A Generational Cohort Model for Consumers in China: The Rise and Fall of the Great GATSBY?

Generational cohort segmentation is an integral part of target marketing. People within a cohort share similar values and attitudes, stemming from shared life experiences. These commonalities among people within a cohort can serve as a valuable source of consumer insights to marketers. One of the commonly used generational cohort model divides consumers into baby boomers, generation X, generation Y, and generation Z. However, given the peculiarity of each country’s national history, it is unlikely for the model to be applicable in China. Hence, we proposed a Chinese generational cohort model in this paper that divides consumers into three main groups: the era with limited choice, the great Gatsby and the dreamers.