CMA Press Releases

Despite some gray hair and expanding midsections, Baby Boomers are looking pretty attractive to advertisers these days. Marketers who once wrote off anyone over 50 are finding it hard to ignore 78 million people, especially if they have substantial amounts of money to burn.

Baby Boomers account for about half of the $4 trillion spent annually on goods and services in the United States, according to the Center for Community and Economic Development in Wisconsin. Besides the economy, Boomers are also having a dramatic impact on demographics: Close to 40 percent of the U.S. population is expected to be over 50 in the year 2020.

How can marketers cater to the needs of these former flower-power, peace sign waving, bell-bottomed, tie-dyed anti-establishment free thinkers who danced at the altar of Woodstock, fought in -- and against -- the Vietnam War, demonstrated in the streets while sprouting beans and ushering in women’s liberation and civil rights?

They rewrote all the rules and now it’s time to rewrite the rules of marketing to reach this vital – and very vibrant -- segment of the population.

Rule #1. Understand your market. Before making any grandiose plans on how to refocus your marketing dollars, make sure you understand where the Baby Boomers came from and where they’re going.

They crashed onto the scene in the post-prosperity years following World War II. Born between 1946 and 1964, they’re now 43 to 61 years old, with almost half over 50. But they show no signs of slowing down.

Baby Boomers are one of the most health conscious generations in history, led by a very vocal Hollywood glam squad who turned 60 in 2006, including Suzanne Somers, Cher, Diane Keaton, Sylvester Stallone, Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones and Linda Ronstadt.

They refuse to miss a step, so any products that cater to Boomers’ desire to stay young have a leg up in the marketplace.

Rule #2. Don’t stereotype. It’s easy, especially for young marketers, to think of Baby Boomers as a homogenous group with gray hair and grandchildren, but that’s hardly the case.

Boomers are becoming parents as well as grandparents. Although many are celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries, others are hitting the dating scene, often by computer. They’re empty nesters but also parents of “boomerang kids,” who return home for stints after college, a lost job or failed relationship.

Boomers may also be tooling around the country in their RVs or landlocked at home, raising their children’s children, just to mention a few lifestyle alternatives.

Rule #3. Use appropriate language and images. The U.S. Census classifies people over 65 as “elderly,” but it’s hard to believe Baby Boomers will fit that category anytime soon. For Boomers, 60 is the new 40, 50 is the new 30, and 40 is practically high school.

Therefore, it’s better to focus on life experiences and self-image rather than age. For example, suggest that a particular product will benefit people with experience in “x” rather than “people over 50.”

By all means, avoid the words “senior” and “older” in favor of “prime,” “mature” or even “savvy” or “worldly.”

Portray age-appropriate models, not anorexic-looking Gen Xers. Women like the sincerity of actress Sally Field, who’s touting the benefits of Boniva to fight osteoporosis. They also relate to ads featuring an attractive, self-confessed Baby Boomer who says she’s taking Advil to prevent arthritis pain because she wants to “go out kicking and screaming.”

Rule #4. Diversify your ad mix. Sometimes the best way to reach Boomers isn’t to change the ad copy, but to target the right media. Case in point: A breakfast cereal ad in More (a magazine for women 40 to 60) doesn’t single out middle-aged women in the copy, however, the ad features a photo of a vibrant woman with gray hair who’s exercising and looking quite fit.

Rule #5. Don’t count on brand loyalty. Conventional marketing wisdom says that building brand loyalty at a young age carries over for decades, but according to AARP, the majority of people over 50 switch brands as often as any age group. Remember, the Boomers came of age during an age of experimentation.

The bottom line is finding out what products or services Boomers really need through extensive market research, rather than trying to wing it based on broad generalizations.

Actress Raquel Welch, a leading sex symbol of the 1960s and 1970s, is a spokesperson for a glamorous line of wigs called Hair U Wear that also features Jessica Simpson’s clip-in hair extensions.
Nickel Spa for men of New York and London offers a Love Handle Wrap for $95 that’s designed to reduce the appearance of love handles around the mid-section. It includes exfoliation, massage and a wrap.
A clothing chain called Forth & Towne started by Gap for women over 35, is closing after a little over a year, with some analysts saying the looser fitting styles didn’t appeal to middle-aged women and that Gap missed the mark by straying too far from its core audience.

The “over-55” housing enclaves are a huge success story, with such amenities as biking and jogging trails, craft studios, wildlife preserves and even canoeing. As Boomers age, look for continued growth in assisted living facilities, many of which rival the most exclusive country clubs.

Other market segments that will be strongly impacted by the Boomer generation include pharmaceuticals, anti-aging creams and cosmetics, neutraceuticals, luxury travel, especially if it’s educational; long-term care insurance; gyms; exercise, yoga and Pilates DVDs; plastic surgery; financial planning; motor scooters, and touring motorcycles.

And while the Boomers are going hog wild on their new Harleys, be sure to wave
when they pass by. Because make no mistake about it, they’re here to stay – and there’s plenty of tread left on their tires.

Jeffrey Barnhart is president and CEO of Creative Marketing Alliance Inc. (CMA) based in Princeton Junction, NJ. CMA is a synergy of marketing and management businesses providing proven strategic, creative and management resources to achieve client goals through its allied businesses: CMA Marketing and Communications, CMA Association Management and CMA Healthcare Marketing. CMA is currently celebrating 20 years of service and has received more than 160 industry awards. For more information about CMA, visit www.cmasolutions.com or contact Mr. Barnhart at (609) 799-6000, ext. 18, or jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com.