Generation Edge are the new youth generation, the post millennials if you like. To understand the key differences between Generation Edge and Millennials (there are many) and to understand the 10 new rules of youth marketing, read on...

1. UNDERSTANDING A
NEW GENERATION
The world is about to getGENERATION
www.thesoundhq.com

2. THE SOUND 2
GENERATION EDGE
WHO IS THE SOUND?
GEN EDGE CONTEXT
MILLENNIALS GEN EDGE
MARKETING TO GEN EDGE

3. THE WORLD OF MARKETING & INNOVATION IS ABOUT TO change
THE SOUND 3
GENERATION EDGE
The youngest millennial is now 22...a new generation
are coming and we need to understand them
GEN EDGE CONTEXT
...a generation with the buying
power of $312.3 billion & influence
$600 billion in family spending
...a generation who are very different
to millennials because they’ve grown
up in a different world
GENERATION
introducing…

4. THE SOUND 4
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials: born
between 1980 and 1994
Gen Edge: born between
1995 to present
COMING OF AGE...

5. THE SOUND 5
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials are developing their
identity in a longer youth
context...which can stress them out
Due to their challenging, competitive
context, Gen Edge won’t have the luxury
of experiencing an extended youth
EXTENDED
ADOLESCENCE
PREMATURE
ADULTHOOD

6. THE SOUND 6
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials are highly
motivated to achieve maturity…
and be taken seriously
Hardened by the world
around them, Gen Edge are
forced to grow up fast
MATURITY
ASPIRANT
WELL...
MATURE

7. THE SOUND 7
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials were promised the
world by their Boomer parents
Gen Edge have grown up in a state of
recession and bleak growth -
understand the competitive nature of
the job market
IDEALIST REALISTS

8. THE SOUND 8
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials are an entitled
generation...and expect all of
their dreams to come true
Gen Edge are a resourceful
generation... and seek
alternative ways to survive
ENTITLED RESOURCEFUL

9. THE SOUND 9
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials have grown up during
the internet revolution… every aspect
of their life is entwined with technology.
Tech can do no wrong.
Gen Edge are users of
technology… but refuse to be
defined by it. Tech is just a tool.
TECHNOLOGY
ASPIRANTS
TECHNOLOGY
USERS

10. THE SOUND 10
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials often coined as
“generation hero”… but tend to
only talk the talk
Gen Edge feel an inherent responsibility
to make the world a better place… and
actually do something about it
ALTRUISTIC CHARITABLE

11. THE SOUND 11
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials have a curated
identity… and are happy to reveal
most of their secrets
Gen Edge value their privacy…
a lot… and are careful of what
they disclose online
POPULAR PRIVATE

12. THE SOUND 12
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials are conformists...
tend to follow the pack to ensure
peer & societal acceptance
Gen Edge are reformists... not
to be mistaken for rebellious
CONFORMIST REFORMIST

13. THE SOUND 13
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials were raised by
optimistic Boomers
Gen Edge raised by cynical,
rebellious, highly
individuated Gen X’ers
CODDLED SURVIVALIST

14. THE SOUND 14
GENERATION EDGE
MILLENNIALS VS. GEN EDGE
Millennials value
standardized education
Gen Edge value applied,
progressive education
TRADITIONAL
LEARNERS
CRITICAL
THINKERS

15. THE SOUND 15
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
“Marketing to Millennials resulted in an endless
quest for brand authenticity. Generation Edge will
be engaged by another ‘a’ word. The alternative.”
- Ian Pierpoint, President of The Sound
THE BRANDS THAT WILL THRIVE WILL BE THE BRANDS THAT APPLY EDGE TO THEIR STRATEGY...
HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO DO IT...
CONNECTING WITH GENERATION EDGE WILL BE very different TO MILLENNIALS...

16. THE SOUND 16
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
Considering Gen Edge’s empathetic nature, social causes
will become an even more effective means of driving
loyalty... if you mean it.
RULE
“They are still young, but I believe we are seeing a shift from the ‘Me’ culture to
young people who are more aware of their environment and how their choices
impact the world around them,” he says. “These are young people who are very
much looking at how they can do good in the world.”
- Craig Kielburger, co-founder of Free the Children, The Globe and Mail,
September 2014
1
HELP THEM MAKE
A difference

17. THE SOUND 17
GENERATION EDGE
Gen Edge are focused on living in the now vs. stressing out
about the future. So celebrate youth with them.
RULE
“They live in the present, not in the perfect.”
- iwmarketing.com, June 2015
2
BE IN THE now
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

18. THE SOUND 18
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
To achieve their goals Gen Edge look to the alternative, the
challenger, the rebel. Brands with alternative positionings
will resonate.
RULE
“They are giving both their attention and their money to people and companies
that are unconventional and that are willing to take risks and break the rules.
They love crowdfunding platforms like Pozible and Kickstarter, which allow
them to support creative products and innovative projects.”
– Inc, December 2014
3
HELP THEM CELEBRATE
THE alternative

19. THE SOUND 19
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
“McDonald's launched a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #McDStories; it
was hoping that the hashtag would inspire heart-warming stories about Happy
Meals. Instead, it attracted snarky tweeps and McDonald’s detractors who
turned it into a #bashtag to share their #McDHorrorStories.”
- Forbes, Jan 2012
Gen Edge like to own, subvert and change things. Expect
them to poke fun and play with your messaging. Consider
it a compliment.
RULE 4
Hacking IS INEVITABLE

20. 20
Body level one
Body level two
‣ bullet point
‣ bullet point
Body level two
‣ bullet point
‣ bullet point
THE SOUND
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
To belong to Gen Edge means you have to be different.
Offer them interesting means of demonstrating their
unique identities.
RULE
“Instagram users...can select their favorite Instagram shot as a background for
the Nike Air Max model of their choice, which with the click of a button is
customized based on the colors in the photo. From there, users can either
purchase the custom-designed shoe or simply share the shot over Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter, as well as via an online gallery where users can browse
the designs of other Instagram users.”
- ClickZ, April 2013
5
HELP THEM MICRO
MANAGE individuality

21. Body level one
Body level two
‣ bullet point
‣ bullet point
Body level two
‣ bullet point
‣ bullet point
HEADER
THE SOUND 21
GENERATION EDGE
“Victoria’s Secret modified a campaign for its Body by Victoria line on its
website from “The Perfect ‘Body’” to “A Body For Every Body.” The
controversial slogan sparked a social media uproar and a Change.com
petition asking the lingerie company to apologize and alter the wording.”
- NYDailyNews.com, November 2014
Gen Edge are critical thinkers... which means they’re going
to critically think about your brand.
RULE 6
DON’T BE A shit
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

22. THE SOUND 22
GENERATION EDGE
“Artist Adam Harvey's project at cvdazzle.com shows makeup, hairstyling
and fashion techniques that can be used to provide camouflage to guard
against facial recognition technology used by Facebook, store cameras or
even Google Glass.”
- LA Times, November 2014
Gen Edge are more secretive about their life and culture.
Be subtle and respect their boundaries.
RULE 7
Shh, IT’S A SECRET
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

23. THE SOUND 23
GENERATION EDGE
“It seems that Gen Z inherits its love of good storytelling from the
Millennials, with 67 percent of the respondents saying that they are more
interested in narratives and content that have realistic endings. Further,
they are nearly twice as likely to want to see “real people” rather than
celebrities endorse products and brands.”
- Dididay.com, April 2015
Gen Edge are realists. They look for function and efficacy
in brands as much as they seek image.
RULE 8
KEEP IT real
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

24. THE SOUND
RULE
“Watching a YouTube video by an influencer is equivalent to chatting
candidly with the most popular kids in class, having them recommend
their favorite products and ideas for you to then make your own.”
- CMO.com, October 2014
Gen Edge love to become YouTube stars in their own right.
Consider them your target... and your media platform.
9
THEY ARE YOUR channel
24
GENERATION EDGE
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

25. THE SOUND 25
GENERATION EDGE
RULE 10
Gen Edge are distracted. Brands that have big ideas
will cut through.
“They're constantly on the lookout for something different, fresh and
exciting. And they want to share it immediately. It's almost a treasure
hunt for them.”
- Jim Fielding, global head of consumer products and retail at
AwesomenessTV, AdAge, May 2015
YOU’RE GOING TO
NEED SOME edge
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS

26. THE SOUND 26
GENERATION EDGE
GIVE US a SHOUT!
INFO@THESOUNDHQ.COM

27. V A N C O U V E R | N E W Y O R K | L O N D O N | T O R O N T O | C H I C A G O | M U M B A I
W W W . T H E S O U N D H Q . C O M

28. 28THE SOUND
GENERATION EDGE
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GENERATION EDGE
SLIDE SITE
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