Amazon Ads Study Shows Generational Levels Less Predictive of Values, Interests and Behaviors

4 out of 5 consumers say mindset defines them more than age, and nearly 3 in 4 report common interests with people from all age groups.

Amazon Ads' "Beyond the Generational Divide" research finds that traditional generational labels (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers) are becoming less predictive of consumer values, interests, and behaviors, and recommends that marketers shift focus to unifying factors like shared values, communities, and behaviors for more effective campaigns.

Research included expert interviews, AI-driven topic modeling of 635,200 news headlines, 26,400 consumer surveys across 11 countries, and 90-minute intergenerational interviews. Equal age representation was ensured across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers within each country.

Key Findings

• Generational labels can create camaraderie or contention, but 25% of surveyed consumers identify more with a different generation than their birth year suggests.

• 4 out of 5 consumers say mindset defines them more than age, and nearly 3 in 4 report common interests with people from all age groups.

• Approximately 3 in 5 consumers find assumptions and stereotypes about their age group inaccurate and prefer inclusiveness in advertising.

• Age inclusivity is as important as other forms of diversity, and 57% of surveyed consumers prefer ads reflecting universal experiences—not just those of a specific age group.

  
  

Recommendations for Marketers

• Brands should move beyond demographic segmentation and target audiences based on shared values, community ties, and observable behaviors.

• Consumers are more unified by communities (2.2x), behaviors (2.1x), and values (1.4x) than by generation alone.

• Successful advertising campaigns featured include Nissan UK's inclusivity in sports and DiGiorno's Deadpool & Wolverine activation, both driven by values or communities, resulting in strong engagement across generations.

• Campaigns combining age-based and interest-based targeting see up to 2.2x higher conversion rates than using age alone.

• Entertainment and shared media experiences unify audiences across age groups; viewers of all ages are highly engaged by popular franchises and nostalgic TV series.

Actionable Insights

• Marketers are encouraged to center strategies on key unifiers—values, communities, behaviors—not just age or generation.

• Messaging should reflect shared human experiences to resonate across diverse demographics.

• Full-funnel advertising solutions, leveraging AI and first-party signals, can drive growth by connecting brands to relevant audiences at every stage.

This report guides brands to create inclusive, value-driven campaigns that resonate more deeply and perform better than those based solely on generational segmentation.