Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- A generation neglected by advertisers
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- Figure 1: Generational structure of the UK population (projected), 2019
- Children and family life increases tech exposure
- A high-income generation with a lot of responsibilities
- Dealing with pressures on time
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- Figure 2: Activities Gen X don’t have time to do, November 2018
- The consumer
- Becoming “smartphone first”
- New digital engagement platforms offered by voice control and wearables
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- Figure 3: Personal ownership of technology devices, by generation, November 2018
- The phone upgrade cycle
- A group keen to try before they buy
- Favouring established social media platforms
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- Figure 4: Social media use, by generation, November 2018
- Comfortable shopping online, but not on all devices
- Media consumption continues move towards streaming
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- Figure 5: Activities performed on devices in the last three months, September 2018
- An opportunity for wearable technology
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Influencers lacking influence in this generation
- The facts
- The implications
- For a generation pressed for time, technology has to prove its worth
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- At the forefront of a digital revolution
- A generation neglected by advertisers
- A high-income generation with a lot of responsibilities
- Dealing with pressures on time
Market Background
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- At the forefront of a digital revolution
- A generation neglected by advertisers
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- Figure 6: Generational structure of the UK population (projected), 2019
- Children and family life increases tech exposure
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- Figure 7: Proportion of Gen X with children in household, by age of child, November 2018
- A high-income generation with a lot of responsibilities
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- Figure 8: How respondents would describe their financial situation, by generation, November 2018
- Dealing with pressures on time
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- Figure 9: Activities Gen X don’t have time to do, November 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Becoming “smartphone first”
- Static games consoles – a nostalgia market?
- New digital engagement platforms offered by voice control and wearables
- Manufacturer websites key for product research
- A group keen to try before they buy
- Favouring established social platforms
- Comfortable shopping online, but not on all devices
- An opportunity for wearable technology
Device Ownership
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- Becoming “smartphone first”
- Abandoning the desktop
- Static games consoles – a nostalgia market?
- New digital engagement platforms offered by voice control and wearables
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- Figure 10: Personal ownership of technology devices, by generation, November 2018
Technology Purchasing and Discovery
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- The phone upgrade cycle
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- Figure 11: Purchase history of smartphones by Generation X, November 2018
- New laptop form factors on the cusp of mass appeal
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- Figure 12: Purchase history of laptops by Generation X, November 2018
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- Figure 13: Purchase history of tablets by Generation X, November 2018
- Manufacturer websites key for product research
- A group keen to try before they buy
- Advertising doesn’t resonate with this generation
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- Figure 14: Methods of researching new technology products, by generation, November 2018
Social Media Platforms
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- Gen-Xers caught up in the social network revolution
- Favouring established platforms
- Not so influenced by influencers
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- Figure 15: Social media use, by generation, November 2018
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- Figure 16: Number of social networks accessed at least once a week, by generation, November 2018
Digital Activities
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- Correspondence analysis
- Methodology
- Media consumption continues move towards streaming
- Social networking isn’t just a Millennial pastime
- Comfortable shopping online, but not on all devices
- Chatbots and messaging payments systems may prove a step too far
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- Figure 17: Words associated with digital activities, November 2018
- Figure 18: Words associated with technology, November 2018
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- Figure 19: Activities performed on devices in the last three months, January 2019
- Figure 20: Activities performed on devices in the last three months, September 2018
Preferred Media Formats
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- Gen Xers prefer physical music but are still warm targets for digital
- Prepared to pay for video streaming
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- Figure 21: Generation X format preferences for purchased media, November 2018
Digital Behaviours
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- An opportunity for wearable technology
- Some reluctance to share data, but no more than other generations
- Wellbeing the next frontier of digital tracking
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- Figure 22: Devices for monitoring health and fitness amongst Generation X, November 2018
- Shopping and banking moving online
- Over half “up to date”
- Digital detox
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- Figure 23: Digital behaviours amongst Generation X, November 2018
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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