The generation to which a person belongs may show differences in behavior, but it is far from being a factor that determines consumers' desires. Not by chance, the brands with which people most identify due to their values are the same — O Boticário, Nestlé, Natura, Nike, and Samsung — whether they are "baby boomers" or from generations X, Y, and Z. These are the main conclusions of the study "The End of Generations," conducted by the consulting firms TroianoBranding and Dezon.

To identify factors that bring groups closer together and push them apart, the survey interviewed a thousand people, including men and women from classes A, B, and C, across the five regions of the country. The sample was divided into four groups of 250 participants each, belonging to the generations identified as baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); X (1965 to 1980); Y, or millennials (1981 to 1996); and Z (1997 to 2010).  

There are many more points of connection between generations than disagreements, no matter how superficial analyses may suggest otherwise. We live in an era of fluidity. However, generations tend to put us in boxes that go against this reality, says Cecília Troiano, CEO of TroianoBranding.

Proof of this is that the same companies appear, with similar percentages, in the responses of all generations in the study, when participants were asked about the brands with which they most identify:

• The Apothecarywas mentioned by 19% of those belonging to generations Z and millennials, 12% of baby boomers and 9% of generation X;
• Nestlewas mentioned by 13% of millennials, 12% of baby boomers, 10% of generation X and 9% of generation Z;
• Naturewas mentioned by 14% of Generation X, 12% of Generation Z, millennials and baby boomers;
• Nikewas mentioned by 14% of Generation Z, 12% of Millennials, and 7% of Generation X and Baby Boomers;
• Samsung was mentioned by 14% of millennials and generation X, 13% of generation Z and 12% of baby boomers.

The ZMET methodology was also adopted. Patented at Harvard, it allows identifying feelings that interviewees cannot rationally express through traditional techniques. Only ten companies in the world can apply it, and TroianoBranding is the only one with the license in Brazil. There were 20 ZMET sessions with representatives from all generations, a deep dive that complemented the quantitative survey.  

Based on the two research techniques, the study highlights five aspects valued by all generations, called "structuring themes": identity, emotional bonds, community, growth, and well-being. According to the study, all people seek to connect with brands that reinforce these values, regardless of which generation they belong to. And, according to the participants' responses, five brands are most associated with each of them:

• The Apothecary– reinforces identity;
• Nestle– strengthens emotional bonds;
• Nature– reinforces well-being;
• Nike – reinforces growth;
• Samsung - strengthens community.

Once the core themes are identified, the study conducts a trend analysis to project consumption behaviors that will impact the next two to five years. The goal is to make the report a source of innovation and development of new products and communication for companies in different sectors – for example, consumer goods, health, beauty, wellness, fashion, decoration, services, and mobility.

In addition to identifying more commonalities than disparities between generational groups, the research is a business tool that points to strategic paths for companies to stay ahead of competitors, explains Iza Dezon, CEO of Dezon consulting. According to Iza, factors such as identity, emotional relationships, concerns about the planet, and health are becoming more relevant from the perspective of Lifestyle Marketing, something that brands should be paying attention to. That aligns much more with our contemporary identities than the old models that emphasize an age cutoff.

In the era of freedom and fluidity, research concludes that not relying on age markers would be a strategic inclusion decision to be considered by HR professionals, product development, marketing, and communication. "We need to break away from time markers and get closer to people's true desires, especially in the era of endless generations," say the two executives responsible for the report.  

Brazilian retail is experiencing an atypical scenario this end of the year. The coincidence between the payment of the first installment of the 13th salary and Black Friday generated a significant movement in November, which could alter the pace of traditional Christmas shopping. This analysis is from FCamara, a technology and innovation ecosystem with a strong presence in both physical and online retail.

According to data collected by the company, this year's Black Friday saw an 18% increase in sales compared to 2023, with revenue exceeding R$7.2 billion in a single day. For comparison, last year the growth was 6.5%.

Bento Ribeiro, senior Retail director at FCamara, points out that the coincidence of these dates created immediate liquidity for the consumer, who took advantage of the moment to make advance purchases of higher value. "The challenge now will be to maintain the pace for the rest of the holiday season," he/she/they states.

"With approximately R$64 billion injected into the economy due to the 13th salary payment, consumers took advantage of the fresh money to purchase already desired items, such as electronics, smartphones, and appliances," explains Ribeiro. "The problem is that, by bringing these purchases forward, December may feel the effects of a emptier wallet, especially in categories that traditionally have a sales peak at Christmas," she adds.

Despite this, FCamara predicts that sectors such as fashion, perfumes, and cosmetics will continue to thrive, with an estimated growth of 10% compared to last year. The toy segment will also grow, but more modestly, by around 5%. Conversely, electronics and appliances are expected to experience a significant decline, estimated at 8%, due to the strong performance of Black Friday.

“Retail had an explosive November, but could face a quieter Christmas than normal. The strategy now will be to attract consumers with good promotions in December, preventing stocks from remaining stagnant”, concludes Ribeiro.

The number of online stores in Brazil grew by 16.5%, increasing from 1,640,076 in 2022 to 1,911,164 in 2023, according to the survey "Brazilian E-commerce Profile 2023" conducted by BigDataCorp. To stand out in a competitive market, personalization has ceased to be just a differentiator and has become an essential component of the consumer's journey.

The study "CX Trends 2024," conducted by Octadesk in partnership with Opinion Box, reveals that for 65% of consumers, personalized experiences have a significant impact on their purchasing decisions. The research suggests that now, companies need to go beyond the basics to attract and retain consumers.

To win the public's preference, it's not enough to just offer products: you need to provide a unique shopping experience tailored to the individual needs and preferences of each customer. The recommendation is to build a journey that is relevant and engages the consumer, from the moment they access the store until the purchase is completed, during thecheckout and payment.

With that in mind, the Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae) highlights that intelligently segmenting customers is one of the foundations for achieving personalization that guarantees results. This involves grouping consumers based on their behavioral, demographic, and purchasing preference characteristics.

In this way, e-commerce businesses can offer deals and communications based on the needs of each segment and, consequently, increase conversion chances, as Sebrae reports. Furthermore, it is possible to offer a service tailored to each customer's preferences through the channels they use most, such as chats, emails, social media, or phone calls.

According to "CX Trends 2024," 67% of consumers see personalized service as the main factor in their purchasing decision. Already 82% consider it important or very important that brands offer real-time support.

Opinion Box's insights head, Julia Villela, assesses that, although it seems simple, talking to the audience is the easiest and most effective way to identify and prevent trends. "Collect feedback, conduct surveys periodically, and thus you can gain valuable insights that help better understand consumer behavior and anticipate what they expect from you," he/she/they suggests.

Artificial Intelligence can help personalization

The study also shows that it is natural for companies to encounter difficulties when trying to offer a personalized experience at scale, as personalization is often associated with high costs and a long execution time.

However, with the right approaches and technological support, it is possible to deliver personalized service. For this, the recommendation is to use resources such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Solutions to create afree online storeThey also present themselves as an option for testing personalization strategies without large initial investments.

According to the survey, 42% of consumers have already interacted with AI during customer service, highlighting the relevance of this technology in the purchasing process. For them, among the advantages of this technology are reduced checkout queue times (26%), more effective customer service (22%), and personalized offers (18%).

Additionally, 35% of respondents believe that AI is essential for offering more targeted promotions based on purchase history and consumers' online behavior.

Sebrae explains that offering personalized offers is a way to attract customers.

Instead of treating everyone with the same approach, e-commerce businesses should use data on purchasing behavior, such as purchase history, special dates, and cart abandonments, to send personalized offers and coupons. In this way, the brand demonstrates that it pays attention to the details and preferences of each customer.

Challenges for using technology

Despite its benefits, research shows that there are also concerns regarding the use of AI in the shopping experience. Among the main concerns are the lack of personalized human interaction (41%), concerns about data privacy (40%), and distrust regarding the accuracy of recommendations (21%).

Therefore, the study emphasizes that solutions for the customer experience should not replace human support agents. The ideal is for them to work together, aiming to simplify workflows and repetitive tasks, allowing human agents to have more time to solve complex problems.

Regarding data security, the company must adopt strategies that emphasize transparency and security, communicating ethical practices, values and privacy policies clearly, which includes detailing how customer data is collected, stored and used.