Today, almost a decade later, the business world as well as popular culture continues to describe "Xers" as 18-29 year olds. Notice any red flags being raised? Somewhere along the way, a dynamic consumer group has become inextricably linked to a static lifestage. Frozen in time, the definition is not keeping pace with the label. The popular definition of Generation X is gradually becoming a dinosaur. Marketers who rely on this outdated model, and its related suppositions, risk ultimately leading their brands to the brink of extinction. It is absolutely imperative to recognize that Generation X is not a lifestage; it is a birthgroup moving through stages in life.

In light of our contemporary definition of Generation X, a number of readers may be surprised to learn that the market currently ranges from 14 to 34 year olds. To ensure that our understanding remains dynamic, please note that these figures are in 1998 years; next year, Generation Xers will be 15 to 35 years of age. Obviously, the boundaries that separate one generation from another are as arbitrary as the labels themselves. Some overlap between birthgroups will always exist. Several of our clients now use the term "Xoomers" to describe 28-34 year olds because this subset exhibits the mindset and interests of GenX and the household earnings and lifestage more closely resembling Boomers. A similar hybrid exists between Generations X and Y.

To further compound matters, the Generation X label carries psychographic connotations. Compared to Boomers, my fellow "Xers" are unquestionably more marketing savvy, media saturated, outwardly cynical (but with underlying optimism), and technologically sophisticated. (This evolution is not he result of a superior gene pool so much as a byproduct of the Information Age.) Today’s young adults reflect a collective consciousness that has been uniquely shaped both by coming of age in the 1980/90s and by a host of headlines that continue to dominate the nightly news. It is extremely risky, however, to play Freud to an entire generation. My birthgroup would be hard pressed to fit on a single couch due to its sheer magnitude and unprecedented diversity.

While potentially volatile, Generation X stereotypes can work but they should always be used with extreme caution. Mountain Dew’s "DEW DUDES" television campaign ("Been There. Done That.") artfully taps a topic that universally appeals to adrenaline junkies as well as couch potatoes. The stereotype succeeds because it does not pigeon-hole the target; the tongue-in-cheek communication simply speaks to one facet of a complex market psyche. Most importantly, the message and creative tone are well synchronized to the proposition.

Marketers that blindly ride the "Xtreme Sports" bandwagon, however, risk sacrificing brand credibility and relevance. For example, there is a delightful coffeehouse located just outside of Chicago called the Xtreme Bean. The espresso selection is heavenly and the walls are adorned with local art. With its laid-back atmosphere, the actual café bears little resemblance to the adrenal expectations established by its trendy name. The owners would be well advised to replace the "Xtreme" with a descriptor that more accurately reflects the establishment’s market positioning.

It is not just a matter of spotting the demographic road signs and tweaking the advertising accordingly. Generation X has an acute ability to sniff out superficial propositions. Unfortunately, Cadillac has learned this lesson the hard way. GM’s upscale division recently introduced the Catera, an entry level model, to lure younger customers into the company fold. While strategically sound, the campaign’s executional approach missed the mark.

Given the marketing savvy of today’s young adults, particularly those who can afford luxury and near-luxury cars, can the employment of a fading supermodel (read: Cindy Crawford) and an animated duck sufficiently recast the Cadillac brand as suddenly more relevant to the "MTV Generation"? Cadillac doesn’t think so — anymore — having yanked its original ads after just one month on the air. Successful repositioning of the brand is contingent upon a more fundamental rethinking of how Cadillac’s core values can (and should) be communicated to a younger demographic. GM’s luxury division is challenged to make its deeply embedded brand imagery somehow relevant to older "Xers". Salvation requires Cadillac to develop tactics as well as strategies that successfully exploit its strengths (rather than abandon them).

The prevailing two-dimensional and myopic perception of Generation X will be forced to accommodate reality as greater numbers of today’s young adults settle down, raise their own offspring, and ultimately retire to Florida or whatever hot spots are popular around the year 2035 AD. Since GenX already includes consumers in their early thirties, the transition is well underway. As an autobiographical example, my wife and I purchased a new home in our late twenties. Our decisions in selecting a national mover, major household appliances, furniture, mortgage company, life/disability/homeowner insurance, financial planner, pounds upon pounds of dog food, and retirement funds were virtually ignored. We received very little attention from marketers and rarely encountered communications specifically designed with us in mind. Imagine how many "Xers" have come before us, and how many have yet to travel the same path.

Marketers who continue to propagate the Generation X stereotype are missing an incredible opportunity. Today’s young adults comprise the second largest birthgroup in American history. More important than sheer numbers, "Xers" are eager to adopt brands that genuinely deliver either a competitive advantage or sense of comfort in these chaotic times. The short and long term benefits of solidifying brand loyalties early on are self-evident. However, this article is not speaking solely to manufacturers and retailers who are late to the proverbial party. It is also serving as a gentle reminder to the most committed GenX marketers that this coveted target is getting older day by day, month by month. Strategies, communications, packaging, and brand portfolios need to be revisited, evaluated, and continually refined to remain relevant and impactful

The Critical Need for Continued Understanding

Unfortunately, Generation X was scrutinized under a microscope before it was understood in broad strokes. Seeking to make the next cover story more titillating than the previous one, the media unintentionally led marketers (as well as the general public) astray. The rising stature of media reflects the unprecedented information age we are now entering. Could it be that GenX is a media casualty? If so, then many brands may become unintentionally trapped in the crossfire. As the Xer stereotype remains tragically fixed in stone, so too can the thinking of key decision-makers.