Boomers getting restless as the marketing

SOMEWHERE ALONG Ute!
line | knew there'd be girls,
visions, evervihing. somewhere
along the line the pearl would
be handed to me.

By A.P. McCredie
News Reporter

Sound like the introduction to
the Litest Generation Angst mass-
media vehicle, fueled by Winston-
sinoked cynicisny?

Pity Jack Kerouac feverishly
lyped.the sentiment into history on
the pages of On The Road almost
40 years aga.

The comparison is useful how-
ever, in pulling same perspective on
the encroaching wall of, | apolo-
gize, the marketing of Generation-X
(yes, yes, J know. {t's that damned
word-letter pairing again).

Movies (Reality Bites), a state-
sanctioned television series (the
CBC's X-Rated), and cnough news-
paper and magazine articles to rival
any X-ers alleged form-letter pile,
the subject of the “Lost Generation”
(circa 1994) is proving to have
more fegs than a Nancy Kerrigan
casting call. ;

The generation has become car-
toon characters, doodled by the
likes of Faith Popcorn.

Tune in. Turn off. Drop names.

Worst yet, last week an. official
arm of the Canadian government
released figures that-support the
very premise of Gencration X.

Statistics Canada numbers reveal
that the unemployment rate for
youths — 15 to 24-ycar-olds —
dropped dramatically alter 1989,

_Consider yourself forewarned:
don’t.be hustled into a quick game

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

SHADOWS CAST by the generation preceding the fabled Xers have many young adults shiver-

‘ing in cold economic realities. The battle of words between the two camps, however, ceatinues

to heat up as boosners feel the warmth of the pop-culture spotlight cooling on their faces.

of Trivial Pursuit with young cab
drivers, waitresses and blackjack
dealers, You'll lose.

The study of the generation has
continually grown since West
Vancouver's Douglas Coupland
mounted it —- insect like —- onto
the pop culture landscape.

In perfect synch with Gen X ide-
clogy, however, (undoubtably puz-
2ling boomer writers) Coupland has
made every attempt to avoid being

labeled the spokesperson for his
generation.

Generation X is the first genera-
tion since boomers and since we
look, smell and sound alike,
boomers expect us to think alike.

Last year, BC Business maga-
zine san a feature article on the frus-
tration of Madison Avenue-types
when it came to marketing to the
all-important Gen .X demographic.

“They don’t go for quality. but

Once he started ‘cutting prices, Norburn Lighting’s Manager
couldn’t stop. All kinds of lighting will be up to 70% off this
Friday and Saturday only, We're closed Friday morning to
get ready for the madness. Hurry in, the therapy scems to be

working

MANAGER’S MARCH MADNESS SALE
FRIDAY MARCH 11 - NOON - 8 pm.
SATURDAY MARCH 12 - 9 a.m. -5 pm.

they also don’t go cheap,” the biz
grads sniffed, puzzling aver the
return of, among other things, log-
ging shirts.

As with any sociological trend,
the inevilable backlash against all
that is Generation-X is beginning to
surface.

§. 1994 - North Shorea News - 39

ER EER Goan ck eae RETEST

And, not surprisingly, it's com-
ing from the very generation that
acted as older siblings to our stun
bling souls.

A 45-year-old editor of Pacific
Yachting offered this advice. via
thal bastion of boamerism, the
Vaaceuver Sun, ta us young
mateys: “Grab yourselves by the
shoulders and give yourselves a
good shaking, Wake up. Quit sniv-
cHing.”

The Captain continues: “X-ers
will not have a more satisfying life.
justa different one, and thev’re
going to be ripped-off worse by
metnbers of their awn geagration
than by boomers,”

Makes me feel much better. how
*bout you?

But Happy Jack does, of course.
strike the very essence of the
Gencration X stereotype: lazy,
expecting the. world to be laid at
their feet. not satisfied with their
meaningless job, blah, blah, blah.

The stereotype fits some, as il
would for any generation.

The current chic climate of vic-
timization, however, coupled with
the long cold shadows cast by the
boomer lumpen are the real causes
of this perception.

The marketing will, as it always
does, continue. When the
Generation X carcass is stripped of
all its value, the to-be-named-later
gencration that is currently playing
in Litthe Leagues and Brownie
packs will be ridiculed by my gen-
cration.

The only constant between us?
Kerouac’s pearl.

aa
eG :

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