In the fast-paced world of beauty, engaging consumers is essential for a brand’s success. And, while much attention is often given to targeting Millennials and Gen Z, another significant demographic is majorly overlooked: Gen X. In fact, less than 5% of marketing strategies in the US target women over 50, even though they’re outspending young and older consumers by 44%! So why is this consumer ignored?
Born roughly between the early 1960s and early 1980s, Gen X represents a powerful consumer group with distinct preferences and purchasing habits. And one with money to spend. In fact, as our recent
Future of Beauty research revealed, they’re at the peak of their spending power, with 94% having money left after bills and spending 53% more than Gen Z on skin or hair care products. So, why is this consumer overlooked and can your brand afford to ignore them for much longer?
In my first blog with Pull (yes, I know, it’s pretty scary yet surprisingly empowering at the same time) I’ll explore the behaviours and attitudes of Gen X, by tapping into purchasing habits and how marketers can learn how to engage with them effectively, as well as spotlighting those brands already smashing it with Gen X, and discussing what your brand can learn from this.
So, first things first - exactly who are Gen X? Aged 40-55, they’re super-active, confident and, as we’ve already mentioned, at the peak of their spending power. They’re highly confident digital explorers, using various channels to learn and shop for their health and beauty needs. They’re no ‘digital dinosaurs’ - in fact, Gen X are twice as likely to browse on YouTube for a tutorial video than any other consumer. It’s clear what they want, and they know how to get it. They are not ready to be labelled ‘old’ just yet, and to be honest, it's just a number right?! And with 88% of them telling us they’re willing to try something new, they are showcasing that they are open and more adventurous than you might have assumed.
With so many products, ingredients, new brands and changing trends, it can be easy for anyone to feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice on offer. Yet as mentioned above, when it comes to marketing these products, the vast majority are either targeted at Gen Z and Millennials, or older, Baby Boomer consumers. With this combination of huge variety in the sector and neglect from brands and advertisers, it’s little wonder Gen X feel ignored.
So, what do they want?
To put it simply, there’s a few things they want:
- Authenticity: They want it real and relatable! Real people, real stories, real results. Whether that’s reviews from like-minded users, relatable content, or images and video featuring users that remind them of themselves, Gen X want to see themselves represented and reflected back.
- Honesty: They want a brand that they feel loyal to and trust, one that partners with their ideals during the next journey of womanhood and one that makes them feel good.
- Simplicity: No nonsense/faddy ingredients and made up/pseudo-scientific jargon. With 45% preferring single step hybrid products over multi step routines, Gen X aren’t interested in fluff. Time-poor with careers, families or caring for older relatives, these consumers lead busy lives, so get to the point! Whether that’s simple effective copy and communication or fuss-free, effective products.
Pretty simple right? So how are brands and marketers not getting this right? Well, here are a few examples of brands who are nailing it, building brand loyalty with Gen X and delivering results at the same time. And if Gen X make up part of your audience, there’s plenty to be learned from each.
“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance” – Coco Channel
Iris & Romeo:
Iris & Romeo are an organic skincare and makeup brand, best known for their ‘hybrid products’ that delivers results from an 8-step skin routine in just one single product! They embody the idea of their products being simple yet effective with a strong focus on making self-care easy and accessible.
How do they get it right?
- Hybrid Products: Not only is the brand’s USP but it’s a really effective one. Why? Well, as our research showed, Gen X women pretty much want it all - high quality product performance but without the need for a long, complicated routine. Because why would they spend time on this when they could be doing something else? Iris & Romeo realised this, and their simple, accessible products make them a winner for this demographic.
- Normalising getting older: Going back to my point earlier about partnering ideals, women can go on a journey with the brand which normalises aging but in a way that makes the consumer feel confident. The brand uses content generators in their 40s and 50s, showing skin texture without retouching and celebrate that beauty can be found at any age. Once you have that consumer on that journey with you, they’re hooked, with Gen X more loyal than other generations
- Real People Who represents your brand is an important part of your brand image, so you must pick the right person. The women used in Iris & Romeo’s content feel authentic, real and relatable to the audience, so when Gen X view the imagery, they feel part of the community as they see themselves represented and reflected back.
- Tutorial Video: Our research found 75% of Gen X consumers are most likely to go onto platforms such a YouTube to watch a ‘how to’-style beauty videos. So, guess what the brand has done? They produce tonnes of ‘how to’ videos so customers can learn how to apply the product onto their skin, helping them feel informed, reassured and like they’ve made an empowered choice.
“Aging has a wonderful beauty, and we should have respect for that.”- Eartha Kitt
Neal’s Yard
Neal’s Yard has been in the scene for 40 years and in that time they have built a large, loyal following.
Their “Age Well” campaign was designed to challenge negative perceptions of age, something our own research respondents felt strongly about. The campaign’s mission was to break taboo by portraying women in their 40s-50s as strong and inspiring.
How do they get it right?
- Real Women: The first thing that Neal’s Yard did right was its casting. No, they didn’t cast the ‘Kendall Jenner’ of the fashion world but instead, they chose real women! 6 real women from the Gen X audience with different backgrounds and body sizes. Automatically, this consumer can relate to the imagery in front of them, they have that moment of ‘that’s me’ or ‘ I look like her’ which makes them excited and feel a part of the community of the ‘age well’ campaign.
- Breaking the stereotype: Gen X women told us they felt they’d been stereotyped, in a way that isn’t exactly what I would call ‘charming’. So, what did Neal’s Yard do? They broke the stereotype and had their models portrayed as strong and inspirational women, using natural yet empowering dialogue #GIRLPOWER! Seeing everyone really comfortable and happy makes you feel the same way, the joy in the advert and the idea of supporting each other is really lovely.
- Positive imagery around aging: The conversation & tone the advert conveys is real and its fun, with women embracing the idea that aging is a wonderful thing with soundbites such as: “With age comes confidence”, “I am X years old, still don’t feel grown up - whatever that means”. What also made my heart full was how confident these women were, they were so open and embracing who they and that’s what it’s all about really. Positive outlook = positive wellbeing.
“Aging is just another word for living.” – Cindy Joseph
Trinny London:
Last, but certainly not least we have Trinny London.
The eponymous brand was created by the fashion and wellness icon Trinny Woodall from her kitchen table in 2017. She had a particular idea in mind, to give everyone the tools to be their best. With over 20 years of experience in fashion and beauty, her stated mission is to offer effortless, personalised beauty to people of all ages.
How do they get it right?
- Personalisation via Match2Me: Over 60% of Gen X users are more likely to purchase an item if they have had a personalised experience. Gen X are no digital dinosaurs, and Trinny London play to this tech-savvy audience with their Match2Me tool on their website. By following a few simple steps, users can get a personalised recommendation about the skincare and makeup they should be using. We all want to be seen as individuals, and have our own specific needs and requirements, especially when it comes to skincare, so personalisation tools such as this are a great way for brands to engage and connect with their customers, while also driving an increase in sales and return orders.
- Product Demos and Reviews: 75% of Gen X users watch YouTube as way to learn something new. And what is one of YouTube’s top 5 searches? Beauty and Skincare Tutorials! I will say this once, research is POWER so make sure you know your audience. What did Trinny London do? Product demonstrations showing the consumer how to apply the product, of course. But not only that. They have A LOT of reviews! Gen X loves a review – in fact, over 50% of Gen Xers are likely to read a review before buying a product. Why? Because it installs faith and trust in the product they are buying and build loyalty if they fall in love with it. With Gen X wanting honesty and transparency from brands, reviews are so important as they offer real experiences, providing social proof that its reliable and seen as more trustworthy than regular advertising, and which can significantly influence purchasing decisions.
- Featuring real people (and herself of course!): Like Neal’s Yard, real people are featured in everything Trinny London do – including Trinny herself! Having realistic representation on your screens makes you feel included and it’s the same for Gen X- seeing real people love themselves and love a product is brilliant! Their understanding of the power of real people is borne out in their use of user generated content too - having real women comment on their products and share genuine, authentic, and relatable reviews.
wHAT SHOULD YOUR BRAND DO?
If you’re a brand trying to connect with Gen X and want to know how to engage with this consumer, I will leave you with a few tips:
1.
Avoid overly polished social content/advertising: They want it real! Try rooting brand conversations in scenarios that Gen X can relate to with realistic and authentic imagery. 85% of Gen X say authenticity is key when deciding what brands they like and support. Therefore, showing relatable women (and not a stereotypical ideal) is want they want and how it makes them feel confident. The last thing you want to be is to be patronising- let them be them.
2.
Acknowledge what they want in the product: Just like puberty, the menopause can be challenging, and many Gen X women want to feel like they are not alone during this period of their lives. Help them feel seen and heard with acceptance of these issues i.e. issues such as wrinkles, fine lines, flushes (and ideally solutions that can help them) Like brand mentioned, do it in a way that feel empowering, embracing the idea of ageing as opposed to being something scary because, it isn’t.
3.
Just get to the point: Gen X are also quite no nonsense with a desire to know what is in it for them. Keep it simple, get straight to the point. Don’t spin marketing waffle- explain how the product works, don’t be shy to use science and data but avoid making up jargon and false promise. Gen X women want to feel heard and want to trust you, so doing the opposite of what they want, it makes them suspicious of you and the brand.
Nice and easy right. So what are you waiting for, get out there, invest in Gen X and most definitely, do not ignore them, it could be costing you!
Posted 27 February 2024 by Chloe Ching