Are you a Generation Xer, or maybe Generation Y? If you can’t keep the dates straight don’t worry, soon everyone is going to be part of the same generation… Generation C. Between a major economic shift in family structure and the accessibility of technology, grandparents and toddlers alike are consuming information in the same way – through Internet devices. Generation C or Generation Connected (also known as Generation Content) has redefined classic marketing boundary lines based on age.
Who is Generation C?
Generation C defines a target persona not based on age but by activity or psychographics. Characteristics of C’s include their tech savvy-ness and content consumption. This group uses Internet technology as their primary source for information and often utilizes several different types of devices including tablets and mobile phones in addition to their laptop or desktop. They are adept at e-commerce transactions and actively engage in social media.
Top Five Characteristics of Generation C
- A love for content creation and consumption
- Engagement in social media as a means of communication and information gathering
- Technology is incorporated into the every day fabric of life as a tool and communication device
- What was once considered disruptive technology is increasingly embraced
- Content is often consumed on multiple devices at one time
How does Generation C affect your marketing efforts?
Generation C or Generation Connected will not replace marketing Personas, but it certainly will redefine how marketers discriminate by age. In a world where 40 is the new 30 (or maybe 20?) age is becoming less and less a barrier to entry to the world of digital communications. You either use a cell phone, or you do not. You engage in email or you lick stamps. You gather information online or you wait for the 7 o'clock news. In this brave new world of forever young - you are either part of generation connected or you are disconnected.
Marketers will need to think differently about how their digital communications reach their target personas. What appeals to a 30 year old may also appeal to a boomer on the same communication channel. In the not too distance past digital communication channels were widely considered to reach only the young and tech savviest of customers. Now Grandma shares her interests on Facebook, pins new recipes on Pinterest and Skype’s with her grandchildren hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Engaging with Generation C
With connected customers the marketing funnel becomes ever more complex. Simple engagement workflows no longer are realistic representations of the many marketing touch points that a Generation C consumer may experience. When crafting marketing campaigns we follow the rule of 5-C’s: create, connect, consume, communicate, and contribute.
Create – create media that is meaningful to your target persona.
Consume – place this media in places your target persona consumes information.
Communicate – give Generation C the creative outlet to communicate with you freely in their preferred channels.
Contribute – allow Generation C to share your content with their circle of influence
What do you think – are we all part of one big connected generation? Does age segmentation still have a place? Do you think the marketing funnel has changed? Let us know!
