Catch ‘Em Coming and Going:
Age Segmentation of Young Leaders
and Loyal Donors
Generational Marketing:
Understanding generations and
engaging Young Professionals
Jennifer Dietsch, Communications Manager
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
jenniferd@dayton-unitedway.org
The Generations Dynamic
 Formative years mold core values
 5 living and working generations – first
time in history
Values
Attitudes
Decisions
**Generational marketing research gathered from Rocking the Ages, The
Yankelovich Report on Generational Marketing
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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America’s Generations
G.I.’s
1901-1926
80+
Silents
1927-1945
61 to 79
Boomers
1946-1964
42 to 60
Gen X
1965-1981
25 to 41
Millennials 1982-Present
0 to 24
*Most generations are split in half, with the older half having
some traits of generation before them, and the younger half
having traits of the generation below them.
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generational Strategy
 Understand formative years
 Understand core values
 Accurate Messaging
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Implementing Generational Marketing
A few ideas…
 Internal communications
 Volunteer recruitment and communications
 Facilitating effective meetings
 Campaign speeches
 Direct mail
 Targeted advertising
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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G.I.’s and Silents
age: 61+
“Traditional” Generation
G.I.’s and Silents - Background
 America’s first Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
 America’s first “senior citizens”
 Came of age during Great Depression, WWII, Korea, and
Cold War
 Built the suburbs and shopping malls of middle-class
America
 Accomplished goals through hard work and sacrifice
 Worked as a team
 Created the most conformist culture of the 20th century
 Self-sacrificing commitment to bettering society
 Cohesive, similarly motivated group of consumers
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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G.I.’s - Background
 Name comes from terms “general issue” and “government
issue”, describing uniforms given to solders during WWII
 More than half of G.I. Men served in Armed Forces
 Important to them to be “regular” guys who are team
players who work within the system
 Government GI Bill of Rights paid for their education and
helped them buy their first homes
 Government provided jobs in unprecedented numbers
 Receiving most generous pensions and best subsidized
medical care in nation’s history
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Silents - Background
 Rely on G.I.’s for leadership
 More cautious and quietly assertive
 Served in crucial back-room support roles as facilitators
and bureaucrats
 Never produced a president
 Married young, had children early
 Greater educational achievement than G.I.’s
 Produced every major figure in 20th century civil rights
movement (Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Cesar
Chavez)
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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G.I.’s and Silents Today
 Many are retired and compared to any retired generation to date:
– Retired earlier
– Richer
– With better health benefits and pension plans
– More comfortable lives
 Preference for conformity led to creation of retirement villages
 Crime and personal safety are chief concerns
 Spending style is cautious and disciplined
 Saved a lot of money, but saved it for their families
 Have begun to spend money on themselves
 View leisure as their reward for lifetime of hard work
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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G.I.’s and Silents – How to market to them
 Don’t treat them like they are old
 Don’t be loud or brash
 Emphasize experience and wisdom
 Base decision making on established institutions and
authority figures
 Key messages should focus on values such as frugality,
responsibility and caution
 Like to spend money on grandchildren
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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G.I.’s and Silents – Key Communication
Methods
G.I.’s
Silents
 Face-to-Face
Conversation
 Face-to-Face
Conversation
 Children
 Professional Advisors
 Professional Advisors
 Formal Social Events
 Formal Social Events
 Recognition and Tribute
Events
 Recognition and Tribute
Events
 Direct Mail
 Telephone
 Internet
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers
Born: 1946-1964 (42 to 60)
78,000,000
Me Generation
Baby Boomers - Background
 Most populous and influential generation in America
 Grew up with Disney and Barbie
 Important marker of generation – color TV
 Rebelled against parents and Vietnam War
 Enjoyed unprecedented employment and education opportunities
 Self-absorbed
 Strong belief in their own individual capabilities
 Grew up being told they were special and received education and
training so they could be
 Better educated than parents
– 86% graduated from high school
– 25% graduated from college
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – Background cont.
 Fixated on self-improvement and individual accomplishment
 Evaluate achievement in terms of personal fulfillment
 Generation spawned hippies and yuppies
 Strong sense of expectation and entitlement
 Grew up spoiled and pampered by stay-at-home moms
 Have been media darlings their whole life
 Married older
 High divorce rate
 Most likely part of a married-couple family
– Even among youngest boomers, nearly 2 out of 3 are married
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – Background cont.
 Most haven’t reached their peak earning years
 Tied to the workforce more strongly than prior generations
because of women in the workforce
 Creating a new marketplace and will redefine “mature”
marketplace
 Deserve versus earn what-they-get mentality
 More inclusive than generations before them
 Embraced civil rights and women’s movements because of rosy
outlook and certainty that there was enough for everyone
 Used to breaking the rules
 Best educated, most sophisticated Americans in history
 Less likely than G.I.’s and Silents to live in retirement
communities, want something more sophisticated
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – How to market to them
 Nostalgia
– Stay-at-home moms are fashionable again
 Rise in the priority of family and family activities
 Invented new forms of families
– Divorce
– Live-in lifestyles
– His and her children
– Same sex couples
 Stress
– Eliminate stress through simplification
– Boom in personal services
– Less welcoming of technology because it forces them to make
more decisions
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – How to market to them
 Control
– Provide simplicity along with control
 Demanding consumers – want the whole story…want data
before they buy
 Reinforce strong sense of self-reliance and individual
superiority without a lot of effort and participation
 Mass customization
 Think of themselves as young
– Consider age 79 as old
– Will avoid products pitched to older consumers
– Be subtle
 Attracted to romance and adventure
 Position brand as the choice of winners
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – How to market to them
 No brand loyalty – brand names are no longer badges of success
 Let them know they are getting a good deal
 Many won’t retire
– Will begin second careers
– Retirement as work style, not lifestyle
– Won’t have enough money to retire (saving rates are low)
– Work-centered
– Looking for meaning and fulfillment
 Want products that keep them healthy and sustain energy and
activity levels
 Will remain dominant consumer group in marketplace for
years to come
 Will continue to expect to be center of attention
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Baby Boomers – Key Communication
Methods
 Social and Recognition Events
 Professional Advisors
 Direct Mail
 Face-to-Face Conversation
 Internet
 Email
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X (Young Professionals)
Born: 1965-1981 (25 to 41)
The New Pragmatists
Generation X - Background
 First generation that’s never been able to presume success
 Uncertainty came from generational debris from Boomers
– Divorce
– Crack
– Latchkey kids
– Downsizing and layoffs
– Homelessness
– Urban deterioration
– Soaring national debt
– Gangs
– Bankrupt social security
– Junk Bonds
– Holes in ozone
 Grew up with Simpsons and Roseanne, not Cleavers and
Mayberry
 Learned early to never take anything for granted, especially
if first handled by a Boomer
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Generation X – Background cont.
 No one or nothing is as it seems
 Wary and cautious, but rarely apathetic, profligate or corrupt
 Much savvier consumers
 Determined to be involved, responsible and in control
 “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
 Not sure what to do about future, so they focus on trying to get
through the day
 Nothing is black and white – there is good and bad in all things
 Important formative experience: have to weigh trade-offs in
everything
 Find themselves opting for lesser of two evils
 Thirst for next level of adventure and excitement
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – Background cont.
 Risks aren’t to be feared – overcome through total immersion
 Vigilance and adaptability are important
 Have trouble describing future
 Mature beyond their years
– Experienced middle-age pressures, responsibilities and choices at
an early age
 Less judgmental – more accepting of alternative lifestyles
 Getting married later
 Buying homes later…Many still live at home
 Diversity in all forms – cultural, political, sexual, racial, social –
is the hallmark of this generation
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Generation X – Background cont.
 Very fast paced lives
 Demographically, most diverse generation to date:
– 69% Caucasian*
– 13% African American
– 13% Hispanic
– 3% Asian American
– 1% Native American
*Boomers are 75% Caucasian
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Diversity is the key fact of life for Xers, the core of the perspective
they bring to the marketplace
 Sophistication about advertising from a lifetime spent watching
more of it than any generation
 Skeptical and irreverent, ready to buy but smart about marketing
 Refuse to let their lives be stripped down to the stereotype of a
marketing target group
 New means finding extreme edge of what is already there
 Avoid labels…Don’t pigeonhole them all together
 Mainstream is a mixed stream
 Less quantity, more quality
 Multimedia
 Retro-eclectic chic
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Abandon hard sell
 Want to be treated with more intelligence and respect than they
usually see in ads
 Want honest approach
 Get to the point and stick to the point
 Don’t drown message in warm and fuzzy or unrealistic
promises
 Get some attitude
– Attitude, not brand, makes the sale
 Have some fun
– Xers are young people, full of energy and ready for fun
– Keep life in perspective
– Crusading is for Boomers, Sacrificing is for G.I.’s and Silents
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Want a job and a life
 Emphasize pragmatism
– Bottom line is about survival, not about ideology or mission
– Focus on getting by, not bigger causes and movements
– Prepared to do what it takes
 Cautious and financially conservative
 Pragmatism has led to a back up plan / holding a little back
– Later marriages
– ILYA’s – Incompletely Launched Young Adults
– Women in 20’s living with parents rose to 24% in 1993 from
17% in 1977
– Men in 20’s living with parents rose to 35% in 1993 from 30%
in 1977
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Live modular lives
– Don’t buy a house and live in it forever
– Don’t graduate and get a job and work there until retirement
– Stay flexible, continually adaptable
 Resourceful…Confident…Ambitious
 Depend on themselves and their own capabilities to get
things done
 Confidence in public institutions – economic, political,
religious, business, media, professional, charities – has
bottomed out
 Believe no institution can be trusted
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Provide prophylaxis
– Protect yourself
Wear a condom, stockpile your own blood, designate a driver,
just say no, wear a seatbelt
They live for today protecting themselves against tomorrow
 Think in terms of enclaves
– Most peer-focused generation in history
– Rely on friends for advice about everything
 Technology
– Comfortable with all forms of high technology
But, technology has been a contributor to their sense of
uncertainty, risk and diversity
Created its own risks and tradeoffs
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Strong desire to participate in marketplace and accumulate
consumer goods
 Have new tradeoffs coming - $50 pair of jeans or $100
lamp
 Creating new kinds of households
– Living with parents longer
– Parents helping after kids move out
– 1/3 of consumers of all ages believe that parental
support shouldn’t stop when kids move out
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – How to market to them
 Most effective way to reach Xers – visual
– True TV generation
– Spent much of early years alone in front of TV or watching with
young friends
– Seldom watched with families because of family fragmentation
and multiple TV’s
 Attitudes and values shaped by visual images rather than
written word
 Least likely generation to read paper
– Always true of younger people, but more pronounced and not
increasing with age
– But, percent of Xers going to movies/galleries/museums rising
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Generation X – Key Communication
Methods
 Email
 Internet
 Multi-media
 Word-of-Mouth
 Social Events
 Peer Gatherings
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Engaging Young Professionals at
Your United Way
Reach – Top of Mind Awareness
When you think about a nonprofit or charitable organization that makes a
difference in the community, which organizations come to mind?
40%
35%
30%
34%
30%
30%
25%
20%
22%
22%
18%
15%
15%
10%
10%
5%
0%
2002
2003
Awareness - USA
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
2004
2005
Awareness - Dayton
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Reach – Advertising Awareness
In the past six months have you seen, heard or read any advertisements
for the United Way?
60%
45%
50%
40%
30%
49%
52%
37%
34%
36%
31%
29%
20%
10%
0%
2002
2003
Ad Aw areness - USA
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
2004
2005
Ad Aw areness - Dayton
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Leaders Circle
 Goal: To engage Young Professionals and foster United
Way Leadership givers, champions and volunteers through
unique networking and learning opportunities
 Challenge: 3 other local Young Professionals
organizations active in Greater Dayton Area
 Young Leaders Circle:
– Young Professionals under 40
– Contribute at least $1,000 through United Way
– Members and prospects: 100+
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Leaders Circle
 Recognition
– United Way Leadership book and brochure
– United Way website
 Networking and Professional Enrichment
– Leadership Luncheon Series
– Young, United, Connected
 Social Activities
 Philanthropic education
 Joint events/mentoring program with Alexis de Tocqueville
Society members
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Campaign Strategy
Piloted in 2005
 2 companies with established management/ leadership
development programs
 Mortgage company and university – two different
executions
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Campaign Strategy
Mortgage company:
 Campaign held in the midst of downsizing
– Monthly meeting devoted to United Way
– CEO asked Young Professionals to donate, volunteer and
champion United Way among peers and staff
 $1,683 increase among Young Professionals
 13 of 24 increased contributions
 1 new Leadership giver
 Overall campaign increased by nearly $1,000
 Total Campaign: $231,000+ employee giving, $120,000
corporate gift
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Campaign Strategy
University:
– Monthly meeting devoted to United Way
– Agency tour and speaker
– United Way Board member (employee), Staff and Campaign
Coordinator spoke
 $1,148 increase among Young Professionals
 7 of 24 increased contributions
 Overall campaign increased by 13%; participation
increased by 3%
 Total campaign: $109,000+ employee giving and student
participation
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professional Event
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professional Event
Advertised event to 18,000+
Young Professionals
 Email
 Viral marketing
– Young Leaders Circle
– Leadership Dayton
– 3,000+ email list of 25-40 year-olds
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Target Marketing
Disruptive Marketing - Billboard Advertising
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Target Marketing
Disruptive Marketing - Billboard Advertising
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Target Marketing
Disruptive Marketing - Billboard Advertising
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Target Marketing
Radio Spots
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
Young Professionals Target Marketing
•Radio Spots
•Impact bracelets
•www.iamwhatmatters.org
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Thank you.
Diamond Donor Program –
Kansas City
Presented by Beth Burkes
Diamond Donor Program Basics
-
Recognizes donors who have given to
any city) for 25+ years.
-
Donors self-identify.
-
Designed to acknowledge and thank long term donors at
any giving level – no other program did so.
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
United Way (in
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Benefits of a Diamond Donor Program
Closer relationship to donors
Home addresses
Connection to retirees
Opens doors for planned gifts
Annual gifts often increase
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Benefits of a Diamond Donor Program
Opportunity to say “thank you” to most loyal donors
Differentiation point for United Way
Great stories!
Opportunity to interact with most supportive
companies in a different way
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Program Process
1. Donor self-identifies
2. Thank you letter sent from CEO with package of 10
notecards
3. Information captured in donor database
4. Donors prioritized and contacted by PG Director
5. Donors invited to biennial thank you event
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Diamond Donor Event
- Sponsored by Helzberg Diamonds
- Heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Gifts for attendees (paperweight, book)
- Message of thanks
- Message about Planned Giving
- Media
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Registration form (also online)
♦ Diamond Donor ♦
25+ years of caring
Are you a United Way
Diamond Donor?
You are if you have been giving to United
Way for 25 years or more.
If so, United Way wants to know
about it.
We want you to be a member of United
Way’s Diamond Donor Association comprised
of individuals or couples in the Greater Kansas
City area who have been donating to United
Way…in any city…for 25 years or more.
 We want to recognize you.
 We want to thank you.
 We want to make sure you know how important
you are to us.
Please register me as a member of United Way’s Diamond Donor
Association because I have been giving to United Way for 25
years or more.
Name(s)___________________________________ Date_______
1080 Washington
Kansas City, MO 64105
Address_______________________________________________
City_________________________ State__________ Zip________
Phone: 816.559.4655
Phone (business)______________ Phone (home)______________
Fax: 816.472.4207
Fax_________________________ E-mail____________________
E-mail:
heathercounts@hauw.org
Company______________________________________________
Web:
www.kcunitedway.org
I/We have been contributing to United Way for approximately _____ years.
Thank you for supporting United Way!
Return form to: United Way, Attn: Heather Counts
1080 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64105
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Kansas City’s History
• Implemented DD Program late 2001
• Over 1,100 members by 2006
• Promoted through campaigners, loaned associates,
employee campaign managers, PG newsletters and letters to
those giving through direct mail
• Longest giving donors at 67 years and counting!
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Communication with ECMs
•
Handout: “Diamond Donor Action Steps”
outlines what, why, how, recognition ideas, and messages to
Diamond Donors
•
Information included at ECM training and in ECM training
manual
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area
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Thank You
Table top consultations