GEN X: MARKETING FOR THE JILTED GENERATION

CONTENTS

_______________________________________________

01Hello

______________________________________________ 02

02Milestones that Made Them

______________________________________________ 04

03Gen X by Gen X

______________________________________________ 06

04Converting Cynics to Fans

______________________________________________ 08

05Media Neutral

______________________________________________ 10

06Great Expectations

______________________________________________ 12

07Modern Family

______________________________________________ 14

08Switching Off

______________________________________________ 16

09Living Well

______________________________________________ 18

10Conclusion

______________________________________________ 20

| 1 |

01

The marketing world seems to be obsessed with the cult of the Millennial: the anointed

ones of all things innovative, cool and current. I’d be willing to bet that over the course

of the last 12 months you’ve read at least one article or report on the most hyped

generation in history – we wrote one ourselves, and were blown away by the response.

However, as someone classified as a Millennial (although a late one, and even then by the

skin of my teeth) I realised when writing our report that a lot of the ideas and behaviours

ascribed to my generation aren’t new. In fact, they had been established by Gen X.

There’s been a tendency for marketers to focus on neologisms such as the “Grey Pound”,

“Silver Surfers”, “Baby Boomers” and of course “Millennials”. All of these cohorts have

had their time in the sun, and been held up as the generation to engage in order to

guarantee brand and business success.

On the other hand, and thanks largely to clichés derived from America, the much

maligned Gen X are seen as a slacker generation – highly cynical of brands, distrusting of

organisations and hard to reach. Little wonder they are largely ignored by the marketing

industry – search “Generation X” on Campaign Live and you’ll only find 92 articles vs.

865 for “Millennial”.

This is crazy when you consider the 35 to 55 year old cohort in the UK makes up nearly

28% of the UK’s total population (ONS) and has the highest weekly expenditure (£894

vs. a national average of £683, ONS). Even in sectors as traditionally youth-fixated as

apparel, 30-49 year olds outspend the under 30s.

In short, we think they’re worth the effort, and when you look beyond the stereotypes

you’ll discover a group of pioneers who have shaped the world today – from music and

fashion to media and communications.

So rather than saddling this group with lazy preconceptions or – even worse – lumping

them into crude groups like “male”, “female” or “parent”, we wanted to understand who

they really are. And in doing so, we wanted to help brands embrace the Jilted Generation

and create exciting and effective marketing plans that deliver on the bottom line.

David Proudlock, Strategy Director

*RESEARCH BY OUR PARTNERS, FLYRESEARCH, A MRS COMPANY PARTNER RESEARCH AGENCY

TOM PEYTON, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVERTISING, HONDA

“ AT THE END OF THE DAY, GENERATION X ARE PRIME TIME IN THEIR INCOME.”

OF THE UK’S POPULATION

HIGHEST WEEKLY

EXPENDITURE

35 TO 55

YEAR OLDS

28%

| 2 | | 3 |

1985First mobile call in the UK

On New Year’s Day the comedian

Ernie Wise, resplendent in full

Dickensian costume, made what was

publicised as Britain’s first civilian

mobile phone call. By the end of the

year, over 12,000 mobile devices had

been sold in the UK – in 2015 alone,

that figure had risen to 32 million.

1986Diego Maradona and the Hand of God win the World Cup for Argentina

1987Launch of the Amiga 500

In the pre-console age, the war for

bedroom gaming dominance in the

80s and early 90s came down to two

contenders: the Commodore Amiga

and the Atari ST. The cheaper 500

clinched the battle for Amiga, and

saw the rise of game developers who

would go on to create the likes of

Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty.

1988Wembley Stadium hosts the 70th Birthday Tribute for the still-imprisoned Nelson Mandela

02

1976Sex Pistols play the 100 Club

For every nascent scene, there’s

a big bang moment. Two months

before they unleashed the filth and

the fury by swearing live on national

television; the Pistols played the 100

Club and kickstarted a rebellious DIY

ethic that would change both music

and fashion forever.

1977Star Wars arrives from a galaxy far, far away

After initially being rejected

by Universal Studios as “too

complicated”, Star Wars (and to a

lesser extent, Jaws) ushered in the

era of the blockbuster. The most

successful movie merchandising

franchise in history, Star Wars

defined film for a generation and

saw the rise of “super fan” culture.

1978Space Invaders becomes a worldwide sensation

MILESTONES THAT MADE THEM

From empty nesters and double income same-sex couples to the first hackers, this swathe of the UK population is more than just a family audience with 2.1 kids.

1979Election of Margaret Thatcher

A grocer’s daughter from provincial

Lincolnshire, no individual in the last

century is more divisive than the Iron

Lady. To some the nation’s saviour for

letting the free market rule supreme

and to others a warmonger who

decimated British industry, Thatcher –

for better or worse - left an indelible

mark on UK culture.

1981 Only Fools and Horses unites New York, Paris and Peckham

1982Launch of Channel 4

Channel 4 began life with a remit

to provide innovative and creative

programming for a diverse society.

C4 quickly embraced its outsider

status, breaking broadcasting taboos

around LGBT and multicultural

issues and providing a platform for

emerging alternative creative talent.

1983The Smiths debut on Top of the Pops

1984Ongoing pit closures lead to the Miners’ Strike

1980Seminal culture magazine The Face publishes its first edition

1989Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web

Almost 25 years before the discovery

of the previously theoretical Higgs

boson, the CERN laboratory in

Geneva was the site of an even more

world-changing event. In inventing

the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-

Lee unwittingly became the spiritual

father of everything from Spotify to

cat memes.

1990The Simpsons make their television debut on The Tracey Ullman show

1991Two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Union is dissolved

1992Launch of the Premier League

The late 80s had been a ruinous

time for English football, with violent

hooliganism rendering the sport toxic.

The Premier League and the untold

millions poured into it by Rupert

Murdoch’s Sky empire changed that

forever, bringing gentrification (and US-

style bombast) to the national game.

1993 Bill Clinton succeeds George H. W. Bush as the 42nd President of the United States

1994The OJ Simpson trial

The OJ Simpson trial laid bare the

deep fault lines within American race

relations. Whilst its impact on the UK

was far less seismic, it provided the

first sensationalist taste of a world

event happening in real-time: the

precursor to 24-hour media, news as

entertainment and the inexorable rise

of reality TV.

1995Sony PlayStation becomes the world’s best selling game console

1996England reach the semi-finals of the European Championships on home soil

1997Election of Tony Blair

When he first burst on to the political

scene, Tony Blair was more rock star

than politician. New Labour routed

the Tories at the ballot box in a riot

of Cool Britannia optimism – making

his eventual journey from Gen X

superstar to post-Iraq Millennial

pariah even starker in retrospect.

| 4 | | 5 |

GEN X BY GEN X

03

While most marketers have a clearer idea of what the Millennial and Baby Boomer cohorts stand for, this overlooked generation has been attributed with a wide array

of badges ranging from rebels and cynics to conservative, risk-averse traditionalists.

We delved into the minds of UK Gen Xers to better understand what made their lives happier,

as well as what makes their generation unique. Our survey threw up results that made us

rethink our beliefs about this distinctive group:

“BOOMERS PLACE VALUE IN DRIVING CONSENSUS THROUGH CONVERSATION,

WHILE MILLENNIALS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH LESS EXPLORATION. GEN X SEE THE VALUE IN BOTH STYLES AND CAN ADAPT TO EACH FAIRLY EASILY.”

RICH LITNER, SENIOR CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER, COCA-COLA

SELF-RELIANT HARD WORKERS

‘Being self-sufficient and independent’ followed by the

development and use of technology and a hard-working

ethic were the top three things that made Gen Xers

unique versus other groups

LIBERAL MEN

50% more male than female Gen Xers said ‘being liberally

minded’ set their generation apart

ENTERPRISING WOMEN

Four times as many Gen X women than men felt ‘being

entrepreneurial’ is what makes this group unique

52

3

1

6

4THEY’RE NOT THE REBELS THEY’RE MADE OUT TO BE

Only 6% of the survey respondents felt ‘questioning

authority and institutions’ was a unique characteristic

of their generation

3% of Gen Xers said the same about ‘willingness to

call the government to account’ versus 28% of UK

Millennial respondents

MEN WANT MORE LOVE

While 60% of Gen X men said that it’s important to be

in a loving relationship in order to be happy in life, only

41% of their female counterparts said the same

HEALTH AND LOVE TRUMP WEALTH AND CAREER

Being physically and mentally healthy came in joint first

(67%) when asked what Gen Xers thought was most

important to being happy and fulfilled in life. Being in a

loving relationship (50%) and having a family (38%) came

next, beating being wealthy (24%) and enjoying their

work (14%)

| 6 | | 7 |

31%

CONVERTING CYNICS TO FANS The self-reliant, independent and hard-working ethos of UK Gen Xers carries forward to what this audience wants and expects from brands.

Gen Xers are seasoned, meticulous shoppers who know what they want

and stalk brands that fit into their consideration set. They hunt for deals

to ensure that they’re making the best possible purchase decision. This

group may be time-poor, but that doesn’t stop them from doing their due

diligence before sealing the deal. Our survey identified distinct brand

behaviours and attributes that achieve cut through with this group.

MAKE YOURSELF USEFULUK Gen Xers are busy people who are constantly trying to stay on top of

all of their professional and personal responsibilities. The writing is on the

wall for brands – make a positive contribution to this audience by being

useful to them, or else don’t bother.

Gen Xers wanted brands to first and foremost make their lives simpler and

more convenient (70%). Next in line was to provide them with inspiration

(31%) followed by entertaining them with content (30%). Over a quarter

also wanted brands to help them achieve their life goals.

There is a distinctly male skew to Gen Xers who wanted brands to

entertain them with content, whilst a female slant applied to brands

making their lives simpler and more convenient.

Brands that helped make Gen Xers’ daily lives easier with apps and

tips stood to gain increased loyalty from nearly a third of our survey

respondents. 23% also wanted brands to provide them with content that

helped keep them current. It ’s clear that being useful not only drives

purchase, but also increases loyalty.

04

EARNED TRUSTOnline sources of information trump offline ones when Gen Xers search

for information during their pre-purchase research. Customer reviews on

store websites turned out to be the most-trusted source of pre-purchase

information/advice for a vast majority of Gen Xers (57%), while online

experts came in second place (38%). Specialist blogs and forums followed

in third place (28%).

YouTube reviews registered higher numbers than lifestyle and niche

magazines, further indicating dominance of online sources of expertise

over offline ones as information authorities.

Differences in preferences by gender included female Gen Xers showing

higher trust levels for online experts (41% vs. 36% for males) and for

customer reviews on store websites than their male counterparts (66% vs.

48%). Specialist forums/blogs turned out to be a male-skewed source of

trust (32% vs. 24% for females).

REASSURANCE & SUPPORTThe top three brand communications this audience wanted were product

features, offers/discounts and information on after purchase support.

The message is clear – show me I’m making a hassle-free and ‘best bang

for my buck’ purchase decision with your brand.

Reassuring Gen Xers of pre and post purchase care is also essential, with

56% of our survey respondents ranking customer service and support

as the second most important brand activity (after price promotions) in

increasing their loyalty.

THE GREATER GOODEthics and values are important as well. 31% of this cohort said that brands

that are socially and environmentally responsible increased their loyalty. A

brand’s value addition has to go beyond the consumer.

ROADMAP TO SUCCESSIt is imperative that brands looking to engage Gen X consumers design

a campaign around not just one of the highlighted brand attributes, but

use a combination of all of them in a coherent strategy. The formula is to

start with the intention of making a positive contribution to their lives.

Then brands need to earn their trust by backing up their offering with real

substance (and not gimmicks), and finally reassuring them that they’re

making the right choice.

GEN XERS WANTED BRANDS TO FIRSTAND FOREMOST MAKE THEIR LIVESSIMPLER AND MORE CONVENIENT.

WANT BRANDS TO MAKE THEIR LIVES

SIMPLER AND CONVENIENT

57% - CUSTOMER REVIEWS ON STORE

WEBSITES ARE THE MOST-TRUSTED

SOURCE OF PRE-PURCHASE INFORMATION

VS 38% ONLINE EXPERTS

AGREE BRANDS THAT ARE SOCIALLY

AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE

INCREASED THEIR LOYALTY

70%

30%

57% VS 38%

WANT BRANDS TO ENTERTAIN

THEM WITH CONTENT

| 8 | | 9 |

CASE STUDY05

THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IN ENGAGING THIS AUDIENCE IS ‘WHERE’ BRANDED CONTENTSHOULD LIVE TO MAXIMISE IMPACT.

Gen Xers grew up with ‘old’ media at the height of its power and influence,

whilst also developing and adopting ‘new’ and emerging media. Gen

Xers live with a foot in both camps and are the only truly media neutral

generation. This means there is no silver bullet when creating campaigns.

Instead a focus on an integrated, multi-channel approach is key.

Unsurprisingly, TV was the top channel with 60% of our survey

respondents saying a brand should be present on this channel to increase

their chance of purchase (UK Gen Xers consume on average 3.7 hours of

TV daily versus 2.6 hours for Millennials according to BARB data).

Interestingly, the second most popular channel turned out to be social

media networks (40%). Newspapers/traditional media came in third at 32%,

underscoring the value of conventional PR to achieve cut through.

Radio came in fourth place at 23%, while 1 in 5 Gen Xers said brands

present on billboards increased their inclination to buy.

WRANGLER: BORN READY

MEDIA NEUTRAL

60% OF OUR RESPONDENTS SAY A

BRAND SHOULD BE PRESENT ON TV

YOUR BRAND HERE

GEN X-ERS CONSUME ON AVERAGE 3.7

HOURS OF TV DAILY

Wrangler’s core audience is firmly Generation X - educated, media saturated and

sceptical about any brand’s claim to greatness. Inkling worked with Wrangler to

create inspirational pan-European content for two new ranges: Ready, focusing on

performance denim, and Wrangler x Leatherman, a collaboration with the iconic

American multi-tool.

Through audience, category and culture insight, we identified influencers who would

provide substantial reach and offer genuine value to Gen Xers.

For Wrangler x Leatherman we mapped out a content series featuring individuals

who embodied different aspects of both brands, but who had a shared ethos of

adventure: Paul Steele, founder of the Bald Hiker blog; lifestyle photography maven

Dan Rubin and German TV presenter and mechanic Jens Kuck. And for Ready, we

curated a series of microadventures alongside author Alastair Humphreys that

could be experienced within an hour of anyone’s front door. Having also engaged

influential tastemakers from Germany and Poland, we then turned some of these

microadventures into short films along with useful outdoor tips and tricks – such as

turning a beer can into a stove – that our audience could employ themselves.

By providing tailored content that both entertained and offered ways to live a more

adventurous lifestyle (whilst showcasing product truths at all times), the Wrangler x

Leatherman collection sold out in less than a month. Ready broke e-commerce sales

records four days in a row and the content we created delivered 770% more referrals

than its advertising.

| 10 | | 11 |

06

Lumping this generation lazily into the ‘parents’ bucket has also led to making assumptions about the stresses that UK Gen Xers face. Though it’s tempting to think that this audience is only worried about staying on top of their busy schedules and raising a family, our survey reveals that there are also a myriad of social pressures that affect UK Gen Xers. Only 8% of our survey respondents said that they did not feel any social pressures at all.

Unlike Millennials, Gen Xers do not feel any pressure to be foodies or cook

like pros (68% said they didn’t feel this). They’re also fairly secure in their

careers (given their more advanced stage on the career progression ladder),

with 54% saying they didn’t feel the pressure to succeed more at their career.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

KEEPING UP APPEARANCESWhile Millennials might be the ones badged with the narcissistic tag,

UK Gen Xers aren’t all that far behind in the vanity department.

Although the pressure to be better parents was felt by 39% of our

survey respondents, surprisingly the pressures stemming from

‘keeping up with the Joneses’ scored higher. 1 in 2 in our survey

felt the pressure to look good and dress well, while another 51% of

Gen Xers felt the pressure to have a beautiful home, with a higher

number of older respondents (aged 45-54) feeling this pressure

more acutely than younger Gen Xers (aged 35-44). Clearly, Gen

Xers don’t just define themselves as parents running around after

their kids, but also have their own individual identity as people who

take care of their self-image.

BEACH BODY READYStaying healthy and active is the second big area of pressure for UK

Gen Xers.

61% of survey respondents felt the pressure of being slim and fit,

while 4 in 10 felt that there was pressure on them to eat more

healthily. A further 57% felt they needed to stay active and play

more sports.

“THE SUPERHUMAN” SYNDROMEA recurring theme that emerged was that a higher number of Gen

Xers with children at home felt social pressures more than those

who didn’t have any children, clearly suggesting that there is an

implicit pressure to be perfect in many aspects of their lives.

This was especially the case with female respondents, who felt all

of the social pressures more than their male counterparts (nearly

four times as many female Gen Xers felt the pressure of being slim,

versus males), reinforcing the image of the “super mum” excelling at

everything she does with superhuman finesse.

TRADITIONAL RULESGiven that this audience watches on average nearly 4 hours of TV

a day, it ’s no wonder that TV was ranked as being the top source

exerting social pressures on Gen Xers. Newspapers came in second

place, demonstrating the role of traditional media in perpetuating

standards of perfection.

Colleagues and peers came in third place, with friends and family

coming in fourth place.

Social media, celebrities and models in ads were the bottom three

sources (in that order) of social pressures amongst this audience.

FELT THE PRESSURE TO HAVE

A BEAUTIFUL HOME

FELT THE PRESSURE TO

LOOK GOOD AND DRESS WELL

FELT THE PRESSURE

TO EAT MORE HEALTHILY

FELT THE PRESSURE

OF BEING SLIM AND FIT

ONLY 8% DIDN’T FEEL ANY SOCIAL PRESSURES

40%

8 PERCENT

| 12 | | 13 |

07

MODERN FAMILYAs highlighted from our exploration of the subcultures and defining moments of UK Gen Xers earlier in this report, the fact is that this cohort’s identity extends far beyond a singular, outdated picture of being a family person where the woman is in charge of the kitchen and the man is the sole breadwinner. Yet, our survey found that brands are continually falling into two traps while targeting this audience.

GENDER ROLE TRAPFood for thought - 51% of Gen X males were the primary decision makers for all

household furnishings purchased in their household (such as sofas and beds).

A further 43% were the primary decision makers when it came to home décor

(paints and decorations) as well. Yet, as many as 44% of Gen X males said that

messaging from home furnishing brands were neither relevant nor engaging to

them. 45% echoed the same about home décor brands. Clearly, there’s a gap in

the communications targeting and the end consumer here.

The trap for brands to develop messaging that is aimed at audiences that fit

long-held gender stereotypes is apparent when more such gaps in engagement

emerged in our survey.

We unearthed similar gaps in other sectors as well. While 6 in 10 Gen X males

are primary decision makers for all food and grocery shopping in their house,

only 21% of them found messaging from food brands to be relevant and

engaging. Similarly, 34% of female respondents were primary

decision makers of the cars purchased in their household – yet

42% of them said that messaging from car brands was not at all

relevant to them. 46% of women also said the same for sports

apparel brands.

PARENT TRAPOur analysis also found higher non-engagement of brand

communications amongst Gen Xers without children at home

across most sectors. For instance, 47% of respondents with no

children in their household find communications from cookware

brands irrelevant (versus 17% with children at home). Only food

and tech brands seem to register equal amounts of relevance and

engagement with both sub-groups.

The wider insight that has emerged is that brand communications

are currently under-serving and not engaging the less traditional

(but important) demographics within the Gen X audience.

GEN X MALES ARE PRIMARY

DECISION MAKERS FOR ALL FOOD AND

GROCERY SHOPPING THEIR HOUSE

OF GEN XERS WITH NO CHILDREN

IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD FIND

COMMUNICATIONS FROM COOKWARE

BRANDS IRRELEVANT

47 PERCENT

“THE INSIGHT THAT WE HEARD FROM TODAY’S DADS IS THAT THEY FEEL THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT TO THE PREVIOUS GENERATION. THEY ASPIRE TO HAVE MORE OF A HANDS-ON RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND PRIORITISE MORE TIME FOR THAT.”

DAVID BUXBAUM, GENERAL MANAGER, LEGO

6 IN 10

| 14 | | 15 |

SWITCHING OFF Given how stressful their lives are, we wanted to understand the motivations behind this audience’s favourite activities and hobbies during their ‘down time’.

“ME-TIME”Gen Xers’ favourite hobbies gave them more time to spend with family and

friends, with more than 6 in 10 respondents citing this as their top motivation.

But it would be an error to think they don’t yearn for some quality time for

themselves with hobbies that allow them to get some “me time” scoring a high

49%. A surprisingly high number of Gen Xers also wished they had more spare

time to be alone by themselves, coming in only 3% behind wanting more time

with their spouses/partners and children.

“WE CURATE OUR OFFER FOR DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, BUT THEY’RE MORE FOCUSED ON ATTITUDE AND PASSIONS. IF PEOPLE LOVE CYCLING, WE’LL TELL THEM WHERE THEY CAN FEEL FREE ON THE OPEN ROAD. IF THEY LOVE FOOD, WE’LL TELL THEM WHERE THE BEST STREET-FOOD MARKETS ARE. IT’S ABOUT INSPIRATIONAL GUIDANCE.”

CLAIRE CRONIN, CUSTOMER AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, VIRGIN HOLIDAYS

STRESS BUSTERSGen Xers take an almost literal approach to their ‘down time’, with 55% saying

that their favourite hobbies and activities let them unwind and de-stress. More

than a quarter (26%) liked making improvements to their home and garden

during their free time.

There is a clear theme of Gen Xers not wanting to tax themselves too much

for leisure, both physically and mentally. Activities that challenged Gen Xers

physically and hobbies that involved learning a new skill such as learning to

play a musical instrument or language both clocked in a meagre 14% each.

08

GEN X INTERESTS

WISHED THEY HAD MORE “ME TIME”

AGREE FAVOURITE HOBBIES

AND ACTIVITIES LET THEM

UNWIND AND DE-STRESS

55%

SOURCE: GLOBAL WEB INDEX DATA

MUSIC

52%

WILDLIFE/NATURE

32%

PHOTOGRAPHY

29%

CARS/AUTOMOBILES

39%

TV SHOWS/SERIES

47%

TRAVEL/EXPLORING NEW PLACES

49%

DECOR/DIY/HOME IMPROVEMENTS

32%

FASHION AND STYLE

28%

ECONOMY/FINANCE

36%

BOOKS/READING

46%

FILM/MOVIES

54%

WATCHING SPORT

33%

GAMING

30%

HEALTH AND FITNESS

43%

SCIENCE AND TECH

48%

49%

| 16 | | 17 |

CASE STUDY

HelloFlo, an American subscription service providing personalised monthly

deliveries of tampons and other feminine care products, has re-written the rulebook

when it comes to talking about periods. The startup, launched in 2013, has created a

content spot that depicts a pre-teen girl faking her first period and the subsequent

events her slightly sadistic (albeit ultimately well-intentioned) Gen X mother brings

down upon her as a result. With over 36 million YouTube views to date, the video’s

fresh approach to dealing with highly personal subject matter by empowering and

inspiring its core audience of Gen X mums has been a resounding success. By being

candid, it encourages (and makes it easy for) other women to share their own stories.

HelloFlo’s success goes beyond producing highly watchable content. Their

website is a hub for useful advice on more holistic wellness issues ranging from

mental health and depression, to wider ‘femspiration’ articles on topics like art,

relationships and career advice. Everything HelloFlo creates demonstrates its bold,

breaking-taboos attitude towards making women’s lives easier and better. Gen

Xers don’t like brands speaking to them in a patronising way, so HelloFlo’s relatable

brand voice has achieved remarkable engagement with this audience.

HELLOFLO

LIVING WELL Given that being mentally and physically healthy ranked first in helping this cohort lead a happier and fulfilled life, it was a natural next step to investigate the types of wellness activities this group were engaging in regularly to achieve wellbeing.

DIET AND EXERCISEWhen it came to physical wellness activities, hiking and walking proved to be

the most popular activity amongst this group, with 4 in 10 doing this regularly. 1

in 5 Gen Xers also run or cycle regularly, and nearly 15% swim and lift weights in

the gym. 37% of UK Gen Xers followed a healthy diet, underscoring the success

of ‘healthy eating’ campaigns with this cohort.

HOLISTIC WELLNESSThis group also looks at the bigger picture elements of wellbeing. Gen Xers

don’t forget to give their minds a workout with a quarter regularly solving

puzzles, crosswords and Sudoku (significantly higher number of older Gen Xers

did this versus younger ones). 1 in 10 Gen Xers also meditate regularly.

TECHOur survey has found that technology is yet to become a mainstream feature

with active Gen Xers. Only 29% of respondents who did regular physical fitness

activities used a fitness tracker device like Fitbit/Garmin, while only 1 in 5

clocked up their miles on a fitness-tracking app like Nike+ Running or Strava.

Interestingly, a higher number of female Gen Xers wore a fitness tracker device

than male respondents.

Brain-training apps like Headspace and Lumosity failed to achieve widespread

adoption, with only 14% using these.

09

ONLY 29% OF THOSE RESPONDENTS WHO

DO REGULAR PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITES

USED A FITNESS TRACKER DEVICE

A QUARTER REGULARLY SOLVING

PUZZLES, CROSSWORDS AND SUDOKO

29%

1

4

WATCH THE FILM | http://bit.ly/1stmoonparty

| 18 | | 19 |

10

INKLING IS A CULTURE MARKETING AGENCY. WE CONNECTBRANDS TO CULTURE IN MEANINGFUL WAYS, BUILDINGBRAND EQUITY AND DELIVERING MEASURABLE BUSINESSSUCCESS.

However, culture is often used interchangeably with youth culture. Yet

in putting together this report, it has become clear that Generation X’s

affinity to cultures and cliques isn’t just skin deep. This cohort forms its

self-identity by fully diving into sub-cultures. As a result, the onus for

brands entering these spaces is to provide tangible, demonstrable value.

We’ve created authentic connections for brands through the identification

of key trends, passion points and sources of influence. Whether that’s

providing genuinely entertaining and informative content, appealing

to Gen Xers as vital individuals rather than parents and caregivers or

subverting clichéd messaging around gender stereotypes, the reward is

the loyalty of an affluent and relatively untapped demographic.

It’s all in creating genuine value exchange, and over the last 12 months

we’ve helped brands across every vertical to cut through indifference.

If you’ve enjoyed the report, drop us a line. We’d very much welcome the

opportunity to show you what Inkling can do.

Team Inkling

INKLING GEN X CLIENTS

| 20 |

ON AVERAGE

2X OVER KPIS

AVERAGE FROM 62 KPIS AGREED WITH CLIENTS

IN ADVANCE

PR – EXPERIENTIAL – SOCIAL – CONTENT

EMAIL HELLO@THISISINKLING.COM WEBSITE THISISINKLING.COM