GEN X

In the early 90’s Generation X was anti-establishment, anti-parent, anti-authority, and anti-pop-rock.  If the brand you liked seeped into the wardrobe of your parents it was instant death to the brand. The same phenomenon was somewhat true for bands. You wanted to be the only one with the recording of the hottest band.  The parents of the Gen X’er were raised by parents who lived through world wars, the great depression, and hard times.

GEN Y

Then came Generation Y – the offspring of the baby boomers and a kindler, gentler parenting style. Suddenly, it wasn’t so wrong to wear what your parents wore.  You even listened to some of the same music.  With technology came exposure and appreciation for a more eclectic taste. This was fueled by economic prosperity as well. Everyone got a trophy and parents were all right.  Jobs for Gen Y came easy and the Internet boom quickly expedited raises and promotions.  Starkly opposed to Gen X’ers, Gen Y’s listed parents top on the list of best friends.

The stage is now set.

The Airwalk Syndrome will return. Airwalk was a brand on the rise that suddenly ended up in mass distribution channels making it available for your parents to own..and wear….at the same time the youth thought they were on to something special.  Given the same scenario last year, Gen Y’ers may not have disapproved of the mass distribution and still backed the brand.

Dust off Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” and find out more about Airwalk.

Airwalk was a very hip skateboarding shoe company that started in the mid-80s and had consistent sales revenues in the low teens in millions. With a large ad budget promoting a mixture of skate and lifestyle shoes – within three years, sales grew by more than 10 times to $175 million.

This success led to an effort to expand the market, doing deals with major shoe retailers at lower price points to try to entice people with less money to believe the hype. By the end of the decade, Airwalk was filing voluntary bankruptcy with more than $100 million in debt.

Will the recent economic downturn disenfranchise young adults because they don’t get the new car from their folks, they don’t get the quick raise, or the fast promotion, the large allowance, the trust fund, the extravagant prom?  Time will tell.

If teens and their parents both wear your brand and it is accepted, be weary.  Given the economic situation, today’s youth will start relaying on themselves, become a little harder,  more entrepreneurial, and distance themselves from their parents brands even further.   Gen X wanted to shake things up and did. Out of this recession will come amazing things from today’s youth as they start heir own brands because they can’t land a job or get paid enough.

The new is coming.  It’s time to evaluate your distribution and voice and be relevant.

For more insights…visit www.forsenorse.com

Tags: airwalk, DC shoes, forsenorse, gen x, gen y, malcolm gladwell, the tipping point