AGE SUBCULTURES Chp. 14 with Duane Weaver

Outline Age and Consumer Identity Teen Values and Tweens Reaching Teens Gen X Baby Boomers Mature Market

Age and Consumer Identity Age cohort group of consumers same approximate age similar experiences Shared values and symbols can be used to appeal to specific age segments Nostalgia

Teen Values, Conflicts and Desires (1 of 2) Autonomy vs. Belonging Independence from parents Attachment to peer group Rebellion vs. Conformity Rebel against social standards Overwhelming need to fit in

Teen Values, Conflicts and Desires (2 of 2) Narcissism vs. Intimacy Obsessed with appearance and needs Desire to connect with others Idealism vs. Pragmatism View adults as hypocrites; view themselves as sincere Must deal with the perceived injustice they observe in the “real world”

Tweens Age group: 9-14 years old Stage between adolescence and childhood Act like kids when they are alone Aware of their image when they are in public In addition to their own spending they are key product choice influencers Computers, software, audio equipment

Reaching the Teen market Rule 1: Don’t talk down. Rule 2: Stay true to your brand image Rule 3: Entertain. Make it interactive. Rule 4: Show that you understand.

Generation X - classifications thereof Saatchi & Saatchi classification Cynical Disdainers Traditional Materialists Hippies Revisited Fifties Machos IN GROUPS OF THREE – take five minutes to think of an an example of an existing advertisement that would be most effective for one of the above target classifications. EXPLAIN WHY.

Baby Boomers (postwar to early60s) [attributes of this segment]: Power in Numbers Peak Earning Years “Feathering their Nests” Created Baby Boom Echo WHAT IS RELEVANT ABOUT THIS SEGMENT AND WHY DO MARKETERS PAY SO MUCH ATTENTION TO IT?

Mature Market Key Values of Mature Consumers: Autonomy Altruism Connectedness

Communicating with the Mature Market Simple Language Avoid Extraneous Stimuli Clear, Bright Pictures Marketing Messages Brand Extensions Action to get Attention Speak Clearly, Low Word Count