Oct312022

Almost 83% of Poles over the age of 13 actively use social media. On average, they spend almost two hours there every day, according to data from this year’s Hootsuite Social Media Trends 2022 report. Social media marketing is now the cornerstone of most brands’ online activities. But should communication with different generations always look the same? It’s obvious – no! We have some tips for you on how to promote your brand on Polish social media among different age groups.

Table of contents:

  • Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)
  • Generation X (born 1965-1979)
  • Millennials (born 1980-1996)
  • Generation Z (born 1997-2012)

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)

Let’s start with the oldest generation born during the post-war baby boom. It was not a colourful time in Poland – the Polish Baby Boomers grew up in the poverty of the People’s Republic of Poland and remember very well the empty shop shelves. Such experiences have strongly influenced the kind of consumers they are, how they react to advertising and what they value in the brands they reach for. They are often neglected by online marketers, which is a serious mistake. For it is worth knowing that once the favour of this generation is won, it is a guarantee of very loyal customers.

What values to communicate in marketing to Polish Baby Boomers?

Reliability and robustness – the oldest Poles like robust products that last for years. This is a generation that prefers to repair items rather than throw them away and buy new ones.

Hardworking – This generation appreciates products in which the work put in can be seen. The meticulously crafted packaging, the craftsmanship of the production, the attention to detail is something they are sure to appreciate. It is worth emphasising this in brand comms.

Tradition – especially Polish tradition (although this is not necessary). If you have the opportunity, highlight the traditional making of products, traditional recipes or multi-generational craftsmanship. Polish Baby Boomers love to feel that they are dealing with something that is different from the disposable products they are surrounded by every day.

Family – children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are the apple of the Polish Baby Boomers’ eye. They are often more interested in the future of the next generation of the family than in themselves. In social media, it is worth referring to family values and showing pictures of happy families.

How do you promote your brand on social media to Polish Baby Boomers?

  • Older Poles like YouTube. They are keen to use the entire Google ecosystem, so a properly targeted video ad on YouTube will be a great way to reach them – what’s more, similar in its form to the television popular among this generation.
  • Unlike their children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, Polish Baby Boomers rely on written content. They like to read comprehensive articles, so don’t be afraid to create slightly longer, substantive content.

Ensure great photos. According to the ‘Generational Marketing’ report from Kohai content, up to a third of this generation admit that they enjoy looking at photo galleries online. 

Online quizzes, guesses and rebus? Definitely yes! Baby Boomers love them and are keen to engage in these kinds of games on brands’ social media profiles.

Generation X (born 1965-1979)

Inflexible, hardened in their views, prone to criticism, especially on social media – this is how marketers often describe the stereotypical representatives of the Polish Generation X.

Despite these disadvantages, however, they are one of the most receptive advertising target groups. This is because the generation born in the 1960s and 1970s are quite susceptible to advertising messages. They grew up at a time when marketing was taking off in Poland. Data shows that around 70% of them are likely to buy a brand’s product solely because they follow it on social media.

What values to communicate in marketing to Poland’s Generation X?

Relationships with people – Next to the Baby Boomers, Generation X is the generation that values relationships with family, friends or even work acquaintances above all else. They love direct contact with brand representatives, so it’s worth investing in great moderation when communicating on social media. And don’t forget posts that engage them in writing comments and leading discussions under posts.

Authenticity – marketing promises with no substance? Don’t even go there! The Polish Generation X is incredibly sensitive to falsehoods and empty advertising slogans. Avoid them like fire.

Expertise – Polish Generation X representatives value the opinions of people they consider to be experts, such as doctors or specialists in a particular field. If your advertising message is aimed at this generation, involve valuable and authentic brand ambassadors in your communication. They will do more than any other form of advertising. 

Luxury – this generation grew up in a time when access to quality, luxury products was limited. Today, they like to make up for this, and often reach for premium goods or services to build their reputation among friends. 

How to promote a brand in social media to the Polish Generation X?

  • Generation X in Poland accounts for around 10% of Facebook users and 4% of Instagram users. These are not thrilling figures (80% of Polish Xs watch TV and 60% of them read the printed press), but in online marketing it is these two platforms that should be emphasised. It is even said that Facebook is slowly becoming a space exclusively for the older generations of Poles.
  • Polish Xs spend less time on social media than millennials or Generation Z, but they make up for it with their activity. They willingly contribute in comments and on the profiles of their favourite brands. How do you build a relationship with them? By asking questions and engaging in discussions with them!
  • The most effective ways to reach customers from this group are Facebook events, live broadcasts and group marketing. It’s also a good idea to invest in remarketing – especially if you want to reach women from this generation. Interestingly, they click on ads much more often than men. 
  • This generation is keen on instructions and reviews – they like to gather a lot of information about a product before they make a purchase decision. They often search for knowledge on YouTube; so don’t ignore this platform.  
  • Always respond to observers’ comments and messages, especially negative ones. A disregarded Pole is an annoyed Pole. And from this, it is one step to an online storm, which often even leads to a brand image crisis.

Millennials (born 1980-1996)

Millennials are a historic generation – they grew up alongside the dynamic development of the internet. They watched with their own eyes the rise and change of social media. They were the first users of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Hungry for technological innovations, open to digital novelties and familiar with advertising tricks used by brands – these are the Polish millennials.  

Millennials are also the first generation to experience first-hand the phenomenon of FOMO, i.e. the fear of missing out on something – including online. It is not uncommon for them to be addicted to social media and to scroll Instagram or Twitter at every free moment. At the same time, they are a highly sentimental generation that reminisces fondly about “better” times, without ubiquitous technology and adverts lurking at every turn. As a result, they are keen to install apps that block their devices from unwanted adverts. It is worth being aware of this.

What values to communicate in marketing to Polish millennials?

Humour – there is no denying that it was the Polish millennials who created the first memes, and it is they who feed the creators of the most iconic humour sites such as Demotywatory or Komixxy. This generation takes a detached approach to life, so they appreciate even a little humour in the advertising messages of brands.

Nostalgia – the frenetic 1990s, the era into which millennials’ childhood fell, is a period they love to return to. It would be a sin not to take advantage of this. Have fun with references to iconic serials, songs, celebrities or magazines.

Flexibility and personalisation – Polish millennials accept change quite easily and adapt to it instantly. They also expect the same from brands. They love products or services tailored to their needs. Personalisation or tailoring an offer with them in mind is something you can win their love for years to come.

Open-mindedness – the millennial generation likes to draw knowledge and inspiration from a variety of sources. They are much more tolerant and open-minded than their parents or grandparents. They freely reach for foreign pop culture, so feel free to make references to world situations or use popular English-language phrases.

How to promote a brand in social media to Polish millennials?

  • Where to look online for Polish millennials? The answer is. everywhere. Yes, they make up more than 40% of all Facebook users and almost as many Instagram users in Poland! So without fear, reach for these most popular social media platforms to communicate with this generation. 
  • Polish millennials love YouTube. They watch content ranging from popular vlogs to educational content to content related to their interests, such as fashion, make-up, technology, sports or motoring. If you want to invest in video advertising on this platform, do so without fear. 
  • Polish millennials love video content and, unlike their younger counterparts, they don’t mind long formats. If the topic really interests them, they are able to watch a tutorial or vlog lasting up to an hour!
  • There is an interesting divergence in this age group when it comes to the gender of users. Instagram is a female-dominated platform. Twitter and LinkedIn, on the other hand, are the realms of men. How about capitalising on this knowledge?
  • Millennials like educational content. A valuable article or guide on a topic of interest to them will be a more effective tool than a colourful dynamic ad.

Generation Z (born 1997-2012)

This is the first Polish generation that does not remember a world without the Internet. For the Zs, the virtual world is almost as important as the real one. They value mobility (they use the Internet mainly with their smartphones), easy contact with friends via instant messaging and access to the knowledge they need from anywhere and at any time. At the same time, because of their vast experience in the digital world, this generation is a tough nut to crack for marketers. 

The Polish Zs get bored quickly and distracted even faster, and it takes a lot of time and energy to keep up with what they currently consider fashionable. So this is not a generation that is easy to communicate with. A huge challenge for brands is to understand how young Poles think. They are much more open to the world, other people or different cultures than older generations, but at the same time they strongly value authenticity. The ideal Generation Z brand will therefore be socially engaged – and remain sincere about it.

What values to communicate in marketing to Poland’s Generation Z?

Authenticity – despite their attachment to the online world, Generation Z has a strong need to surround themselves with real people and make real connections. In your marketing communications, it’s a good idea to focus on building an authentic relationship with them, rather than investing in yet another creative advert. Show models and models as they are – with minor imperfections or flaws – they will be more ‘normal’ and therefore attractive.

Inclusivity – Zs love brands that openly communicate that they are not excluding anyone. Don’t be afraid to engage with socially important topics such as the fight for the rights of the LGBT community, feminism or the body positive movement. However, remember point number 1 – because once a young Pole senses a falsehood, it will be extremely difficult to change their mind.

Mobile and accessible – the Polish Z generation is online almost 24 hours a day. They expect the same from the brands they follow on social media. Young Poles cannot imagine not receiving an answer to a question asked on Instagram. Everything has to happen in real time. 

Dynamic – there is no denying that it is the Zs who are creating trends today. And Generation Z trends have one thing in common – they change rapidly. So whether you’re planning to go viral on TikTok or share a popular meme, make sure your content didn’t become passe…. two days ago.

How to promote your brand in social media to Poland’s Generation Z?

  • The path to success for a brand targeting the Polish Generation Z is one and it is called TikTok. Over the past year, the app’s popularity has jumped dramatically, placing it among the most popular social media platforms in Poland and one of the most downloaded apps. Generation Z accounts for more than 60% of its users. Just how do you make a name for yourself on TikTok? Don’t even try to do it yourself. It’s worth using an experienced agency here. Unless, of course, you prefer to be labelled a boomer…
  • Polish Zs spend an average of 1-2 hours on social media alone. They are mainly looking for entertainment there – served in a short, colourful, dynamic and viral form. Long videos or long-winded sponsored posts? Better forget it straight away.  
  • For this generation, Facebook is like evil incarnate and a platform for parents or grandparents. Many members of this generation either do not have an account there or use it only to contribute to discussion groups. Advertising here will only be profitable if the Zs are not your only target group. 
  • It is worth investing in advertising on Messenger. For all Polish representatives of this generation, instant messaging is the main way of keeping in touch with friends. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this. 
  • Be careful with the language you use. Polish Zs like to borrow words and phrases from the English language, but it is better not to spread them left and right. Adopting such tactics without thinking them through carefully can come off more ridiculous than funny. And in online marketing, that makes a huge difference.

Although the most popular social media platforms in Poland can be counted on the fingers of one hand, we are all aware that there is no single effective communication model for each of them. Next to the industry we operate in and the product we offer – the age of our customers is the most important factor influencing how we will advertise. 

If you want to reach your Polish customers effectively, contact us. We will be happy to help you tailor your communication to the specific generation of Poles!