April Newsletter Header
In this issue...
  • Winter?
  • Marketing to the
    Middle Age of Aquarius
  • Dirty Work:
    Boomers and Ageism
    •

    Latest News & Insights from the Boomer Project

    The tax man cometh.

    According to the IRS, about 130 million individual returns were filed for 2002 (latest data), and 100 million were due refunds.

    By our math, that means over 75% of the Fed's "customers" overpaid. Heck of a business model, huh?

    In this month's Boomer Project newsletter, our first article, "Winter?", sheds some light on generational marketing, in hopes of illuminating the importance of treating Boomers over 50 as a separate demographic segment.

    Seems there are those out there tempted to group Boomers with their parents, the "Matures" segment.

    In our second article, "Marketing to the Middle Age of Aquarius", we pose a question to our readers (over 900 now) as we try to find marketers who are doing a good job of communicating with Boomers over 50.

    Lastly, we update you on a topic we first covered last fall, about "Ageism" and Boomers -- and those nine justices in their long black robes in D.C.

    As always, we'd love to get feedback from you, just drop us a note.


    Matt Thornhill
    The Boomer Project
    Winter?
    Boomers Over 50 and the
    Seasons of Generational Marketing

    Since the advent of "mass marketing" we've been also been practicing Generational Marketing.

    There are three "generations" we've targeted: kids, adults 18 to 49 and seniors 50+.

    The truth of the matter is, though, there are always four active generations at any given time. How so, you ask?

    Well, there's general consensus that a long human life runs 80 to 100 years. Been that way since the days of Moses.

    Across that span we experience the four "seasons" of life: childhood, young adulthood, midlife, and elderhood. Each "season" lasts about 20 years, which is about the length of a generation (in demographic terms).

    So four seasons, each 20 years, means four generations, a span of 80 years, are active at any one point in time. Always has been, always will be.

    Today, in 2005, the four active generations are: the Greatest Generation (1924-45), Boomers (1946-64), Gen X (1965-81) and Millennials (1982-2000).

    Now, what's that mean for marketers?

    To start, don't group any generation with any other. They are separate and need to be treated separately. Just like Spring is different from Summer, and Autumn is different from Winter, each season has unique characteristics. In fact, each Autumn has more in common with the preceding Autumn than it does with Winter, the next season. This is true about generations.

    Boomers, in their Autumn, have more in common with previous generations when they went through Autumn than they do with any one experiencing the Winter of their life.

    When you understand that, you'll think twice about grouping Boomers with Matures (their parents). They are in different seasons of life. Always have been, always will be.

    Interesting side note: Even our friends at Iconoculture, the trend-watching group out of Minneapolis, forget this from time to time. Their weekly newsletter "Iconowatch" often cites the latest trend or fad among "Millennials," "Gen Xers" and "Boomers/Matures." As you now know, there is no such thing as "Boomers/Matures." There are Boomers and there are Matures.

    Between them lies a generation gap.

    Marketing to the
    Middle Age of Aquarius

    We're often asked "who is doing a good job of marketing to Boomers over 50?"

    Think about it. Who is doing a good job?

    In fact, we'd love your thoughts on who you think is actually focusing their marketing communications on Boomers over 50 and doing so effectively. Send us an email with your vote to goodjob@ boomerproject.com.

    Of course, the short answer is that not many marketers quite know how to target Boomers over 50. Sure, the pharmaceuticals and some financial services companies are aiming at Boomers over 50, but not too many are hitting the mark.

    In our research, the mega-categories likely to affected by Boomers growing older are:

    • Health & Vitality (from personal health care to appearance to fitness to education)
    • Income & Financial Independence (retirement planning, long term care insurance)
    • Escape & Experiences (travel, tourism, entertainment)
    • Home & Hearth (downsizing, remodeling, second homes, nesting)

    When you think about it that way, there are few who come to mind in many of the sub-categories. Ever seen an advertisement from Home Depot or Lowe's featuring someone over 50 embarking on a do-it- yourself project at home like building a wine closet?

    How about Best Buy or Circuit City showing an empty nest couple buying HDTV and home entertainment systems to put into that recently vacated bedroom?

    Or health clubs or community colleges trying to lure not-so-seasoned citizens back through their doors for programs designed for them?

    How about a grandparents/grandkids menu and program at Applebee's or Friendly's or Cracker Barrel?

    So, dear reader, who is unabashedly targeting Boomers over 50? Email us and we'll share the results next month.

    Dirty Work:
    Boomers and Ageism

    Last September we wrote that Boomers will try to crush "ageism" just like they helped end sexism and played a role in the demise of racism.

    It looks like Boomers are getting some help from their elders on the Supreme Court, with the recent ruling making it easier for employees over the age of 40 to recover damages for age discrimination under the U.S. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.

    So progress on one front.

    And maybe not so much progress on another.

    According to these two recent articles in the Chicago Sun-Times: Silvery Hair Remains a Professional Gray Area and Hair-rogance, both professional woman and blockbuster actors view graying hair as a handicap. (Note: The Sun-Times site is finicky. If the page doesn't load, refresh it and try again.)

    The irony comes, though, when one sees the "content-based" ads placed at the bottom of the Web page with these articles, selling hair color and dyes.

    Our take on the Supreme Court and these articles: Two steps forward, one step back.

    But the march is on.

    Can We Help You?

    How can the Boomer Project help your company or organization?

    One way might be an on-site "Boomersion" program, where we educate your marketing and/or customer service personnel about how Boomers over 50 think, feel and respond to your messages. These day-long sessions include insights obtained from our proprietary national research among Boomers.

    Contact us to learn more about this program.

    phone: 804.690.4837


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