I made a big mistake; I’d like to remedy it with my blog post today.

On our webinar about segmentation last week (which is archived here), Kevin and I argued that demographics are a poor way of segmenting your file.  This is because they are not predictive, have far more differences within demographic groups than among them, and don’t lend themselves to actionable differences in appeals.

Other than that, I’m sure they are fine.

Up for special rebuke was the millennial mythos; I stand by this.  Millennials are, despite all stories you may hear otherwise, human.  The things that generational gurus argue that Millennials want are just generally good ideas for humans of any age:

• Greater reporting of impact
• Greater personalization
• Use of addressable media
• Permission marketing over traditional interruption marketing
• Mobile friendliness

But here’s my mistake: I wasn’t looking far enough into the future.  So let’s pass by your board member’s obsession with Millennials, round the corner at the Homeland Generation (aka Generation Z or post-Millennials), and look at Generation AA – the kids being born in a few years (probably around 2020 or so).

After all, all the arguments about Millennials apply equally to Generation AA:

They are the future of philanthropy.  This is a function of time and demographics.  Every generation is the future of philanthropy at some point, the present of philanthropy after that, and the past of philanthropy thereafter.  For AAers, this will likely be around 2080, but there’s nothing like having a strong long-term strategic plan.  It’s just a little past Millennials coming into the giving majority around 2040 or so.

We know what type of generation they will be.  The Strauss-Howe generational theory says that generations go cyclically: prophet, nomad, hero, artist, rinse & repeat.  Millennials are a hero generation, optimistic when they are young, overconfident as they get older.  By this same rubric, Generation AA will be a prophet generation, starting as indulged children and growing into young crusaders.

I would have divined what a generation not yet born would be without the S-H generational theory, but unfortunately, my Ouiji board is in the shop and the chicken wouldn’t hold still for an entrail inspection.  Nevertheless, as this generational theory is the basis for many of the believes we hold about Millennials, it should also hold for Generation AA.

They are uniquely tech savvy.  You may have heard the Millennials are the tech-savviest generation.  And they are, until Gen Z takes over from them.  And Generation AA will make Gen Z look they are using abacuses and slide rules.

How do I know this?  People are better with the technologies they grow up with.  They have more time to use them and they use them when there’s still greater neuroplasticity.  It’s inevitable.

They will be unique in other ways.  When they are in their 20s, they will be more likely to live in urban areas.  They will job hop more than other generations.  They’ll be more educated.  Their elders will consider them disrespectful of authority and not like their music or hairstyles.  They will not subscribe to traditional gender norms.

Put these insights on a PowerPoint slide and embroider with terms like psychographics or generational dynamics and you have a nice Generation AA consulting practice.  Never mind that, like tech savviness, these are said of every generation.

(Don’t believe me?  Here’s a broadside against the feminization of men… from 1771:

Whither are the manly vigor and athletic appearance of our forefathers flown? Can these be their legitimate heirs? Surely, no; a race of effeminate, self-admiring, emaciated fribbles can never have descended in a direct line from the heroes of Potiers and Agincourt.

Can’t you just hear the hearty “harrumph” that must have followed this statement, possibly followed by snuff-using or monocle-polishing?)

Despite being otherwise demographically, behaviorally, and psychologically diverse, they will still all act the same.  I have no idea why this is or would be true, but it seems to be an assumption that folks have about Millennials, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t also be true for Generation AA.

So forget trying to understand why your donors give as individuals!  Throw away outmoded means of communication like mail or email!  Forgot about donors with wrinkles!  Now is the time to acquire and segment the Generation AA donors – you only have a few years until they are born!

PS. Don’t you hate it when April Fool’s Day falls on a Sunday? And on Easter, no less?