The Empathy Gap: Rethinking Government Messaging for Boomers and Millennials

Generational perspectives shape both the content and delivery of messages, especially in local government contexts where trust and empathy are critical. Baby boomers often grew up during an era where civic duty and institutional trust were emphasized. Their communications frequently reflect a top-down approach, relying on formal channels and appeals to shared responsibility. This aligns with historical patterns in media where traditional news outlets, direct-mail campaigns, and public service announcements played a central role in community messaging strategies during the 1960s through the 1980s¹.

Millennials, on the other hand, have come of age in a digital environment marked by decentralization and rapid information exchange. They tend to value authenticity, transparency, and peer-to-peer interactions. These preferences are reflected in messaging platforms like community-based apps, social media groups, and mutual aid networks. Municipal communications aimed at millennial audiences must therefore shift tone and format, prioritizing real-time updates, user-generated content, and empathetic narratives over bureaucratic language or formal press releases².

Designing Messaging Strategies That Reflect Empathy

Empathy in messaging is not just about tone—it is about understanding and addressing the lived experiences of residents. In practice, this means adopting a more human-centered communication approach that recognizes the emotional and social contexts of your audience. For instance, during a citywide service disruption, a message that acknowledges the inconvenience, offers a clear timeline for resolution, and suggests alternative solutions is far more effective than a sterile service bulletin. This approach builds trust and encourages residents to remain engaged and cooperative³.

To tailor messaging effectively across generational lines, municipal communicators must conduct audience segmentation based on both demographic and psychographic data. For example, a campaign promoting energy conservation might use traditional flyers and neighborhood meetings for older adults, while deploying social media challenges or interactive infographics for younger residents. Regardless of the format, including stories or testimonials from local residents fosters a sense of community and shared purpose, reinforcing the idea that empathy is an actionable value, not just a sentiment⁴.

Media Channels and Platform Selection

Choosing the right media channels is essential to ensure that messages resonate and reach intended audiences. Baby boomers are more likely to engage with local newspapers, government access television, and email newsletters. In contrast, millennials are more responsive to content shared through Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and other platforms that support two-way dialogue. Municipal agencies must embrace an omnichannel strategy that blends traditional and digital tools, ensuring inclusivity across age groups⁵.

It is equally important to understand the platform-specific conventions and community norms. For instance, a post on Facebook may allow for longer narratives and community discussion, while Twitter requires concise, real-time updates. Instagram, favored by younger demographics, demands visually engaging content and captions that speak in an authentic voice. Messaging that fails to adapt to these norms risks being ignored or misinterpreted. Training municipal staff in platform literacy and content adaptation is therefore a practical step to improve outreach and effectiveness⁶.

Leveraging Community Partnerships to Amplify Messaging

Municipal governments cannot—and should not—be the sole voice in a community. Partnering with trusted community organizations, faith groups, neighborhood associations, and local influencers enhances message credibility and reach. These partners often have existing relationships with residents and can provide culturally and generationally appropriate framing for key messages. This is particularly effective when addressing issues like public health, housing, and emergency response, where trust and clarity are paramount⁷.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, several cities successfully engaged younger residents by partnering with local artists and social media influencers to promote vaccination. These campaigns used humor, culturally relevant visuals, and peer testimonials to counter misinformation and emphasize public safety. The effectiveness of such partnerships underscores the importance of co-creating content with community stakeholders, especially when aiming to reach diverse generational audiences⁸.

Building Feedback Loops for Continuous Improvement

Empathy in messaging is not static—it requires ongoing input and adaptation. Municipal communicators should establish regular feedback loops through surveys, focus groups, and digital engagement analytics. These tools help identify which messages resonate, which platforms are most effective, and where gaps in understanding persist. For instance, if a public safety campaign receives high engagement on social media but low compliance in practice, further investigation may reveal the need for clearer instructions or more relatable messengers⁹.

Integrating feedback mechanisms into every stage of communication—planning, execution, and evaluation—also signals to the community that their perspectives matter. This fosters a culture of mutual respect and continuous learning. For younger generations who value responsiveness and transparency, demonstrating that feedback leads to tangible changes in messaging or service delivery can significantly boost civic engagement and trust in local institutions¹⁰.

Conclusion and Practical Recommendations

Understanding generational differences in empathy and communication style is essential for building effective local government messaging strategies. While baby boomers may prioritize institutional trust and formal communication, millennials respond to authenticity, immediacy, and community-driven narratives. Municipal communicators must therefore design flexible, inclusive strategies that speak to diverse values and expectations.

To operationalize these insights, practitioners should: 1) segment audiences by generation and communication preference, 2) craft messages that reflect empathy through tone and content, 3) utilize a mix of traditional and digital platforms, 4) partner with community organizations for message amplification, and 5) embed feedback loops to refine messaging continuously. By adopting these practices, municipal agencies can foster stronger community ties and more effective public service delivery across generational divides.

1. Putnam, Robert D. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.

2. Rainie, Lee, and Barry Wellman. Networked: The New Social Operating System. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2012.

3. Heath, Chip, and Dan Heath. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. New York: Random House, 2007.

4. U.S. Census Bureau. “Digital Nation Data Explorer.” 2022. https://www.census.gov/data.html.

5. Pew Research Center. “Social Media Use in 2021.” April 2021. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/.

6. Center for Digital Government. “Digital Cities Survey.” 2022. https://www.govtech.com/dc/digital-cities-survey-2022.html.

7. National League of Cities. “Building Equitable Partnerships with Community-Based Organizations.” 2021. https://www.nlc.org/resource/building-equitable-partnerships-with-cbos/.

8. CDC. “COVID-19 Vaccination Field Guide: 12 Strategies for Your Community.” 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Field-Guide.pdf.

9. Harvard Kennedy School. “Behavioral Insights and Public Policy.” 2020. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/cid/programs/building-state-capacity/behavioral-insights.

10. ICMA. “Engaging Residents Through Feedback and Communication.” 2021. https://icma.org/articles/article/engaging-residents-through-feedback-and-communication.