Demographics of Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor recreation such as hiking or camping are indeed popular with mature Americans (Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation).  The Outdoor Foundation’s Special Report on Camping shows that a full third of participants in camping are over the age of 45 years old.  (However, their report shows only one person over age 30, and he’s on page 9.)

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association has reported that seniors are frequent day hikers; more than 1,524,000 Americans age 55 and older hike at least 15 days a year.  64.9% of American Hiker readers are Baby Boomers or Silent Generation members (50+).

And research completed for the Canadian Tourism Commission in 2003 pointed out that as Baby Boomers age, hikers will get slightly older on average in the coming years, with “almost 3-in-10 hikers/backpackers falling into the 55+ age group.”

For REI specifically, Quantcast estimates that a quarter of the visitors to their website are over 50 years old.  The average age of their catalog buyer has been reported as 44.  And as Brent Green has commented, 27% of REI’s business comes from Baby Boomers yet REI has rarely incorporated older models before these TV ads appeared.

Brent’s been consistently vocal about how REI’s marketing has missed the mark with Baby Boomers.  We’d love to hear if there are any outdoor gear companies out there you feel hit the bullseye.  Share their names and/or links below.

What Boomers eat is no small question – it’s big opportunity for businesses that take time to understand swell SWELs.  Market Research Group reported that:

Boomers age 45-54 spend $123 weekly on food, compared with $102 for 25- to 34-year-olds and $75 for 65- to 74-year-olds. Moreover, over 10 million boomer households allot $125 or more weekly to grocery expenditures alone, while nearly 20 million visit either family or fast-food restaurants 6 or more times monthly.

FoodProcessing.com noted functional foods as one of its consumer trends for 2009, tying the prediction to the desire of mature, 40+ consumers to actively age.  “Health and wellness is expected to continue its march into new product development particularly foods with added health benefits for babies, children, aging baby boomers, seniors and pets,” wrote Diane Toops.

Food marketing often is aimed at women.  But mature marketing expert Brent Green calls Baby Boomer men “the next marketing frontier.”  Green whets the appetite of marketers with this economic perspective:

Boomer men are more prone to spend discretionary dollars during the economic crisis. They are more likely to make impulse purchases than women (25% men versus 9% women). They are more apt to spend than save (37% versus 28%). They are more self-directed on investment decisions (70% versus 46%). At the grocery store, they are more willing to buy national brands over generic store labels (46% men vs. 26% women).

What do you think?  Please share your examples of  ”swell” food or supplements marketing aimed at Baby Boomers/seniors living – and eating! - energetically.

(And a note of thanks to FunctionalIngredientsMag for recommending Creating Results’  research on photography that is motivating to Baby Boomers, Silent Generation members and other mature consumers.)