a look at generations by bob everhart. “amongst democratic nations, each new generation is a new...
TRANSCRIPT
A Look at Generations A Look at Generations
By Bob Everhart
“Amongst democratic nations, each new generation is a new people.”
-Alexis de Tocqueville (1836)
Let’s ????? before we have sex.Let’s ????? before we have sex.
1950’s: “Lets get married first”1950’s: “Lets get married first”
1970’s: “Lets get stoned first”1970’s: “Lets get stoned first”
1990’s: “Lets get tested first”1990’s: “Lets get tested first”
2010: “Lets ???? first” 2010: “Lets ???? first”
Today’s Living GenerationsToday’s Living Generations
Generation Born Childhood EraComing of Age
Era
G.I. (1901-1924)World War I
Roaring 20’s
Great Depression
World War II
Silent (1925-1942)Great Depression
World War IIAmerican High
Boom (1943-1960) American HighConsciousness
Revolution
Gen X (1961-1981)Consciousness
Revolution
Culture Wars
90’s Boom
Millennial (1982-Culture Wars
90’s BoomWar on Terror??
GI GenerationGI GenerationBorn 1901-1924
Today’s Ages: 79-102
Sample Members:John KennedyRonald ReaganWalt DisneyJudy GarlandJohn WayneWalter Cronkite
Headlines for GI’sHeadlines for GI’s
• Somewhere over the rainbow (Wizard of Oz)
• Get this country moving again (John Kennedy)
• See the USA in your Chevrolet (Chevrolet)
• You can trust your car to the man who wears the star (Texaco)
• We still believe in promises (Whirlpool)
• Drink to your health with Ensure (Ensure)
GI’s as ConsumersGI’s as ConsumersComing of Age initiation:
Great Depression and WWII
Coming of Age Social Environment:
Declining Individualism, Rising Community
Ideal Entertainment:
A wholesome time for everyone
Marketing Attractors:
Conventional, modern, friendly, “Grand”
Silent GenerationSilent GenerationBorn 1925-1942
Today’s Ages: 61-78
Sample Members:Colin PowellAlan GreenspanElvis PresleyMartin Luther King Jr.Gloria SteinemSandra Day O’Connor
Headlines for SilentHeadlines for Silent
• 29 Flavors (Baskin Robbins)
• Take it off…take it all off (Noxema)
• Five out of six doctors can’t be wrong (Bayer)
• People who need people (Barbara Streisand)
• The official vehicle of the well informed (Toyota)
• Thriving on Chaos (book, Tom Peters)
Silent’s as ConsumersSilent’s as ConsumersComing of Age initiation:
American High (1946-64)
Coming of Age Social Environment:
Weak Individualism, Strong Community
Ideal Entertainment:
A romantic escape
Marketing Attractors:
Sociable/Packaged, Mannerly, Exotic, “Nice”
Boom GenerationBoom GenerationBorn 1943-1960
Today’s Ages: 43-60
Sample Members:Bill and Hillary ClintonDr. Laura SchlessingerAl SharptonGeorge W. BushSteven SpielbergBill Gates
Headlines for BoomersHeadlines for Boomers
• Hell no we won’t go (Vietnam Protest Slogan)
• We’d like to teach the world to sing (Coca Cola)
• Just one look (Toyota)
• No artificial anything (Ford GT)
• You always come back to the basics (Jim Beam)
• Finally a concept car with integrity (Buick Riviers)
Boomers as ConsumersBoomers as ConsumersComing of Age initiation:
Consciousness Revolution (1964-84)
Coming of Age Social Environment:
Rising Individualism, Declining Community
Ideal Entertainment:
A meaningful experience
Marketing Attractors:
Individual, classic, themed, meaningful, “Best”
Generation XGeneration XBorn 1961-1981
Today’s Ages: 22-42
Sample Members:Michael DellMichael JordanQuentin TarantinoKurt CobainJeff BezosTom Cruise
Headlines for X‘ersHeadlines for X‘ers
• Why ask why? (Bud Lite)
• Grab life by the horns (Dodge)
• No rules, just right (Outback Steakhouse)
• Watch your pockets, guys (MCI)
• Life is short. Play Hard (Reebok)
• Just do it (Nike)
• Moving at the speed of business (UPS)
X’ers as ConsumersX’ers as ConsumersComing of Age initiation:
Long Boom and Culture Wars (1984-?)
Coming of Age Social Environment:
Strong Individualism, Weak Community
Ideal Entertainment:
A high-stakes contest
Marketing Attractors:
Optioned/Modular, pragmatic, local/efficient,“Real”
A little more XA little more X
• I am either a free agent or a slave
• Work is a means to an end, not an end in itself
• Higher productivity means doing more for less-not doing everything better
• What counts is my performance, not my attitude
• No sane person trusts the organization
Millennial GenerationMillennial Generation
Born 1982-??
Today’s Ages: 0-21
Sample Members:Jessica LynchElizabeth SmartSara HughesHaley Joel OsmentAmanda Bynes
Headlines for MillenialsHeadlines for Millenials
• Regular kids…core values…zero tolerance (School dogma- 90’s)
• Back to basics, Standards of learning (Policy slogans)
• Every generation has its hero’s (US Army)
• I love you, you love me (Barney and friends)
• Taste the Rainbow (Skittles)
• It takes a village (Book, Hillary Clinton)
• Raising PG kids in an X-rated Society (Book, Tipper Gore)
Let’s ????? before we have sex.Let’s ????? before we have sex.
1950’s: “Lets get married first”1950’s: “Lets get married first”
1970’s: “Lets get stoned first”1970’s: “Lets get stoned first”
1990’s: “Lets get tested first”1990’s: “Lets get tested first”
2010: “Lets do national service first” 2010: “Lets do national service first”
• www.millennialsrising.com
• www.fourthturning.com
• www.lifecourse.com