What Is the Real Difference Between Millennials, Gen X and Boomers?
So much has been written about the Boomers, Millennials and Gen Xers. But if you really want to see the generational differences, look at their device usage.
AdWeek featured a data point infographic (Source: Millward Brown, Getting Audiences Right, 2015) on generations. The differences and similarities are fascinating.
Millennials prefer Apple products, but are still buying Android devices:
- Android smartphones: Millennials 54%; Gen Xers 55%; Boomers 50%
- iPhones: Millennials 53%; Gen Xers 38%; Boomers 24%
- Tablets: Millennials 20%; Gen Xers 31%; Boomers 37%
- iPads: Millennials 33%; Gen Xers 28%; Boomers 21%
Entertainment consumption seems to fit what you already believe: Boomers lead in Network TV, Cable TV and DVR usage. Millennials lead in Netflix, Youtube and Amazon Prime video. GenXers are in the middle of all the rankings.
One obvious difference is that Millennials are more likely to buy things via smartphone; Boomers use laptops; and tablet users are more likely to be by Gen Xers and Millennials.
You can make broad generalizations about each demo, but even though one demo leads in one category, there were plenty of users from other demos in these areas as well. As much as we are different, we are also the same.
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle.
After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant.
He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.”
Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.”
One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College.
Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board.
Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.