Talk about unintended consequences – today’s “Best of JacoBLOG” post was grossly misunderstood by its target audiences: Gen Xers.
As a Baby Boomer writing the post, I might not have been the best representative to write about Generation X reaching a new milestone. And I believe this post found its way to a social group for Xers, many of whom let me have it in the many comments that poured in. In fact, once every few weeks, another Xer happens across the post and gives me their two cents.
The post was meant to highlight the shortsightedness of generational stereotyping, especially by the advertising community who is famous for missing a great opportunity even when it meets them head on. But at least to the Xers who read it, that wasn’t their takeaway.
OK, boomer. – FJ
June
Every generation in America is celebrated for its uniqueness, as well as its impact on our society and culture.
Except Gen X, that is.
Baby Boomers had The Graduate, Star Wars, and The Big Chill. Millennials had Harry Potter books and cool animated movies like Shrek, and Toy Story. And Gen Z has Frozen and The Hunger Games franchise.
Gen Xers?
Hands down, it would have to be The Breakfast Club, a film that very much sums up a generational mindset. That famous John Hughes film starred several members of the so-called Brat Pack, a misunderstood group of Xers. It was a story of alienation, of being misunderstood – the perfect tone for a generation that has struggled to define itself.
Well, now they’re turning 50, truly a milestone, right? And sad to say, things are about to get worse.
Generation X has long had its challenges. Relatively speaking, it’s a small generation, drowned out by two mega-groups credited with changing our
culture – Boomers and Millennials. These two larger generations have dominated headlines since they were identified by sociologists, demographers, and marketers.
It has always been about them. And now here comes Gen Z, the teenage up-and-comers and their younger sibs – Gen C – who may end up earning their own brand: “The COVID Generation.”
Xers were defined as the “latch key kids,” often forced to grow up at home alone, make their own dinner, and clean the house after school while both parents worked. And they were perennially disrespected, resentful that Baby Boomers were vacuuming up all of the attention.
And then Millennials came along to steal the next chapter of generational thunder.
A recent article in the New York Times defines Gen X this way:
“A relatively small cohort sandwiched between baby boomer and millennials, this demographic consisting of Americans born between 1965 and 1980 seemed to dominate the cultural conversation for only a brief stretch of the 1990s, when Seattle seemed like the music capital of the universe and ‘Gen X’ served as shorthand for all things edgy and cool.”
There you have it. Grunge, RAV4s, and iPhones – all products that debuted during the formative years of Xers. That’s it. Visual Capitalist breaks their brand affinities down this way:
Gen Xers, if you think these gross generalizations are unfair, inaccurate, or just plain superficial, welcome to the BIG 5-0.
While we Boomers have had a lot of things going for us, we have become largely irrelevant in the eyes of the advertising world since turning 50. That’s because the “gray market” apparently isn’t worth targeting. For as long as I’ve been in the business, consumers north of 54 have been stereotyped as being stuck in their ways, tech-phobic, unwilling to try new brands, and living off the government teat of Social Security. In other words, old and out of it. Irrelevant.
The truth, of course, is very different. The 50+ market is the largest, wealthiest generation in history. According to eMarketer, Baby Boomers have twice the household wealth of Gen Xers, and 10 times that of Millennials in the U.S. And all of these multiples likely grew even higher as we come out of the other side of the pandemic.
But somehow advertisers consistently ignore this reality. They continue to overlook all those dependable Boomers who have been their loyal customers for decades, and who have more disposable income and wealth than any other generation. Many aging former flower children are buying second homes and furnishing them, going on vacations (post-pandemic, these will ramp up again), remodeling their homes, and frankly, continuing to serve as the economic engine of the country, a position they’ve held for decades.
Holy cognitive dissonance!
How can you ignore the red line on the chart below? But advertisers and marketers have done just that – for years. If you program or sell for a Classic Rock or News/Talk station, and you’re hacked off when you stare at this eMarketer chart, you have my sympathies. I have not only been in this movie – I’ve starred in it.
And rest assured, Xers, the older you get, the less desirable you’ll be in the eyes of Madison avenue, too – in spite of the fact your household income is 5x that of the average Millennial family.
The challenge of turning 50 is hard enough as it is – sore muscles, hair loss, weight challenges, and the futile pursuit of trying to retain your youth. Prepare for what we Boomers have had to face – watching and listening to a never-ending barrage of ads from pharmaceutical companies, assisted living communities, and insurance companies eager to sell us a reverse mortgage.
Take it from us – 50 is the new 40 (but of course, it’s not). 
Maybe there’s a shred of good news here for Xers. After feeling strangely invisible most of your lives, you will start getting attention and a lot of it…from AARP.
Get ready for a deluge of invitations in the mail exhorting you to join the ranks of the retired in exchange for senior discounts.
And before long, you’ll enter the Medicare years where healthcare will confuse the crap out of you. And you’ll become very familiar with those great senior spokes-dinosaurs, Tom Selleck, Joe Namath, Joan Lunden, and the Fonz, all of whom will be more than happy to take your money.
Turning 50 is truly the gateway to irrelevance. But you already know how that feels.
Trust us – you’ll fit right in.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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As a Gen-X’er, you aren’t too far off on how the Boomer Generation has made my generation feel irrelevant.
When I was in 7th grade, a classmate misspelled the worc “business”. My teacher told our class that because he couldn’t spell the word that it was an indication that our generation was doomed to “be the first generation in the history of the USA to not be as successful as their parents”. This wasn’t the only time I heard things like this. My parents told my sister and me, throughout our teenage years, that their generation would leave nothing for Gen-X, as they would “take it with them on the way out” and we would be “paying for their waning years.
They weren’t wrong.
We were given tidbits of what would satisfy us. Radio was a great example. Growing up hearing “Islands in the Stream” right next to Duran Duran “Hungry Like The Wolf”; pushing “That’s What Friends are For”, featuring 4 Boomer artists to #1; releasing songs like “Twist and Shout” and “Unchained Melody” (from a Boomer movie) while keeping CHR Boomer-friendly format. Or as a Program Director told me, the format was specifically designed as Mom-Rock, as a f-you to Gen X, because our generation was too small for advertisers to care about. He also said we would be skipped.
Because of a thought process like this, we ran to stations that were boutique formats like Rock of the 80’s, early Alt stations like KROQ and stations that dared to play Hairband, CHUrban (early Hip-Hop and R&B). because they were NOT something we were forced to share with our parents…as a matter of fact, it scared them. Prince and Iron Maiden were not welcome in most homes. Hence the Boomer-lead PMRC, who tried to squash our music, which was our rebellion music which, in context, was really no different than the messaging of “Brown Sugar” or “One Toke Over the Line”
You bring up the iPhone, which has been an amazing advancement, but you forgot about the iPod. This when we found that we could make many playlists of our music, this replaced the cassette (which was something our parents loved and understood). iPods were something our parents didn’t understand any better than setting the time on the VCR.
Sure we were graciously allowed to enjoy a segment of music and some technology, but Gen-X has been ignored by advertisers, employers (which were and in most cases are run by Boomers) and political considerations.
Personally, as Gen-X programmer, I refuse to do the same thing to the next generations. I look for young energetic Millennials and Gen-Z’ers to come in, take take charge and move them up. Young people who can work hand in hand with Boomers and Gen-Xer’s, so the industry I love survives and thrives.
To steal a line from a Whitney Houston song, “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” (Interesting how that Mom-rock song had a message that too many Boomers didn’t heed.)
I don’t dislike the Boomer generation, as a whole. A Boomer got me into this business and gave me a chance and many have mentored me. What I don’t like is the mentality of too many Boomers that was thrust upon Gen-X that it is a footnote in history, or throwaway. With too many, that thought process still exists.
Perhaps radio in Melbourne during the early ’90s was going through a similar phase…
https://radiotoday.com.au/the-little-station-that-caused-a-great-big-fuss
Eric, this is a great story! It’s inspiring and it begs the question: even with all the mobile phones, social media, etc. could a passion play like HITZ FM resonate with US teens?
Steve, thanks so much for your perspective and candor in this statement. I’ve been around long enough to learn that every generations minimizes (or shits on) younger generations(s). It is defensive, narrow-minded, and so non-productive. Your real life experiences (and the fact you remember these moments that occurred decades) confirms how demeaning Boomers could be. Believe me when I tell you that Boomers received similar treatment from their parents (and grandparents).
Sadly, IMO it’s human nature and it’s sews the seeds of distrust and resentment. Thanks for the enlightening thoughts.
Well said
Gen X time is still to come 😀 We got boomers hating millennials, Gen Z who the F knows? We only have one mission, Let the Mother F@#$% burn!
It’s awesome watching millennials and gen-z writing articles as if we actually have ideals. I think they need them in order for their mind to process. Boomers gave up long ago 😀
Burn everything, burn it all, burn us too! Blame us for the failure, seriously we want the credit for brining humanity to it’s knees. Blame us for all the failures, we are going to burn it all. Have a nice day!
You completely missed that 9/11 happened and thousands of our peers were lost physically, emotionally and mentally to bad politics. We are wise to the Boomers and will do it differently. We lived in wonderful times that turned about money and less optimistic for pure greed. The Boomer politicians are hoping we forgot so they keep us from power. We didn’t. We will get our turn to improve the situations. The crush of student debt happened to Gen X. The Boomers dumped on us. We had a vision of hope with Obama’s inclusive, smart forward think and unifying style of leadership. Boomers literally took hope from many of us, the greedy bunch! We are silently waiting. Because we know the game.
I intended the reply to the article not this comment.
Wow reading the article and the comments was enlightening. I am technically Gen X (1980). My parents are from the forgotten Generation. Neither of these terms means very much to me. I would like to give some advice to everyone. We have plenty of hate available all around us. In fact the market is pretty well saturated with it. This article does come across as very hateful. Just some food for thought. May peace be with you.
I don’t understand your point at all, I’m 56 and don’t get any advertisements for older demographic stuff like assisted living. I suspect GenX won’t get any ads at all because the idea of our non existence is a cognitive cornerstone of Millennials and their Boomer parents.
Fred, I enjoyed reading your article and perspective. I am a Black GenX’er so let me add we are also the purveyors of hip-hop and rap music which have become a global presence and the most popular genre among Millennials and Gen Z. Our impact on society has yet to be defined, so hold on in a few years you may be communicating a different perspective. B.
Thanks for this, and I am sure that when all is said and done, Gen X will have acquitted themselves well. As for us Boomers…
We’re not done
We’re never done
X
That’s a healthy philosophy.
I read most of your article.
I found it mean and spiteful, almost abstract in its sheer capricious-ness and abundantly irrational crudity of demeaning and inhumane spirit.
As an ‘X-er’, I’ve never had a job given to me because of my age.
And I’ve never been blamed for ruining the future.
I guess some ‘boomers’ feel entitled though, to have a perspective…
I’m just glad you’re not my
father.
R.I.P.
P.S.
Bang up job you did with ‘the kids’ by the way.
You know…Generation X.
We may not be paying your nursing home bills, but we will see you buried.
Thank you all fellow Gen Xers. Narcissism is also a huge issue with Boomers which ruined many Gen Xers minds. I could write a 1,000 page book on how horrible this generation was to us, from teachers, parents, and the generation as a whole tearing us down while no parent was home to ‘care’ for us. We learned how to be an adult by ourselves. Our parents were too concerned about spending money on themselves instead of taking any interest in their children. I have been a stranger from my own father for the horrible comments made to me. I’ve had teachers shake me by my arms and belittle me over and over growing up. Telling us we are no good and will never account to much at all. Yes! Our generation is pissed off for not having the childhood we should have had. After school specials scaring us about drugs, and being kidnapped. Reagan and Bush (both) used scare tactics instead of knowledge. Boomers have taken our money and continue to do so. Greed is good wasn’t only a famous motto in a movie…it was their generational motto. Other generations can’t understand and never will understand the daily courage which toughened us. We had to for survival.
I agree that Madison Ave is ageist. They don’t just target young consumers, it’s also well known they don’t hire people older than 40. So, that helps explain the bias.
What I don’t agree with is that Gen X has either not had much influence or is losing it now that they’ve passed 50.
When I scroll down my Instagram or Tik Tok feed, or look at People, I’m bombarded by Xrs who dominate various industries.
Jennifer Lopez is everywhere, Gwyneth with her Goop dynasty, Kathy Ireland, Paulina Porizkova’s enormous comeback as a pro-aging champion, Mel Robbins, Tony Robbins, George Clooney.
Michelle and Barack Obama, Tim Cook, Jamie Dimon, Madonna, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods.
Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman, Laura Linny, Paul Giametti, Damien Lewis..
The creators and producers of some of the most popular shows on TV, some of the most popular musicians in the world, academics, enormously influential writers like Malcolm Gladwell.
These are people at the top of their game who are exerting enormous influence on popular culture.
Also Gen X does have a significant purpose in between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials. We are the Catalyst Generation.
The contributions we’ve made heralded some of the most significant shifts in the world, including the digital revolution. Boomers started it, but Gen Xrs in Silicon Valley brought it to fruition.
And don’t joke about AARP because Gen Xrs have completely transformed that organization from white hair obscurity to ultra-cool, silver fox sensation. They are doing some of the most clever social media campaigns I’ve seen.
Don’t forget that the “Friends” and “Sex in the City” cast are Gen Xrs, too. These shows had such an enormous impact on popular culture that Millennials and Gen Zrs are still following their lead.
Carrie Bradshaw, a Gen Xr, is one of the most emulated fictional characters on social channels. Sara Jessica Parker is idolized by Millennials.
So, I’m just not seeing how Gen Xrs have faded into irrelevance. We might just go down in history as the generation that has made it cooler to be in your 50s than your 20s.
Jenifer, thanks for the thoughtful response to an old blog post I often regret having written. Generalizations about generations is a fool’s errand. It will either get you in trouble or make you look narrow-minded.
That doesn’t change my concern for the adveretising community turning its backs on fiftysomething citizens. And because that’s now the Gen X center, it’s a rational fear that an already minimized generation will be ignored once more.
Maybe the best ideaa is to have another Cosmo and just don’t think about it.
You know, I will never understand why humanity needs to lump an entire generation of people into one large stereotype. I’m a Gen X-er raising Gen Z children and caring for boomer parents.
The truth of the matter is that some Boomers are wealthy, and some are not. Some went into lucrative fields and learned to manage money well; some left their children with copious amounts of debt, no will, and no inheritance. Some boomers require constant supervision because they have Alzheimer’s, major strokes, etc. There is also everything in between and to the extreme on both sides. All of which doesn’t fit the “generational” data given on various websites worldwide.
Also, it is interesting that most of the data surrounding generations primarily revolves around how much money they are making or spending.
There are many ways to contribute to society- what about the other important statistics of generations?
Aubrey, I concur. It is stereotypical, overgeneralizing, and largely non-productive. Like horoscopes (IMO) it attempts to lump everyone born during a particular time period togehter in homogenous groups. Thanks for raising some important issues.