Why Generational Marketing is Outdated in 2025 & How Canadian Marketers Can Adapt

Rethinking Generational Marketing: What Canadian Brands Can Learn from Amazon Ads’ Latest Global Report

When you picture Gen Z, do you imagine a TikTok-obsessed trendsetter? Are Millennials really the “burnout generation”? And do Boomers all avoid tech?

A new report from Amazon Ads, in partnership with cultural insights consultancy Strat7 Crowd.DNA, challenges these common narratives and offers a bold reframe that marketers in Canada should pay attention to.

From Demographics to Mindsets

The report, Beyond the Generational Divide: The New Rules for Consumer Connection, draws from a large-scale study of over 26,400 consumers across 11 countries, including Canada. The core takeaway: shared values, communities, and behaviors are far stronger indicators of consumer connection than birth years.

Key findings from the study include:

• Consumers are 2.2 times more unified by shared communities than by generation.
• 2.1 times more unified by behaviors, and 1.4 times more unified by values, than by generation.
• 3 in 5 surveyed consumers said brands that align with their values and interests make them feel more valued as customers.
• 54 percent of adults were more likely to consider purchasing DiGiorno after a behavior-led campaign that tapped into shared entertainment interests.

Why This Matters in a Canadian Context

While the report does not break out Canadian-specific statistics, Canada was one of the countries included in the study alongside the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, and others. That means the insights are informed by Canadian perspectives.

In a country as diverse and multi-generational as Canada, these findings are especially timely. Many marketers still rely heavily on age-based targeting. But the report shows that doing so may leave out large, motivated audiences who connect through common passions, not common birth years.

For example:

• 25 percent of consumers identify with a different generation than the one in which they were born.
• Nearly 3 in 4 say they have interests in common with people of all ages.
• And 4 in 5 say their mindset defines them more than their age.

Entertainment, Community, and the Power of Shared Moments

The report also emphasizes that entertainment experiences unify audiences across age groups — from livestreaming and podcasting to nostalgic television. For Canadian marketers working across verticals like travel, QSR, fashion, and financial services, these findings open up new creative possibilities.

Three case studies from the report illustrate how this works:

• DiGiorno’s Deadpool & Wolverine campaign combined streaming platforms and Comic-Con fandom with a physical activation. It reached over 322 million impressions, 53 percent of which were new-to-brand, and generated a 6.6 percent offline sales lift among non-brand buyers.
• Booking.com capitalized on the growing “set-jetting” trend — where people choose travel destinations based on movies and TV shows — with custom creative tied to The Rings of Power and The Idea of You. The campaign led to up to 11 percent increases in brand opinion.
• Nissan UK’s “Dare to Defy” campaign, launched with Amazon Ads, championed inclusivity in sports and leveraged Prime Video, Twitch, and Fire TV to amplify values-driven storytelling.

These are not just high-budget global examples. They reflect an approach any brand — including those in Canada — can emulate: build around community, shared interests, and values that transcend age.

Canadian Brands Are Doing It Too: President’s Choice #EatTogether

Though it’s an older campaign, President’s Choice’s #EatTogether remains one of the most powerful Canadian examples of behavioural-based marketing. Instead of targeting a particular generation, it focused on a shared modern behavior, more people eating meals alone, and turned it into a movement that encouraged Canadians to reconnect around the table.

The campaign’s video ads, like this 2017 spot, use emotional storytelling to highlight how shared meals foster connection, compassion, and community, values that transcend age, income, and region. By emphasizing a common routine and a deeply human value, President’s Choice showed how to unite audiences without ever mentioning generational labels.

The campaign generated national conversation, social pledges, and even in-store events, all rooted in a behavior-first strategy that inspired people to act, not just identify.

What Canadian Brands Can Do Next

Based on the report’s recommendations and examples, here are four actionable strategies:

1. Blend interest-based and age-based targeting: Advertisers who used a combination of age and interest-based strategies saw up to 2.2× higher conversion rates than those using age alone. Rather than relying exclusively on demographics, layering in data around shopping habits, media behaviors, or lifestyle interests helps ensure your campaigns are reaching people when they’re most receptive, not just when they fall into a certain age bracket.
2. Lean into value alignment: Whether it’s work-life balance, sustainability, representation, or financial mindfulness, aligning your messaging with what matters to your audience can make your brand feel more human. The report shows that consumers across generations are motivated by shared values, not labels. Brands that champion causes or ideals with authenticity can build deeper emotional loyalty.
3. Activate across media touchpoints: The strongest campaigns show up where audiences already gather, both online and offline. Think creator-driven platforms like Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, as well as podcasts, livestreaming platforms, and even in-person events like fan expos and festivals. These touchpoints let brands connect authentically through shared interests, fandoms, and cultural moments, not just demographics.
4. Focus on behaviors, not assumptions: People are motivated by feelings, not just facts. Behaviors like relaxing with a podcast, streaming their favorite show, or planning a trip based on a movie all offer intent signals that are far more valuable than demographic guesswork. When marketers pay attention to why people act and not just who they are they unlock creative that resonates more deeply and performs more effectively.

Final Thought

For Canadian marketers working across generations and cultures, Beyond the Generational Divide is a timely reminder: people don’t want to be put in a box.

If you’re ready to go beyond demographic assumptions and tap into what truly connects your customers, this report is a must-read.

Download and read the full report: Beyond the Generational Divide – Amazon Ads