Marketers haven’t made an effort to be relevant to 50-plus consumers and media outlets are also missing the boat, according to Joanna von Felkerzam, insights director for Starcom MediaVest Group in Toronto. She says this large and lucrative demo want the usual things out of media – relevance, information, and entertainment – but that the agency’s latest 50-plus research indicates that there is no real relevant, highly-enjoyed content for them.
‘They are not excited by media. As a matter of fact, the lack of targeted media is a reflection of a larger social conundrum we are all facing today and it needs to be fixed now.’ Von Felkerzam says other findings of the Surveillance fiftyplus survey that impact media selection for the 50-plus demo include:
* They feel 15-plus-years younger than their chronological age. They are busy going to the movies, renting DVDs, traveling, exploring new relationships, visiting casinos, bingos, and joining walking clubs.
* The Internet plays a critical role. There’s a divide between those who have never used the Internet, and those who now use it. They may resent the time they spend on it but won’t do without it for activities such as online dating, investments, and health, travel and product information.
* For a majority of them, although newspapers remain a part everyday life, they skim the headlines and follow up online.
* TV is still a good companion but the true attentive times are far and few between; for example watching favourite shows such as CSI or late at night when watching TV in bed. Either way, the TV viewing experience is a solitary time. ‘I watch what I want when I want to.’
* There is little programming or content across most media that speaks to these consumers. TV commercials are particularly insulting – ‘Who do they think we are?’ Their reaction is to talk back, switch off or read a book until the show is back on.
* The dynamics of OOH is the same across targets. If it’s breakthrough and relevant, it’ll get noticed. For this group, what does get noticed are the lingerie ads.
SMG’s Surveillance fiftyplus is a proprietary study of passions, values, and relationship with media. Von Felkerzam will be discussing this research at Boomers & Beyond: Misconceptions and Misbehaviour, a Canadian Advertising Research Foundation (CARF, carf.ca) seminar being held tomorrow in Toronto. In addition to a panel of experts, other speakers include David Cravit, SVP of marketing for The 50Plus Group in Toronto, who will explain how the 50-plus are redefining aging and why marketers still don’t understand it. Keith Neuman, group VP of public affairs for Environics Research Group in Ottawa, will present findings from Focus 50Plus Monitor, a new national study of older Canadians.
