| Weaver (2009) | Matures Prior to 1946 | Baby Boomers 1946 - 1964 | Generation X (X'ers) 1965 - 1980 | Generation Y (Y'ers ) 1980 - 1999 |
| Concerns | Crime, personal safety; and health | high levels of stress and lack of time; guilt over lack of time for kids; aging | achieving a good standard of living on their own; creating a lasting relationship | being accepted by peers; not having enough money; hassles from parents; not being respected |
| Turn-offs | treating them as decrepit or irrelevant; not showing them the respect they deserve; harping on their physical problems; de-sexing them; labels with type too small to read | authority figures; being made to feel passe; messages that call attention to their age | being stereotyped; marketing hype; pitches based on status or authority; rigidity; intolerance; insufficient choices; boredom | store clerks who “dis” them or don't take them seriously; phony pitches; technology that disappoints |
| Hot Buttons | You've earned your payoff, and your rewards are sensible, high-value rewards; grandkids are for spending (Matures generate 25 percent of all toy sales) | personal services that can free their time; nostalgia for the music of their formative years; continuing education; products that accommodate them subtly without making them feel old (e.g., loose-fit jeans); anything that promises greater health and energy; entertainment and experiences they can enjoy with their children | opportunities for excitement; parodies; media and products with attitude; functional clothing; global influences; new technologies; cool retro; good design; travel | exciting Web sites; color and design; e-commerce opportunities that don't require a credit card; humor and irony; feeling older |
| Right Message | This market responds to authority, so celebrity spokespeople and respected institutions can make a favorable impression. Stress the value and quality of products, even luxury items: they're a reward for a lifetime of hard work. Focus on top-drawer service, and make that part of your message. Matures deserve respect and will reward it. | Most boomers have a big streak of Peter Pan, so don't make them feel old. Indulge their fondness for their formative years with music and design that evoke the '60s and the optimism and idealism of the period. Emphasize meaningful experiences and pportunities for fulfillment. Stress products and services that can help them relax and de-stress. Among this age group the market for time-saving services is huge: most have a fair amount of discretionary income and feel their time is more valuable than their money. For this market, don't forget to appeal to the kids, whose influence on buying decisions is major. | Xers want to be recognized and respected but not pigeonholed or defined by advertisers. Assume that they can see right through marketing hype. Instead, portray products (and your intentions) in a straightforward way. Gen Xers appreciate an honest approach-like the Sprite ad that proclaims, "Image is nothing. Thirst is everything. Obey your thirst." They respond to innovative design-like the re-introduced VW Beetle and the Apple iMac-so make sure your visuals are creative and clever, with a splash of attitude. They appreciate irreverence and humor. | Ads and marketing campaigns should be funny and quirky and should never trivialize the audience. Gen Yers respond well to direct messages-such as JC Penney's successful Arizona Jeans campaign that made fun of ads that attempted and failed at "teenspeak." The tagline for the promo reads "Just show me the jeans." Gen Y kids want to be older than they are, so they'll respond to messages that appear to be skewed slightly older. Ethnicity attracts them, and they're interested in their age peers in other parts of the world. Make sure models reflect the racial diversity of your target market. |
