I am a Generation Xer–the generation currently sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials. News outlets may vaguely refer to us as the troubled middle class every know and then, but as a Gen Xer I’ll admit that sometimes I feel my generation is overlooked.
That’s why when a company’s advertisement is strategically targeted to me I take notice. And I won’t forget them when I’m ready to buy.
Here are my two favorite commercials.
Toyota Venza
State Farm
Toyota and State Farm…well done! I’m sure there is some generational crossover but for the most part this describes me and many of friends and colleagues.
These two companies did this one thing perfectly; they knew their audience.
Market research isn’t an option. You have to know your audience in order to craft a message that will be received. You want to connect and that comes from knowing what matters to that particular audience. Toyota and State Farm discovered that Generation X is ready for phase two — a life outside the kids! That’s why these commercials resonate with the audience.
To launch a successful marketing and advertising campaign, you must do the same; know your audience. You want to speak their language, use their culture, and recognize their current phase in life. You take all that (and then some) and wrap it into something that is creative, fun, meaningful—memorable.
Some audience information can be extrapolated from your CRM database. Even more information can be found through secondary research such as data from the U.S. Census Bureau.I took the liberty and compiled a list of secondary research sources for you and you can access it by clicking SecondaryInformationSources.
Of course if you have the budget, primary research (surveys, focus and test groups) paints a very clear portrait of your target audience.
So to Toyota and State Farm, bravo on a job well done.
If you want to experience similar success…make sure your message is finely crafted to your audience.
