Marketing 0

Generation X: The Middle-Child Leaders
Generation X is a demographic group of people who were born
between 1965 and 1980. Overshadowed and sandwiched by the
popularities of Baby Boomers and Generation Y, Generation X has
fallen off the radar among marketers and is thus dubbed the
“forgotten middle child.”
The Generation X cohort experienced the turbulent 1970s and the
uncertain 1980s during their childhood and adolescence but entered
the workforce in a better economic situation. They relate well with
the concept of “friends and family.” Growing up in either two-income
or divorced families, Generation X children spent less time with their
family and interacted more with their friends. The strong peer
relationship within Generation X gave rise to the friendship
portrayals in hit TV shows of the 1990s, such as Beverly Hills 90210
and Friends.
As the middle-child cohort, Generation X experienced major
consumer technology shifts, which influenced them to be highly
adaptable. In their youth, Generation X grew up watching music
videos on MTV and listening to mixtapes on their Walkman. In their
adulthood, they experienced the use of CDs and MP3s as well as
audio streaming to listen to music. They witnessed the rise and
decline of DVD rentals and the shift to video streaming. Most
importantly, their entry into the workforce was marked by the
growth of the Internet—making them the early adopters of
connectivity.
Although overlooked by most marketers, Generation X has become
one of the most influential generations in the workforce today. With
the average working experience of 20 years and strong work ethics,
Generation X has held most leadership roles in business. Finding it
harder to move up the corporate ladder with Baby Boomers
extending their retirement, many of Generation X left their

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employers in their forties, started their own businesses, and became
successful entrepreneurs.