By: Lauren Mehlman, Customer Success Manager

In today’s ever-evolving consumer landscape, brand loyalty isn’t one-size-fits-all, it’s generational. In the world of CPG and F&B, brand loyalty often looks a little different depending on when you were born. As a Millennial/Gen Z “cusper”, I see it firsthand. Just peek into my pantry and then into my parents’. While I typically have a rotating cast of trendy new snacks, buzzy flavors, and the newest eco-friendly cleaning supplies, their cabinets are stocked with the same brands they’ve trusted for decades. 

These generational divides aren’t just interesting anecdotes; they’re a blueprint for how brands need to think, speak to different audiences, and show up. 

So, how can brands win across generational lines?

1. Start with the Fundamentals: Know What Loyalty Means to Each Generation. 
   
   1. Boomers (Born 1946–1964): Boomers are significantly more brand-loyal than their younger counterparts. Decades of experience with legacy brands have built a strong sense of trust and reliability, and they respond to dependable quality, good customer service, and straightforward messaging. Brands like Campbell’s, Folgers, and Crest continue to hold a place in Boomer households, thanks to decades of consistent performance, familiar taste, and deep-rooted trust.
   2. Gen X (Born 1965–1980): Often overlooked, Gen Xers balance practicality with a growing openness to innovation. Managing household responsibilities with busy careers, Gen X shoppers appreciate convenience and value. They’re loyal but pragmatic, willing to try new things if the value proposition is clear. Tide’s smart packaging innovations (like Tide PODS) combine trust in a legacy brand with modern convenience.
   3. Millennials (Born 1981–1996): Millennials helped usher in the era of brand experimentation. They’re influenced by values, transparency, and a strong digital presence. They want quality, yes, but also purpose. According to Deloitte, 63% of Millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Method earned Millennial loyalty by combining sleek design, eco-conscious ingredients, and a transparent mission – proving that even household cleaning can feel purposeful and elevated.
   4. Gen Z (Born 1997–2012): Gen Z is famously loyal to experiences, not logos. They are arguably the most brand-fluid generation yet – if a brand slips up or fails to evolve, they’ll move on without blinking. According to Oracle, 45% of Gen Z will abandon brands that are unable to anticipate their needs and align with their values. For example, Olipop has become a Gen Z favorite, using TikTok-native content, influencer collabs, and a health-forward message to outshine legacy sodas.

2.  Platform Matters: Meet Each Generation Where They Are

In the race for attention, where you show up can matter just as much as what you say. Each generation navigates the digital world differently, driven by habits, expectations, and comfort levels. Winning brand loyalty across age groups means tailoring your presence and messaging to the platforms they trust and engage with most.

• Boomers and Gen X tend to favor platforms that deliver practical value and connection. They’re more likely to engage with branded content on Facebook, browse YouTube for product reviews, and appreciate email for deals or loyalty program updates. Crockpot and Betty Crocker have effectively re-engaged older audiences with meal planning content on Facebook and recipe tutorials on YouTube, reinforcing their usefulness in everyday life.
• Millennials, raised alongside the rise of the internet, move fluidly between channels. They're highly visual, mobile-first, and influenced by a mix of Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and increasingly, podcasts. They expect a polished digital presence, but also crave authenticity and transparency. Brands like Spindrift and Native have leaned into Instagram storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, and influencer partnerships to build loyalty among Millennials who want to know the people and purpose behind what they’re buying.
• Gen Z, true digital natives, are platform-savvy and fast-moving. They live in a world of TikTok, Snapchat, and emerging micro-platforms where content is short and engaging. This generation isn’t just watching, they’re co-creating. They expect brands to speak their language, participate in trends (without forcing it), and offer content that feels organic. Chipotle’s early and consistent investment in TikTok – leveraging memes, creator collabs, and viral challenges – has helped the brand remain culturally relevant with Gen Z, transforming them from customers to content creators.

But it's not just about being present – it’s about being native. Brands that repurpose a TV ad for Instagram or post TikTok trends on Facebook without adapting tone or format risk alienating the very audiences they're trying to reach. The bottom line: to earn attention and trust, brands must show up where each generation is already spending time, speak their language, and provide value in a way that feels natural.

3. Offer a Multigenerational Product Experience

Winning across generational lines doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel – it often means knowing which wheels to keep and which ones to polish. The most successful brands today strike a balance between emotional familiarity and cultural relevance, giving different generations a reason to connect with the same product in their own way.

• One growing trend? Newstalgia: a blend of the familiar and the fresh. New brands are increasingly borrowing visual cues, flavors, and formats from the past to tap into Millennial and Gen Z consumers’ love for nostalgia, but with a modern twist. Two brands that appeal to both older and younger generations are leaning in. Annie’s has given the classic pizza bagel a glow-up treatment and the Choco Taco has a new and improved recipe with ingredients fit for the Gen Z market.
• On the flip side, heritage brands that have stood the test of time are learning to embrace their legacy while reminding customers why they’ve earned a permanent spot in the pantry. This helps keep them relevant and loved generation after generation. Heinz is a masterclass in multigenerational branding. They lean into nostalgia and strong brand love while staying fresh with TikTok campaigns and limited-edition merch. 

‍How Suzy Can Help CPG Brands Win Loyalty Across Generations

To build lasting loyalty across generations, CPG brands need real-time insights into what today’s consumers truly value – whether it’s trusted heritage, product innovation, or purpose-driven positioning. Suzy’s agile research platform empowers CPG brands to tap directly into the voice of the consumer, turning feedback into smarter strategies, faster innovation, and more resonant brand experiences.

1. Test messaging and creative by generation: Use Suzy’s iterative platform to validate what resonates most with each generation 
2. Track shifting loyalty drivers: Continuously pulse consumer attitudes to uncover how brand loyalty is evolving across age groups and what’s influencing the change.
3. Identify white space and innovation opportunities: Spot generational gaps in your category and test product concepts that meet emerging needs or nostalgic cues.
4. Optimize media strategy by platform behavior: Understand where your target generations are engaging, and how they prefer to interact with content.
5. Capture the voice of each generation: Leverage qualitative capabilities to bring the voice of these consumers to life. 

Brand loyalty is no longer built with a one-size-fits-all playbook – it’s shaped by generational values, behaviors, and expectations. Whether it’s the steady trust of Boomers, the pragmatic curiosity of Gen X, the purpose-driven choices of Millennials, or the hyper-fluid preferences of Gen Z, today’s brands must be more agile, more human, and more intentional than ever. 

Reach out to discover what drives loyalty (or curiosity) across generations.

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