For Boomers, Love is a Match Made Online. One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

According to Time Magazine, Baby Boomers have been diving into the online dating pool in bigger numbers than any other demographic. The 50-to-65 age group is Match.com’s fastest-growing demographic, up 89% in the last five years. At JDate.com, the website for Jewish singles, members in the 50-plus age group jumped 40% in just one year, from 2008 to 2009. This statistic provides a couple of fascinating insights into the Boomer psyche. First, it demonstrates the Boomers are anything but stuck in their ways, not only adapting to new technology, but also to the adventure of meeting new people and doing new things. Second, as over 70 percent of Match.com’s daters age 50-to-65 report being divorced, they’re obviously an optimistic bunch, as well.

Source: Time Magazine

(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.)

Baby Boomers looking to fitness and sports to unlock a healthier lifestyle. One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

Physical fitness has always been the mainstay of the Boomer lifestyle. The fitness craze as we know today started with Boomers 54 years ago with the establishment of the President’s Council of Physical Fitness & Sports.  Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 16, 1956, this council set the national tone for youth fitness that would filter through to every school in the nation. Boomers became the first generation of children to be the focus of physical fitness in our nation’s history.

Throughout their lives, Boomers have elevated adult recreational sports to a new level.  From the growth of the snow ski industry in the 1960’s, to the rise of racket ball in the 1970’s, the aerobic craze of the 1980’s, the expansion of heath clubs in the 1990’s to extreme sports in the 2000’s, Boomers were there. They have left their footprint on each sport they’ve conquered and have a fine appreciation of physical fitness and the active lifestyle it allows them to pursue.

Lifestyle companies should turn to Boomers if they're looking to reinvigorate their businesses.  Whether it’s a sporting center, health club, wellness center, or yoga studio, the opportunity for growth with Boomers is enormous. After all when Boomers embrace an activity they do it with gusto!

Source: Miami Herald

(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.)

Boomers on a spiritual journey. One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

Boomers attitudes towards organized religion and the role it plays in their lives has changed over the decades.  Similar to their parents and even their grandparents, they are seeking out meaning in their lives as they age, but unlike those before them, it is in a more individualistic way. Today there seems to be a trend among Boomers as describing themselves as more spiritual and less religious. This is supported by an AARP study that found 85% of Boomers considering themselves as either “somewhat spiritual” to “very spiritual.”

Professor Wade Clark Roof, PhD, Department of Religious Studies, UC Santa Barbara, explores the subject of spiritually in this book Spiritual Marketplace: Baby Boomers and the Remaking of American Religion. In his book he charts the growth of five subcultures of Boomers: dogmatists, Born-again Christians, mainstream believers, metaphysical believers and seekers, and secularists. According to Professor Roof, Boomers have found multiple and complex ways to be spiritual without being religious.

Source: BNET – The CBS Interactive Business Network

(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.)

Boomers: Losing Their Quest for the Fountain of Youth? One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

Were people age 50 to 64 a decade ago healthier than Boomers of the same age today? A recent analysis of disability data from the National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative survey of health issues for Americans, suggests that may be the case.

Researchers from the RAND Corporation and the University of Michigan found that significantly more Americans in the 50- to 64-age group were reporting disabilities related to mobility in 2007 than in 1997. For instance:

• More than 40 percent of people aged 50 to 64 reported that, due to a health problem, they had difficulty with at least one of nine physical functions; many reported issues with more than one.

• Over the study period, researchers noted a significant increase in the number of people reporting that a health problem made it difficult for them to stoop, stand for two hours, walk a quarter mile or climb 10 steps without resting.

• There also was a significant increase in the proportion of people who reported needing help with personal care activities of daily living such as getting in or out of bed or getting around inside their homes.

Particularly troubling was the increase in the number of reasons cited for the disabilities. From 1997-2005, neck and back problems, diabetes, and emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, or other problems were the most common causes. By 2005-2007, arthritis and rheumatism had been added to the list; with many respondents reporting that their disabilities had begun in their thirties or forties.
Whatever the reasons—obesity? Too little exercise? Too much tennis, golf, skiing, or marathon running? —it’s clear that as 78 million Baby Boomers head toward age 65 and beyond, this trend has the potential to overtax an already stressed health care system. At the same time, it presents real business opportunities for those focused on healthy lifestyle products and services. 
Source: Renée Despres, Senior Editor, ehealthMD.com

(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.)

Boomers: the New Social Networking Mavens – One of Our 65 Reasons Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

According to the good folks at the Pew Research Center, social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled—from 22% to 42% over the past year. In fact, almost half (47%) of internet users ages 50-64 and one in four (26%) users age 65 and older now use social networking platforms to help manage their daily communications—sharing links, photos, videos, news, and status updates with a growing network of contacts.

The growth rate of younger users pales in comparison with that of Boomers and seniors.
Between April 2009 and May 2010, internet users ages 50-64 who said they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn grew 88% and those ages 65 and older grew 100% in their adoption of the sites. That compares with a growth rate of 13% for those ages 18-29.

So much for those who say Boomers won’t try new things!

Source: Pew Research Center

Boomers: Still opening their wallets – One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

The recession has touched everyone’s pocketbooks, but recent research from Mediamark Inc. shows some bright spots. Over the past two years, the share of spending by consumers age 50+ was up in the following categories:
– Credit Card Expenditures +15%
– Home Furnishings +12%
– Home Improvements +11%
– Foreign Vacations +10%
– Health & Beauty Aids +9%
Of course, this demographic leaves out some of the later-stage Boomers, those 45 to 50, and includes seniors 65+, but it does indicate that there are still business opportunities out there for businesses with the vision to target those of Boomer age and beyond.
Source: Media Post Publications
 (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.)

Boomers: Driven to buy new cars

One More Reason Why Marketers Still Need to Target Boomers

(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.)

How well do car commercial casting specs reflect the real world of car buyers? Not very well, according to a recent analysis performed by researchers at AARP Media Sales.

Using data supplied by J. D. Power and Associates, AARP found that nearly 39 percent of new cars were sold to people between the ages of 50 and 64. Add in those over age 65, and the number rises to over 62 percent -- more than 3 out of every 5 cars sold in 2010. And we’re not talking geezer-styled gas guzzlers, either. 73 percent of all battery-assisted vehicles, or hybrids, were purchased by the over-50 crowd.  In contrast, those 35 and under accounted for less than 13 percent of new car purchases. Some of this is demographic-driven, as that large cohort of Baby Boomers grows older; some due to the recession’s impact on younger pocketbooks. As further evidence of the purchasing power of both Boomers and those 65+, the study found that 33 percent of adults over 50 pay cash for their cars, compared to 13 percent of consumers under 50.

Does this offer opportunities for car manufacturers – and car dealers? Definitely. At Gen-Sights, we think that cars that are easier to enter and exit – and offer improved sightlines will benefit, as long as style hasn’t been sacrificed. We also think that dealers could set themselves apart by offering seminars or driving clinics on how to use the next-generation, computer-assisted technology that’s beginning to appear in their showrooms. One thing’s for certain: new cars purchases by older Americans are only going to increase, as more than 78 million Baby Boomers move to age 65 and beyond.

Source: Brand Week and AutoBlog 

65 Reasons Why Baby Boomers Remain a Powerful Target For Marketers.

From their diaper days onward, Boomers have reinvented every stage of life they’ve passed through. And as the first wave of 78 million Boomers turns 65 in 2011, there’s no reason to believe they’ll stop now. In the process, this will transform the way people think about everything from retirement to health care to aging in general. To celebrate this milestone, over the next few weeks, Gen-Sights will offer 65 reasons why businesses of every kind would be wise to keep Boomers in mind when designing and marketing products.

posted by Lynn Schweikart, Tom Gorski, Laura Willis

Boomers – Using Technology to Bridge the Gap Between Generations

How does my 77-year-old father-in-law stay in touch with his eight grandchildren?  The answer may strike you as a little surprising: through Facebook.  Of course, it does help that he’s relatively computer literate—after all, he was an early adapter of that revolutionary Internet invention, AOL dial-up! However computer literacy doesn’t always translate to understanding the intricacies of social media. For that, it takes a knowledgeable son-in-law and a father-in-law eager to learn.  The outcome? A grandfather who, with the simple click of a mouse, is now in touch daily with his grandchildren, ranging in age from 14 to 25.

Whoever would have guessed that Boomers like me, the sandwich generation, would come to serve as the catalyst uniting parents, in-laws, and children—through email and Facebook. After all, despite the fact that I was an ad guy at a cutting-edge Boston-based agency, in the early 1990’s when my first child was born, email was barely in my vocabulary. Facebook? Not even invented!

And it’s not only computer-savvy seniors like my father-in-law who’ve come to embrace the Internet. I realized a couple of years ago that my mother was very interested in getting online with a computer of her own.  After all, my kids frequently shared their favorite websites with her and read emails to her that they received from other family members.  So on her 80th birthday we bought her an iMac and brought her into the 21st Century – quite a leap for a Silent Generation denizen who remembers listening to FDR’s fireside chats on a Philips radio. As with my father-in-law, we were able to introduce her to a whole new world with the stroke of a key and a click of a mouse.

Two years later, via email, my mother delights as her oldest grandson begins his college years. She is thrilled to death to receive his emails and respond back to him with her pearls of wisdom. And she’s not alone: computer usage among seniors is growing. Studies indicate that it can help reduce loneliness and isolation and improve mental acuity. In fact, seniors can continue to live on their own without having to feel separated from their families. Witness Carolyn Rosenblatt’s experience of acquainting her elderly mother-in-law with Skype in her article “Can technology save an aging widow?”

All this demonstrates that I’m not alone in seeing the opportunities for using technology to cross generational lines and bring families together. And it’s proof that companies that are developing these products should be marketing to Boomers, too. After all, Boomers have not only embraced the benefits of technology for ourselves, we’re using it to connect the generations on either side of us. And when it comes to the senior market, for the most part, we’re the gatekeepers.

What’s more, new product opportunities will only grow as Baby Boomers cross over into their mature years, demanding the comfort and benefits of technology, plus a desire to stay ahead of the curve. Just make sure any technological enhancements have a purpose. One thing to keep in mind: Boomers expect that bells and whistles will make life easier and/or better, not just be there for their own sake.

Posted by – Tom Gorski

CAN BOOMERS PUT THE HEALTH BACK IN HEALTHY EATING?

“Boomers are drifting into old age with poor eating habits and too little exercise…we do not have a healthy population moving into old age.”

That was the disconcerting message I got the other day while searching online for information on the relationship between aging Baby Boomers and health and nutrition. The source?  Shannon Proudfoot, Can West News Service in the Montreal Gazette. I was anything but reassured that Boomers are going to have an easy ride into old age.

Life expectancy for Americans has been growing with each generation. However, there are fears that this could be reversed during the Boomer generation. Obesity, with its associated chronic diseases, is beginning to rear its ugly head. According to S. Jay Olshansky, professor of public health at the University of Illinois, Chicago, “obesity in general is on the verge of causing an unprecedented decline in life expectancy in developed countries”. He predicts that Americans in particular will experience unprecedented health risks and that life expectancy will be reduced in the next 10 to 15 years.  Yikes!
 
Being a glass half full kind of guy, I immediately began to think of all the business opportunities that food manufacturers, restaurants, and supermarkets could generate from this negative forecast regarding the health of Boomers. To get a professional viewpoint on what was happening out there, I contacted Denise Kelly, RD, Director of Market Development-Healthcare, Lyons Magnus.  If anyone would have a handle on this situation, it would be Denise.

According to Denise, “the biggest concerns for an aging population are obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and bone health. Simply by increasing activity and making some simple dietary changes, Boomers can get back on track, live healthier lives, and reduce the need for some medications.”

One of the biggest “Hot Buttons” for the food industry right now?  According to Denise, it’s helping consumers battle hypertension by reducing the amount of sodium in prepared foods, while still providing a flavorful product. “Even though the recommended daily allowance for sodium is less than 2300mg/day, most people consume nearly 1½ to 2 times that amount, primarily by eating prepared foods or dining out,” Denise stated.

While manufacturers are beginning to respond, it’s not by marketing their products as “low in sodium”. Instead, they’re simply gradually reducing over time the amount of sodium in their products.  According to the Wall Street Journal, (“Food Makers Quietly Cut Back on Salt,” 1/11/10) “ConAgra said that by 2015, it would lower the sodium level in about 80% of its products by an average of 20%. Sara Lee Corp. made a similar commitment. Campbell Soup, which has focused broadly on reducing sodium for at least a decade, says it has already reduced sodium in the top-selling products in all its categories by nearly 24% since 2001.” It’s a small start – there’s a real opportunity for the food industry to discover how to keep flavor up while bringing sodium content down.
Besides watching their sodium intake, Boomers at risk for obesity and diabetes need to monitor their serving size (portion control) to reduce caloric intake as well as choose their foods wisely. “A healthy diet would include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry with limiting red meats and replacing butter with healthy fats like olive oil or canola oil,” Denise said.
 


"The food industry has worked hard to remove or reduce refined grains in cereal and breads and add whole grain and fiber. Vegetables are disguised in delicious beverages to make consumption easier. Salad dressings are now made with olive oil." 

After speaking to Denise, it’s heartening to know that manufacturers are beginning to take action and respond to these chronic health problems that are directly associated with poor eating habits and/or obesity.  The opportunities appear to be limitless for food manufacturers, but they have the challenge of producing food products that meet all the necessary nutritional and caloric requirements while satisfying the Boomer palate.  The key to success is educating the Boomer about good eating habits.  Perhaps food manufacturers can incorporate an educational component into their marketing plans. If not, it will be the pharmaceutical companies that benefit.  But I’ll leave that discussion for another time.

Posted by Tom Gorski

I’m not buying it, period!

This is a line I’ve used time and time again with my two teenagers but this time it’s not my kids I’m speaking about, it’s the latest research from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Retail & Consumer Insights, This piece of research first came to my attention via a tweet I received from Brent Green, “Another example of flawed research, proclaiming the demise of Boomer spending. Research based on self-report, biased.”  Like Brent, I’m not buying it, period!

Boomer spending may not be leading the way out of the current recession, but I certainly wouldn’t advise my clients or anyone else to count this generation out. At 77 million strong, they will be entering their mature years as a different type of consumer than their “silent generation” parents. Boomers, always known for coloring outside of the lines, will apply this same approach to selecting products and services as they move beyond the standard retirement age of 65.

The spending power of Generations “X” and “Y” may be bigger, but Boomers are still an enormous market segment that shouldn’t be ignored. All indications are that marketers are beginning to realize that, and are starting to chase those dollars. Yes, it’s true; Boomers will be a bit more judicious when making purchases when retired but that doesn’t mean they won’t be buying. In fact, not only will Boomers be buying, they’ll be demanding the marketplace offer products and services to suit their needs and those needs will be many. 

In my opinion, there’s one company out there that has been consistently innovating useful products for all market segments and that’s OXO. Their mission statement says it all: “OXO is dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday living easier.”* This is a brand that I’ve embraced not only for my 82-year-old arthritic mother (I most recently purchased an OXO Good Grips® watering can for her) but also for myself. Their products are cool and trendy and don’t scream “I’m challenged”; they simply say “I’m easy to use”.  I see this being the kind of company that will capture even more of the Boomers’ dollars as they move into their mature years. After all Boomers don’t want to admit to their physical limitations and nor will OXO with their products.

So yes, I will be buying as I move to the next stage of life; I just won’t be buying the research that implies Boomers spending power isn’t worth chasing.  I’m glad to say I’m not alone with these sentiments, just today I read a commentary from Mark Bradbury supporting my opinion. My belief is that Boomers will forge ahead with new demands in all product and service categories and this can only mean new opportunities for marketers.

– Posted by Tom Gorski

* OXO refers to OXO International Ltd. Good Grips is a registered trademark of OXO International Ltd. Watering can image and mission statement from www.oxo.com

Preparing for Caregiving Now and in the Future

Diane Sargent, Director of Corporate Relations at South Shore Elder Services(SSES) was looking for an alternative to the usual speaker when she was planning the program for the

SSES’ "Aging is Everyone's Future” conference and dinner which was held on May 11th. She decided to ask four professionals to share their caregiving stories in hopes that their different perspectives on this highly emotional topic would provide inspiration to the over 120 attendees and help them to realize they are not alone in their struggles.

I was so honored that she asked me to be one of them. I’d gotten involved with the SSES a few years back when I met Diane at networking events. She’d asked me for some marketing guidance for the organization, which I was happy to provide. I suggested SSES shift its brand focus from the seniors themselves to the caregivers, usually their Boomer children, and add more emotional impact to its messaging. 

The panel presentation, which was moderated by Kate Granigan of Overlook C.A.R.E.,  was therapeutic for both audience and panelists. Lynda Chuckran of Welch Healthcare and Retirement Group realized that, even though it had been a few years since her mother passed away, she had not really told her story before that evening. She talked about being an only child and the challenges of caregiving when you have no siblings to help out. Even though she works in the industry, she found it difficult to juggle her job and caregiving, along with her role as a single mother to a young daughter. She told the audience how important it was to be an advocate for our elders, especially when they no longer do that for themselves, and how to tap into help and support in community.

Susan Peters of Mount Vernon Mortgage shared her story about trying to do it all herself—even going back and forth to her mother’s house in the middle of the night when her mom called her in a panic. She told how she finally called upon her siblings when she realized she was at the breaking point, and how thankful she was when they stepped up to the plate and took turns staying with her mom. Her message was simple: ask for the help you need.

Harrison Stebbins' story was a bit different. When his older brother suffered a debilitating accident at age 16, 14-year-old Harrison became a caregiver, along with his parents. He continues to strive to help his brother be a productive citizen; recently, they purchased Amazing Grace Private Home Care together. Harrison’s caregiving role will continue for some time to come and could potentially become more complicated because his parents are aging, not only are they unable to care for his brother as they used to, they are beginning to need care themselves. 

As for my own story, it was about becoming gradually aware of changes in my Dad’s condition after my mom passed. Thankfully my sister and I live nearby and are able to share responsibility in Dad's care, but it still wasn't easy. Initially we struggled to find in-home services for Dad, this was a number of years ago, when there weren’t as many options as there are now. Then it was making the hard decision to seek out an assisted living facility; having to be honest with ourselves that neither my sister nor I had a living situation that would work for Dad, and that he needed to be in a more social environment.

It's amazing that there are events like this now where people can get so much information. There was nothing of this magnitude just 6-7 years ago, when I was beginning my caregiving journey. I’ve become so passionate about the elder care industry, and want to spread the word about all the products and services that are there to make caregiving a little easier.

That’s one of the reasons that Gen-Sights had a booth at the conference. It was our opportunity to launch our brand on our booth banner and handouts, and to meet the other vendors who were participating in the event. We talked a lot about the importance of getting the word out to Baby Boomers, who are both taking care of their parents and moving toward the age where they will be starting to think about their own care.

Since Boomers don't really like to think about their own aging, it's a little tricky to communicate in a way that resonates with them. That’s why Gen-Sights is helping companies target Boomers with branding and messaging that’s compelling and differentiating.

All in all, it was a very satisfying evening. It reinforced what I tell my Boomer friends who are caring for elders: don't be afraid to talk about it, don't be afraid to seek help, and if you don't know where to start, contact your local agencies like South Shore Elder Services or Council on Aging. They can point you in the right direction. Or seek out groups like the Senior Service Network or find publications like the South Shore Senior News. These are great resources for caregiving needs. And as we Boomers start to age, there’s sure to be more in the future.

(Pictured in middle photo L to R: Ed Flynn of SSES, Lynda Chukran, Kate Granigan, Laura Willis, Susan Peters, Harrison Stebbins)

– posted by Laura Willis

Nostalgia Rules!

Imagine, a Super Bowl where the game was way better than the ads. We watched the game with a bunch of Boomers, and for the most part all agreed: lots of ads were seemingly targeted to (and probably created by) 28-year old guys. You’d think they would be a real niche audience, given that Nielson estimates 106.5 million people tuned into this year’s game.

Boomers respond to nostalgia, which is probably why our Boomer viewer sample loved the Flo TV ad that recapped the entire history of television in 30 seconds. We were also big fans of the Google Paris ad, which came in second to Doritos’ House Rules in the Nielson Ad Buzz poll. While we were all glad to see the Budweiser Clydesdales, the spot seemed a little derivative, like we’d seen it all before with a different animal. The Letterman/Leno/Winfrey ad was a real hoot – our first reaction was “Is this real?” (15-second spots go by a little fast for Boomer brains!)

There were some dubious coincidences: what’s with all the people preening about in their underwear? The research we’ve done at Gen-Sights shows that Boomers are not only turned off by the ads they find crude, but turn off to the sponsor, as well — while we suspect the marketing people at Dockers and Career Builders.com weren’t really trying to target Boomers anyway, they probably should, given that Boomers do wear pants and don’t seem inclined to completely abandon the workforce anytime soon.

And how funny was it that the over-hyped Focus on Family ad, which ended with the mother of University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow being tackled on-camera, was preceded by a Snickers spot where the very same thing happened to comedienne Betty White? (Both spots rated a thumbs down from us, though the Snickers ad scored the most votes in this year's Adbowl, an online voting contest.)

You have to admit, the half time show featuring The Who was a true trip down memory lane for Boomers. And who, except those from the Hoosier state, wasn’t happy to see the long-beleaguered Saints (Ain’ts no more!) finally go marching in?

- posted by Lynn Schweikart