In today’s marketplace, understanding the unique experiences and needs of specific customers is essential to winning their attention. According to Sender, 71% of consumers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal. What’s more, 84% of consumers say being treated like a person, not a number is very important to winning their business.
At their essence, terms like “segmentation,” “personalization” and “dynamic customization” describe something that all effective communication entails: speaking to your audience in terms that engage them.
In the name of knowing our audiences so that we can better serve them with the messaging, products and services that fit their needs, this blog will tackle the advertising preferences of different demographics.
Rather than a generation that has become irrelevant in the face of fast-emerging younger generations, Baby Boomers continue to represent a key consumer bloc with valuable purchasing power.
According to eMarketer, 63% of Boomers report having a credit card and 30% fall in a high income group. Notably, Boomers are engaged and influenced by marketing channels that are often stereotyped as geared towards younger generations. This year, 36.4 million baby boomers ( 53.8% of the demographic) will use social networks. In fact, 10.8 million consumers 65 and older will make a purchase via social media. Facebook is the most popular social media app used by Boomers, butTikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and Instagram are also growing in popularity among this audience.
Despite Boomers’ engagement and purchasing power, only 10% of Boomers see themselves represented in advertising according to a report by GWI.
According to BRK Global Marketing, Boomers place a high regard on brands that foster trust and consumer loyalty. They value face-to-face communication and still resonate more with traditional media, such as television and direct mail, along with digital channels.
Known by marketers as a generation that straddles the digital divide between digitally native and non-native generations, Gen X is both easily reached by digital marketing campaigns but picky about the content that resonates with them. Generation X currently makes up 31% of the total U.S. income.
According to eMarketer, more than 88% of Gen Xers own a smartphone. This represents 57.9 million people.
Source: eMarketer
According to a report by Aki Technologies, Gen Xers are particularly engaged by ads on their mobile devices while multitasking or on the go. More specifically, Gen X users are most receptive to smartphone ads while watching TV (57%) or in bed before sleeping (51%). This is true for users across demographics. However, Gen Xers are also specifically receptive to ads while shopping in-store (37%), exercising (39%) and running errands (39%).
Other notable trends within this generation include their use of traditional media like listening to radio (48%), reading newspapers (62%) and watching linear television (85%). More than 58 million Gen Xers use the internet every day.
Currently, Millennials are the largest and most educated generation, with 39% of US millennials holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 29% of Gen X. As the first natives of the digital age, Millennials are highly engaged on digital platforms. Around 94% of millennials use social media regularly, indicating the value of social media ad campaigns on apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. What’s more, 82% of Millennials interact with their favorite brands on social media and 49% follow the brands they love.
As a generation that’s had more challenges building economic independence, 40% of Millennials have experienced living with their parents throughout their adult lives. Seventy-seven percent of Millennials agree that the economy has impacted their ability to save and spend money. As such, Millennials are cost-conscious and tend towards experience-based purchases. They also value brands associated with a cause — 87% of Millennials are willing to purchase products with a social or environmental benefit.
Other notable facts about Millennial users: they are highly multi-platform with 55% of Millennials watching videos across different platforms throughout the day. They also value personalization with 85% of Millennials more likely to make a purchase if it is customized to their interests both in-store and on digital displays.
As of 2023, Gen Z represents 20% of the US population with an estimated $360 million in purchasing power. They are, arguably, the most digitally-savvy generation, having grown up using smartphones and other digital devices throughout their lives. They care about social causes such as mental health awareness, environmentalism and LGBTQIA+ rights. In fact, 53% of US Gen Zers want brands they shop at to support mental health, while 47% shop with brands that support environmental causes and racial equity.
Source: eMarketer
Gen Zers are more likely to cite streaming video, streaming music, and playing video games as daily activities compared with the general adult population. Their social media usage differs from other generations, with Snapchat the most-used social platform of Gen Z. This highlights the power of short-form video within this generation.
Source: eMarketer
With endless entertainment at their fingertips, Gen Z does lose attention quicker than other generations. It takes just 1.3 seconds for Gen Z to lose active attention for ads—less time than any other age group. This means ad content must grab their attention immediately, or risk being passed over for something else.
Navigating the diverse landscape of consumer demographics demands a deep understanding of each generation's unique preferences and behaviors. From leveraging traditional media for Baby Boomers to embracing mobile-first strategies for Gen Z, successful marketers tailor their approaches to meet specific generational needs. By aligning advertising strategies with the values, media consumption habits, and technological fluency of each demographic, brands can enhance engagement, build lasting relationships, and drive conversions effectively.
Ready to transform your marketing approach to resonate with audiences from every generation? Contact us to discover how our tailored creatives can amplify your reach and impact across all age groups.