CBA: No Generation Gap Here

No Generation Gap Here

By Carl Bloom

There’s no need for there to be a generation gap between your direct marketing message and the market at which you’re aiming.

Naturally, professional direct marketers intend to write to the needs and interests of their prospects and customers. Their research should tell them if the consumer is a good candidate for their product or service. And if they’ve done their homework, they know their customers demographics - median age, gender, home and automobile ownership, etc. Database marketing will call up previous buying or contributing history - frequency of transactions, size of order or gift, cross-over buying and so on.

Armed with knowledge about their targets, marketers set out to write and design ads and direct mail packages in a tone and style they hope will fit the profile of the prospect. They use the best writers and designers they can find to present their product and proposition in the best light.

But will the promotion piece, catalog or ad address the characteristics that distinguish the different generations from each other: the Matures, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers?

The identifying characteristics – differences in use of words and language, patriotism, altruism vs. “take care of me first” attitudes, group involvement vs. “I’d rather do it myself”, and so on, have been described by different researchers and marketing pundits.

The LeRoys in Tucson, Arizona run TRAC Media Services, a company often called on to provide information and research to PBS stations, have come up with useful generational identifiers for the public television industry.

Public TV stations have become very interested in identifying the different generations on their membership files because their diverse range of programs appeal to a wide range of generations as well as genders. Programs like Sesame Street, Washington Week in Review, Nature, Great Performances, cooking and home building, auto repairing, art lessons, etc. appeal to different generations.

This information is important in the preparation of radio and TV programming lineups and scheduling as well as when asking for contributions.

In generational marketing the goal is to appeal to dominant generational characteristics in membership promotion in order to significantly lift response.

Some PTV stations tag their files with age and sex of member, thus establishing the generations to which members belong, and combined with information about giving history prepare generationally targeted promotions.

This creative task is not an easy one - translating attitudes like “all for one and one for all” vs. “what’s in it for me”, “I’ve got to work hard, long, and good to get ahead” vs. “working nine to five (and not a minute more) is fine with me” into copy is a challenge.

CBA has experienced success with a special appeal we created that asks for additional contributions (apart from regular membership) for KQED’s female Baby Boomers. KQED identified the female Boomers on its file and CBA wrote to these women in a tone of voice, using words that women of this age range are likely to use.

In a test against a long time special appeal control – written for no special generation or gender - the female baby boomer letter increased response among these women by 42% and average gift went up by 14%.

So what do you say to men of this generation and others? That's the next challenge.

Learn more about Carl and the staff at CBA.

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