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 behavioural differences, but it's far from a determining factor in consumer desires. Unsurprisingly, the brands people identify with most due to their values remain the same – O Boticário, Nestlé, Natura, Nike, and Samsung – whether they're "baby boomers" or from generations X, Y, and Z. These are the key findings of the "End of Generations" study, conducted by the consultancies TroianoBranding and Dezon. 

To identify factors that bring generations closer together and drive them apart, the survey polled one thousand men and women from social classes A, B, and C across the country's five regions. The sample was divided into four groups of 250 participants, representing the generations identified as Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); Generation X (1965 to 1980); Millennials (1981 to 1996); and Generation Z (1997 to 2010).  

"There are far more points of connection between generations than disconnections, despite superficial analyses suggesting otherwise. We live in an age of fluidity. However, generations tend to box us into categories that contradict 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 identify with most:

• 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% millennials, 12% baby boomers, 10% Generation X, and 9% Generation Z.
• Nature It was mentioned by 14% of Generation X, 12% of Generations Z, 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 Gen X, 13% of Gen 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, termed "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 their generation. And, according to participant responses, five brands are most strongly associated with each of them:  

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

Once the underlying themes have been identified, the study analyzes trends to project consumer behaviours impacting the next two to five years. The aim is to make the report a source of innovation and development for new products and communication strategies for companies across various sectors – for example, consumer goods, health, beauty, wellbeing, fashion, décor, services, and mobility.

Beyond identifying more common ground than disparities between generational groups, the research is a business tool that points to strategic pathways for companies to stay ahead of competitors, explains Iza Dezon, CEO of the Dezon consultancy. According to Iza, factors such as identity, emotional relationships, concerns about the planet and health are gaining more prominence in the Lifestyle Marketing perspective, something that brands should be aware of. "This speaks much more to our contemporary identities than older models that emphasise age-based segmentation."

In an era of freedom and fluidity, the research concludes that not adhering to age markers would be a strategic inclusionary decision, to be considered by HR professionals, product development, marketing, and communications teams. "We need to break free from temporal markers and get closer to people's true desires, particularly 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