The Challenge to Your Future

Connecting with the savvy Gen-X and -Y
means modifying traditional views of marketing

By Laurie Lee Dovey

At 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2005, the oldest members of Generation X and the Millennial Generation (aka Echo Boomers and Generation Y) hit 40 and 23 respectively.

The power they have brought to bear on popular culture is profound. Today, they're a critical consumer base that every business wants to attract—must attract—to become or remain successful.

In an industry where participants are steadily graying, the future of the shooting sports and range businesses will be defined by how Gen-Xers and Millennials are courted and catered to—predicated on their senses of savvy and views on marketing.

They don't respond to the same types of marketing messages that Baby Boomers did, and the beat of their lives is paced by drummers that the over-50 set often doesn't appreciate.

J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich Partners, a leading marketing consulting firm (www.yankelovich.com), is a recognized authority on marketplace trends and consumer-buying motivations.

He reports that Gen-Xers have never been willing to accept things at face value, a skepticism rooted in the generational experience of coming of age during an era of widespread cynicism and distrust of institutions and traditions.

"While other generations held out hope for the ideals they were raised on, Gen-Xers, weaned on deconstructionism and tabloid TV, had no such fallback position," Smith explained. "Thus, Gen-Xers developed a sense of savvy that they used to navigate their way.

"Gen-Xers and Millennials have learned that information doesn't automatically lead to the truth," Smith added. "They believe that appearances are misleading, so it takes savvy to see what's really going on. Only savvy gets to the truth."

In his mid-30s, Kevin Tate, creative director for Mossy Oak Productions, fits the mold Smith outlined.

"I'm not very susceptible to bandwagon pitches," Tate admits, "The first time a salesman presses me for an answer, the answer is ‘No.' I do like information about a subject, and if I'm interested, I'll buy [participate]. Perhaps as a generation, we've all seen how the man behind the curtain operates to the point that we're looking for the lie in any overt sales effort. Nothing shows through quite like greed or desperation. Just give me the facts, and I'll decide on my own."

This stance among younger consumers affected how marketers reached out — counting more on word of mouth, ads with an edgy anti-advertising attitude, and increased reliance on sponsorships. Despite these efforts, too much reliance on stereotypes and tactics that were off-target were poorly received.

Now that Gen-Xers are standing at the door to middle age, and older Millennials are moving into the workforce, marketers again are thinking stereotypically. They're telling themselves they know how to market to an older set of consumers.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Smith warned. "They won't lose their sense of savvy just because they celebrate another birthday. Savvy is the generational skill that enabled them to thrive in the midst of the turmoil and uncertainty around them."

Marketers must respond to the savvy that Gen-Xers and Millennials bring to the marketplace. Research shows they use direct channels to explore a product or service.

They find additional information and use their know-how to contrast and compare—knowing it's critical to determining the right thing to do.

Marketing resistance, particularly to direct marketing, is at an all-time high. Gen-Xers and Millennials reject intrusiveness and saturation. They use their knowledge, sophistication and technology to disconnect themselves from marketers.

The Yankelovich 2005 Marketing Receptivity Study reported that 70 percent of consumers were still interested in products that enable them to block out advertising. Fifty-six percent said they avoid buying products that overwhelm them with marketing and advertising. However, 55 percent said they enjoyed advertising.

So, how do ranges latch onto that ray of light to reach Gen-Xers and Millennials in a way that works? The study showed that consumers value character, integrity and authenticity.
Eighty-two percent identify more with integrity than success.

Smith says marketers who rely on fads and innovation to attract this group will meet resistance. Marketing that incorporates autonomy, balance and integrity can re-engage resisters.

Rohit Bhargava, vice president of interactive marketing for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, one of the largest global PR agencies in the world (www.ogilvypr.com), says that these groups, especially Millennials, are actually actively seeking marketing messages.

"It's clear that interruption marketing will never work," Bhargava explained. "They know every trick to get around ads and are used to ignoring ads and using technology like TiVo, ad blockers or other hacks to get around them.

"But they are also active seekers of marketing information when it is relevant. They conduct online research prior to purchase. They send links to others. They read reviews, what bloggers say about a product/service and visit Web sites. And, they pass all of this information along to others."

This need to know about the products and services they buy, as well as the ability to find all information (good or bad) online about them, makes them the generation most likely to interact with branded marketing messages and online consumer-generated content.

For Millennials, the marketing destination is as important as the tag line. In some ways, it is more important.

The challenge for marketers is to not only make the information and message relevant but also ensure young consumers will find it.

The key to reaching these groups is using pull marketing rather than push marketing. Pull these generations to your business utilizing information, their peers and marketing tactics that feed their need to learn about a product/service or hobby before jumping in with both feet.

Pull these generations to your business utilizing clear messaging, accessible information and their peers. When they satisfy their need to know more about a product/service or hobby, they'll be ready to jump in with both feet.

View the entire Spring 2007 issue of The Range Report online in PDF format or request a free subscription at www.rangeinfo.org/RangeReport.