Valentine's Day is upon us already. If you're lucky enough to be in the radio universe of "Build-a- Bear Workshops," you've been inundated with ads suggesting your honey would love a custom-made bear sent via overnight delivery in time for Monday's activities.

I dunno, I'm thinking jewelry might be better.

Three things to share this month:

First, some results from the Boomer Marketing Report, done with the help of Survey Sampling International. We'll share some findings on how Boomers over 50 responded to a mock ad for a bank. There are lessons to learn which apply to other advertisers.

Second, we have taken a close look at some research on Boomers and their use of technology. The Pew Internet & American Life Study provides some ammunition for anyone targeting Boomers online.

Finally, an advertiser who seems to be getting it. MasterCard is running an ad in magazines targeting older consumers that isn't age-based, but lifestage based. We give them a "Boomie" this month.

Meanwhile, at Boomer Project headquarters, we're finding ourselves busy these days just handling calls from the press. Seems interest in what's happening with Boomers and advertising is growing. Visitors to our Web site have doubled in recent weeks, also suggesting that awareness of this topic is snowballing.

As subscribers, consider yourselves ahead of the pack.

Our goal is this effort has been not to enlighten marketers to the opportunity, but to help them determine how to make the most of it. We'll leave it to others to wax on about the situation. We'll focus on about the implications for marketers - and help them develop strategies and tactics to succeed with Boomers over 50.

Let us know if we can help you.

Matt Thornhill
The Boomer Project

The ad we constructed to be lifestage based and more emotionally-meaningful was this ad for a checking account for customers over 50 (although we never actually provide the age restriction). Click on the ad to read it.

We tested it against a more traditional bank ad with the age restriction in the headline.

The results?

Boomers of all ages, both male and female, responded to the "Amy" ad much better than the more factual, informational age-based ad. The age-based ad did appeal to Boomers over 50, because they knew the ad was specifically for them. But Boomers under 50 hated the age-based ad, knowing it wasn't speaking to them.

Seven out of ten Boomers graded the "Amy" ad either an "A" or a "B" on "Appealing" and "Ability to Get Your Attention." Importantly, across all measures, more than six out of 10 graded the ad an "A" or a "B."

And we know they responded to the story nature of the copy because we got twice as many comments on this ad than any other ad tested. Boomers put themselves in the picture -- those under 50 identified the man as the girl's father, and those over 50 said the man was the girl's grandfather. The copy is actually unclear -- intentionally -- on the relationship between the two.

The lessons, though, are clear. To attract more Boomers, focus on lifestage not age. Use emotionally-meaningful concepts, pictures and words. And communicate your facts wrapped in a story.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project has been tracking usage of the Internet since the beginning. Their site is a treasure trove of information about how we use the Web and the Internet.

For those of us interested in reaching Boomers online, there's information that should encourage us to keep at it. For example, now over 60% of all Boomers are regular users of the Internet. Not as high a percentage as younger adults and teens, but still a growing majority.

Importantly, a key segment of Internet users, some 20% according to Pew, are what they call "Older Wired Boomers." Pew's description:

Older Wired Baby Boomers: This group is 6% of the population, is mostly male, and has an average age of 52 years. These people spend the most money per month of any group (an average of $175), 100% have Internet access, and most (82%) have cell phones. They are very active information gatherers online, especially when it comes to news and work-related research, and they rate high when it comes to online

Two particularly interesting and relevant reports from Pew can be found here and here.