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 movies, 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.
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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,” forced to grow up at home, 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 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.
Fred Jacobs
President & Founder at Jacobs Media
Fred Jacobs founded Jacobs Media in 1983, and quickly became known for the creation of the Classic Rock radio format.
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.
Life 102.5 has a heart for Madison! For the 4
Spirit 92.9 continued its commitment of blessing the central Minnesota community through intentional service projects. As the pandemic affected another year, station listeners rose to the challenge of uplifting and encouraging those feeling loss, loneliness, or burnout. Thanks to the help of generous listeners and business partners, Spirit 92.9 raised more than $8,000 in an online tip jar that blessed the staff at 19 local restaurants returning to work full time with huge tips during the Big Tip promotion. The restaurant workers were grateful for the visibility and appreciation. Numerous area teachers nominated by their students and families received special honor at the end of the school year with flowers and $500 VISA gift cards as part of “Thank A Teacher” organized by Spirit 92.9. In the fall, Spirit 92.9 partnered with two local ministries and provided free holiday meals to the community. During the ‘More Than A Meal’ event, the station worked with community members who donated enough to provide 6,000 meals and give help to people in need. Station team members also prepared and served meals together at the local homeless mission. At Christmastime, 11 community members wrote Spirit 92.9 and shared the story of someone they believed deserved some extra joy due to personal hardships. The individuals received $1000 to bless that person during Spirit 92.9’s Share The Joy promotion. Phone calls were made to hundreds of listeners to offer prayer and encouragement. Prayer support and a personal response is offered all year long.
Jim Campbell, Founder & Network President of Radio Training Network, Inc. began his radio career in commercial radio in Tennessee in 1964. In 1966 he moved his family to Lakeland, Florida to attend college, and upon graduation he joined the staff at First Assembly of God Church where he and the church launched in the mid 1970s the first Contemporary Christian Radio Station in the nation, WCIE-FM. The station grew in both market impression and influence not just in Lakeland, but around the country inspiring others to follow Jim’s lead. In 1989 Jim left the church and founded Radio Training Network, Inc. (RTN) and over the next 30+ years, he oversaw the acquisition and development of 40+ stations plus translators. With 130 team members, RTN stations serve the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Missouri. These stations are well recognized in their respective markets thanks to the servant leadership of the staff, aggressive marketing, and a commitment to a strong emphasis on Jesus first. At present RTN has some two million listeners each week on air and approximately the same number online.
Andrea Kleid is a 24-year veteran of radio and records. She began her career working in Christian radio at WNLT in Cincinnati, and then moved onto WAY-FM in West Palm Beach working in programming and promotions. Her next stop took her to JOY-FM in Tampa where she served as the Promotions Director. In 2004, Andrea moved to Nashville to begin her music industry career in radio promotion under Grant Hubbard at Capitol CMG. In 2008, Andrea became the Vice President of Promotion at Word Label Group where she led one of the most successful and influential radio promotion teams in the Christian music industry. Through her signature brand of honesty, passion for Christian music, and focus on relationships, Andrea developed a reputation for successfully launching new artists’ careers including for KING and COUNTRY, NEEDTOBREATHE and Francesca Battistelli. This year, Andrea celebrates her fifth year as the President of her own company, Boxer Poet. An advocate for both radio and artists, Andrea continues to zealously host conversations around further representation for women and people of color on Christian radio.
Jason Sharp has a rich history with CCM radio and leadership. His early years at WONU/Chicagoland and The Bridge/Delaware gave flight to his passion for great programming and innovative promotions. As Program Director of WCQR/Johnson City and eventually the network PD for Positive Alternative Radio, Jason’s influence grew across the industry. In 2007, Jason joined the team at Northwestern Media as Program Director and then Station Manager of KTIS, Minneapolis/St Paul. In 2015, Jason furthered his formal education and earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership. Applying his leadership knowledge and skills to work, he now serves as Senior Vice President of Broadcasting at Northwestern Media’s 23 stations in 14 markets across ten states that service 1.5 million listeners each week. Jason also served Christian Music Broadcasters, first as a charter member and eventually as the lead of CMB’s educational track at Momentum for more than ten years. He then served as the organization’s board chairman from 2017-2020. Jason continues to inspire others within Christian media toward excellence and compassion through a Christ-centered attitude, education, and practical application.
In 1972, while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Orlando, Johnny Stone dreamt of a second kind of “air force,” that of radio. He took an overnight position at WDIZ-FM, the station where Z88.3 now stands. In the past 50 years of his career, Johnny’s work and personality raised the bar for other programmers in markets ranging from New York City, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Diego, Tampa, Atlanta, Tucson, and Minneapolis/St. Paul. During his stint as Program Director and Morning Show host at Star 99.1 New York, his team won the NAB Crystal Radio Award and CMB Station of the Year. Presently, Johnny serves as afternoon host with his wife, Stacey, at 91.9 WGTS in Washington D.C. winner of the 2021 NAB Marconi Award for Religious Station of the Year. Owner of StoneStudios, LLC. and as a 22-year veteran in Christian media, Johnny mentored several on-air talents. Today, along with his on-air role at WGTS, he mentors college students at CMBU, teaching and modeling the belief that “you have to win in the hallways to win on the airwaves.”
Lisa Williams was called to Christian radio while praying in 1990. She walked into KCVO in Camdenton, Missouri and started on the air that same week. Over the past 32 years, Lisa served in various roles in on-air, programming, fundraising, and station management at radio stations and networks including K-LOVE, Z88.3, Star 99.1, KCVO, and KCWN. As an on-air personality, Lisa earned several number one ratings in several markets and was the recipient of three industry awards. Lisa now serves as the Network Talent Coach for Northwestern Media, owner of 23 stations in 14 markets across ten states that service 1.5 million listeners each week. While at Northwestern, Lisa hosted the nationally syndicated show Life with Lisa Williams from 2016-2021. She stepped away from the show to focus on coaching more than 90 on-air talents, encouraging and nurturing them to shine the light of Christ through excellent radio. When she’s not coaching talent, Lisa helps stations raise money for their operations. She also hosts a Facebook group for women on-air in Christian radio called GodsRadioGirls and helps facilitate their annual retreat.