There is a common belief that Baby Boomers are focused on career development, while generation Y representatives are technologically savvy. I believe that the generalization about different consumer segments is valid and can be used by marketing specialists to make decisions. First and foremost, these generalizations are based on study findings, for example, surveys about the millennial’s attitudes towards technology. Secondly, from a sociology perspective, Baby Boomers and Millennials have grown up in drastically different environments, with the latter being more familiar with the technology. These differences allow one to comprehend why and how the generations differ and explain the nature of generalizations. Moreover, according to Hassens (2018), marketing generalizations contributed to the development of “choice modeling, in behavioral decision theory, and structural models” (p. 6). These generalizations provide an insight into the consumer behavior that is most likely to occur based on empirical data.
Despite these generalizations’ usefulness, it is best to target consumers more carefully because generalizations define their target consumer segments. Although generalized descriptions can help determine the age range of a consumer, for instance, generation Y representatives are more likely to be interested in computer games than Baby Boomers, and these generalizations will not apply to all representatives of this generation. These generalizations show a typical behavior path, but marketers should conduct more in-depth studies for a specific product to clearly define the characteristics of their target consumer. Hence, an attempt to appeal to the whole generation is not a beneficial marketing structure as the target market would be too broad and not heterogeneous. Overall, marketing generalizations help understand the typical behavior of a consumer segment but should be used with caution by practitioners.
Reference
Hanssens, D. (2017). The value of empirical generalizations in marketing. Journal of The Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), 6-8.