The History of Advertising

1. HISTORY OF ADVERTISING
BY GENERATION

2. Content
to fit your Audience
Silent
Generation
Baby
Boomers
1930 - 1945
The Traditionalists
Generation
X
1946 - 1960 Approx. 1960 - 1980
The « Forgotten Middle
Child »
Millennials
1980 - 2000
What you need to know about each Generation to adjust your

3. First there was the silent generation

4. You would think they could at least have a better name.

5. They were born between 1930 – 1945 and they witnessed a world crippled by the
Great Depression.
C o n s u m e r s d u r i n g t h i s t i m e
we r e :
F r u g a l
P a n i c k e d
S i l e n t G e n e r a t i o n
A n d s k e p t i c a l o f a d v e r t i s i n g a s “ b u s i n e s s p r o p a g a n d a ”

6. And you thought advertising for Millennials was tough.

7. MORE FOOD ADS
A L T H O U G H B U S I N E S S E S D I D N ’ T W A N T T O S P E N D $ O N A D V E R T I S I N G , T H E R E W E R E
W HAT CONTENT LOOKED LIKE THEN

8. H a r d s h i p a n d L o w I n c o m e d r o v e p e o p l e t o c o n s u m e
More TOBACCO
and Alcohol
S o a d v e r t i s i n g f o r t h e s e i n c r e a s e d .
WHAT CONTENT LOOKED LIKE THEN

9. More ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO ads
This one is actually kind of bizarre

10. So is this one.

11. T H E S I L E N T G E N E R AT I O N I S N O W I N T H E I R 7 0 s AN D 8 0 s

12. They value respect and concise
messages.
So use better language and avoid the “hype and hustle” (use more testimonials
too)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

13. They are more conservative with their
money
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Marketing should therefore emphasize the necessity and practical value of a
product or service

14. DON’T put an ad out that says “you must be lonely...we will help you”.

15. DO showcase lifestyle and group images of family and friends.

16. DON’T show ads that suggests they have nothing to do.

17. DO use more traditional marketing and face-to-face communication.

18. THE BABY BOOMERS
T h e y we r e B o r n b e t we e n 1 9 4 6 - 1 9 6 0

19. Ther e w er e mor e of them.

20. s o f a m i l i e s n e e d e d m o r e
consumer electronics, automobiles, and
appliances.

21. Contentat that time
focused on time-savers and
appealed to interests in new
innovations

22. There was an emphasis at this time on family values
Advertisers took advantage of this.

23. Baby
Boomers
are now in their
50’s and 60’s
BABY BOOMERS ARE NOW IN THEIR 50’S AND 60’S

24. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Boomers tend to have higher disposable incomes

25. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Boomers tend to have higher disposable incomes
They will try out more luxury products…
and they are savvy shoppers and consumerist by nature

26. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Boomers tend to have higher disposable incomes
As a result of their more liberal upbringing, they brand-hop more
They will try out more luxury products…
and they are savvy shoppers and consumerist by nature

27. Generation X

28. They were born between approximately 1960 – 1980

29. Which incidentally was a pretty Cool time for advertisers.

31. Advertiserssaw Gen X teensas:
Apathetic
Slackers
Cynical
Disaffected
Alsocalled the Generation

32. GEN ER ATION X AR E N OW IN TH EIR 30’S AN D 40’S

33. AND MARKETERS SHOULD KNOW THAT:
T h e y wa n t t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e i r
f a m i l i e s .
P r o d u c t s t h a t c a n p r o v i d e
l a s t i n g m e m o r i e s a n d c a n b e
h a n d e d d o wn a r e m o s t
a p p e a l i n g .

34. T h e y l i k e t o t a k e c a r e o f
t h e m s e l v e s ( h e a l t h y f o o d s ,
e x e r c i s e , e t c ) a n d t h e y
r e s p o n d t o a d s t h a t t a r g e t
t h i s .

35. T h e y a r e f i n a n c i a l l y
r e s p o n s i b l e , a n d t h e y
p r i o r i t i z e p a y i n g f o r t h e i r
c h i l d r e n ’ s e d u c a t i o n , o w n i n g a
h o m e , s t a r t i n g a b u s i n e s s ,
a n d h a v i n g f i n a n c i a l
i n d e p e n d e n c e .

36. MILLENNIALS

37. THEY
ARE
CONFIDENT
T H E Y C A R E A B O U T T H E
W O R L D A N D T H E E N V I R O N M E N T
AND

38. THEY ARE
TEC H - SAVVY AN D SOC IALLY C ON N EC TED ON LIN E

39. To l e r a n t a n d a p p r e c i a t i v e o f
DIVERSITY
THEY ARE

40. THEY WANT:
Companies with strong
ethnics…
and marketing that helps
to make the world better
S u b s t a n t i v e c o n t e n t t h a t c a p t u r e s a m o o d a n d e x p e r i e n c e

41. THEY WANT:
from authority figures, influences,
and people they trust.
Companies with strong
ethnics…
and marketing that helps
to make the world better
A u t h e n t i c C o n t e n t f r o m
A U T H O R I T Y F I G U R E S
I N F L U E N C E R S
A N D P E O P L E T H E Y T R U S T.

42. THEY WANT:
Companies with strong
ethnics…
and marketing that helps
to make the world better
C o m p a n i e s wi t h s t r o n g e t h i c s …

43. THEY WANT:
Companies with strong
ethnics…
and marketing that helps
to make the world better
A n d m a r k e t i n g t h a t h e l p s t o m a k e t h e w o r l d b e t t e r .

44. If you thought you nailed marketing for
the Millennial audience…

45. Now there is a whole new audience.

46. LEARN MORE