In recent times, there’s been a typical false impression that Gen Z and millennials are primarily the identical.
When firms focus on reaching youthful audiences, many usually lump Gen Z and millennials into the identical group and create one marketing campaign technique that they imagine suits each teams.
Positive, many millennials and Gen Zers are thought of “younger adults.” Each generations are extremely related to expertise and the web. It may appear efficient to run one marketing campaign geared toward each generations, however is that this actually the appropriate transfer?
To analyze, I made a decision to begin by letting shoppers weigh in on whether or not or not the identical advertising and marketing methods will interact each age teams.
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In a Lucid ballot, I requested 350 individuals to inform me if, “The identical advertising and marketing ways that persuade millennials additionally work on Gen Z,” was a real or false assertion. And when you assume shoppers — the people who find themselves being marketed to by manufacturers — would sway a technique or one other, you may be barely stunned by the outcomes beneath:
Knowledge Supply: Lucid Software program
Though 56% of these polled thought the 2 generations might be marketed to the identical method, practically half disagreed.
As a marketer specializing in viewers development, I sway with the 44% of people that assume the identical ways will not work on each teams — at the very least not ceaselessly.
However is both group of shoppers proper about their perceptions? On this weblog submit, I am going to share the chilly, arduous info researchers have found about generational similarities and variations between millennials and Gen Zers, whereas sometimes weighing the uncooked information in opposition to the best way on a regular basis shoppers understand the 2 generations. And when you’re in a pinch, leap straight to the data you want:
Millennials vs. Gen Z
Based on Pew Analysis Middle, these within the Millennial era had been born between 1981 and 1996, whereas these in Gen Z had been born between 1997 and 2012. In 2023, millennials are between 27 and 42 years outdated, and Gen-Zers are between 11 and 26.
When you consider the generational variations on the most important attainable scale, the oldest millennials are of their early 40s, may be settled down, and might be making bigger purchases like automobiles or houses. The youngest members of Gen Z are 11 years outdated, may love youngsters’s reveals, and will not be instantly making buying choices any time quickly.
Apart from the apparent age variations above, listed here are six extra elements that make these two generations basically totally different.
Components That Differentiate Millennials and Gen Z
1. They’ve totally different attitudes about expertise and cash.
Understanding the period an age group grows up in may also help you establish generational commonalities like motivations, spending or saving habits, or ache factors that all of them share.
Two issues that differentiated every era’s childhood period included expertise and the economic system:
Expertise
The obvious distinction between the eras every era was raised in is the presence of expertise. Millennials grew up utilizing DVD gamers, large private computer systems, cell telephones with tiny screens, and dial-up web. At the moment, we thought these applied sciences had been groundbreaking.
Now, most kids and teenagers inside Gen Z have entry to iPads, smartphones, countless Wi-Fi, or streaming providers that put our prized DVD gamers to disgrace. Many members of this era may need additionally grown up in households with early sensible residence expertise.
Whereas millennials watched innovation start, Gen Z was immersed in it from day one.
However though Gen Z by no means needed to know a time the place they did not have a cool gadget to resolve primary issues, the influence of expertise, the web, and social media has nonetheless taken a toll on the group.
Analysis reveals that Gen Z — which has been known as the “socially-conscious era — offers with much more physique picture, psychological well being, and cyberbullying points than another age group has prior to now. Consultants have additionally known as Gen Z the loneliest era regardless of all of their digital connectivity choices.
Financial system
Millennials and Gen Z even have totally different attitudes round cash. Whereas they each care about their funds and spend money on issues that may enhance their careers — like greater training.
Each generations are recognized for bettering on monetary habits of previous generations, nevertheless, millennials put their cash into shopping for extra services or products that may give them a constructive expertise, whereas Gen Z is extra centered on financial savings and sensible merchandise.
Millennials within the U.S. constructed up their very own funds shortly after the Recession, which resulted in 2009. For a few years up till 2019, regardless of monetary woes brought on by the poor economic system, rising residence prices, and excessive unemployment ranges, millennials remained optimistic about their future and funds. Nonetheless, some research state that millennials’ monetary optimism is dwindling attributable to post-pandemic inflation, recession, and market droop prevalent in 2023.
Gen Z was born at first of the financial downturn. Because the oldest members of Gen Z have entered maturity, analysis reveals that their previous expertise of residing within the Recession are main them to make extra sensible spending choices.
In the event you’re advertising and marketing to those generations, you may need to bear in mind these attitudes about cash.
For instance, in order for you millennials to purchase your product, you may need to give attention to constructing a model that provides a nice or entertaining buyer expertise, in addition to advertising and marketing services or products that give immediate gratification. In the event you’re advertising and marketing to Gen Z, you may need your campaigns to obviously exhibit how or why your product shall be beneficial or sensible to them of their each day lives.
2. Gen Z is extra prone to make cellular purchases.
By now, you may know that each of those generations are closely related to the web and social media, Whereas millennials watched the web develop, Gen Z has used it since a really younger age.
Every day, millennials spend round 7.5 hours on-line whereas Gen Z surfs for practically 10 hours.
Each millennials and Gen Z additionally go surfing primarily with cellular gadgets, however an enormous distinction between these generations is that Gen Z was virtually raised with smartphones. Based on YPULSE, 12 is the typical age Gen-Z acquired their first smartphone, 5 years youthful (on common) than millennials.
Supply: YPULSE
Gen Z’s mobile-first mindset additionally impacts how they store. Members of the era are twice as prone to make a cellular on-line buy than millennials. Nonetheless, millennials nonetheless do store loads on cellular gadgets. The truth is, 71% say they do most of their on-line purchasing with a cellular gadget.
Relating to on-line content material consumption, millennials and Gen Z spend most of their time watching movies and visiting social media websites.
Based on a current examine, millennials watch on-line movies for 1.5 hours per day whereas Gen Z averages over three hours. In the meantime, each generations are thought to spend hours each day on social media.
When you may need already recognized that cellular optimization and video advertising and marketing are a key digital methods, these stats show that it could possibly allow you to zone in on younger grownup generations. In the event you actually need to appeal to consideration from each Gen Z or millennials, you may need to create cellular movies, cellular ecommerce websites, or different phone-based experiences that cater to them. You must also make sure to market your self on platforms that’re already cellular, similar to main social media apps.
3. Each spend quite a lot of time on social media, however the platforms they use are fairly totally different.
To grasp how individuals perceived every era’s social media utilization, I requested the identical group of 350 individuals famous within the Lucid ballot above to weigh in on which group they thought spent extra time on social media. This is what they mentioned:
Knowledge Supply: Lucid Software program
The ballot outcomes above had been pretty break up between millennials and Gen Z. Nonetheless, 27% of members say each generations are “at all times logged on.”
So, who’s truly probably the most tuned in to social media? Let’s have a look at what research on these teams reveal.
The World Financial Discussion board stories that millennials are logged on to social media for a mean of two hours and 38 minutes each day whereas Gen Z logs on for greater than 4 hours every day.
Apart from the time spent on social media per day, the platforms every era makes use of are additionally barely totally different.
Whereas my era thrived on MySpace and Tumblr and now enjoys platforms like Fb, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, Gen Z has zoned in on video-based platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and — extra just lately — TikTok.
A current Enterprise Insider survey that polled the oldest half of Gen Z discovered that members used Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat most frequently.
Though TikTok appeared much less in style within the Enterprise Insider survey, this one-year-old platform is without doubt one of the fastest-growing social media apps attributable to booming international Gen Z customers.
Gen Z and millennials do have just a few social platform preferences in frequent. One, for instance, is Instagram. Whereas Instagram is older and extra established than apps like TikTok or Snapchat, it is also pulled in millennials and video-loving Gen Z members.
YouTube can also be a social community that each generations are prominently utilizing. Whereas YouTube was launched when most millennials had been youngsters, 96% of Gen Z customers have accounts on the video-sharing platform. The video platform can also be the second-most used search engine and a platform the place many in Gen Z and millennial generations go for product analysis, as 57% of YouTube’s viewers consists solely of the 2 generations.
4. Millennials take note of advertisements for an extended period of time.
Every era’s habits align properly with its common consideration span in the case of content material consumption.
Whereas millennials will take note of content material for 12 seconds, Gen Z will solely give attention to it for eight seconds. Moreover, Gen Z enjoys fast or short-form video content material, like that of Snapchat or Instagram Tales, whereas millennials worth long-form content material, similar to detailed movies or podcasts.
Because of this these promoting or advertising and marketing to millennials can get away with barely longer or extra in-depth content material whereas these advertising and marketing to Gen Z will need to get their worth proposition out as shortly and seamlessly as attainable of their campaigns.
As I’ve talked about above, most of at the moment’s social and on-line platforms have gotten extra video-driven. This mirrors the truth that video utilization is rising shortly amongst each generations.
Whether or not you are creating long-form content material for millennials or short-form clips for Gen Z, you may need to embrace mobile-optimized video when selling your model to both viewers.
Branded Content material
In relation to studying about manufacturers or merchandise on social media, every era additionally has its personal distinctive preferences. For instance, Gen Z prefers to find out about merchandise by way of social media-based movies and influencer advertising and marketing, whereas millennials will reply to a wide range of promotional methods together with extra conventional on-line advertisements, social media advertising and marketing, and branded podcasts.
Moreover, a current survey reveals that 87% of Gen Z prefers advertisements or advertising and marketing content material that reveals precise individuals discussing merchandise. In relation to millennials, solely 37% choose to see individuals discussing merchandise in advertisements or advertising and marketing content material.
Apart from embracing video and cellular optimization, when you’re advertising and marketing to Gen Z, you may additionally need to give attention to content material that feels extra informative and fewer like an advert. This era has actively rejected conventional promoting ways. For instance, 84% of Gen Z will skip video advertisements as shortly as attainable, whereas 65% have downloaded some sort of ad-blocker on their cellular gadgets or computer systems.
5. Each generations buy lower than previous generations.
A standard delusion about millennials and Gen Z is that each generations are financially illiterate. As a result of this appears to be a sizzling subject on-line and all through popular culture, I performed yet one more Lucid ballot, asking the identical group famous above to decide on which era they thought spent extra money on merchandise.
The Lucid ballot beneath demonstrates this delusion and notion as many members mentioned that they believed each era spend some huge cash:
Knowledge Supply: Lucid Software program
Moreover, 36% of survey respondents mentioned millennials spent probably the most on merchandise, whereas the identical share mentioned each generations spend some huge cash. Nonetheless, lower than 20% pointed to Gen Z.
Based on numerous research, each generations truly spend lower than previous generations whereas the oldest Gen Z members are centered on accountable spending.
Most of Gen Z would not even have a lot shopping for energy but. However analysis from a number of sources, together with Vice, Insider, and Adobe say that Gen Z goals to spend cash pragmatically as in comparison with different generations. Some analysts counsel that Gen Z’s saving strategy is routed in budgeting classes that the era realized from the U.S. Recession.
In relation to the Gen Z members who’re sufficiently old to make purchases, analysis reveals that they do much less on-line purchasing than millennials. A current examine from Ernst & Younger famous that 74% of millennials and solely 49% of Gen Z purchase merchandise on-line greater than as soon as a month.
However, whereas Gen Z buys much less on-line, they anticipate extra added service from a model after they make purchases. The identical E&Y examine discovered that 80% of Gen Z valued free supply. The examine additionally discovered that 74% of Gen Z values manufacturers that give out reductions or coupons over different companies.
Whereas millennials are barely much less frugal than Gen Z, the concept the older era is extra frivolous can also be an enormous false impression. Whereas many millennials purchase their fair proportion of merchandise, additionally they earn extra yearly than most older generations, are probably the most educated age group, and are notably optimistic about their futures.
6. They’ve totally different profession motivations.
Each generations have in frequent that they’ve positioned significance on investing at school or expertise coaching.
Whereas older generations may afford each houses and training, millennials discover housing out of monetary attain and have primarily centered on paying excessive prices of tuition.
Regardless of rising academic prices, the development of investing in training is not anticipated to vary for both era. Whereas 10% of Gen Z teenagers are saving for faculty, millennial mother and father are placing extra into their youngsters’s faculty funds than previous generations.
every era’s work habits can provide you a sneak peek into what their funds and each day motivations may be sooner or later.
Whereas each millennials and Gen Z are pushed by greater training and profession development, they nonetheless have just a few slight variations that you simply may need to find out about, particularly when you’re a marketer in educational or B2B fields.
Right now, many millennials are working or are enrolled in greater training. For the whole decade between 2020 and 2030, millennials will comprise the most important share of the workforce, representing 40% of the worldwide working-age inhabitants by 2030.
However, though most of Gen Z remains to be at school, they’re additionally very career-minded.
In relation to searching for jobs, Gen Z adults are extra financially motivated than the millennial era. The truth is, 65% of Gen Z workers worth wage over different job perks as 74% 2023 US graduates surveyed mentioned they prioritize stability and wage from employers, outweighing elements together with a recognized employer model, a fast-growing discipline, or total advantages. These within the age group additionally say they will spend money on ability coaching if it means they earn more money.
Gen Z additionally applies for jobs extra aggressively than previous generations. Solely 10% of the era begins their job search after faculty whereas most Gen Z college students start scouting out job choices between freshman and sophomore 12 months.
So, what does this imply on your advertising and marketing technique? Each of those generations are arduous employees, extremely educated, and may earn greater than previous generations.
Nonetheless, Gen Z is extra pushed to make and get monetary savings. Because of this to influence Gen Z, you may must take further time to brainstorm campaigns that present how your product will assist them and why it’s value their cash. Odds are, they are going to be extra persuaded by the practicality of a product than the “trendiness” of it.
Tips on how to Market to Every Technology
Sure, each generations have quite a lot of issues in frequent.
And whereas there are alternatives to market to each generations directly, it may be extra helpful to brainstorm inventive campaigns that zone in on one era or the opposite. That can assist you develop a method that beneficial properties consideration from the suitable viewers, listed here are just a few takeaways associated to every era:
Advertising Marketing campaign for Millennials
By now, you may be most accustomed to advertising and marketing to millennials. Fortunately, they’re additionally a terrific era to market to. They’re on probably the most distinguished social media networks at the moment and like to eat a number of totally different types of multimedia content material, from movies to podcasts. They’re additionally sufficiently old to make buying choices, are extra educated than earlier generations, and spend appreciable time within the analysis stage earlier than shopping for a product.
Basically, many alternative codecs of selling content material will interact millennials as a result of they’re recurrently trying to be enticed by a brand new product that may assist them of their each day lives.
As a result of millennials have a barely longer consideration span than Gen Z, it’s also possible to get a bit extra inventive by testing out longer-form content material like longer advertising and marketing movies or branded podcasts.
One of the best kinds of advertising and marketing campaigns will inform millennials about how your product could make their lives simpler or the way it can resolve their day-to-day issues. Focusing your technique on social media or on-line platforms like Fb, YouTube or Instagram, the place many adults go to analysis merchandise may also be helpful to your technique,
Advertising Marketing campaign for Gen Z
To efficiently persuade Gen Z to purchase your product, you may need to make content material that shortly cuts to the chase and explains why your product will present worth to them.
As talked about above, Gen Z loves to make use of video to find out about merchandise and spends most of their on-line time on cellphones. So make sure to leverage short-form video formatting and mobile-optimized content material in your campaigns.
You may additionally need to zone in on the area of interest social media platforms that they generally use, similar to Instagram, YouTube, TikTok on Snapchat. In the event you’re not on certainly one of these platforms, however nonetheless need to acquire model consciousness there, take into account sponsoring an influencer who is aware of the viewers and create content material that discusses your product.
Advertising Marketing campaign for Gen Z and Millennials
In the event you completely cannot price range pinpointed campaigns for millennials and Gen Z, however know you need to market to younger adults, give attention to the cusp of each generations by making a marketing campaign for 18 to 34-year-olds. It will can help you zone in on younger and barely older adults that may truly make buying choices.
Whereas a marketing campaign with this age goal may be barely extra favorable to millennials between 27 and 42, there’s nonetheless an opportunity you could possibly seize consideration from older youngsters who will quickly have the ability to make extra purchases if they cannot already.
Regardless of the variations between these two generations, there are additionally two huge similarities: each love social media and immediate gratification. Make certain that your marketing campaign clearly explains why your product shall be beneficial to the age group you are pitching it too, and leverage the social media networks that the age group you are focusing on has in frequent.
For instance, when you’re centered on selling your product to individuals within the 18 to 34 vary, you may need to be on Instagram, YouTube, and Fb, as a result of most members of this age group are utilizing all three of them regularly.
In the event you can create a marketing campaign that leverages key social networks accordingly whereas highlighting why your product is so immediately gratifying and helpful, you may appeal to curiosity from each teams pretty shortly.
Suggestions for Understanding Your Viewers
As you create campaigns round a particular viewers or age group, it is essential to do digging to study what motivates this group of individuals, what their buying habits are, the place they spend probably the most time, and what they’re searching for in a product. Listed here are just a few ideas that may allow you to on this analysis:
- Determine particular demographics: Attempt to not be too particular or too broad. Choose an viewers you may study loads about shortly that properly aligns along with your product and begin researching that demographic.
- Study their work and training backgrounds: This provides you with perception on what motivates them and the way a lot they’re capable of spend on a product.
- Discover out which social platforms they use: When you do that, you may analysis every platform and leverage it appropriately throughout your marketing campaign.
- Take into account writing a purchaser persona: A purchaser persona is a fictional character that has a really comparable life-style to your superb purchaser. Having a persona in thoughts may also help you shortly take into consideration campaigns and methods that they will interact most with. It is also a useful place to prepare all your detailed analysis findings into one easy place.
Need to study extra about Gen Z or millennials particularly? Take a look at this weblog submit on advertising and marketing to Gen Z or this piece on millennial advertising and marketing.
Editor’s observe: This text was initially printed in December 2019 and has since been up to date for comprehensiveness.
