Figuring out who your consumers are can help you be more
effective in selecting inventory and merchandising displays, as
well as improving advertising and marketing strategies.
From baby boomers to boomerangers, there is a moniker for
every age group out there along with a general approach to
reaching each of these groups in the most effective manner.
A recent report from WD Partners, a global design and program
management partner for multi-unit food and retail brands,
illustrates findings that millennials (ages 18 to 30) are now
the driving force for change in the marketplace. The firm
notes that how retail responds to this generation is a litmus
test for how well it will survive as the century matures. Adding
that this is especially true for grocery and consumer packaged
goods (CPG), which WD analysts say have more ground to
cover than most.
WD Partners recently released “A portrait of generation next:
Profile on millennials’ tastes, technologies, trends and expectations,” a white paper offering a portrait of millennial personas,
life stages, expectations and attitudes. It reveals how retailers
that shift from a commodity approach to an experiential model
will win millennials’ attention and loyalty.
The report used both quantitative data (an online survey
of a national sample of 2,000 participants, segmented by
generation; 1,000 millennials, 500 gen X and 500 boomers)
and qualitative data from a series of mini group discussions
with millennials to help better define its findings. Scott Nelson,
WD Partners’ sr. market and design strategist, said that one
of the biggest “Ah-ha” findings was a leveling of the misconception that this younger set of consumers will place greater
reliance on technology marketing.
A Millennial Approach to Shopping (continued on next page)
