Generational Messaging Trends

People of all generations overwhelmingly expect communication to be targeted and relevant if they are going to purchase from a brand.

It seems that we really do want brands to talk to us like friends. The majority of people in all generations believe it will increase their loyalty.

Email is still seen as the preferred way of communicating with businesses, but there is an even spread across other channels as the omnichannel approach is becoming the standard strategy.

Gen Z treats brand relationships like personal relationships. They know their worth and expect respect and effort from the brand to ensure their loyalty.

The cliché of the older person paying for items with small change is untrue. Only 5% of Baby Boomers prefer paying with cash compared with 15% of Gen Z, the highest figure in the study.

It seems we are less accepting of repetitive content as we age. Gen Z seems to be better at zoning out repeated messages.

For younger people there is a strong desire to be understood by brands when it comes to the products and services they are interested in. 83% of Gen Z and younger Millennials stated this, with numbers tailing off with older generations, with only 55% of Baby Boomers selecting this as a priority.

Linked to this is the desire to be able to provide feedback and have that feedback actioned by the business. This is particularly important for younger people with 75% of Millennials stating this compared with only 40% of Gen X and Baby Boomers.

When it comes to channel preferences, it seems that older generations are particularly keen on receiving communications on their preferred channel. 60% of Baby Boomers selected this compared with 35% of Gen Z.

A similar trend can be seen with the frequency of communication with 53% of Baby Boomers preferring less communication with a brand, compared with just 30% of Gen Z respondents.

We asked people about the types of communication that they prefer to receive, and once again there were some clear trends between the generations.

Gen Z and younger Millennials are probably more aware of trends and changing fashions as they show a strong preference for wanting to know about new products or services, for example getting prelaunch notifications ahead of the release of the latest must-have phone. 73% of respondents in these groups prioritized this type of communication.

For younger Millennials who are working but probably not yet high earners there was a strong preference for receiving messages about special offers and discounts. 78% of respondents selected this option compared with 55% of Gen Z, many of whom are still likely to be supported by parents, and 63% of Gen X, who would have more earning potential.

When it comes to the types of messages that people want to receive, it seems that some of the generational stereotypes may be true. For example, older respondents from the Gen X and Baby Boomer generations showed a very strong preference for receiving transactional updates and reminders about upcoming renewals.

90% of older respondents want to receive updates on their orders, compared with just 55% of Gen Z.

There was a similar trend with updates on products and services that people had shown an interest in. 73% of Gen X and 68% of Baby Boomers prefer to receive these updates compared with just 55% of Gen Z. This shows that older people are clearer and more decisive about what they want to buy and like to know exactly when it will be delivered.

Finally, we asked about some of the other types of communication that brands might send to customers. For example, updates on store opening times, which younger people are mildly interested in receiving and older people less so.

For messages that didn’t relate specifically to the individual, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm across all generations. Less than 15% of people across the board are interested in receiving updates about a brands community involvement, and when it comes to general company news updates the figures are even lower, just 8% for Gen Z and 0% of Baby Boomers are interested.

Across the board all generations showed the strongest preference for receiving messages that were aligned with their personal interests, financial situation, and life stage. Having a brand respect their stated channel preferences was also high on everyone’s list of requirements.

When it comes to generational differences, younger people showed a definite preference for receiving more emotive and engaging messages – 28% of Gen Z selected this option compared with just 5% of Baby Boomers.

Younger people also show a preference for an active and ongoing conversation with the brands they identify with. They are happier to receive more communications provided they are relevant, on the right channel, and sent at the most appropriate time. We would go as far as to say that Gen Z are the most demanding of all the generations when it comes to brand loyalty. They know their worth and just like any relationship they expect equal effort from both sides.

Let’s start with the similarities. All generations agree that they are much more open to buying from a brand if communication is personalized and relevant, and the channel used is the one that they prefer.

The differences start to emerge when we look at more recent marketing tactics, for example reaching out via social media, chat apps, and using chatbots to facilitate a sale. As expected, it is the younger generations that are more open to these strategies, with Baby Boomers the most resistant.

When it comes to marketing over chat apps, it seems that while there is some resistance from older generations, most are happy to receive these types of messages.

When it comes to social media it seems that all generations are less enthusiastic about receiving messages from brands. At least a third of people from all age groups said that they are less likely to purchase if they receive messages over social media.