Marketing 0

PART II
Challenges Marketers Face in a
Digital World

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CHAPTER 2
Generation Gap: Marketing to Baby
Boomers, X, Y, Z, and Alpha
A 25-year-old assistant marketing manager was assigned to design a
print advertisement for a new product intended for Millennials. After
conducting interviews with a sample of potential customers, she
produced a beautiful ad with an eye-catching graphic and a one-line
copy, followed by a website link as a call to action. What she did not
anticipate was that her 50-year-old marketing manager complained
about the lack of details on product features, advantages, and
benefits on that print. Thinking that her manager did not understand
the minimalistic marketing approach to Millennials, she quit her job
—ironically confirming her manager's beliefs that younger staff could
not accept criticism.
Today, this generational misalignment is happening in many
organizations. Marketers around the world are facing the challenge
of serving five different generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X,
Generation Y, Generation Z, and Generation Alpha. The first four of
these generations make up the workforce. The majority of Baby
Boomers are still in the workforce. However, Generation X now
holds most of the leadership roles globally. Generation Y is now the
largest in the workforce, while Generation Z is the newest entrants.
These generations have different levels of tech-savviness. Looking at
the market through the generational lense will help marketers
understand the best way to implement the tech-driven Marketing
5.0.