What captured the attention of 50+ marketers last week? Read on to learn what resources “clicked” with those passionate about marketing to baby boomers and beyond.
1. MOST CLICKED/MOST SHARED: Norwegian researchers are using social networks and mobile devices to create a system that could prevent falls among the elderly. A belt sensor alerts the wearer of weakness, so they can sit or lie down. But if a wearer was to fall suddenly, an alert would automatically go out to members of their social network so they would get help faster.
Research team member Babak Farshchian explained in an interview: “It’s easy to get the impression that Facebook is just for fun and recreational activities such as sharing photos and chatting about music, but we are only in the early stages of the use of this medium. Connecting the alarm to social media will enable potential assistance to be expanded into a ‘team’ in which not only the municipal services, but also children and nearest neighbors can play a part.”
Our Social, Silvers Surfers research found that offline connections were the primary motivation to get seniors and boomers connected online via social media. I never imagined this type of connection! Thank you to our friend Jeanne Brown for sharing the article with us.
Read the post: http://bit.ly/N6GvwY
2. The water-sports industry has a new target: baby boomers(Wall Street Journal). 
The silver set may not water-ski or surf like they used to, but experts say they do have one advantage over younger beach bunnies: disposable income. Today’s gear is pricier; the average stand-up paddleboard, for instance, costs $1,000 — nearly twice as much as a standard surfboard. (That didn’t stop sales of the jumbo boards from spiking 115 percent last year.) And tricking out a personal watercraft can nearly double the price. “The only people who have the money to get these things are those in the older demographic,” says Tim Rosenhan, president of the Trade Association of Paddlesports. For an industry that suffered a gnarly wipeout in the recession — sales at surf-focused stores fell nearly 16 percent from 2008 to 2010 — the deep pockets in boomers’ board shorts have never looked better.
HOWEVER … The water-sports industry may think they’re targeting baby boomers but it took me 6 tries before I found a website selling boards that featured photographs of 50+ers. Far too many featured 20-something babes in bikinis. Good job, West Marine!
3. The Tallahassee Democrat looks at homes built with Universal Design (tallahasee.com).
Related post: What home builders offer, but baby boomers don’t want - and vice versa (maturemarketingmatters.com)
4. Friend and 50+ marketing thought leader Chuck Nyren takes on the “big boys” – in this case, AARP – for their portrayal of baby boomers in advertising. He says advertisers used to choose one of two portrayals for older consumers: DEAD or CRAZED. Now …
“There are two distinct demos – something marketers need to know:
- Baby Boomers who scream and jump in the air on the beach
- Baby Boomers who scream and jump in the air on their motor scooters.”
Does Chuck have it right? Read the post http://bit.ly/NeYkcy and share your comments below.
