Gen X in the U.S.

It’s no wonder marketers are shaking their heads over how to position their products and services to the elusive yet surprisingly powerful cohort we have come to know as Generation X. Sandwiched between baby boomers on the one hand and Generation Y, or the 24-and-under set, on the other, these scrappy, fiercely independent adults, born between the years 1965 and 1980, have shaken off the slacker stereotype of old. Now in their mid-20s to late 30s, 55 million GenXers are vigorously taking up the mantle of financial and familial responsibility, yet they continue to question authority, prize individuality, and believe that “nobody will take care of me but me.” Still smarting from the wave of divorce and downsizing that characterized their formative years, GenXers put a high premium on quality of life. Single or married, administrator or entrepreneur, those in this cohort tend to value leisure and family activities over a fat paycheck; they’ll tend to quit a job rather than suffer boredom or, worse, too few vacation days. Style-conscious but seldom affluent, these former latchkey kids maintain their inherent suspicion of marketing and media campaigns even as they embrace products and services that answer their iconoclastic, resolutely youthful tastes and needs.

To help make sense of this passionate yet often paradoxical segment, Packaged Facts presents Generation X in the United States, a groundbreaking examination of the attitudes, preferences, and shopping behaviors of Generation X. Drawing on uniquely cross-tabulated Simmons Market Research Bureau survey data, along with government and private sector data sources, this report explores the many drivers of Generation X behavior, from their early disillusionment with cultural icons to their ongoing preoccupation with the Internet and its seemingly infinite ability to simplify, streamline, and enrich the activities and relationships of their daily lives. The report emphasizes GenXers’ cultural and ethnic diversity, and suggests that thorough research, even down to household characteristics, is vital to constructing advertising messages that are relevant to the extremely wide variety of GenX subsegments. Emerging campaigns are examined in terms of how they answer or anticipate GenX demands for authenticity, customization, and convenience; and special attention is paid to the role of blogs, viral advertising, and social networking in GenX perceptions of the marketplace.

Following an overview of GenX attitudes and spending trends are six focus chapters covering the following market categories:

• GenX Demographics, an introduction to the disconnect between stereotypes occasioned by the GenX moniker and the actual diversity of these post-baby boom individualists; ethnicity, gender, education; employment and entrepreneurship; income, geographical region, and individual and parental values are key to targeting the numerous subsegments within this relatively small population.
• GenX Lifestyles, an examination of the interests, career goals, and relationships of people age 25-39; their tendency to stay single longer than previous generations; their integration of technology into business and personal pursuits; and how their tastes and preferences sometimes overlap with both baby boomers and GenY.
• GenX Foods and Beverages, an analysis of how globalization, ethnic diversity, and visual style influence the food and beverage choices of the cohort; their expectations of fast, convenient, international foods; their delight in wines, new drinks, cool labels, and edgy design.
• GenX Media and Technology, a review of the widespread impact of Internet and digital technologies on virtually every aspect of GenXers’ daily lives, from relationships and employment to shopping, travel, finances, and entertainment; attitudes about the convergence of text, voice, wireless, MP3, camera, cable, video, and other emerging applications.
• GenX Travel and Transportation, a look at increasingly experience-oriented travel and vacations for individuals, couples, groups, and families; an examination of preferences regarding automobile purchase, including style, fuel economy, and other features.
• GenX Home Buying and Personal Finance, a breakdown of traits and attitudes regarding home buying, design, and furnishing options GenXers consider as they weigh family, entertainment, and lifestyle requirements; an overview of the personal banking and financial habits of the cohort, as they begin to plan for the long term.

Report Methodology
The information in Generation X in the U.S. is based on both primary and secondary research. Primary research involved interviews with experts, public relations and industry analysts in firms that specialize in Gen X market research. The report features unique analysis based on the Simmons Market Research Bureau Fall 2005 National Consumer Survey. Secondary research entailed data-gathering from relevant trade, business, and government sources, including company literature, and Gex X-oriented blogs.

How You Will Benefit from this Report
If your company is interested in understanding and reaching the boomer market, you will find this report invaluable, as it provides a comprehensive package of information and insight about Generation X not offered in any other single source. You will gain a thorough understanding of the current demographic profile of the Gen X population. Contributing to that understanding will be a complete analysis of data from published and trade sources, and in-depth examinations of the economic and societal trends that influence the consumer behaviors of this large and influential segment of the population. Plus, you’ll benefit from extensive data, presented in easy-to-read and practical charts, tables and graphs.

This report will help:

• Marketing Managers identify market opportunities and develop targeted promotion plans for products of interest to Gen Xers.
• Research and development professionals stay on top of competitor initiatives and explore demand for products targeting the Gen X population.
• Advertising agencies to develop messages and images that compel Gen Xers to purchase these products.
• Business development executives understand the dynamics of the market and identify possible partnerships.
• Information and research center librarians provide market researchers, brand and product managers and other colleagues with the vital information they need to do their jobs more effectively.