Mature Marketing Matters

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Creating Results is a full-service strategic marketing, public relations and advertising agency with more than 15 years of experience. Our expertise is motivating mature 40+ consumers, including Baby Boomers, Silent (Ike) Generation and Gen X.

Older Generations Puzzle over Today’s Youth (Redux)

September 1st, 2010 Posted by Erin Read Ruddick

While Creating Results spends its time focusing on Baby Boomers and beyond, marketer Carol Phillips focuses on Millennials. After two “what’s the matter with kids these days” articles in high-profile publications, she mused about a Generational Culture Gap on her blog.

“Millennials have a way of driving older folks crazy … Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers find this generation puzzling, and rather than strive to understand the differences, instead are inclined to view them negatively. It’s as if they were visiting a foreign country, and instead of trying to understand the culture, they respond with, ‘Eww, look at them, can you believe it??!’

… Millennials meet the definition of a subculture. Data and experience both show that Millennials look at many things — work, food, religion, politics, fashion and more — differently.”

Phillips calls for all to suspend judgment and truly get to know their targets – good advice whether you’re marketing to a 50-something Baby Boomer or a 70-something senior or a 20-something Millennial.

As a marketing professional who specializes in the language, customs and drivers of Baby Boomers and other older generations, I’d venture pretty much every young cohort has a way of driving the older generations crazy.

* The “Silent Generation” (born roughly between 1925 and 1945) got its moniker from a Time cover story. The reporter (from an older cohort) sure sounded frustrated with the kids of his day. He bemoaned their lack of activism and reported that “the girls want a career – and marriage.”

* Baby Boomers (1946-1964) drove their elders crazy with their hairstyles, clothing, protests, drugs and more. Heck, “Bye Bye Birdie” was all about a (musical) generational culture gap.

* The nickname for Gen X (born roughly between 1965 and 1945) was popularized by yet another magazine article. At the time, the other name being used for this cohort of stand-for-nothing underachievers was the “Postponed Generation” because young adults kept moving back home.

Phillips wraps up her fine post by saying “It’s not better or worse, it’s just different.”

In my view it’s not better or worse, but quite familiar!

Posted in Boomers, Gen X, Marketing, Millennials/Gen Y, Silent Generation, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Multigenerational Households On the Rise and Impacting Community Marketing

August 26th, 2010 Posted by Todd Harff

AdAge this week looked at the “accelerating trend of multigenerational households” and what it might mean for marketing to Baby Boomers, their parents and their adult children. The evolution of multigenerational households already has fundamentally changed the nature of active adult communities (50+ age-qualified). If this trend continues, it will call into question the viability of age qualified communities as we know them today.

But first, some context and a walk down memory lane.

Rising Numbers of Multigenerational Households

As AdAge notes,

Today 49 million Americans — more than one in six people in the U.S. — live in households with three or more generations, according to the Pew Research Center. The percentage is even higher for age groups 25-to-34 and 65 and older, where one in five, or 20%, live in these extended families.

While much of the increase in multigenerational households can be attributed to the recession, there is also an increased appreciation for the value of family. I grew up with my grandmothers living with us for a combined 10 years. I know how much I benefited from their involvement in my life. From playing games … to hearing the same stories again and again … to having people who had the time and desire to focus all their energies on a child … to learning to be patient and help my elders … Growing up in a multigenerational household was a gift.

A Trend Already Impacting Age-Qualified Communities

Creating Results has marketed 52 active adult and age-qualified communities in 12 states over the course of 10+ years. At first the communities were marketed to empty nesters and the vast majority of people who lived in the community were in their 50-70s (Baby Boomers and Silent Generation). Gradually, we began to see parents moving in with their adult children. These moves were prior to the economic downturn and were motivated by a desire to be with family. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: AdAge, multigenerational households, Pew Research Center
Posted in 50+, 60+, Housing, Marketing, Real Estate Marketing, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

How Baby Boomers Eat, Pray, Love

August 18th, 2010 Posted by Erin Read Ruddick

Last Friday, “Eat, Pray, Love” opened in movie theatres around the nation. It’s likely many a Baby Boomer woman was in the audience, marveling at the tale of self-discovery. Professionals marketing to Baby Boomers and 65+ seniors can discover a few insights into their own mature audiences by considering how we eat, pray and love.

Baby Boomer Spending on Food

* I really appreciate The Bundle’s infographics that illustrate household spending by age. Take a peek at their 2010 report and you’ll see that Baby Boomers (aged 50-65) and Silent Generation (65+) spend more on food and drink than the “coveted” 18-25 year olds – $6,992 and $5,211 respectively. 36-49 year olds are the tops in food and food and drink, averaging $7,487 in 2010 per household.

* Reflecting their lifestage, 35-50 year olds spend the most each year on groceries - $4,322 per Bundle. 50-65 yr old Boomers are in second place, spending an average of $4,001.

* Mature marketing expert Brent Green has called Baby Boomer men the “next marketing frontier,” noting that men are more apt to spend than save (even in a downturn) and more prone to buy national brands at the grocery store. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: AARP, Eat Pray Love, Millennials, The Bundle Report
Posted in 50+, 60+, Boomers, Generation Jones (trailing edge Boomers), Internet, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

A Gen Xer, Boomer, Silent and WWII GI Walk onto a Golf Course

July 29th, 2010 Posted by Todd Harff

No, it’s not a joke. It was on the second green when I realized that our group represented four generations. What had caught my eye was watching an 89 year old member of the Greatest Generation bending down to fix the ball mark that the Boomer’s ball had made. The Boomer had walked past it, either oblivious to it, or perhaps thinking he would fix it at some point in the future. The GI took care of it and a few others while he was at it. The Boomer didn’t notice or express appreciation. This happened many more times during the day. At the end of the day, the course was in better condition because a member of the Greatest Generation had played there.

Creating Results studies different generations and segments to help companies connect with mature consumers, but we don’t often get to play with them. As the round continued, I noticed more behaviors that demonstrated typical generational characteristics, but I also saw that we were individuals rather than stereotypes. The Boomer easily regaled us with stories about his successful children and the state of his business and the impact of the recession. He shared a story about when he had come to play with the Silent and GI ten years ago. He had put his bag on a golf cart and planned to ride around the course. The Silent showed up and pulled his bag on a hand cart. The GI, then 79 years old, carried his bag and walked all 18 holes.

The Silent was, for the most part, silent. He asked questions, helped the others find their balls, and offered suggestions on playing the course. A course he had helped to design surrounded by conservation areas he had saved from development, but one would never have known that from his actions. The Silent had organized and funded the entire outing with the only objective being to have a good time with some people he respected and whose company he enjoyed.

The GI was frustrated with the quality of his game and complained at one point, “I need to practice more.” I asked how often he played and he said, “most everyday, but I need to practice more”. Despite his “under performance”, he cleaned our clocks.

For the Greater Good

The GI volunteered little information. But when asked direct questions about his experiences as a member of the 82^nd Airborne in Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, his life after the war, and his children arranging for him to return to Normandy for the 65^th anniversary commemoration, he somewhat reluctantly shared stories that have stuck with me. Listening to him was humbling. I had no doubt in my mind that I had the honor to be in the presence of a member of the Greatest Generation.

After the war, the GI lived many lives, but through all of them was a theme of public service. He devoted much time to volunteering on town councils, creating affordable housing and assisting a multitude of charitable organizations. For longer than I have lived, he has organized his town’s 4^th of July celebrations. That meant for years I had seen, and yet not seen, him march with the Veterans. I was inspired and yet disappointed when I reflected on my comparatively meager contributions to society.

My golf that day was horrible, but it was the best round I’ve ever had.

Tags: Boomers, Gen X, Generations, Greatest Generation, Silent Generation
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Gen X, Generation Jones (trailing edge Boomers), Silent Generation, Volunteering/Service | 2 Comments »

Should Referrals Be A Bigger Part of Your Boomer / Senior Marketing Mix?

July 21st, 2010 Posted by Erin Read Ruddick

Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and other businesses marketing to Baby Boomers and active adults frequently ask us about new technologies, or how much time and money to invest in social media/social engagement. Problem is, they often forget the power of an “old-school” marketing tool: personal recommendations or referrals.

Word of mouth/referrals are, indeed, powerful with all ages of consumers. As John Jantsch puts it in his description of his new book, “The Referral Engine:”

The power of glitzy advertising and elaborate marketing campaigns is on the wane; word- of-mouth referrals are what drive business today. People trust the recommendation of a friend, family member, colleague, or even stranger with similar tastes over anything thrust at them by a faceless company.

Effectiveness of Referrals in Health, Travel and Financial Services Industries

Referrals have an impact in all stages of a purchase decision, from when consumers decide which products to consider, to when they evaluating options to when they make a decision to buy.

The reality is that there is no way you can “test drive” a holiday to Bali. There are no in-store samples when it comes to choosing healthcare or financial services. The statistics below show the importance of recommendations and word of mouth in those industries where product/service “demos” aren’t easily come by. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: CCRC, John Jantsch, McKnight Long Term Care, recommendations, referrals, retirement communities, word of mouth
Posted in 50+, 60+, Boomers, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Silent Generation, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Using Online Video in Marketing to Matures

June 17th, 2010 Posted by Mark Hoots

Americans are watching more video today than ever before. There were 135.9 million unique viewers in May 2010, per Nielsen. According to a Pew Internet Research study, online video viewing has nearly doubled since 2006 and is up 46% over last year alone. More people watch video on sites like YouTube than are active on social media sites or use Twitter.

And don’t feel sorry for your local cable TV provider, because television viewing increased 1.5% over the last year. It seems that no matter what size the screen, we are all becoming even more avid consumers of video.

For those marketing to Baby Boomers and 65+ seniors, here’s a quick overview of the types of online video and how they can help you meet your goals.

Types of Online Video

Daniel Sevitt, video expert and regular blogger on the EyeView Digital Blog breaks down online videos for businesses into three types: Viral Video, Conversion Video, and Educational Video. Each has a distinct place and purpose.

1. Viral Video is hosted off-site and shared as widely as possible (think YouTube). Multiple goals: Brand awareness. Hopefully bring traffic to your website.

This is a local commercial gone viral, and one of Advertising Age’s top picks for YouTube commercials of all time. The humor and honesty are great.

Keep in mind that no business can say “I’m making a viral video.” You can make a video and hope it goes viral. Also, there is a growing trend away from viral videos towards more practical applications in the business world. Eloqua’s Joe Chernov recently called this a “smarter and more sensible use of video.”

2. Conversion Video is on the homepage or landing page. Goal: Delivers a call to action that is focused on increasing conversion.

When the Complete Monty Python Collectors Edition was released on Amazon, free videos of entire sketches from the show were posted on the landing page, with the statement “We’re letting you see absolutely everything for free. So there! But we want something in return. None of your driveling, mindless comments. Instead, we want you to click on the links, buy our movies & TV shows and soften our pain and disgust at being ripped off all these years.”

Visitors spent more time on the page, ‘clicked through’ to more related products, and the video collection shot to #2 on Amazon’s best seller list.

3. Educational Video is not usually on your homepage. Multiple goals: establish trust and thought leadership; FAQ support; provide tutorials and walk-throughs for processes; increase brand loyalty.

One of our clients, HunterLab, uses educational video for “how to” content. But an educational video on your web site doesn’t have to be about what your company does for your clients, it can offer other resources that are helpful and relevant. For example, tips on how to properly tie a tie are found on a variety of websites – Brooks Brothers, Jobseekers Advice and more. While Brooks Brothers’ slide show is nice, the content might be more effective as a video like this one.

Growing Numbers of Older Online Video Viewers = A Marketing Tool for Today

41% of users age 50-64 are online video viewers; 27% of Internet users age 65+ watch video online. Both percentages are lower than younger market segments, but both show significant increases over 2008, when the 50-64 year old segment was at 34% and the 65+ segment was at just 19%.

When it is used well, video can tell a story, grab attention, and bring ideas to life in an emotionally powerful way, more fully engaging the web visitor. An engaged online visitor will spend more time on your website, giving you more chances to connect and ‘convert’ them to customers. eCommerce group Invodo lists some statistics on how video on web sites increases sales and decreases returns.

Whether your site features video will increasingly give visitors an idea of how modern and helpful it is. The early adopters of online video have already blazed the trail and taken the brunt of the upfront development costs. What do you think? Have they proven the marketing value of online video? Do you plan to incorporate video into your Boomer or senior marketing efforts?

Tags: HunterLab, online video, YouTube
Posted in 50+, Internet, Marketing, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

AARP: Boomers, Seniors Growing More Comfortable and Involved with Social Networking, Tech

June 8th, 2010 Posted by Erin Read Ruddick

AARP has released new research into the social networking/social media and technology use of Baby Boomers and 65+ seniors. The upshot: Americans over 50 are definitely not technophobic. And, social networking is on the rise, with 27% of Boomers/seniors using social media websites. Consistent with older consumers’ desires for connections offline, the report finds that they are most often connected to – and most often motivated to join social networks by – their family.

Highlights from AARP’s Social Media Research

* 47% of Boomers and seniors originally heard about social networking from a family member other than their spouse.

* 70 percent of 50+ers first heard about social media from a child or grandchild.

* 24% of Boomers and seniors who are active in social networks were introduced to it by friends.

* Women were more likely than men to be introduced by family members (60% to 29%).

* Among adults 50+ who use social media websites, 73 percent are connected to relatives other than children and grandchildren. 62% are connected to their children. 36 percent are connected to grandchildren.

* Facebook was most popular among AARP’s respondents – 23% of their 50+ social networkers used this site. LinkedIn was #3, with 4% and Twitter clocked in at #4, with 3% of respondents using or visiting the microblogging service. Interestingly (and most likely driven by grandchildren) 4% had MySpace accounts.

We note that 73% of the 1360 older adults contacted reported they do not use social networks at all.

For tips and more insights about social media marketing and Boomers and seniors, here are some related articles:

- The Age of Social Networks? Mature
- From Social Media Socialites to the Socially Awkward (why one size doesn’t fit all for marketing)
- Untangling the Web: Social Media and Boomer, Senior Homebuyers
- Marketing to Gen X and Baby boomers via LinkedIn
- The Face(book) in the Mirror is Getting Older

RTM9Y6HGVPRS

Tags: AARP, Facebook, LinkedIn, research, Social Networking
Posted in 50+, Internet, Social Networking, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Parody Web Sites Entertaining AND Effective?

May 27th, 2010 Posted by Todd Harff

More often than not, parody web sites are pure entertainment. Here’s one with a twist. AgentHarvest is a company that markets top real estate agents. To build exposure and get their message across, they created a parody site called Really Rotten Realty, which makes fun of the typical agent. I thought it was funny and clever and could help with word-of-mouth marketing.

The copy is terrific. Homebuyers truly looking for a good agent can relate to the situations described. From the “Sell A Home” page:

“We believe in the 3-P’s of real estate marketing: Put, Put and Pray. Put a sign in the yard, Put it on MLS and then Pray someone will come along and buy it. We usually find that after enough time passes, and after several price drops the house usually sells itself without too much intervention from us. That’s an easy commission earned. We like easy.”

And you’ve got to love the photos and stories on the testimonials page. Priceless!

I can see this site working well to recruit more top agents to AgentHarvest while simultaneously educating consumers in an entertaining way and driving traffic the parent web site. What do you think about parody web sites as part of a marketing program?

Tags: Really Rotten Realty
Posted in Internet, Marketing, Real Estate Marketing, Uncategorized | No Comments »

TV and Advertising to Baby Boomers, Beyond

May 24th, 2010 Posted by Erin Read Ruddick

As advertisers fall over themselves to figure out social media marketing, one medium (television) continues to deliver large numbers of attractive consumers with money and time to spend (Baby Boomers and beyond). TV looks like a safe bet with great reach, AdAge noted this week.

“Reaching a broad audience is still important for advertisers of a wide variety of products, including cars, electronics, household products, restaurants and others,” said Jeff McCall, a professor of media studies at DePauw University. “The need for these products reaches across wide demos and broadcast television still brings those. And the older demos likely have a few more bucks to actually spend.”

Facts about Baby Boomers, Seniors and TV

* The median age of prime-time television viewers is now 51.

* Nielsen’s “Three-Screen” report for the fourth quarter of 2009 found that 35-49 year olds watch 35:40 minutes a week of traditional TV. 50-64 year olds (Baby Boomers) watch 42:38 minutes, and “seniors” age 65 or better watch 47:21 minutes.

* The average viewer watches 2,223 minutes of video in a week, and all but 1% of their video viewing is on a traditional television. (AdContrarian) As the Ad Contrarian puts it, “TV viewership is at its highest point ever and continues to grow.”

* Most viewers don’t leave the room or change channels during commercial breaks. (Council for Research Excellence) No reports on how many mute because of the ridiculously loud volume of TV ads …

* A mere 5-6% of ads are being skipped on DVRs. (DVR Research Institute)

* The median age of nightly TV news viewers across the “big three” (ABC, CBS, NBC) was 62.3 years in 2009. The median age of morning news viewers rose to 55.2 last year. (State of the Media)

MedianAgeNightlyNewsViewers2009.StateOfMedia.org

Is advertising on broadcast TV part of your marketing mix? Why/why not?

RTM9Y6HGVPRS

Tags: AdAge, AdWeek, TV
Posted in 50+, 60+, Advertising, Boomers, Mature Consumers, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

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Older Generations Puzzle over Today’s Youth (Redux)

Multigenerational Households On the Rise and Impacting Community Marketing

Rising Numbers of Multigenerational Households

A Trend Already Impacting Age-Qualified Communities