on andindividuality
EXTENDED ADOLESCENCE
Duetothechallenging,compe??vecontexttheywereraisedin,GenEdgedoesn’thavetheluxuryofexperiencinganextendedyouth.
‣ Successmeasuredbybalancingnewopportunitywithdesiredstability‣ Ex:pragma8ccollegedegrees;learningtocode
ACCELERATED ADULTING
Gen-XreactedtotheBoomermodel–theywantedmorecontrolovertheirlivesanddidn’twanttohavekidsrightawayorevenatall.
‣ Manybecamechildlessbychoiceorhadchildrenwellintotheir30s‣ Successmorelikelytobemeasuredalongculturaltermsorcareer
REDEFINING ADULTHOOD
GEN X
THE SOUND 7
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
APPROACH TO MATURATION
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATIONGEN X
Millennialsarehighlymo?vatedtoachievematurity;theywanttobetakenseriously,tofeellikethey’reapartofeverythingthat’simportantandtoachievetheirpersonalgoals.
‣ Frustra8onwithprolongedadolescence‣ Adulthoodstartsa`er35‣ Messagingaroundexperienceresonates
MATURITY ASPIRANTHardenedbytheworldaroundthem,GenEdgeisforcedtogrowupfast.Theydon’texpectmuchfromtradi?onalnormsandins?tu?ons.
‣ Frustratedbyforcedacceptanceofconven8onsthatcomeswithbeing‘young’‣ Messagingaroundindependenceresonates
PRE-MATUREManyGen-Xersarenowparents,andtheyaremoreeconomicallyempoweredthanever.Butbecausetheyneverabandonedthecultureoftheiryouth,there’sastrongdesiretolivefortoday.
‣ Frustratedwithtradi8onalagingmodel‣ Messagingaroundyouthfulnessresonates
MATURITY ADJUSTING
THE SOUND 8
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
ATTITUDE / OUTLOOK
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GENERATION
GENERATION
MillennialswerepromisedtheworldbytheirBoomerparents-theyareahighlyposi?vegenera?onandbelievetheycanmakeadifference.
Engagewithbrandsthatdeliverasenseof:‣ Mutualvalues-basedgoals‣ Op8mism‣ Shi`ingtradi8onalparadigms
IDEALISTSGenEdgehasgrownupinastateofrecessionandbleakgrowth-theyarepragma?candvalueresponsibility&tangibleresults.
Engagewithbrandsthatdeliverasenseof:‣ Usefulness‣ Opportuni8esforthemtoactuallyDOsomethingintheworld‣ Globalresponsibility
REALISTSGen-Xisdefinedbyapervadingsenseofcynicism.Theygrewupvaluingtheunderground,andsoughttokeeptheirculturesecretfromthemainstream.
Engagewithbrandsthatdeliverasenseof:‣ Exclusivity‣ Underground‣ Rebellion
SKEPTICS
GEN X
THE SOUND 9
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATION
Millennialsseeadiversegroupoffriendsasessen?al.Theyarehappytorevealmostoftheirsecretsinordertoforgeconnec?ons.
‣ Differentskillsstrengthenthegroup‣ Adoptdis8nctrolesindifferentfriendshipgroups
GROUPSGenEdgevaluetheirprivacy…alot…andarecarefulofwhattheydiscloseandwhotheyletintotheirinnercircle.
‣ Incrediblyclosetotheirfriendswhentheydoletthemin—theyarethefamilytheychoose‣ PreferephemeralappslikeSnapchatthatallowforimpermanence
SQUADSGen-Xgrewupintenselyexperiencingthetensionbetweenbelongingandindividualism.Strivingtobepartofthepopularcliqueswasparforthecourse.
‣ Setsocialhierarchiesanddichotomies‣ Coolkidsvs.Nerds
CLIQUES
GEN X
THE SOUND 10
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
RELATIONSHIP WITH TECHNOLOGY
THE SOUND
GENERATION
GENERATIONGEN X
MillennialsgrewupduringtheInternetrevolu?onandareconstantlystrivingtofindbalancebetweendisconnec?ngvsmissingout.
‣ Abletotalkabouthowtechnologyhaschangedtheirworld‣ LesslikelytoownaTV‣ Lesslikelytohaveacablesubscrip8on
TECH MANAGERS
GenEdgefinditalmostimpossibletotalkabouttechnologyandtheimpactithasontheirlives;theydon’trememberthesoundofamodemoraworldwithmonolithicnewssources.
‣ Technologyistheirnaturalportaltotheworld‣ Immediacymaders
TECH NATURALISTS
Gen-Xcameofageasthepersonalcomputeremerged,manylearninghowtousetechasadults.They’redigitallysavvy,but‘80smainstreammediasettheirvalues.
‣ Nostalgicforwhentechnologywasn’tpervasive‣ Appreciatetradi8onaljournalism‣ Magazines&newspaperss8llplayarole
TECH ADOPTERS
THE SOUND 11
GEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
TARGETING GEN-X, MILLENNIALS, & GEN EDGE
TARGETING GEN X, MILLENNIALS, & GEN EDGE
12THE SOUND
THE SOUNDGEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
TAKING THE RIGHT TONE
Connec?ngwithGen-Xisnotjustabouttalkingtothemasparents,butalsoasindividuals.
Don’tairbrushtherealityofmiddleage-theyaretheoriginalcynics.Butdon’tsimplydefinethembytheiragecategory:theyhaverejectedtheideaof‘geengold’.
Successisaworkinprogress-indulgentpurchasescelebrateachievements,notarrival.
Escapismforthemishard-earned,sodon’tmakethemfeelguiltyorridiculousforit.They’relookingforward,notbackwards.
Millennialsputapremiumonauthen?c,handmade,andlocally-producedgoods.
Geengagooddealisapriority,buttheywon’tcompromiseonquality.Theywanttofeelgoodaboutwhattheybuy.
Don’tassumethatMillennialsarecompletelyfocusedonthemselves;especiallyastheyage,they’reeagertobeginreciproca8ngthecareandsupporttheirparentsonceshowedthem.
GenEdgersarecri?calthinkers...whichmeansthey’regoingtothinkcri?callyaboutyourbrand.
Toachievetheirgoals,GenEdgelookstothealterna8ve,thechallenger,therebel.Brandswithalterna8veposi8oningwillresonate.
Keepitreal.Theylookforfunc8onandefficacyinbrandsasmuchastheyseekimage.
Theyseeadver8singasanannoyanceandhatebeingobviouslymarketedto.Figureouthowtointegrateratherthandominate.
GEN XGENERATION
GENERATION
TARGETING GEN X, MILLENNIALS, & GEN EDGE
13THE SOUND
THE SOUNDGEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
WHERE THEIR ATTENTION IS
Whiletheyarefullynaturalizeddigitalci?zens,theyac?velycarveoutimmersive,non-digitalmedia?me-presen?nganopportunitytoconnectwiththisgenera?ononameaningfullevel.
Gen-Xholdsontoandvaluesprintedsupplements…fuellingopportuni8estocreatebrandedcontentthatreallycutsthrough.
Con?nuefocusonnon-tradi?onalmediachannels,withanefforttoconnectauthen?cally.
They’rewatchingTVonalterna8veplaiormswhilesimultaneouslytetheredtotheirsmartphonesandsocialmedia.
Atthesame8me,theyhaveledtheresurgenceofoldformatslikevinylandrichlydesignedprintmagazines.Tangiblequalitycanco-existwiththeirmul8-screenmediastream.
GenEdgewantstoown,subvertandchangethings.Expectthemtopokefunandplaywithyourmessaging.Takeitasacompliment.
Theyalsolovetodocumenttheirdo-eraetudesandbroadcasttheireffortswhenitfeelsright.Considerthemyourtarget...andyourmediaplaiorm.
Don’ttrytocontrolyourmessageormedium;itwon’twork.Theywanttohackorpersonalizeratherthanbetrappedinawalledgarden.
GEN XGENERATION
GENERATION
TARGETING GEN X, MILLENNIALS, & GEN EDGE
14THE SOUND
THE SOUNDGEN X VS MILLENNIALS VS GEN EDGE
PRODUCT AND PORTFOLIO INNOVATION
Withastrongsenseoffamilialduty,shoppingcomeswithpragma?ccompromise—butatthesame?me,theyneedtoindulgeinpersonalpleasures.
Tapintothisneedwithproductsthatcelebratethemasindividualsandhelpthemavoidthefearofmergingintothesupermarket‘herd’.
Millennialsaredabblers.Drivenbyanoverabundanceofchoiceandlimitedresources,Millennialshaveshifedtheirbuyingstrategytoberentersinsteadofowners.
Moreop8onshaveonlyfuelledtheirpromiscuousaetudetowardsbrands;thisgenera8onvaluesexplora8onovercommitment.
Pushfreedomtotrynewfunc8ons,units,marketsasacompe88veadvantage.Introducemorevariantsmoreo`entomaintaininterestincategory.LimitedEdi8onplaysdirectlyintoMillennialneeds!
Edgersaremorefocusedonstandingoutthanbeing#1.
Considerwaystoallowyourproductstodrivetheindividualismorcompe88vedifferen8a8onthatEdgerscrave.
Edgersareprac8calspendersandwilllackamo8va8ontopurchaseunlessaclearpointofdifferenceisevident.
GEN XGENERATION
GENERATION
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