How To: Generational Marketing- Baby Boomers
Who They Are-
Often referred to as boomers, marketers are sometimes terrified to encounter this stubborn generational segment, tending to want to target a younger audience. Yet, making up some 74 million people, and carrying over 70% of the United States' disposable income, this generation can no longer be ignored by marketers. Sure, they’re hard to target because they are stuck between the classic ways of marketing and the tech-savy consumers that follow them, but the benefits of mastering boomer marketing outweigh any possible downfall.
Unique Identifier-
This group is well versed, educated, and largely a wealthy segment of the nation. Most people seem to think Baby Boomers are completely lost on the internet, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Baby Boomers actually consume more online content than any other generation! Granted, they may not be the earliest adapters of new technology, they make consistent approaches to grow accustomed to new changes. Now, 82% of boomers have a social media account and regularly check their email on a daily basis.
Fast Facts-
-Facebook- 78% of boomers who have social media are on Facebook
-Population- 21.9% of the United States population
-Brand Loyalty- 86% are members of a loyalty program. Reviews matter, monitor yours daily
- Conservative Politics- 44% identify as conservative
- Value-Oriented- 77% buy the best bang for their buck
What They Like-
-Television- Television marketers already know that Boomers make up the largest population of the viewing audience, and it’s not even close. Be sure to understand the right medium if you are trying to advertise to this generation, or your valuable dollars may be wasted.
-Family- This generation is largely either retired or aiming to retire in the next ten years. Family time is critical to their daily lives!
-Religion- Very conservative, boomers differ vastly from younger generations. Be sure to respect the beliefs of your audience to ensure that you don’t step on anybody’s toes. Keep in mind their conservative beliefs when developing advertisements in order to avoid profanity, nudity, or ultra-left ideologies.
-Staying Fit- As they age, this audience loves spending time on the treadmill or outdoors. Health-conscious companies can directly take advantage of the opportunity granted by boomers.
-Phone Calls- Personal connection can’t be replaced in a growing digital world. Pick up the phone and have a conversation to truly grow with this audience.
Favorite Medium & How To Market-
Be sure to utilize all of the above tools in order to fully market towards the beliefs and ideologies of boomers. No matter your brand, understand that print and Facebook are perfect ways to drive home your brand. Almost every boomer checks the mail daily, and many still receive newspapers on their doorsteps. When marketing towards this demographic it is vital to not focus solely on Facebook, because although boomers are adept in the technology, they prefer physical content. Utilize a cross-media strategy to directly tap into the market fully.
Fidelity Offset is proud to offer a wide range of solutions to help your brand target this special group of consumers directly. For more information just give us a call at (615) 244-9200.