Presentation 1: The Generations Presentation 1 introduction
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This presentation provides an overview of generational perspectives and marketing. It discusses that generations are defined by their shared experiences of key historical events during formative years. Generations last 15-20 years and have common beliefs, behaviors, and identities. The theory proposes that generations repeat in archetypes such as Prophets, Nomads, Heroes, and Artists. A generation's leadership shapes national mood in cycles of consensus building and crisis. The presentation will focus on understanding the Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations.
Presentation 1: The Generations Presentation 1 introduction
- 2. What is this? This presentation is one of five presentations outlining our understanding of Generational perspectives 1. The Theory of Generations 2. Boomers 3. Generation X 4. Generation Y, or Millenials 5. Applying generational perspectives to Marketing
- 4. introduction Overview How generations differ from lifestages Identifying generations Generations repeating themselves National Mood Summary
- 5. Overview Understanding Generations is not an exact science The boundaries between generations are blurred The insights are not always clear cut There are plenty of hypotheses
- 6. Overview There are five generations alive today 1. The Silent Generation (Pensioners) 2. Baby Boomers (Empty Nesters) Today we will uncover how these generations think and feel 3. Generation X (Family) …And understand how we can market to them more effectively 4. Generation Y (Youth) 5. As yet un-named (Kids under 7yrs)
- 7. How generations differ from lifestages
- 8. Trains and stations • Picture a lifecycle track, birth as the origin and death the destination • There are a number of generations, or trains, running at any one time • Some trains are just beginning • Some are reaching the end of the line • Each train carries passengers that are alike • But each train looks very different
- 9. Trains and stations • Imagine phase of life stations arrived at during a different time in history • The stations are: Coming of age Youth Rising Commonly known as life stages Family Midlife Empty Nester Elder Pensioner
- 10. Key station: Coming of age • Of all stations, the first is the most influential • Coming of age: Childhood, adolescence and early youth • At this station a set of collective behavioural traits, attitudes and beliefs have been formed • These ‘perspectives’ later express themselves throughout the rest of the journey
- 11. How does coming of age manifest in later life? • How children are raised affect how they later parent • How students are taught affects how they learn • How young people are managed affects how they lead • How society feels about children affects their confidence • How they are sold to affects how they feel about corporations • How authorities operate affects how institutionalised they are
- 12. How are generations different from lifestage? Lifestages are transient Generational perspectives stay with us for life
- 14. Identifying generations: Age ranges Born Youngest Oldest Generation Z 2001 - 2017? Not born 11 Generation Y 1981 – 2001 11 30 Generation X 1965 – 1981 30 46 Baby Boomers 1943 – 1965 46 68 Silent Generation 1925 – 1943 68 86 N.B Generational cohorts are estimates based on the wide range of estimates currently available
- 15. The generations in the labour force
- 16. Identifying generations • Each generation lasts between 15 – 20 years (the time it takes to come of age) • Each generation has an underlying ethos / persona • Three attributes can be used to identify it: 1. A generations common location in history 2. It’s common beliefs and behaviour 3. It’s common perceived membership
- 17. 1. Common location “History shapes each generation depending on what phase of life it occupies as it encounters key historical events - a period of crisis will leave an impression on children that is different from the one it leaves on midlife leaders ” Julian Marias
- 18. Identifying generations: Common location Where the generation finds itself in history : a common historical location • Greenham Common Nuclear protests (1983) Silent Midlife (Empty Nester) Boomers Rising (Family) Generation X Were at this stage… Coming of age (Youth) Generation Y … • Princess Diana Car Crash (1997) Silent Elder (Pensioners) Boomers Midlife (Empty Nester) Were at this stage… Generation X Rising (Family) Generation Y Coming of age (Youth)
- 19. 2. Common beliefs and behaviours “In 2001, 8.3 per cent (4.9 million) of the total population of the UK were born overseas. This is almost double the proportion in 1951 (4.2 per cent) ” ONS Population and Migration Archive
- 20. Common beliefs and behaviours • How a generation’s members are different from people born at another time • Census reports, opinion surveys, educational tests, crime records • Provide evidence of beliefs and behaviours careers children gender roles financial security marriage materialism culture
- 21. 3. Common perceived membership “I can’t excuse what boomers did with sex and drugs when they were kids ” Michael Eliason, 17, Millennials Rising
- 22. Identifying generations: Common perceived membership • How the generation defines itself: the popular consensus aligned to • The sense of direction and popular belief Baby Boomers see Generation X have Generation Y are themselves on a mission of come to expect little conservative and feel vision and values of the world optimistic
- 24. Archetypes • Generations have been studied for hundreds of years • Some sociologists believe generations come in four different archetypes • These are defined as Prophet, Nomad, Hero and Artist • These have reappeared throughout history since the 15th century
- 25. Archetypes repeating Generations are cyclical: every fourth generation shares the characteristics as the first Silent Generation Retired ‘Artists’ Baby Boomers Working, retiring Prophets Generation X Parenting Nomads Generation Y Young adults, teens Heroes Generation Z Young children ‘Artists’
- 26. Archetypes Prophets Nomads Values driven, moralistic, Ratty, tough, unwanted, self absorbed and crusaders diverse, adventurous, cynical Boomers Generation X Heroes Conventional, powerful, Artists institutionally driven, Subtle, indecisive, emotional, trust authority compromising, repressive Generation Y Silent Generation Source: Strauss & Howe
- 27. How do generations affect us?
- 28. National Mood • Once a generation fully occupies the leadership role in midlife (Empty Nester) it naturally reshapes the social environment and dictates national mood • Currently we are being led by Baby Boomers • Increasingly Generation X are becoming influential
- 29. National Mood: Turnings • What does history tell us about the mood of a nation? • Sociologists see cycles of national mood that repeat themselves again and again • These cycles are sometimes referred to as Turnings
- 30. Turnings: The characteristic mood of the nation Fourth turning: Crisis We are in the Solid public consensus, support fourth turning, of authority, clampdown on bad moving toward the conduct, overprotective child first turning rearing, optimism Third Turning: Unravelling First turning: High Pragmatism, self-reliance, Follows a crisis…Friendly, poor family structure, indulgent child rearing, weakening civic habits, low contentment, order and public trust, pessimism consensus Second Turning: Awakening A challenge to highs assumptions, new spiritual agendas, soul over science, public order deteriorates, crime rises, families weakening
- 31. The current national mood 1980’s and early 90’s late 90’s – 2015 (Fourth turning) Families were weak Families are now strengthening Child rearing was tightening Child rearing is overprotective Gender roles were tight Gender roles are widening Ideals were debated Ideals are being championed Institutions were eroded Institutions are being founded Culture was cynical Culture is now practical Social structure was diversified Social structure is settling Worldview was complex Worldview is simplifying Social priority was individual Social priority is community Vision of future was darkening Vision of future is brightening
- 32. Summary • Each generation has their own particular attitudes • These directly affect the mood of a nation • Knowledge of a generations attitudes, beliefs and the corresponding national mood can augment lifestage and demographic insights • For the remainder of the day we will concentrate on three key targets, their childhood and how they operate in the world Boomers Generation X Generation Y