Marketing & Communications · A Better World · Big Ideas
Is Using Generation Demographics An Outdated Marketing Approach?
Yes. Labels like Gen-Z and Millennial group billions of people together, so they tell you very little about what any one person actually wants. Age reveals almost nothing about need. A sharper approach reads attitudes and behaviours instead: introvert or extrovert, fitness lover or box-set devotee. These tell you far more about your customers, and help you build products and loyalty that last.
Published 19 March 2024 by Jen Marsden
Marketing is a constantly evolving process and some of the things that worked yesterday might not work today.
Have you ever found yourself in a meeting discussing a company’s marketing strategy?
Then you’ll probably know that demographics are a big deal.
Yet, not all the demographic labels we use are effective, especially those that generalise people into groups that are too large.
The more specific you can tailor your marketing strategy to your audience – understanding their personal lifestyle, needs and desires – the more you’ll be able to connect with them.
For those of you wondering: Gen-Z = aged between 9 and 24 years Gen Y / Millennials = aged between 25 and 40 years
Why general labels are outdated
Why Gen-Z or millennial labels are outdated
There are approximately 1.8 billion Gen Y / millennials and two billion Gen-Zs in the world today.
These tags don’t really help us learn about people’s desires, lifestyles and personal traits.
That’s because generational differences are too vague, especially with a rapidly growing global population.
Labels can be politically incorrect
Apart from that, they fall into a category that sits very awkwardly with 21st-century values: political incorrectness.
Just as you would (we hope!) refrain from judging a person by their gender or race, age demographic data does little in helping you discover and understand the needs of your clients.
But old habits die hard!
Marketing teams have become too accustomed to using these generational – as well as gender and race – labels at the expense of an effective marketing strategy.
Focus on attitudes and behaviour
Instead, attitudinal (introverts vs extroverts) and behavioural (runners vs Netflix binge watchers) variables offer a lot more information, which allows you to design a product or service that truly serves your customers while building your brand image and loyalty.
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