One of the first questions I ask when interviewing a new potential client radio station is “Who are you targeting?” My questions continue in an effort to ascertain how much is known by the management of the station about their target audience.
People throw gender and age at me, but they often know little about who makes up the group they desire to attract. Who your listener is, inside of the age/gender descriptor you use, is going to vary by geography, the make-up of a community, the various levels of income within the group, and who your target listener is within the cell.
Not all individuals inside of a generation are alike, but some similarities permeate each group. Finding those similarities combined with in-market knowledge, and taking advantage of the internet to gather research, can provide you with keys to attracting the audience you desire. Not all generations are created equal.
What’s most interesting to me is that there is a similarity between the two newest groups of adults and the Baby Boomers. Social righteousness, standing for change, helping the less fortunate, being conscious of today’s decisions that have an impact on the future. The ages of 25-54 today span those born from 1971-2000. That covers the back half of Generation X to the last half of Gen Z. These groups both have a bent toward charities, social reform, family, and viewing the world through a largely idealist lens.
Baby Boomer (1946-1964): The soldiers & sailors came home from World War II and a huge wave of babies hit the nation. The American economy flourished and supported larger families, advances in technology made it easier to share ideas and culture, and space exploration took off. But the Boomers’ era was also marked by great social unrest. Boomers set in motion many of those things that serve as guardrails today. It also saw women move into the workforce building numbers that would eventually outrank the number of American men. This is a nostalgic group.
Generation X (1965-1980): This group, sandwiched between Baby Boomers and Millennials, has a distinct philanthropy approach. This generation is characterized by its pragmatism and independence. They value transparency and are more inclined to research organizations before donating. Gen Xers often prefer to support causes that directly impact their communities. Environmental issues, education, and children’s welfare are some of the areas that resonate with this generation. They are comfortable with both online and offline giving, utilizing various digital platforms and crowdfunding campaigns. Play to their lean toward philanthropy and give back to your community.
Millennials (1981-1996): They are more involved in charity work than others. Praised for their strong sense of social responsibility, they are reshaping the charitable landscape. They prioritize causes that align with their values and are highly engaged in peer-to-peer fundraising. Online giving is their forte, with crowdfunding platforms and social media serving as powerful tools to raise awareness and funds. Millennials also value a sense of personal connection with the causes they support, preferring to donate to smaller, grassroots organizations and social enterprises.
Gen Z (1997-2012): Often referred to as the Activist Generation, Gen Z is just starting to make its mark on charitable giving. They are highly tech-savvy, having grown up with smartphones and social media. This generation is more likely to participate in virtual events, such as online charity streams and challenges. Gen Z tends to support causes that focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. They are drawn to interactive and gamified approaches to philanthropy, seeking immediate and visible impact.
Generation Alpha (2013-2022): Because of their youth, this cluster of young people is not yet engaged in social causes, but their mostly millennial parents are imprinting on them the importance of social causes and helping others. Unless born at the early age of this generation, and you have adults contributing on your behalf, you’re not yet contributing to society as an Alpha.
The age of an audience most desired by national advertisers is 25-54. The group inside of that broad demographic spans individuals born from 1971-2000. So the backend of Generation X up to the early part of Gen Z. Between those two generations is the Millennials. This huge spread forces a dissection of the demo and a need to drill down on a ten year demo within side the bigger demo. The best strategy to command a high rank inside of 25-54. That starts with knowing your audience.
It seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? If you don’t know who your target audience is, you cannot attract them as your audience. Unfortunately, too few know who they’re talking to … and they wonder why they’re not winning.
An audience isn’t a demographic. It’s a people.
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