Odd Gen out

American Demographics, May 1, 2004 by Joan Engebretson

X-ED OUT

Identifying what Gen Xers want can be difficult simply because the group has received so much less attention in recent years. "We haven't spent as much time understanding where they are in this stage of life," says Doyle. "They spent more time with the microscope on them when they were in their 20s. The reality is that we knew them then, but there has not been a lot of interest in how they have changed."

Many say the "slacker" moniker placed on this generation when it came of age during the economic downturn of the early '90s no longer applies. Gen Xers were some of the biggest beneficiaries of the '90s tech boom that brought them fast promotions and salary increases. "When they got out of college there were no jobs," says Debbie Solomon, media research director for Mindshare North America. "But now they're employed and they're in the group pushing for enormous salaries."

Xers also have been the beneficiaries of the low interest rates that have prevailed since the mid-'90s, making home-ownership a viable option for them at an earlier age than for the Boomers, who experienced double-digit interest rates at the same life stage. "Compared to the Boomers, Generation Xers are accepting their own maturity and family life more easily," says Doyle.

TLC's quirky Trading Spaces celebrates Gen X domesticity as it puts two couples in competition with each other to redecorate one another's homes. The popularity of Trading Spaces has spawned several TLC imitators, including While You Were Out, that are also popular with Generation X. "Our 'Life Unscripted' platform appeals very directly to this group," says Joan Harrison, TLC's vice president of programming and development. "It's real and immediate in a way that scripted series can't be."

The TLC fare - and other reality shows popular with Gen Xers such as The Apprentice - may appeal to the group's independence. Unlike Gen Y, which is often characterized as a generation of group joiners, Gen Xers, often raised as latchkey kids, have always been more self-reliant. Despite their success, Xers may continue to have a hard or cynical edge - particularly in comparison to Gen Y, which many view as overprotected. "There's more angst in Generation X music," says Rob Cherof, management director for BBDO Worldwide, which handles Cingular Wireless. "Generation Y is more syrupy - from their movies to their music."

Generation X's distrust of hype, which spawned initiatives such as Sprite's "Obey your thirst" campaign, continues to be important in marketing to them. Cingular has several pricing plans, including "Nights and Weekends" and "Family Plan" that target young adults and young families, and in ads for these plans, the company takes care to explain the plans in straightforward language without hyperbole or hidden surprises.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in targeting Generation X is that it is so diverse. "There is no show or medium that reaches a majority of them," says Mandel. "They're more fragmented in their media choices. You may have 26-year-olds that don't watch until 10 p.m., and 36-year-olds that only watch until 10 and they're online after that."