For the many / The Beyond Generations campaign is an excellent evolution of Xbox’s When Everybody Plays, We All Win brand platform. By targeting a marginalised group not typically associated with the sector, Xbox emphasises that gaming is a space for everybody. Previously Xbox demonstrated this through its Adaptive Controller, a customisable controller designed to make gaming more accessible for the disabled. At our 2020 Most Contagious USA event, Kathleen Hall from Microsoft and Shayne Millington from McCann discussed how this ad helped spread the message of the brand’s values (watch the talk here and read our Brand Spotlight on Microsoft here). Both of these initiatives from Microsoft help strengthen connections with its mainstream audience by demonstrating openness and acceptance of those in the minority.
The Grey Pound / Although the clear aim of the Beyond Generations campaign is to strengthen Xbox’s brand ethos of being open and inclusive to all, this campaign centres on an older person, who represents a growing and lucrative demographic for brands to target. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), in 2015 12.3% (901 million) of the global population was aged 60 or over, but by 2050, this will be 21.3% (2.1 billion) of the global population.
Furthermore, private equity firm ECI partners estimates that people aged over 50 in the UK hold three-quarters of the country’s wealth, accounting for $434 billion of annual household spending. Those aged 60-62 have 17 times greater spending power than those aged 30-32, according to the ONS. Yet Baby Boomers are fast becoming the invisible generation, thanks to a Western culture that glamourises the new and is quick to cast out the old.
According to the7stars media agency, one in 10 Baby Boomers believes that ageism is the most important issue facing society today, above immigration, climate change and poverty. Not only is Xbox addressing this, it is connecting the demographic with the least purchasing power (Gen Z) with the most (Baby Boomers) and providing them a common interest.
Silver Surfers / On the surface it may seem paradoxical for Xbox to be targeting pensioners to begin gaming. However, a study of 2,006 people in the UK by design and technology agency Beyond and market research firm Savanta, discovered that the pandemic has caused 58% of people aged 65 and over to increase their use of technology. In addition, a white paper from media agency The7stars shares that two in three baby boomers in the UK started gaming during lockdown. For 57% of the participants in the Beyond study, the reason for their uptake in technology was to communicate with their relatives. Xbox is perfectly poised to offer this social connection through its gaming service, while the elderly are increasingly computer literate.
