Home Blog Other Why does the marketing media continue to ignore Gen X’ers (and focus on Millennials)?

Why does the marketing media continue to ignore Gen X’ers (and focus on Millennials)?

|

I get it. Millennials are the best thing since Harrison Ford flew the Millennium Falcon (wait, Millennial friends, you do know who Harrison Ford is, right? RIGHT?).

I get it. Your generation will comprise 99.9% of the workforce by 2025.

I get it. Your generation shares more, consumes more and is more digitally savvy than any other generation. Ever.

I get it. Your generation features legends like Kelly Osbourne, Johnny Manziel, Jennifer Lawrence and that guy who founded Snapchat.

I get it all. And I’m sick to death of hearing about it.

reality bites

And, more importantly, I’m tired of hearing about it from the media–specifically, the MARKETING MEDIA.

I’ll admit, I’m also sick of it because I’m a Gen X’er. And I’m tired of our generation being overlooked.

After all, why is there so much marketing focus on the Millennials (ages 18-33, roughly). Doesn’t the Gen X generation (ages 34-49) have more current buying power?

Aren’t we the ones in leadership roles–or, at least, very close to taking over leadership roles for our Baby Boomer masters?

Aren’t we the ones who will lead this country for the next 10-20 years?

Aren’t we the ones who are managing Millennials in the workplace right now?

Then why do Millennials continue to get all the attention from marketers and marketing media?

Now, I realize I sound very much like a jilted older brother here. I completely acknowledge that. I actually feel similar feelings that my oldest son feels day-in and day-out (“Dad, why does SHE get so much attention?”).

But, I still don’t understand, for the life of me, why marketers (and again, the marketing media) continue to ignore us.

We earn more money than Millennials (OK, outside of Mark Zuckerberg).

We’re in positions where we can make purchase decisions for our companies (and will be for the foreseeable future).

And, despite reports to the contrary, we’re more digital savvy than  you give us credit for.

So, you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t apologize for feeling jilted.

In the meantime, I’ll be sitting on my couch, listening to Def Leppard, counting my pennies, and waiting for that apology letter…

0 Comments

SUBSCRIBE TO ARIK'S NEWSLETTER

Catch up on the latest trends and insights in social media, PR and digital marketing.