5 trends to know marketing across generations

Tailoring your marketing to different age groups is smart business. But generational preferences only tell part of the story. To dig deeper, Cordial surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers to identify how buying habits differ across generations. The results revealed key insights into privacy, personalization and how people engage with marketing channels.

Generational trends matter, but there’s a catch: What really drives results is personalization. Today’s consumers expect messages that feel relevant, timely and tailored to them as individuals.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five trends and how you can use them to connect with every customer.

1. Discounts are out, personalization is in

Only 33% of Millennials and 25% of Gen Zers say discounts/promotions impact their purchase decisions, compared to 39% of consumers overall.

2. Boomers click, younger generations swipe

55% of baby boomers strongly prefer desktop/laptop for online purchasing, compared to 45% who prefer mobile. Meanwhile, 84% of millennials and 82% of Gen Zers heavily favor mobile devices.

3. Security takes priority when shopping online

42% of baby boomers say security concerns influence their choice of device when purchasing online, a significantly higher percentage compared to younger generations.

4. Trust starts with transparency

82% of millennials say a brand’s data privacy practices impact their purchase decisions.

5. Think twice before you text

32% of Gen Zers and 31% of millennials prefer receiving promotional messages via SMS, more than twice as likely to prefer SMS than baby boomers (15%).

Turn insights into personalized campaigns with Cordial

While generational insights provide valuable guidance, they don’t fully capture the complexity of your audience. People aren’t defined by their age group, so it’s time to move beyond one-size-fits-all strategies. Instead, focus on real-time personalization that adapts to each customer’s unique preferences and behaviors.

With Cordial, you can send personalized, data-driven messages across every channel — ensuring the right message gets to the right person, regardless of their demographic. Plus, our platform prioritizes privacy and security, so you can build trust while delivering campaigns that resonate.

Ready to build campaigns that resonate across generations?

Request a demo to see how Cordial helps you deliver tailored marketing for every customer.