Advertisers Must Reach Out To Generation Jones
Advertisers are failing to connect with a previously unrecognised group of 40-something Britains, dubbed Generation Jones by a major new study from media planning and buying agency, Carat.
The research, carried out over the last six months, identifies ‘Jonsers’ as an affluent and influential group of consumers distinct from the Baby Boomers of the post World War II period and the younger Generation X of the sixties and seventies.
Generation Jones comprises around 20% of the total UK population and can be best understood through the formative experiences of technological advancement, recession, negative equity and pension scares that defined the seventies and eighties.
According to Carat, Jonsers are independently minded consumers who consider themselves more thoughtful and politically aware than other generations. They have the highest household and personal income of any other group and spend over £16 million a year on their credit cards.
Philip Reddaway, communications planning director at Carat, said: “Generation Jones was first identified in the US by the American people watcher, Jonathan Pontell, but, until now, there has been no review of its existence in the UK. Our research has found the generation clearly does exist but has its own formative experiences, distinct to the US generation, which has profoundly shaped and influenced their opinions, attitudes, aspirations and behaviours in later life.”
The study shows that Generation Jones responds positively to ads that are simple and honest. Marketing hype is viewed cynically, with brands such as DirectLine, EasyJet and Amazon coming out top amongst this demographic in terms of communications strategy.
Design and quality were also found to be key elements in campaigns aimed at this group. High production values featuring clever design and artistic elements ranked highly, with brands such as Smeg, Apple and Guinness coming out top.
Advertising featuring actors of the same age was also found to be successful, but they must be plausible, positive role models. According to Carat, Andi McDowell and Ian Botham appeal strongly to Jonesers, whereas Michael Winner and Joan Collins are less popular.
The Generation Jones study is the first part of Carat’s Project Britain research initiative, which will see the media agency invest millions of pounds over the next few years in attempting to provide advertisers with a complete picture of the UK consumer landscape (see Carat Launches Project Britain Research Study).
Carat: 020 7430 6000 www.carat.com
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