Boomers: Changing the demographics of aging. – One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

Over the next 10 years, as Early Boomers move to age 65 and beyond, there will be a 50% increase in the number of people 65 to 74 years old—a growth rate for that cohort not seen in more than 50 years. In fact, those Early Boomers, currently numbering about 36 million, have already swelled the 55- to 64-age cohort more in the past decade than in the previous 30 years. The result?  A demographic that’s the largest it’s ever been.

These very numbers insure that Boomers will change the very definition of aging, just as they have at every previous life stage. We see this presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for marketers who have been used to a more business-as-usual approach to targeting the senior market. Boomers are not all alike – and they most certainly are not like any generation that has preceded them.

Source: Met Life
http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/2010/mmi-early-boomers.pdf

(On January 1, 2011, the first of the Baby Boom generation begins to turn 65. While marketers have traditionally viewed anyone over 49 as over the hill, there are compelling reasons why overlooking Boomers isn’t smart for business. During the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting 65 of those reasons.)