Baby boomer, X ou millennial? Pouco importa: por que as marcas erram ao tentar separar consumidores por gerações

The generation a person belongs to may show behavioral differences, but it is far from being a determining factor in consumer desires. Unsurprisingly, the brands people identify with most 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 generations closer together and drive them apart, the survey interviewed 1,000 people, including men and women, from socioeconomic classes A, B, and C, across all five regions of the country. The sample was divided into four groups of 250 participants, belonging to the generations identified as baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); Gen X (1965 to 1980); Millennials (1981 to 1996); and Gen Z (1997 to 2010).  

"There are far more points of connection between generations than disconnections, despite superficial analyses suggesting otherwise. We live in an era of fluidity. However, generations tend to pigeonhole us, working 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 they most identify with.

• The Body Shop It was mentioned by 19% of those belonging to Generation Z and Millennials, 12% of Baby Boomers, and 9% of Generation X;
• Nestlé It was mentioned by 13% of Millennials, 12% of Baby Boomers, 10% of Generation X, and 9% of Generation Z.
• Natura It was mentioned by 14% of Generation X, 12% of the Z generation, Millennials, and Baby Boomers.
• Nike It was mentioned by 14% of Generation Z, 12% of Millennials, and 7% of Generation X and Baby Boomers.
• Samsung It was mentioned by 14% of millennials and Generation X, 13% of Generation Z, and 12% of baby boomers.

Também foi adotada a metodologia qualitativa ZMET. Patenteada em Harvard, ela permite identificar sentimentos que os entrevistados não conseguem manifestar racionalmente por meio de técnicas tradicionais. Apenas dez empresas no mundo podem aplicá-la e a TroianoBranding é a única com a licença no Brasil. Foram 20 sessões ZMET com representantes de todas as gerações, mergulho esse que complementou o levantamento quantitativo.  

Based on the two research techniques, the study identifies five aspects valued by all generations, called "structuring themes": identity, affective bonds, community, growth, and well-being. According to the study, all people seek to connect with brands that reinforce these values, regardless of their generation. And, based on participant responses, five brands are most strongly associated with each of these.  

• The Body Shop – strengthens identity; 
• Nestlé – strengthens emotional bonds; 
• Natura - strengthens well-being; 
• Nike – strengthens growth; 
• Samsung – strengthens the community. 

Once the structural themes are identified, the study analyzes trends to project consumer behaviors impacting 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 various sectors – for example, consumer goods, health, beauty, well-being, fashion, décor, services, and mobility.

Beyond identifying more commonalities than discrepancies between generational groups, the research is a business tool that points out strategic paths for companies to stay ahead of their competitors, explains Iza Dezon, CEO of Dezon consulting. According to Iza, factors like identity, emotional relationships, concerns about the planet and health are gaining more relevance from the perspective of Lifestyle Marketing, something that should be on brands' radar. "This resonates much more with our contemporary identities than the old models that emphasize an age-based segmentation."

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

Segue aqui o link para a versão compacta da pesquisa: https://www.troianobranding.com.br/o-fim-das-geracoes