The Culture Code of the Cool Old Guy: What the Generations Don't Understand About Each Other

Just because your audience is old, that doesn't mean they're uncool. They're just cool in a way that you might not expect. The generations live in different cultures, and this presentation schools younger marketers in the culture in which older consumers live. And perhaps teaches us all some lessons about our own cultural assumptions.

1. THE CULTURAL CODE OF THE COOL OLD GUY How to talk to cool old guys, and why brands need to reinvent their narratives around age . With Martin Karaffa for

2. Rock Hudson, 1953 Old guys used to set the rules of cool. We kinda invented the word .

3. Today, we don‘t set the rules of cool. And that‘s not a bad thing .

4. E-TRADE This is Getting Old, Super Bowl 2018 BUT That doesn’t mean we NOW SET the rules of uncool.

5. That doesn’t mean we now set the rules of uncool. E-TRADE This is Getting Old, Super Bowl 2018

6. The cost of being thought uncool is paid in ageism and other stereotypes. That means lost economic and social opportunities. Not to mention the cost in simple human connection, decency, and respect. Need we remind ourselves of lost commercial opportunities. Especially in tech.

7. Many old guys will find themselves in the workforce for longer than they expected, or planned for. Some by choice. Many will respond to opportunities which increasing labor shortages provide Some by necessity. The wealthy, multi-housed boomer is a stereotype. It’s expensive to be old. And governments around the world are demanding we work longer. It’s not the same world. But in many ways, we’re still the same people. .

8. Old is not a four-letter word. Old is not an insult, young is not a compliment. —Nicole Urdang Let's get this straight. If at 55, you feel energetic, adventurous, ambitious, seek new challenges, and embrace new ideas which stimulate your brain, then that's what it feels like to be old . — Julian Harcourt, Founder of GreyAfro I’m a filth elder. — John Waters, Filmmaker

9. COOL AS EVER BUT BY THEIR OWN RULES

10. BEWARE OLD STEREOTYPES

11. Daily decisions are too fast to be rational. We rely on our emotions to navigate life. Where a group of people share an emotional preference, that’s a culture. WHAT’S COOL? IT’S A FAST DECISION.

12. The common emotional preferences which shape a culture come from our shared formative experiences. They install our instincts. Many formative experiences come from early in life; family, young adulthood, parenthood And many broadly relate to demographics Nation/Region Language Ethnicity Shared collective experiences, especially traumatic ones. Generation/life stage Gender

13. CONSUMER CULTURE INTELLIGENCE IN COLLABORATION WITH MEDIACOM 60,000 CONSUMERS 5 1 COUNTRIES AND REGIONS SEGMENTABLE AGE & GENDER EDUCATION INCOME LANGUAGE & ETHNICITY UPDATED USA Q1 2023 INDIA, INDONESIA AND MORE Q4 2023 MEASURING SHARED EMOTIONS 14

14. OPTIMISER VS GRATIFIER Are we proud of who we are? Or are we dissatisfied with ourselves, and strive to be something better? ME VS WE Are we strong because of something in our character? Do we take strength in being part of something bigger? ANXIETY How much do we worry about problems? Scan the horizon for new threats? AMBITION Status seeking or contentment? ABSTRACT VS LITERAL Head or heart culture? VANITY Utilitarian shopping, or retail therapy? Does a purchase make me feel special? PRACTICALITY Do we take personal responsibility for the impact of our consumption decisions, or do we rely on brands and regulators? INFO NEED Low information buyers, or high information buyers? BUZZ VS BENEFIT Do we buy on buzz, or do we assess benefits? HOW TO MEASURE CULTURE STARBUCKS PER HEAD BRAND ARCHITECTURE COLOUR INFLUENCER FAME OR OR RELEVANCE? STORYTELLING: PITCH, SUGGEST, OR ENDORSE. REFURBISHED OR UPCYCLED GOODS INSTAGRAM AND TIK TOK ARE ANXIOUS ANXIOUS CULTURES CLICK MORE FB ADS—FOMO LUXURY GOODS DON’T USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR WORK LINKED IN IS AN ABSTRACT ZONE MAGICAL REALISM LESS CONCERN ABOUT DATA PRIVACY VW MARKET SHARE AFTER EXHAUST SCANDAL LOW INFO : VOICE COMMANDS HIGH INFO: FEWER AD BLOCKERS BUZZY CULTURES FEWER FACEBOOK AD CLICKS GRATIFIER ME RELAXED MIXED AMBITION LITERAL UTILITARIAN PRACTICAL HIGH INFO LOW BUZZ

15. KEY CULTURAL DRIVERS AMONG GENERATIONS . OPTIMISERS VS GRATIFIERS Are we comfortable with constant, incremental change, or is change always seen as painful and dramatic? Long term optimisers vs short term gratifiers. ME vs WE How strong is the social fabric? Do we stand out or fit in? Technically, we can refer to this as individualism vs collectivism. ANXIOUS VS RELAXED Relaxed or uptight? There is an epidemic of anxiety in younger generations. But it affects different cultures in unique ways. WHAT IT DOES, VS WHO IT’S FOR THE VALUE OF POPULARITY CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT VS A SHORT-TERM FIX DEFERRED GRATIFICATION SEARCHING FOR NEW PROBLEMS TO SOLVE, OR A HAPPY END-STATE? 1 2 3 GRATIFIER ME RELAXED

16. These three elements define how global culture is changing

17. OPTIMISER VS GRATIFIER INDIVIDUAL VS SOCIAL CONTEXT LONG TERM OPTIMISERS SHORT TERM GRATIFIERS ME-CULTURES INDIVIDUALIST LOW CONTEXT WHAT DOES IT DO? WE -CULTURES COLLECTIVE HIGH SOCIAL CONTEXT WHO IS IT FOR?

18. ME-CULTURES INDIVIDUALIST LOW CONTEXT WHAT DOES IT DO? LONG TERM OPTIMISERS SHORT TERM GRATIFIERS THAILAND B+X INDIA CHINA B+X SINGAPORE VIETNAM B+X KOREA JAPAN USA CAUCASIAN SWEDEN USA AFRICAN AMERICAN USA HISPANIC SPAIN POLAND CHILE BRAZIL MEXICO FRANCE GERMANY FMR WEST GERMANY FMR EAST NETHERLANDS WE -CULTURES COLLECTIVE HIGH SOCIAL CONTEXT WHO IS IT FOR? AUSTRALIA UK ITALY NIGERIA ARGENTINA PERU TURKEY BOOMERS HAVE TENDED TO THINK SHORT-TERM IMMEDIATE PERSONAL NEEDS FAST GRATIFICATION THE DISRUPT OCRATS MARTY BOOMERS

19. LONG TERM OPTIMISERS SHORT TERM GRATIFIERS THAILAND Z INDIA CHINA Z SINGAPORE VIETNAM Z KOREA JAPAN Z GEN Z USA CAUCASIAN SWEDEN Y USA AFRICAN AMERICAN USA HISPANIC Z SPAIN Y POLAND CHILE EGYPT Z BRAZIL MEXICO FRANCE GERMANY Z NETHERLANDS Y CHINA Y GERMANY Y/E GERMANY Y/W GEN Y SELECTED AUSTRALIA JAPAN Y UK EGYPT Y ITALY Z UK Y NIGERIA ARGENTINA PERU USA HISPANIC Y TURKEY ANXIETY GEN Z VALUES LONG-TERM, INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT DEFER GRATIFICATION AND IT MAKES THEM MORE ANXIOUS ME-CULTURES INDIVIDUALIST LOW CONTEXT WHAT DOES IT DO? WE -CULTURES COLLECTIVE HIGH SOCIAL CONTEXT WHO IS IT FOR?

20. USA 2017-2023 +6 Collective/SOCIAL CONTEXT +5 Long Term Optimiser NOWADAYS, OUR COOL OLD GUY IS THE COUNTERCULTURE

21. GRATIFIER Proud. Resists Change OPTIMISER Constant Improvement IMPULSIVE Low information INFORMED High information QUALITY OF LIFE Tender AMBITIOUS Tough LITERAL Direct storytelling ABSTRACT Complex decoding UTILITARIAN Practical shopping VAIN Emotional shopping Mexico Brazil Indonesia India Turkey Vietnam Spain China Italy France Germany Thailand US UK Japan Indonesia Mexico Brazil Italy Vietnam India Thailand Turkey US Germany France Spain UK China Japan Indonesia Thailand Japan India Turkey US Vietnam China UK Brazil Spain Italy France Germany Mexico Spain Brazil Indonesia Mexico Turkey UK Vietnam Germany Italy US France Thailand China India Japan Vietnam India Indonesia Turkey China Brazil Mexico Italy Thailand Spain US France Germany UK Japan < -41 -31-40 -21-30 -15-20 10-15 5-10 -0-5 0-+5 +5-10 +10-15 +15-20 +21+ 30 +31+40 +41 > Global country median GRATIFIER VS OPTIMISER AMBITION LITERAL VS ABSTRACT GLOBAL CULTURES INFO NEED

22. GRATIFIER Proud. Resists Change OPTIMISER Constant Improvement IMPULSIVE Low information INFORMED High information QUALITY OF LIFE Tender AMBITIOUS Tough LITERAL Direct storytelling ABSTRACT Complex decoding UTILITARIAN Practical shopping VAIN Emotional shopping US Average GRATIFIER VS OPTIMISER AMBITION LITERAL VS ABSTRACT AMERICAN GENERATIONS AND ETHNICITIES VANITY INFO NEED Hispanics B Hispanics X Hispanics Y Black B Asian X White B Hispanics Z Asian B Asian Z White Z Asian Y Black X White X White Y Black Y Black Z Hispanics X Hispanics B Hispanics Y Black B White B Asian B Hispanics Z Asian X Asian Y Asian Z Black X White X Z Black Y Black Z White Y Black X Black B Black Y Black Z Hispanics B White B White X Asian X Y White Y Asian B Asian Z Hispanics Y Hispanics Z Hispanics X White Z White B Black B Asian B Hispanics B Hispanics X White X Hispanics Y Asian X Hispanics Z White Z Asian Z Black X Black Y White Y Black Z Asian Y Hispanics Y Hispanics Z Asian Z Hispanics X Asian Y Black Y White Z Asian B Asian X White Y Black Z Hispanics B Black B White B Black X White X < -41 -31-40 -21-30 -15-20 10-15 5-10 -0-5 0-+5 +5-10 +10-15 +15-20 +21+ 30 +31+40 +41 >

23. THINK ABOUT THE SILENT GENERATION Insight from Dr. Bradley Schurman, Demographer and public intellectual Author of The Super Age First two generations of the twentieth century Fought World War II Witnessed r ampant inequality New tech adopters : radio , automotive , packaged goods natives. Optimism dashed quickly War C ollapse of empires Global pandemic Hyperinflation Prolonged e conomic depression

24. WHO DID THEY BECOME? Insight from Dr. Bradley Schurman, Demographer and public intellectual Author of The Super Age Stability Seekers Anxiety d ominated their lives . Military security Economic security — especially through home ownership The became more communitarian , with a belief in fairness . Government action Business responsibility Unions A n eye for the future . They thought long -term, and valued staying flexible. Progress and tomorrow became magic words We need to make the future better . A duty to improve .

25. When Boomers speak to Gen Z, they‘re not speaking to a younger version of themselves . They‘re speaking to a younger version of their parents . ANXIETY DOMINATES THEIR LIVES When nervous about the future , anxiety focuses them on money . Does a product give me what I paid for ? Other factors , however desirable , take a back seat . THEY BELIEVE IN FAIRNESS ( HiGHER SOCIAL CONTEXT, WE CULTURES) When members of a culture are under financial pressure , they tend to become more communitarian . And they hold brands to account for unfair, immoral behaviour . They hold employers to account for unfair or immoral behaviour , too . Quiet quitting (in China, lying flat) is seen as a legitimate response to unfairness . THEY FOCUS ON THE LONG TERM FUTURE (OPTIMISERS) Like the Silent generation , they learned to defer gratification . They think long and hard to see how they can optimise their experience . Their long -term outlook gives them a keen awareness of sustainability . Sustainability = stability . But price and product performance come first . They believe constant , incremental change is everyone‘s duty . To use an old fashioned phrase , they believe in progress . 1 2 3

26. If Gen Z thinks long-term, why aren’t they saving more? They’re broke They’re not idiots Scrimp/Splurge Seth Fowler

27. Photo Credit: Evert F Baumgardnner, via Wikimedia Commons Dullsville, Daddy-o.

28. LONG TERM OPTIMISERS SHORT TERM GRATIFIERS THAILAND Z INDIA CHINA Z SINGAPORE VIETNAM Z KOREA JAPAN Z GEN Z USA CAUCASIAN USA AFRICAN AMERICAN USA HISPANIC Z SPAIN Y POLAND CHILE EGYPT Z BRAZIL MEXICO FRANCE GERMANY Z AUSTRALIA UK INDIVIDUALIST LOW CONTEXT WHAT DOES IT DO? COLLECTIVE HIGH SOCIAL CONTEXT WHO IS IT FOR? ITALY Z NIGERIA ARGENTINA PERU USA HISPANIC Y TURKEY ANXIETY How do Millennial and Gen Z marketers connect with COOL OLD GUYS?

29. Short term/Impulsive Individualism: Me > We Not anxious Three Cultural Codes of Cool Old Guys

30. S hort term/Long term Poetry Amanda Gorman Joseph Charles MacKenzie

31. Short term gratifiers: Impulsivity Open to change and innovation . But don‘t call it self-improvement Disinhibition is a superpower. If it feels good , do it. Sensory rewards .

32. LONG TERM OPTIMISER ITSETUNTO OFTEN IN ENGLISH ALSO TRANSLATED AS EGO ULKONÄKÖPAINEET (APPEARANCE ISSUES) DEPRESSION PROBLEM NOT OPPORTUNITY SELF ESTEEM LOVE YOURSELF MORE IMPROVE SELF-ESTEEM STARTS AS A KID (GENDERED) WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH DIFFICULTY VALUING WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. I‘LL NEVER UNDERSTAND HUMANS WHO ONLY MISS WHAT‘S GONE Change. But change for you and not for others I AM. I CAN. Rules: You can say yes or no just once. ARE YOU BEAUTIFUL? WHO are you lying to? SHORT TERM GRATIFIER AUTO-ESTIMA INNER STRENGTH COOL OLD GUYS THE SNOWFLAKE TROPE BOOMERS GEN Z

33. Because I‘m Worth It Because You‘re Worth It BOOMERS GRATIFIERME GEN Z OPTIMISER WE CYBILL SHEPHERD Lesson of Worth 4 x I’m Worth It 1 x You’re Worth It 19 x I 1 x me, to me Criticism makes me angry Helen Mirren, 78 Lesson of Worth 1 x I’m Worth It 4 x You’re Worth It 2 x I 10 x me, to me Criticism makes me doubt myself Camila Cabello, 26 A LESSON FROM A MARKETER TO COOL WOMEN 1988 2023

34. “When I imagined the perfect world for Cool Old Guys, I saw them all sitting around gambling, playing poker. They were partying, laughing, they were really loud, cracking jokes.” Elle Park Head of Experience Design and GenZ Expert Ronin House, Los Angeles Christion Banks Head of Strategy and GenZ Expert Ronin House, Los Angeles “The world I imagined was really loud and rowdy, too. I didn’t even hear any music because they were shouting and cheering, and arguing about the Kansas City Chiefs’ game on t he TV. My guys were gambling, too…playing dominoes. But I joined them, and won!” FOR GRATIFIERS, LOUD ROCKS

35. Philips Shavers Sweden If it feels good, do it. And be loud about it.

36. IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT. IMPULSIVITY ROCKS BOOMERS GRATIFIERME

37. Royal Enfield For a motorbike, relatively gentle sensations Beetles, flowers, raindrops Modest suggestion of speed and engine noise Be Reborn: Change in yourself vs be who you are GEN Z OPTIMISER WE

38. Mercedes-AMG Super Bowl 2017 Impulsivity BOOMERS GRATIFIERME

39. BOOMERS GRATIFIER GEN Z OPTIMISER Cultural preferences affect tech usage more than technophobia DIGITAL BOOMERS REPORT 2023 Early adopters ‘ mindset Only 10% cite font size as a barrier Only 14% need to ask for help regularly .

40. Individualism It‘s OK to be alone What does it do? vs Who is it for ?

41. Cool Old Guys don’t care about who it’s for. It’s for me. BOOMERS ME

42. Gen Z. Who It’s for matters a Lot. High Social Context GEN Z OPTIMISER WE

43. Loners are cool Loners are losers BOOMERS ME GEN Z/Y WE

44. Anxious? DON’T HARSH MY MELLOW.

45. Why so uptight, kids? BOOMERS Looser bodies , spontaneous moves , more expressive, less uptight More controlled , more deliberate , co-ordinated and rehearsed moves , less random . BOOMERS RELAXED GEN Z ANXIOOUS Gen Z SOUL TRAIN 1973 BEST OF TIK TOK 2021

46. Why so uptight, kids? BOOMERS Looser bodies , spontaneous moves , more expressive, less uptight More controlled , more deliberate , co-ordinated and rehearsed moves , less random . BOOMERS RELAXED GEN Z ANXIOUS Gen Z ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH-IN 1969 BEST OF TIK TOK 2021

47. How Harley reaches out to Gen Z The Campus Agency Learn the ins and outs of safe motorcycling GEN Z ANXIOUS

48. BOOMERS/XERS RELAXED GEN Z ANXIOUS No Problem. Positive content. Countless new problems are lurking. Negative content OK.

49. Nine CULTURAL CODES FOR COOL OLD GUYS Respect his impulsivity High self esteem. The “snowflake” conundrum Loud, strong sensations Drop-down menus vs arrayed choice. I know what I want. Loners are winners. No need to be always on for the social media. No need for elaborate stories to establish context Free body language Don’t give me new problems Positive content