Page 61 - Lighting Magazine October 2018

The global architecture, design and plan- ning rm Gensler recently released the rst-ever Gensler Experience IndexSM, which found that design has a quanti - able impact on experience. The Index
was devised to identify the key drivers of a “great experience,” quantify the impact that great design has on experience, and provide a framework for un- derstanding experience.
In her seminar, Sustainable Futures, Kathleen Jordan, AIA, CID, LEED®, AP – a company principal and designer who leads Gensler’s research on global retail trends – revealed the Index’s conclusions.
The de nitions of these evolving groups will help retailers tailor their store experience and marketing messaging to reach these age groups more e ectively.
GrowInG up
“This age group is so much more empowered than we were at their age,” Jordan noted. “They’re digital natives and curious about the world.” The theme “Adapt Over Replace” sums them up. “We’re ge ing into the hyper-personalization area,” she said, as technology has become increasingly adept at hav- ing a computer predict what’s appropriate for these shoppers, based on past purchases.
Consider it, “the Brand of Me,” Jordan remarked. The average person between the ages of 15 and 35 now has a tremendous in uence via social media on what they and their friends are buying. “This peer- to-peer in uence replaces traditional advertising,” she a rmed. The popularity of YouTube and Insta- gram “stars” selling products by the millions without
spending one dollar for advertising has pre y much turned traditional Madison Avenue thinking on its head.
What is also at work here is something Jordan calls “Mixed Realities.” This generation makes no distinc- tion between the digital world and physical reality. “We have to speak their language — which is mobile,” she remarked.
The 15- to 35-year-olds who make up this group are as keenly aware of preserving the environment as previous generations, but with a twist. According to Jordan, “There is a reframing of sustainability and repurposing. They are recognizing the familiar in a new way; for example, creating a decorative screen with recycled bo les.”
settLInG Down
While the age bracket for this group is 36 to 49, the behavior varies at both ends of the spectrum. “The older half is literally se ling down,” Jordon explained. “They vote with their feet; their buying power will align with their beliefs such as humanitarian causes and sustainability.”
Building trust is very much a concern with this de- mographic. “They want to know how a product came to be and are looking for supply chain transparency,” she stated, including how materials are sourced and the treatment of the labor. “This group will be very loyal to causes,” she a rmed.
On a side note for retailers, Jordan pointed out the growing interest in cyber currency. “I’m hearing about Bitcoin more and more. It’s ge ing integrated into modern-day businesses and sellers will have to
“No one
is truly shopping ‘alone’ anymore. They’re all on a device, and there could be 12to15 people involved
on their shopping trip.”
the ExpEriENcE EcoNomy
“We have to speak their language — which is mobile.”
“They vote with their feet; their buying power will align with their beliefs such as humanitarian causes and sustainability.”
october 2018 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 57
Se ling Down Ages 36-49
Growing Up Ages 15-35