Shared Values of Millennial and Baby Boomer Women

The two largest groups of women in the U.S. are Millennials and Baby Boomers. To engage them, your brand must understand and embrace the shared values of these groups.

Millennial and Baby Boomer women share a unique set of values that drive how they live and represent what they look for in their relationships . . . including relationships with brands.

Both Millennial and Boomer women grew up during a time of great reform and promise, and they carry this sense of “anything’s possible” with them. Both groups are confident, independent and self-reliant. They question established authority systems and challenge the status quo.

5 Tips to Engage Millennial & Boomer Women

1.  Happy Lives — A woman’s Highest Personal Value is “establishing and nurturing relationships.”  The common value for Millennials and Baby Boomers is to “attain a happy life,” which includes spending more time with family and friends. How is your brand enabling her to achieve this?

2.  Social issues — Millennial and Baby Boomer women are the “we” generations.  According to a recent AOL study, 82% of Millennials and 81% of Baby Boomers indicate they are passionate about social issues. Show that your brand cares through your actions. Share what your brand is doing to help people and address issues on social media. Women will spread the word, which will help your brand develop strong relationships with them.

3.  Emotions — Women tend to have more emotional outposts in their brain then men . . . 36 versus 4.  Also, the women’s 36 are more interconnected than the men’s 4.  Millennial and Boomer women prefer brands that tap into their emotions and help them bond over universal human experiences. When developing branded content, make sure it provides an experience that conveys an emotional sentiment, such as “I adore you” or “I can’t wait to see you.” These emotional connections will keep Millennial and Boomer women engaged.

4.  Pop Culture– Engage Millennial and Boomer women with a nod to pop culture. References to TV shows, movies and music trigger engagement, especially on social media. Thursday nights women are watching the Shonda Rhimes  #TGIT shows . . . Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder.  Are you talking about them?  If not, it’s a missed opportunity.  Women enjoy relationships with other women and brands that they can relate to . . . those with shared interests.

5.  Discovery — Millennial and Boomer women enjoy discovering things . . . about themselves, experiences, places and ideas. Tap into this desire for discovery by sharing insights. Don’t assume that both groups of women have different levels of understanding. For instance, Millennial and Boomer women want to be financially stable. What insights can you provide to help?  Not an expert on the subject? Tap into bloggers for advice.

Your Brand Needs Millennial Women

This group of highly connected women comprises 27% of the U.S. population. They spend 18 hours a day consuming media, as well as checking their smartphone 43 times a day.  They have buying power. According to a recent Mintel report, Millennials in the U.S. will have more than $1.4 trillion to spend by 2020.

Your Brand Needs Baby Boomer Women

This group controls a significant amount of discretionary income. By 2018, almost 50% of America’s adult population will be over the age of 50, and this group will control 70% of the nation’s disposable income.  This same generation also stands to inherit $15 trillion in the next 20 years.

Engage Millennial and Boomer Women

To develop relationships with both groups of women, your brand needs to understand, embrace and address their shared values. They strive to lead happy lives; care about social issues; need to engage their emotions; enjoy pop culture; and crave discovery.