Understanding Gen X and Millenials Case Study

Business Objective:

Prior to conducting iSight, this particular professional services company was oriented to the needs, wants, lifestyle and preferences of Baby Boomers. The company realized, however, that getting a pulse on Gen X and Gen Y/Millenial consumers was critical to their future and had the potential to transform their business. The company planned to use the information gathered through iSight to inform new product and service development and messaging efforts.

Research Objective:

Our client engaged CMI to gather information about these consumers’ lifestyles, values, priorities, and philosophies and practices for their category.

Methodology:

CMI conducted research among three segments of Gen Xers and Millenials – single, married with no children, and married with children. Once accurately identified, respondents participated in the following phases of the iSight approach:

1. Telephone briefing sessions
2. Observation period, which entailed online journaling and blogging and in-home interviews
3. A community debriefing session (in-person mini-groups, to which participants brought results from projective exercises and collages)

To fully synthesize the learnings from the research, the client team participated in a brainstorming session facilitated by the moderator at the conclusion of the third phase. This session was designed to immerse the team in the findings through both visual and auditory stimuli.

The Result:

Research findings were far-reaching. Findings like the fact that younger consumers have different orientations to time and much shorter time horizons than previous generations have a direct bearing on the future direction of the company. Based on this research, the company is equipped with insights that allow them to create more relevant new products and services for younger consumers, develop new ways for consumers to interact with the brand, and create messaging and media that resonate with this critical target group.