One of the most fascinating aspects of sales and marketing is how a single campaign will yield vastly different results depending on the background of the individual who receives it. While the product itself is likely to go unchanged, how it’s presented and the language used may look and sound drastically different. Careful research will need to be invested into the target demographics’ culture, religion, gender, economic background, and, of course, age for marketers to be successful in the marketplace.
What is the Relationship Between Marketing and Age?
While no one generation is a monolith, the reality is that age can be one of the most defining factors of a person’s identity. The time period in which a person spent their formative years and the specific experiences they’ve lived through may provide clues into their values, behavior, reactions, and habits. These are all incredibly important aspects to consider when developing a target demographic profile, as they may help determine:
- Which visuals or messages are more likely to trigger a positive or negative emotional response
- What products or services the individual is more likely to invest in
- The individual’s economic background, income, savings, and spending budget
- How the individual may personally identify with the product
It is also relevant to determine which marketing channels to utilize. For example, younger audiences may gravitate toward fast-paced, visual marketing on social media, while older consumers might prefer detailed information through traditional or email-based campaigns.
Below are a few insights into how the most prominent generations within the last 100 years are likely to resonate with specific marketing language and techniques.
Baby Boomers (Born 1946 to 1964)
One of the defining traits of Baby Boomers is that they grew up during a time of immense prosperity following a generation that experienced the economic hardship of WWII and the Great Depression. Thus, many Baby Boomers have a shared faith in the idea of the American Dream and that hard work and determination pay off in the end.
Baby Boomers often place value on quality, customer service, and reliability because these qualities reflect the ideals they were raised with—stability, trust, and personal responsibility. Having witnessed the rise of suburban life, long-term employment, and the golden age of television advertising, Boomers tend to favor brands that feel familiar, dependable, and respectful of their time. While often resistant to flashy language and new trends, Boomers are likely to remain loyal to a brand once it has earned their trust.
Gen X (Born 1965 to 1980)
Because Gen X experienced a sizable decrease in birth rates (compared to the generation before them), they are often referred to as the “forgotten generation.” These individuals, born between 1965 and 1980, are fiercely independent and inherently skeptical, though remarkably adaptive. Gen X grew up during political scandal, economic uncertainty, and the rise of dual-income households. They witnessed the birth of MTV, the internet, and personal computing, which gave them the unique ability to embrace both analog and digital worlds.
These experiences bred a generation that questions authority and is wary of overt marketing tactics, and they respond best to marketing that respects their intelligence and autonomy. They’re not drawn to hype but to practical information and authenticity, and appreciate humor, irony, and real-life context in marketing, having grown up in a media landscape that transitioned from the idealism of the 60s to the realism of the 80s.
Millennials (Born 1981 to 1996)
Millennials entered adulthood during the rise of social media, smartphones, and the Great Recession. Their sense of identity is closely tied to technology, connection, and cause. Unlike previous generations, Millennials came of age during a time of rapid economic instability, which made them value experiences over possessions and ethics over price.
Marketing to Millennials is most effective when its language centers around purpose, transparency, and personalization. They’re not just buying a product; they’re buying into a brand’s mission and how they align with topics such as sustainability, social justice, or inclusivity. Notably, their early exposure to digital platforms also means they are fluent in online reviews, peer recommendations, and interactive content, which makes YouTube, blogs, and social media highly effective marketing channels.
Gen Z (Born 1997 to 2012)
Unlike Millennials, who embraced the rise of social platforms, Gen Z was born into them, which gives them a natural ability to navigate and filter massive amounts of content. Their identity is built on diversity, inclusion, and individuality, and they expect brands to reflect the same. They respond to marketing that is fast-paced, visually compelling, and rooted in authenticity. Overproduced or overly scripted ads tend to fall flat with this generation, who value raw, unfiltered content.
Marketing strategies that utilize user-generated content, interactive elements, and short-form video perform best with Gen Z. They appreciate when brands engage in real-time and speak their language, including memes, emojis, and colorful language. Because they’re constantly bombarded with communications, they have little tolerance for insincerity or insensitivity and will have no problem calling it out publicly when it surfaces. However, this behavior goes both ways, and brands that authentically reflect their values will be handsomely rewarded with widespread acclaim.
Final Tips for Inter-Generational Marketers
Regardless of which generation is the focus of your new marketing campaign, it’s important to remember that there’s a significant difference between understanding the nuance of generational differences and pandering.
The key is authenticity. Consumers can quickly sense when a brand is simply using generational traits as a gimmick rather than truly engaging with their values and worldview. Effective generational marketing doesn’t rely on stereotypes or trendy references; it involves thoughtful storytelling, meaningful messaging, and a sincere effort to speak to people’s real experiences.
