Boomers

• Cemeteries Hold Parties To Die For
• Adult Children Are Inheriting Aging Parents’ Homes
• Boomer Moms Game More Than Teens
• As They Age, Boomers Grow More Conservative
• Avon Launches 60-Plus Skincare Line

Gen X

• Moms Of Tweens: Cooler Than The Rest Of Us
• Gen X Memoir Casts A Fond Eye (And Ear) On The ‘80s
• Curated By Moms, An Online Calendar For Kid’s Activities
• Gen X Investors Seek Choice And Smart Advice
• Inflatable GoCrib Upgrades Family Travel

Gen Y

• K-Swiss Targets Young Makes With Kenny Powers
• Teens Defer Dream Of Buying First Car
• Ice Ice Baby
• Scion To Young Drivers: “Enter The Machine”
• Sleek U.K.  Baby Gear Hops Across The Pond

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Classic Rock

One of the most entertaining cultural barometers published each year is the Beloit College Mindset List, which can give a jarring perspective on the world in which today’s young people were raised. Here’s a quick summary of the newest list, as reported by MSNBC today:

MILWAUKEE — For students entering college this fall, e-mail is too slow, phones have never had cords and the computers they played with as kids are now in museums.

The Class of 2014 thinks of Clint Eastwood more as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry urging punks to “go ahead, make my day.” Few incoming freshmen know how to write in cursive or have ever worn a wristwatch.

These are among the 75 items on this year’s Beloit College Mindset List. The compilation, released Tuesday, is assembled each year by two officials at this private school of about 1,400 students in Beloit, Wis.

It’s worth reading the entire list for 2014 (and previous years if you have the time), but below you’ll find a few other facts that caught our eye here at Luckie.

To a Class of 2014 student, born in 1992:

• Email is just too slow, and they seldom if ever use snail mail.

• Czechoslovakia has never existed.

• Pizza jockeys from Domino’s have never killed themselves to get your pizza there in under 30 minutes.

• Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.

• Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.

• They have never worried about a Russian missile strike on the U.S.

• They’ve always been able to blast off with the Sci-Fi Channel.

• American companies have always done business in Vietnam.

Which ones jumped out at you?

David Griner | E-mail | Twitter | LinkedIn | SlideShare

Boomers
• Genealogical Tourism Booms Among Boomers
• Walt Disney World Builds Houses For Boomers
• Nielsen: Time To Recommit To Boomers
• There’s Money To Be Made In Women’s Jeans That Fit Middle-Age Hips While Still Looking Cool
• Older, Affluent Adults Seek Alt Pain Relief

Gen X
• Target Wants You To Friend Their Sweaters
• Pampers Turns Babies Into Fashionistas One Diaper At A Time
• P&G Makes A Splash Into Dry Cleaning
• Gaia Online Launches Gulf Clean-Up Fundraiser
• Getting Dad To Do Diaper (Buying) Duty

Gen Y
• State Farm Targets Gen Y With “Magic Jingle”
• College Enrollment Is Up, But So If Dropout Rate
• Evenflo Vids Inject Humor Into Gen Y Parenting
• Tommy Hilfiger To Reconnect With Twenty-Somethings With A New Line
• Gen Y Unplugs Cable TV

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Boomers

• The Boom In Boomer Models
• Core’s Split Reflects Growing Trend Among Boomers
• Sunny Delight Aims For Boomers
• One Quarter Of  Baby Boomers Use Social Networks AARP Says
• Companies Target Baby Boomers’ Changing Tastes

Gen X

• Togetherville Offers Parent-Patrolled Facebook Alternative For Youngsters
• Latest Hot Kid Trend: Brand Bandz
• New Ford Explorer To Make Debut On Facebook
• Care For Sick Kids While Parents Are At Work
• Elly The Reindeer Offers Age App-Propiate Story Time

Gen Y

• Nissan Lures Millennials With Dorky-Cool Cube
• Midas And Spin Rock The Highway This Summer
• Monsters Are Coming To The House That Barbie Built
• Dollhouse Gives Gen We Keys To Their Own Eco-Homes
• Inkpop Connects Teen Writers With Teen Readers

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Boomers
• Bedtime Storytelling For The Digital Grandparent
• Sunset Daze: Where Frisky Retirees Get Real
• Elations Leverages Boomers’ Facebook Usage
• P&G, NBC Digital Create Network For Boomer Verticals
• Mature Models Strut Their Stuff

Gen X
• Pampers’ Mother Of All iPad Apps
• My Gym Uses Mobile To Fight Childhood Obesity
• Affluent Gen X/Y Hike Private Label Sales
• Twin Outfits That Don’t Quite Match
• New Magazine Gives Childhood Obesity The ChopChop

Gen Y
• Brands Strive To Reach The Youth Market
• School Yearbooks, Personalized For Each Student
• Plastic Chips Carry An Online Message
• Mercedes Goes B-School To Learn From Millennials
• Among Gen Y Affluents: Channel, BMW Top Brands

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Gen Y

• Do-Si-Don’t
• What A Girl’s Word-Of-Mouth Network Looks Like
• Green Tween
• Teens/Tweens Will Soon Be Rocking Their Rooms To Virtual Concerts
• Gen Y To Banks: Do Better

Gen X

• Social Network Neophytes Play It Safe With Facechipz
• American Girl Doll Inspires Kids To Play Outside
• MummyMug Won’t Scald Tykes
• Green Allowance Pays Kids To Turn Off Lights, Recycle
• Gen X Marks The Spot In Hot Tube Time Machine

Boomers

• Boomer Invents Walker-Style Skating Device
• The Boomer Way: Natural Burials
• Ski Resorts Tackle A Future Without Boomers
• The Kids Have Come Home, But Can Mom And Dad Afford Them?
• Green Economy Wants Baby Boomers

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Boomers

• Adult Playgrounds Help Seniors Stay Active In The UK
• The Apple Of A Boomer’s Eye
• As Boomers Age, Some Are Smoking Pot Again
• Hot Trend For Retirees: Work-Camping
• The Biggest Baby Boomer Brands

Gen X

• Clorex App Gives Consumers The Content They Want
• Gen X And Y To Pave The Way To Economic Recovery
• Kids Create Edible Art With Yummy Dough
• Disney Targets Moms With Craft Finder App
• Augmented Reality Brings Kid’s T-Shirts To Life

Gen Y

• Fitness Freebies For Healthy Teens And Tweens
• Gen Y Goes For Online Banking
• Disney Gets Its Goth On
• Gen Y Dish On Culinary Trends
• Nintendo Adds Twain, Shakespeare To New Mobile Device

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Headlines from this month’s issue:

· The Beatles: Rock Band Is About To Create Another Revolution
· Cougars Of America Convene
· In Europe, “Greycationers” Seek Local Thrills
· Retailers Prep For Aging Boomers
· Over Woodstocked

· Crayola Goes Back To School With #GNO
· Indie-Rock Coloring Book Appeals To Many Ages
· Bringing Back The ‘80s
· Pepsi Program Targets African-American Moms

· HP Asks Gen Y To “Declare Yourself”
· BrazenCareerist.com – LinkedIn For Gen Y
· You Will Be Surprised By Y
· Same As It Ever Was. Parents Really No Sure What Their Teens Are Doing
· For Today’s Teens, A Political Web Site Of Their Own

David Stutts is Luckie’s VP/Director of Brand Planning. For a free subscription to Generational News and Views — or David’s other monthly report, Trend Trackers — just drop him an e-mail.

Headlines from this month’s issue:

Boomers

• Retirees Cruise Into The Sunset In Floating Condos
• A Woodstock Flashback, Man?
• The Family That Social Networks Together…
• Boomers See Old Age As Still Being Far Away
• Boomer Insight On Store Brands And Eating

Gen X

• Edy’s Helps Parents Help Their Youngsters Chill Out After A Tonsillectomy
• “Life Moves Pretty Fast.” Remembering John Hughes
• Luvs Readies Campaign To Help Moms Save Money
• Johnson & Johnson Introduces New Breed Of App
• Moms Love Free Food Samples At Costco

Gen Y

• Adidas Engages Youth Demographic With Mobile
• Coalition Aims To Put Millennials To Work
• Kia Targets Gen Y With Hamster Facebook App
• SofLens Focuses On 20somethings
• Sears Targets College Students With Facebook Campaign

David Stutts is Luckie’s VP/Director of Brand Planning. For a free subscription to Generational News and Views — or David’s other monthly report, Trend Trackers — just drop him an e-mail.

by David Stutts, Director of Brand Planning for Luckie & Company

A couple of years ago marketers had to shift their mom mindset from the Baby Boomer Soccer Mom to Gen X Domestic Goddess Mom. Well, guess what? It’s think time to rethink mom again and start paying attention to Gen Y moms. There are 80 million Gen Y members and over 9 million are already moms. Because of Gen Y’s sheer size, it’s likely to be a bigger baby boom than the period after World War II.

Follow the jump for more or click here to download the .pdf.

Gen Y moms’ attitudes values and beliefs were shaped during their formative years in the prosperous 1990s. As teens they had stylish decorated bedrooms and spent spring break in places like Cancun, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. They’ve always had their own computer, TV, DVD player, cell phone and MP3 player. Mass affluent brands were standard gear. As young teens were pampered with manicures and pedicures and drank $3 lattes on their way to high school.

As moms they’re likely to push their infants in $700 Bugaboo strollers and carry $300 Kate Spade diaper bags. Appearance for both themselves and their children will be very important. Gen Y moms also grew up in an era of teamwork (versus individuality/do-it-myself for Gen Xers). They have very strong relationships with their mothers, many of whom are Boomers, and these Boomers moms will likely play a big role in helping Gen Y mom raise her children. Boomer mom will be a highly trusted source of not only child-raising information, but also brand/product/service information. Their teachers and parents always told them they could do no wrong. They were taught to voice their opinions and expect results when they did so. They are not “control freaks” like their Boomer moms were, but they like to be in control. Individuality is important, but not at the expense of group structure. The Internet will continue to be a huge player in daily life. Gen Y moms will use it to broaden their circle of friends (or tribes as some have called them), joining social networks and blogging their experiences with like-minded moms. Information and insights gleaned from these trusted social networks will be very powerful and generally hold much more value than all but the most focused marketing messages. While it may seem overwhelming to think about how to communicate and connect with Gen Y moms, in reality it should be fun and exhilarating to engage the first truly digital-native generation and interact with them on terms they set versus the terms brands have always set for the preceding generations. To use a sporting metaphor, it’s not just a new ballgame, it’s a new sport.

Some things for marketers to think about as this approaching tsunami of Gen Y moms rapidly gains momentum:

1. This is the most marketing-savvy generation ever seen. This coupled with their
mastery and reliance on the Internet for word-of-mouth information from moms
in their social-networking circles, will leave traditional marketers with a very
challenging proposition for creating brand connections.

2. Their Internet and social-networking savvy has created a generation of moms
who are used to being (and expect to be) involved in the creation of ideas and
content. They don’t want marketers selling to them; rather they want to be
invited and engaged by brands. They know they have a strong voice and
expect marketers to listen and adapt to them, not the other way around.

3. Gen Y moms will be looking for ideas and inspiration that can help them create a
healthy, active and rewarding life for their families.

4. No matter what generation they are from, most moms never feel they have enough
time in the day. For marketers speaking to Gen Y moms, it may not be so much
about trying to create time as it is about showing an understanding of the lack of
time and asking how they can help.