The rapid changes in technology and culture in the latter 20th century and early 21st century have created stark differences among the various generations. Each generation is associated with a particular social shift, such as the Baby Boomers coming into the US’ post-WWII period of prosperity, and the Millennials seeing the world transition into the Internet Age. This has resulted in varying attitudes and values among generations, which creatives and production houses need to take into account in their work, in order to reach their target audiences.
Catering to multiple generations can be complicated, as a piece of work can risk being seen as “dated” or “old-fashioned” if it swings too much to an older demographic. Meanwhile, on the other extreme, it can be seen as “cringeworthy” or “pandering” if it tries too hard to appeal to the younger generations, who are more savvy and critical of advertising and marketing.
Antonio “Tronic” McDonald, founder, CEO, and chief creative officer of boutique creative production studio KUAMP, says that the solution to the pain points of marketers regarding multigenerational consumers is to keep it genuine by remaining close to the Zeitgeist.
“The best way to do it is by staying in tune with culture, and that entails having a good ability to listen. I think the keys are being attentive, showing up and remaining curious, whether digitally or in real life. There’s many ways to listen and keep in tune with a generation’s culture, especially in today’s technologically-driven world,” McDonald says. “Listening and being around the culture are the best ways to figure out what people are doing on a larger scale.”
McDonald has been at the epicenter of popular culture transformation in the US, having worked for many years at a global music channel that has been credited with becoming a cultural force among young adults in the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s. He has been involved in launching the careers of several musicians that have become global household names, and KUAMP has been in the business for over 20 years, telling compelling and award-winning stories across multiple platforms.
He says it is extremely important to be personally involved, as it is always the best way to speak to people across different generations. Crafting things learned only through word of mouth or hearsay will result in projects coming out as artificial or insincere.
McDonald adds that this is why KUAMP makes sure that its creative team is as diverse as possible, providing different perspectives and lived experiences to ensure authenticity in every output.
One struggle of many traditional media and creative agencies, especially the more established ones, is that they often don’t know how to be nimble, especially when it comes to newer channels, such as social media. McDonald says that the solution to this is to partner with companies, such as KUAMP, that have intimate knowledge of the subject matter, so they can provide them with relevant advice and avoid costly mistakes.
“You shouldn’t do things blindly. While you might get some good results, it’s all a big maybe, and things could go the opposite way and result in complete disaster. If you get a partner who’s experienced and has vision, you can go places a lot faster with greater precision,” McDonald says.
Working in the creative industry requires having a great pulse on culture, which is a cross-section of age, race, gender, economic background, and many other factors. The creative industry exists not just to sell or market products, but it also allows people to come together and celebrate culture.
“At KUAMP, we always say ‘we lead with humanity’, and I believe that humanity and empathy are the two things that can always help you get closer to anyone, helping you learn and understand from all generations,” McDonald says. “The best place to start is by understanding that, regardless of your age, you’re human first. Obviously, we’re at different stages of our lives, and a 40-year-old man has few things in common with a 13-year-old girl. But there’s always some intersection, overlap, or synergies that they can both relate to. For example, dads and their daughters are going to Taylor Swift’s concerts now, because the dad has made an effort to learn more about what their daughter is into and eventually gains a genuine appreciation for it… GO SWIFTIE’s,”
