Jack Rosevear, Media Strategist for Michaelides & Bednash, discussed differences between Baby Boomers and Generation X in his speech titled “Talking About My Generation.”
He referred to the generation that grew up in the 1960s as Baby Boomers, individuals who grew up in a time of discovery, liberation and peace, and compared them to Generation X, individuals who grew up between 1980 and the present. He said that society had changed; Baby Boomers grew up sexually liberated but Generation X have a fear of AIDS. Baby Boomers watched Star Trek, a programme symbolising hope, discovery, idealism and a bright future. He compared this to the X-Files, a dark programme showing fear, cover-up and paranoia. It was also pointed out that Thunderbirds in the sixties provided harmless entertainment but today has become a marketing tool.
Mr Rosevear made us aware that Baby Boomers perceived the media differently to the way we do today. He argues that today we (Generation X) are more aware of the media; we can avoid adverts by fast-forwarding videos; we do not fall prey to door-to-door salesmen; media is used for entertainment rather than information ; we know how advertising works and can ignore brand images; basically we are more cynical when it comes to advertising.
Jack Rosevear concluded his speech by saying that Generation X need to be approached differently and drew examples from advertisements by Nike, Miller, Tango and Coca-Cola.
He said that in order to reach Generation X you must not intrude. By this, he means that campaigns must be interactive and interesting. They must be “a window” not “a mirror”: by making us want to see it for example, the individual must look at it and see something new and different.
By acting as an editorial, for example the Miller Time adverts, Generation X are more easily reached.
He also stated that to communicate with the “most different generation that ever lived” required investigation into the understanding of what media brand means to Generation X and the role media plays in their lives.
He concluded by saying that the next generation may be a return of the Baby Boomers. With the current state of technology perhaps the next generation may be called Generation Tech.
