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Recently, I met with a new CMO of a large B2B analytics company. We were discussing the ways data can be “spliced”– and how the opportunities can be overwhelming for marketers. It made me think about today’s modern tech marketer and what they are faced with, daily. They are asked to synthesize and analyze mountains of customer data like never before, and demonstrate continuous impact on buyers at every stage of the pipeline – and then embrace the experience post-purchase.

The workforce will soon consist of four different generations of tech users and buyers: Baby Boomers, Gen X (Slackers), Gen Y (Millennials) and Gen Z (born in the 00’s). Considering this, a marketer, whether you're focused on B2B or B2C (or B2B2C), will have to address each generation's preferences when developing campaigns, while identifying specific goals for success.

Consider each segment and their content consumption habits:

Yesterday, Brad Stone and Sarah Frier published a feature in Bloomberg Business based on an exclusive interview with Evan Spiegel, SnapChat’s co-founder and CEO, who notoriously shies away from press interviews. Kudos to them for great reporting, and for finding a way to broadly give us Spiegel’s perspectives, even on those topics he claimed were “off the f***ing record.”

The piece, Evan Spiegel Reveals Plan to Turn Snapchat Into a Real Business, tells the story of SnapChat’s growth and how Spiegel is a fiery young CEO with bright hopes for his startup’s future. But I’m left with a lot of questions throughout, as Spiegel claims to know what millennials want, even without studying data and trends that so many other publishers rely on in their attempts to give consumers the experience they supposedly want.

Image by Adam Przezdziek  used under CC license  https://www.flickr.com/photos/67683836@N02/

A lot of Spiegel’s plans for the future seem to rely on editorial content. SnapChat’s first attempt at this was Discover, where publishers such as CNN, People and National Geographic have signed on to share video editorial content. If I brought this up in my circle of millennial friends – who Spiegel is claiming to target – most of them wouldn’t even know what the Discover feature of SnapChat is. That doesn’t mean there isn’t potential, but nothing about Spiegel’s plans left me believing that SnapChat would make it into my morning news routine. Let those that are nailing the content game do that right now – like the Skimm, which has quickly made itself a part of many millennial morning routines with its quick and witty news bites from what’s happening around the world.

Over the past three years, American viewers have been tuning in each Thursday evening to ABC’s cult-like phenomenon, Scandal, to witness what new crisis heroine Olivia Pope will resolve. As the series enters its fourth season, anticipation and excitement continues to grow for the Shonda Rhimes-crafted drama that remains one of the top-rated drama series on television. Viewers now have something more to look forward to—more than just the latest twist in the ongoing Olivia/Fitz love affair—an Olivia Pope-inspired clothing line!

The Limited made national headlines in September when they announced a partnership with ABC, the series’ costume designers and Kerry Washington, who plays the role of Olivia Pope. The “Scandal Collection” launched on September 23 with 42 pieces of clothing, including everything from blouses to trousers and even Olivia’s iconic cape-like sweaters and outdoor wear. The attire, which ranges in price from $49 to $248, has been a sensational hit for the clothing store as many pieces are already sold out online.

Have you visited your local grocer recently and noticed more organic, all-natural or gluten-free options populating the shelves? Well, you’re not alone: these products are sprouting up on shelves across the country and as this year’s Fancy Food Show approaches, we've seen plenty of studies highlighting the latest food and beverage trends. With an increasing amount of Millennials making purchase decisions, particularly as they become parents, this group’s influence at point of sale will continue to grow, having a larger impact on what you find on grocery store shelves.

This past Mother’s Day I purchased my mom a Kindle Fire. It was a typical trip to store. I walked through the doors, went to the tablet section, spoke with a sales associate, picked out the device and then broke out my iPhone to hunt down the online coupon I found earlier in the day. Does the smartphone savings scramble sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone and brick & mortar retailers are taking note to benefit from the trend.