Preface
Welcome to the third edition of the Ipsos Generations Report.
The temptation for marketers, analysts and communicators to use broad brushstrokes to describe the characteristics of different generations remains as strong as ever. These shorthands provide powerful stories which attract the attention of media, marketers and policymakers alike. But as soon as you consider the proposition that everyone born in a 15-year period can be accurately described as a category with shared values and behaviours, you quickly realise the problem!
Too much generational analysis remains grounded in stereotypes and loaded with cultural baggage. Age groups are far from monolithic – as the growing evidence base about the different outlooks of Gen Z men and women illustrates.
This report is about cutting through the noise and getting to the heart of how we can better understand different groups: how they feel, how they behave – and how they change over time.
All of which needs to be set against the backdrop of today’s demographic realities. Population decline is now the reality in more than 30 countries around the world, from China to Czechia to Cuba. Fertility rates are falling even faster than anticipated, becoming a live political issue. Today’s governments face a series of intractable questions about what sustainable immigration, workforce and pension policies might look like – and how to sell them to a sceptical public.
With the median age in many countries now well over 40, the reality of today’s populations present important questions for businesses as well. Is too much focus on generational labels holding brands back, leading to missed opportunities? For many products, services or categories, a more ‘ageless’ approach may be needed, identifying universal needs and values that cut across all age groups.
This year’s report includes a special feature on Gen X. Shaped by the societal and cultural context of their youth in the 1980s and 1990s, today’s 46-59-year-olds now hold significant power when it comes to leadership roles in politics, business and family life. In Europe, they outnumber Gen Z. Are we giving them enough attention?
We’ve also been taking a look at how attitudes to ageing are evolving, including what the concept means in different countries and cultures. People’s definitions of where ‘old age’ sets in range from 60 in Malaysia to 73 in Italy. Meanwhile, I noted that the minimum age for being a CEO is 33 according to the French and Indian public, while in Hungary, South Korea and Türkiye, people expect their business leaders to be aged 40 or more!
Enjoy your reading – we look forward to some great conversations about these themes and what they mean for your organisation.
Read more here.