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Millennial PR vs Gen Z Socials

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The official Tor account on Instagram did the Millennial vs Gen Z Marketing trend for This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me this week, and I was helpless before it.

For the happily offline among us, the meme format is simple: the Millennial Team gives you the earnest, back-cover-copy voice that tries hard. The Gen Z Social peeps release the group-chat vibe check pitch that hooks you in under 3 seconds.

It’s not a dig at either generation, just an acknowledgment that the same content can reach different audiences if captioned accordingly.

I guess I have more in common with Steve than previously assumed, because I immediately had to do it to the other books. It’s Friday, House Andrews are heading to their event, I have access to Canva, and no one stopped me in time.

As your resident Millennial, I have no illusions about my ability to be cool on command. When I try to write promo copy, it’s immediately Cheugystan, and I realise the moment that third sentence starts that I’m a lost cause. I offer my Gen Z voice with humility and the complete expectation that the youths of the Horde will roast me accordingly.

Text in captions for accessibility.

The Inheritance, Breach Wars volume 1:

“single mom solos interdimensional OSHA violation” VS “A gripping sci-fi from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews – perfect for fans of Stargate! Adaline has bills, kids, and a government job that keeps sending her into alien death labyrinths for humanity’s survival. This time, the job goes very wrong.”

The Innkeeper Chronicles:

Millennial “Dina Demille runs a quiet Texas inn for intergalactic visitors. The house is sentient, the neighbor’s a werewolf and everyone who threatens her guests will discover that hospitality can be extremely well armed. A cozy sci-fi from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews.” VS Gen Z’s “b&b & intergalactic drama. early check-in available for philosophical space chickens”

Iron and Magic (Iron Covenant 1)

“warlord villain gets wife-guy’d by an eldritch farm queen” OR “A dark, explosive fantasy set in the world of Kate Daniels. Hugh d’Ambray, freshly-discarded warlord, must protect his Iron Dogs by forging an alliance with Elara Harper, the mysterious White Warlock. They need each other, they do not trust each other, and marriage may be the least dangerous part.”

Hidden Legacy:

“In a world ruled by magical dynasties, the Baylor family runs a private investigator firm with a dangerous case load, powerful enemies, and billionaire Prime allies entirely too used to getting their own way.” OR “houston’s magical nepo babies discover warehouse girlies bite back”

Which version would have made you pick up the book?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I wold not pick it up for either because the Ilona Andrews name would have made me already grab it!

  3. I’m Gen X but I gotta be honest, the Gen Z ones have me cracking up! I’d grab those. +1000!!!

    (“OSHA violation” slayed me!)

  4. Love the contrasting concepts. As a Boomer, I must confess to the Millennial version calls to me while the Gen Z Socials prove I’m antisocial. (Well, no, not really. But the Venn Diagram of Introvert and Antisocial types has gotta have significant overlap.)

  5. I’m Gen X so Millennial hits best for me. Except for Iron and Magic. The Gen Z version totally would’ve sold me if I hadn’t already read it.
    🙂

  6. I’m one of the elders of the BDH, so of course the snarky Gen Z hook will get me looking at a book, with the Millenial text (and the reviews) will decide if I buy it. Unless it’s HA, of course, which means it’s pre-ordered the second I know it exists, and then I attempt to get an ARC because I WANT IT NOW!

  8. GenX would be “you’ve looked at the covers/read the backs of 59 books. The last 10 you’ve read were ‘meh’. This is the droid you’re looking for. Buy it. It’s your new favorite author. Thank me later.

  9. *cackles* These are great. I do admire Z’s ability to get to the point. Either would get me to check out reviews and put it on my infinite tbr.

  10. Boomer, with ’93 and ’00 kids I liked the first and laughed at the second. what does that make me? A proud member of the BDH.

  14. Those are fantastic, Mod R! As a Boomer, I’d choose based on the Millennial blurbs, but enjoy educating myself on the Gen Z slang.

    OSHA violation – hilarious!

    I’d love to learn Canva from you!!

  16. I don’t fit into either category…I did laugh over the Gen Z social descriptions.
    “OSHA violation”- “Magical nepo babies” – “Eldritch farm queen” 😂😂😂

    Thanks ModR for giving me a laugh this morning!

  17. Another Gen Xer. Will buy from Millenial blurb and laugh at the Gen Z.

    Feeling quite old now. Just got a College Graduate last weekend and now I don’t even qualify for my own generational promo blurb. I’m going to go watch some more Slim Sherri shorts.

    • The official blurbs on the book covers are Gen X 🙂 – and they are linked above. This is just the trend format.

  18. I’m quite old and prefer Millennial PR. I don’t know what the Gen Z is and am proud of that.

  19. Pick up the book to purchase? Millennial (because I’m an old). Laugh hysterically because I’ve read the books? Gen Z.

  20. These are too funny! I thought the Hugh Gen Z was the best, but then I read the one for the Baylors. BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

  23. Ilona Andrews makes me pick up the book. But, as a baby boomer, I have to admit I preferred the millennial version. It had more information in them. But they were all fun to read. Great job Mod R!

  26. Baby Boomer here,

    Although I’d buy the Millennial version to read the book, I’d buy the Gen Z just to have the descriptions!

    Those were HILARIOUS! Bwah-ha-HAAAH! Oh I want one for all of them Mod-R! You could make it a competition!

    Warehouse girlies bite back! 🤣🤣😂 Please put that on a coffee mug!

    • Boomer here. The Gen Z blurbs are hilarious and would definitely catch my eye! Giggling helplessly over ‘OSHA violations” and “warehouse girlies bite back”

      For an unknown author, though, especially for expensive books, I’d need at least the Millennial blurb before deciding to buy or not.

  27. I’m in my 60’s, how is it I relate to the Gen Z-er’s More, would alter Warehouse Girlies to Warehouse PI Girlies, but still, I grok the Z ads

  28. Mod R,
    I’m shook… shaken? Shooketh? I’m not sure which one was best. Magical nepo babies or eldritch farm queen. Great post!
    – an older millennial who also has no illusions about how effortlessly cool I can be

  29. you forgot to do Kate!!!!

    I would most definitely fit into millennial as I had to look up isekai.

    Although, as I am a baby boomer. what would the marketing trend be for me?

    you need to do it for all the generations. that would be awesome. (I think I saw something like that once somewhere. sucks getting old 🤪

  31. Boomer marketing: author’s name on cover. Straight to kindle.
    Gen X: nice cover, no time to read.

    actual marketing response

  32. I, too, do not aspire to coolness (AKA the Rizz). As a Gen X, I like the millennial descriptions. I had to look up several of the Gen Z phrases. Ha! At least I am more in the know, but I will probably never use that knowledge.

  33. This Gen X is siding with the Gen Z kids.
    I have described Innkeeper to others as
    Southern Belle with phenomenal cosmic powers runs an Air BnB with space werewolves and an intergalactic version of the Bachelor involving a Fish.

  34. The Gen Z might catch my attention, but the Millenial style would actually make me pick up the books.

  35. I was reading these out loud to the house, and every teen decided they NEEDED to read The Inheritance today at once. So there are now 3 more reading it after I figured out how to share the book with them!

    They also wanted all the Hidden Legacy books, but I am not ready to answer the youngers questions on that series.

    The Gen Z blurbs really does catch their attention

  36. X’er here, I fell over laughing at the Osha Violation. Cause that was so true and on point. I would buy just for that if I wasn’t a devoted Hoard member.

  37. I definitely like the first descriptions best. But then I have read them all and can so relate with them.

  38. I just came here to read the comments after laughing my butt off. Then I continued to laugh my butt off.

  39. Oh this is sooo good Mod R. Team millennial but the Gen Z is hilarious and to the point. Hehe the other houses are nepo babies aren’t they…. Noice.

  40. I’m a reader of words, so, of course, Millennial! I don’t understand and can’t translate the all cap Gen-Z ‘words’.

  43. I am 63, and actually prefer the Gen Z blurbs, maybe because my degree was in Gen Ed/Journalism.

  44. Mod R, are you sure you are a Millenial? Your “Gen Z Social Team” reads like something a Gen X-er might write xD

  49. and this is why I have every thing House Andrews has ever written in my Kindle, on Audible, on Graphic Audio.

    it is their universal appeal and their ability to gently chide everyone’s idiosyncrasies.

  51. “wife-guy’d by eldritch farm queen” made me laugh loud enough that I startled all the dogs awake. You and Steve are a great team, ModR!

  53. Gen X with Gen Z kids, and the Gen Z ones are hilarious. Loved every one of them 😀

  56. Well this solves the question where I fall on the border between boomer and Gen X. I am solidly Gen Z

  57. As a Boomer- yes, still living and reading- the Millennial would draw me in. The Gen Z is too flippant and shallow for me. I would like to read about people I would care about.

  58. I guess no one bothers to market to boomers anymore. Its so hard to order from the nursing home! BUT those of us still on the loose are totally reading you. I’d buy your grocery list if you published it, and anything else you wrote. I just turned 77. still reading, still typing, still buying.

  62. Im squarely Gen X but i love the snark of the Gen Z social team- especially Hugh’s!!

  63. Burn For Me winner is Gen Z, says this Boomer trailer court girl from the’60s.

  64. “gets wife guy-d by an eldritch farm queen” hooked me, but good!

    thanks for the lift, ModR!

  65. These are hilarious ! I would pick based on the Gen Z description. I am an elder Milienial with Gen X sibs, sometimes we get too verbose. Just tell me what you mean as succinctly as possible so we can carry on with our day 🤣.
    But I think this might be my preference because of having a big family and having to sit through long talks/tales/lectures. I have 6 sisters and 1 brother, I dont need extra words/talking/descriptions. Ive had enough of that in my lifetime.
    Plus I have to translate texts of my Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids all the time. Its nice when they text quickly and simply to the point. Respectfully of course.

  66. Warehouse girlies bite back! hahahaha this is amazing. I’m def a millennial but I like the Gen Z descriptions so much better!

  67. I’m Gen X, and my attention has been caught by both. The Gen Z stuff usually makes me laugh.

  68. Gen X here, with two married Gen Z kids. Mod R, you are amazing. This, especially “warehouse girlies bite back”, is awesome! And ditto all the Gen Z talking about surviving growing up, LOL We’re buying a new car, looking at all the safety features, which I want, at the same time thinking, made a coast to coast trip with my twin when we were kids and we took turns laying in the back window or working on our “nest” in the back of the station wagon, filled with sleeping bags, pillows, books etc. No seat belts in sight…..

  70. As a millennial that’s sometimes considered gen Z, I love and need both for every book and series!

  71. I’m old. Until this book, I had to idea what isakea is. My kids and grandkids just roll their eyes. “yes, grandma, we know what isakea is.”

  72. I live with a teenage boy and I’m a millennial so l am lowkey in between. No cap the millennial ads r mid. Also gen Z don’t be on IG like that ( that last bit is pure millennial but maybe just where I am from).

  73. These would be fantastic on mugs and tote bags and stickers!!!! Millennial on one side, genZ on the other!!! (Or whatever works!!!!!)

  74. Gen X. Idk if it is because I am with a Gen Alpha most days, but I find Gen Z hilariously to the point.

  75. As a Millennial, I prefer the millennial PR. I like the use of full sentences, but I’m a bit confused by the Stargate reference. I remember watching old reruns of Stargate with my dad, but I think it was more popular with my parents generation than mine. None of my friends were big fans. Shows like Charmed were more popular among my peers.

  81. Eldritch Farm Queen the type of shit that gets me to read a book. But also I’m biased cause I love Hugh and Elara.

  82. As a Late Boomer (a Joneser) I attest that Gen Z are our true descendents…..let the sarcasm begin!!

  83. I prefer the millennial ones, the Gen Z ones are entertaining but leave me questioning whether my tastes and the reviewer’s would align

    • Gen X has the official book blurbs on the covers and has had them for years 🙂 . I have linked every one of them in the post.

      Your marketing is the only visible one. This is just a trend.

  85. I’m GenX. We don’t need either. For us, we see the authors’ names and BAM! Book Sold! We’re too busy reading the first chapter to read an unnecessary pitch of ANY kind!!

  87. I’m definitely a Millenial but I have to admit that “magical nepo babies discover warehouse girlies bite back” is an excellent tagline. Love it.