The students decorate the trees and the public votes for the best tree by bringing a can of food to place in a box for the local food shelf. Each night the food boxes are emptied and the cans or votes are counted. Everyone involved including the store and local community wins and they have a good time in the process. This type of event brings in future customers and strengthens existing relationships. They represent 117 million consumers.
Children imitate their parents, for better or for worse.
That is why you can expect to find the echo boomers in stores where they had good past experiences. Start those good experiences for the next generation of customers now. Target the next generation as well as your current buyers. Retailer's need to prepare now for later by finding a way to get the next generation of consumers familiar with their store. Determine who they are and bring those customers in now with well positioned media, promotions and events.