There is something magic about turning 50. Those of us in the Generation Jones demographic have reached the age when we aren’t too young to be dismissed and we aren’t too old to be on fixed incomes. In fact in the US, like in many other countries, Generation Jones has taken over the reins of political and business power. After approximately 20 years of international Boomer leadership, the torch has been passed to Jonesers, who now comprise over two thirds of the current Presidents and Prime Ministers of EU and NATO member countries. America’s Obama, France’s Sarkozy, Germany’s Merkel, Australia’s Gillard, New Zealand’s Key, and Canada’s Harper are some of many GenJones leaders who are redefining global affairs. This array of dignitaries is mirrored in our local political and leadership officials. Local inbound marketers need to take note.
Wikipedia tells us about this group:
Generation Jones is a term coined by Jonathan Pontell to describe the cohort of people born between 1954 and 1965. Pontell defined Generation Jones as referring to the second half of the post–World War II baby boom. The term also includes first-wave Generation X.
The name "Generation Jones" has several connotations, including a large anonymous generation, a "keeping up with the Joneses" competitiveness and the slang word "jones" or "jonesing", meaning a yearning or craving. It is saidthat Jonesers were given huge expectations as children in the 1960s, and then confronted with a different reality as they came of age in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving them with a certain unrequited, "jonesing" quality. The name additionally draws influence from the song "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows.
A formidable 25-26 percent of the population made up of some 54 million individuals, Generation Jones is now of particular import to politicians and advertisers. They were the early computer pioneers, and include people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Further, they have a strong tendency to influence elections and they are an extremely valuable market group to advertisers and local inbound marketers. About a third of Internet users are Generation Jones members, and many of the major corporations and corporate structures of today are due to Gen Jones members.
Beth Wiggins says in her article Time for the Jones Generation to make its mark published on August 2013:
We’re in the heart of our careers, the nest is just starting to empty, and we’re caring for our aging parents. We were shaped by watching Watergate unfold on television and waiting in gas lines. We claim neither the idealism of the boomers nor the cynicism attributed to the Generation X’ers behind us. We’ve got a pragmatic and practical streak. . . . Here we are at our midcentury mark, and we have an opportunity to step out and make a difference.
A Marketer's Dream
Generation Jones has gained widespread expert acceptance, and extensive media coverage. The annual Associated Press Trend Report chose The Rise of Generation Jones as the #1 trend last year.
Local inbound marketers need to realize that there is still disparity among this target market in terms of political orientation and personal history. The earliest Jonesers would have been either influenced by or directly involved in the sexual revolution. They would remember the assassination of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. Some would have served in Viet Nam or at least have strong memories of the conflict. Other Jonesers, especially when the end year of Gen Jones is extended out to the late 60s, would have reached maturity in the 1980s and have little to no memory of these events. Between the personality extremes of the Boomers’ idealism and the Xers’ cynicism lies the more balanced mainstream “Jones” quality. This generation is responsible for popularizing the sense of irony which gives the “Jones” name its generic cool.
The video I found for your enjoyment and enlightenment comes from marketing Guru Jim Welch (longtime head of marketing for Hallmark Cards) discussing why GenJones has become such a hot marketing demographic. Local inbound marketers, take note.
How are you marketing to my generation?
Photo:President Barack Obama, center, takes his place with other leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for the Family Photo during the G20 Summit, Monday, June 18, 2012, in Los Cabos, Mexico. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Jaco Grobbelaar is the owner of BroadVision Marketing. BroadVision Marketing works with business owners to put in place inbound and outbound marketing strategies that consistently secure new clients. The BroadVision Marketing Training Center is located in Petaluma, CA and primarily serves companies in the San Francisco Bay area.
Jaco can be reached at jaco@broadvisionmarketing.com or 707.766.9778 or connect with Jaco on Facebook - www.facebook.com/broadvisionmarketing - and LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/JacoGrobbelaar.