How to sell Tahoe: Genergraphics

The power of words goes way beyond the ink used here.

They can be used as marketing vehicles to reach certain age groups and workplace tools to understand what makes people tick aside from the 9 to 5.

"Genergraphics," dubbed the next generation of marketing, is the topic of interest today at noon for the latest Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce town hall meeting slated at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, a casino that's used the technique to attract a multi-faceted market of players and event- goers.

Unlike marketers using the demographic characteristics such as income and gender on which to build a promotional mix, genergraphics bases its advertising dollar and effort on influences gained through nurture or nature.

"Nowhere in demographics is a group defined based on why people do what they do," said San Diego marketing guru Phil Goodman, who will present his theories during the town hall meeting.

Goodman, who started Western Media Corporation in 1974, noticed a change in consumer media use and spending patterns a decade later while working in the hospitality industry. His attention to research - which came to a head in 2005 with Genergraphics, a marketing research company based on a new way to appeal to people.

In addition to working with the FOX television network and Wall Street Journal, Goodman has found his theories benefited Harrah's Entertainment. A test Web site for the gaming giant was launched and proved to be an "astounding" success, according to Harrah's/Harveys Lake Tahoe Director of Sales Steve Lowe.

"Compared to demographics, (genergraphics) is light years ahead," Lowe said.

Test results showed 75.5 percent of the Harrah's guests asked to click on the link that best matches their lifestyle responded to buzzwords thrown out to them.

The words are as iconoclastic as their generations.

Guests in the "Forgotten" generation born between 1935 and 1945 keyed in on "outta sight" buffets; a "groovy" nightlife caught the attention of "Baby Boomers" on the scene between 1945 and 1964; while "Gen Xers" entering the world from then to 1976 were teased with the "awesome" pleasure of a game.

But it's the age group born between 1976 and 1994 labeled "Echo Boomers" or "Millennials" that's capturing the hearts, minds and curiosity of marketers and social insiders.

At age 13 to 31, millennials are deemed the hottest commodity on the job since Rosie the Riveter, said Claire Raines, author of "Connecting Generations: The Sourcebook."

Dina Cipollaro, who works at Lake Tahoe Community College and runs Fundamental Training Solutions, will talk to the chamber audience about this generation in the workplace.

Cipollaro, 35, has studied the group from background experiences including parenting, schools and technology.

What one word describes them?

"Special," she quickly responded before adding "confident."

"They feel special, and they're told that when they're young more than any other generation," said Cipollaro, whose Fundamental Training Solutions helps companies understand the group on the job.

"Companies want to understand them better. At least they're trying," she said.



Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce

Town hall meeting topic: Generational marketing

Today; noon to 3:30 p.m.

Harrah's Lake Tahoe



Marketing styles

n Demographics: Shows the age, gender and income of people as well as product purchases.

n Psychographics: Demonstrates why people do what they do based upon the lifestyle and mindset of their generation and how one can get them to do it for you.

n Genergraphics: Adds to psychographics an understanding of generational influences.



Labeling the generations

n "Forgotten" (The Greatest Generation) - born 1935-1945: "traditionalists"

n "Baby Boomers" - 1945-1964: "workaholics"

n "Gen Xers" - 1964-1976: "individualists"

n "Echo Boomers" (Millennials) - 1976-1994: "collaborators"

Sources: Genergraphics and Fundamental Training Solutions