Beyond Gen Z: Meet the Forgotten Power Consumers
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn India’s rapidly evolving consumer landscape, Gen Z often steals the spotlight. As digital natives, their influence on trends, social media behavior, and even product choices is undeniable. But here’s a hard truth: Gen Z is not the only audience that matters, especially for brands looking to build scale and longevity.
While Gen Z brings freshness and virality, a brand strategy that focuses only on them risks alienating other highly valuable, spending-ready cohorts. India is a multigenerational market, and success lies in speaking to all of them, not just the newest ones.
Millennials Are India’s Economic Core
Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials are in their prime earning and spending years. With over 440 million individuals, they make up nearly 70% of household income and account for 47% of India’s working-age population. They’re buying homes, investing in mutual funds, purchasing family insurance, and spending significantly on consumer goods, fashion, tech, and travel.
They share Gen Z’s comfort with digital but differ in mindset, valuing brand purpose, reliability, quality, and financial prudence. They’re also more brand-loyal, making them ideal for long-term retention campaigns.
Don’t Overlook Gen X and Boomers
Gen X (born 1965–1980) and Boomers (born 1946–1964) have immense economic influence on Indian households. They are often decision-makers in high-value categories like real estate, automobiles, gold, insurance, healthcare, and education.
- Gen X in India is digitally mature, using UPI, OTT platforms, YouTube, and WhatsApp extensively.
- Boomers are increasingly online, especially for Facebook, YouTube, health info, and e-commerce.
They may not be creating Reels, but they’re active where it counts. With longer life expectancy and growing digital adoption, these groups represent low-churn, high-value customers.
Different Generations = Different Priorities
Your messaging and ad formats must reflect generational differences:
- Gen Z (age 18–25): Wants identity, inclusivity, speed, and snackable content. Think Reels, memes, influencers, UGC.
- Millennials (26–42): Seek convenience, value, and lifestyle alignment. Emailers, detailed product pages, and reward programs work well.
- Gen X (43–58): Want reliability, ease, and service assurance. Give them educational content, WhatsApp-based CRM, and product walkthroughs.
Boomers (59+): Look for simplicity, trust, and legacy. Use testimonials, voice-based UX, and assisted purchase flows.
Ad Strategies Need to Be Generational Too
Advertising platforms and formats should shift depending on who you want to reach:
- Gen Z: OTT Ads (MX Player, JioCinema), influencer content, Short Ads, Interactive OLV Ads
- Millennials: Ads on news and lifestyle platforms, CTV Ads
- Gen X & Boomers: Connected TV (Hotstar, SonyLIV, Zee5), native display ads on premium news sites
Insight: CTV consumption in India grew 31% YoY, with the 35+ age group being one of the fastest-growing viewer segments. (Source: Group M)
Final Thought
Gen Z may be driving trends, but the real purchasing power in India spans across generations. By focusing only on the youngest consumers, brands risk building fleeting hype instead of lasting impact.
True success lies in creating strategies that resonate with every generation because, in India, buying decisions are rarely made in isolation. Families shop together, influence each other, and often decide as a unit. To build meaningful connections and scale, brands need to embrace this multigenerational reality and tailor their approach accordingly.
