Abstract:
This article is a critique of the application of generational labels in marketing, beginning
with a review of the concept of cohorts and generations from sociology, followed by an
appraisal of contemporary scholarship and thought leadership critical of generational
obsession. Using this as the foundation, the validity of applying generational labels,
particularly the label of millennials, within the Sri Lankan context is questioned by illustrating
how the reference points and shared experiences that define the social generations in the
United States (US) are not relevant to the same birth cohorts in Sri Lanka. We recommend
discarding these generational labels and propose two alternative ways forward. The marketing
fraternity could initiate a broader conversation involving the academics in social sciences in
defining social generations for Sri Lanka or move beyond vague terminology such as
millennials and engage in robust segmentation and targeting.
