Baby Boomer Insights

Boomers are an active bunch, despite what the entertainment industry, the mainstream media and advertisers seem to think

Boomers are frustrated.  We don't like the way the entertainment industry, the mainstream media and much of today's advertising portray us.

That's what Edelman and Stratey One learned recently in our Boomer Insights and Implications Study. Some 91% of self-defined Boomers feel the entertainment industry is trying to appeal to a younger age group. A full 72% of us feel the mainstream news media are trying to appeal to a younger age group and over half - 54% - are frustrated by advertising the misrepresents our generation.

This really hit me between the eyes just this week. You see, I accidentally ruptured a tendon just running up some stairs and have been wearing a walking cast for several days. Despite the inconvenience, I've continued my normal schedule and, in fact, crossed the country, schlepping through airports and hotel lobbies. Along the way, several people asked me if I fell. Only one person asked, "Did you do that snow skiing?" The age range of the folks observing the likelihood that I fell was all over the place.

The point is, we're conditioned to assume that the older one is, the more likely it is they were injured doing something besides a sport or other vigorous activity. And no wonder. Boomers are too often portrayed as a sedentary bunch who aren't particularly vital and adventurous.

Take paddlesports as an example. Most of the time, when you see a picture in marketing collateral or ads about a paddlesport, you see some hot buff guy or gal showing off their love of adventure and risk. They're usually doing something really extreme, like jumping off a waterfall or throwing themselves in their awesome canoes and kayaks off a whitewater cliff.

But guess who actually buys paddlesports equipment? Boomers. That's what my friends at Quietwater Films and Rutabaga Paddlesports tell me.  It's the Boomers who will spend the money to buy the right equipment, look for instructors and approach the sport with intelligence and a desire to do it right. They seek the adventure and enjoyment of "quietwater" paddling. So while there are actually MORE people interested in - and paying for - a quietwater experience, the ads and media attention usually lean toward the whipper-snappers riding rapids.

That's why I love what Darren Bush (a Boomer) and Jeff Bach (almost a Boomer) are doing. I read all about it in a Wisconsin newspaper.  They aim their marketing efforts at paddlesports enthusiasts who want to learn more about how to enjoy the sports as solo paddlers or in tandem. They educate people about how to enjoy canoes and kayaks and such in ways that encourage physical fitness, interacting with nature and even being adventurous.  In other words, they're advocating for folks like us (Boomers) who want to enjoy sports, just not always the way extremists do.

One way they teach is through video, producing what they call "inspructions," intended to both inspire and instruct people to give paddlesports a try. What a smart approach. That's what it takes to harness the vitality and enthusiasm of Boomers. First, assume we're still vital enough to try a sport; and 2) invite us to participate fully, then get out of the way.

When the "Me Generation" becomes the "Wii Generation"

I saw a really fun video today that made me think for the first time that living in a retirement community (or "active adult" community, as they're more frequently called), might not be so bad after all.  The video showed residents of Monarch Landing, an Erickson community outside Chicago. They were having the time of their lives competing in bowling tournaments. The kicker was not one ever picked up a ball.

That's right - these residents were doing virtual bowling using the Wii, a video game system made by Nintendo. In case you haven't seen it, Wii is similar to a TV remote control that you hold in your hand. The console is connected to your TV and you can select any number of sports, from bowling to tennis to golf, you name it. You play the game virtually by swinging the Wii control as you watch the sport on TV... and the bigger the screen the better.

Anyway, these folks were really getting into this game! What a great way to use a product that was built for and marketed to teenagers. What's more, it's another way for folks to bond with younger generations, especially grandchildren. That's the kind of cool grandmother I want to be. (So, Katy and Sydney - pay attention here - you're always wondering what to buy me for Christmas!)

Things like Wii tournaments are a great example of how Boomers will retire differently from their parents. First of all, most of us expect to work a lot longer, thinking 62 is as good an age to start a career as stop one. That's why a lot of Boomers say they still want to have an office in their home, so it's easier to transition back and forth between leisure, volunteerism and working part-time.

What's more, Boomers expect their future communities to offer many of the same amenities younger people want: hiking trails, gyms, pools, concierge services, pet-friendly policies and locations convenient to shopping and medical services. Several studies show that the younger the Boomer, the more likely s/he is to want an entirely new home in retirement. Many Boomers intend to upgrade their existing home or at least stick close to where they live now.

Although I don't remember now where I read it, I saw a piece recently about how Boomers even eschew the typical "Grandma and Grandpa" nicknames. Many want to be called by their first names and one nickname rising in popularity for men is Grand-dude.

Since the average age of a first-time grandparent is now 48, it would behoove marketers to pay close attention to the messages they send regarding retired Boomers and especially Boomer grandparents. For instance, if you want  us to buy pain reliever, show us bringing on the pain through vigorous sporting activities, not arthritis.

And while you're at it, consider sponsoring a Wii tournament or something similar, rather than a bridge or bingo tournament!

Who's reading publications for Geezers, Elders, and Grands? Supposedly Boomers... or are they?

This week's Business Week magazine asks the question, "Do Baby Boomers really want to be reminded of their age?" The story goes on to point out the recent proliferation of magazines and web sites targeted to Boomers and wonders if they'll last.

Yes and No. The sites and publications that focus on what Boomers care about will do just fine. Those that tie everything to aging will fold pretty quickly.  I've been surprised by some of the titles that have come out, such as ELDR, a magazine that debuted in July for 60-somethings. I don't know that I'd want to be seen buying a magazine by that name, nor would I leave it on the coffee table next to my current Newsweek, which features the fascinating Facebook founder.

Geezer Jock, on the other hand, makes me laugh,  so it doesn't come across as offensive... and it's not. Most of the stories in it are focused on mature athletes. In other words, Jocks, folks who still still exercise, compete and enjoy actively participating in various sports. (Did you know, by the way, that Boomers make up HALF the U.S. Tennis Association and more than half of the U.S. Rowing Association?).

Boomers don't suddenly change their reading habits when they pick up their new bi-focals. We don't wake up and decide to put down People, Newsweek, Fast Company just because someone decided to slap a bunch of targeted ads between glossy covers and call it a day. Flip though any of these new magazines and you'll find ads about investments, real estate, drugs, and at-home medical devices. Do we care? Sure, we care about those topics, but not necessarily more than we care to know about new beauty products, fashion, vacation getaways and tips on pet ownership.

And if I see one more magazine with a cover that screams "60 is the new 40!" or something similar, I'll rip it up right there in the bookstore. Why should 60 be anything other than 60? What's wrong with being whatever age you are? Age isn't the point anyway. Boomers read what's interesting to them. We don't need to have it censored, filtered, or dumbed down (though, admittedly, a bigger type font works nicely, thank you).

I predict greater success for online Boomer publications and social networking sites, in part because Boomers are increasingly spending time online doing research and sharing information. Being able to access information on demand, in private, is just more appealing all the way around than standing in line at the bookstore to buy a title that advertises our age group. Hopefully, these new publications will at least be on recyclable paper so when we toss them we can feel good about our pro-environmental efforts!

Boomers exercise their right to be fit; gyms get a makeover. Weight training to the oldies!

I just finished up a week that was unusually physically taxing for me and it really brought home to me the need to start working out again. I confess I have gotten lazy recently, justifying the constant elbow-bending and fork lifting as a type of exercise. That's not working for me, so I need to try something else.

I'm past worrying about looking younger than my 50 years and have decided instead that my goal should be simply to be healthier and have more stamina. Well, it turns out, once again, I'm right in the middle of a boomer revolution at the gym. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, more than 20 percent of all gym memberships purchased last year came from those 55 and older.

As a result, gyms are making changes to welcome this new demographic, primarily by making the equipment more ergonomically correct. Boomers aren't looking to reverse the effects of aging so much as we want to increase the likelihood that we can be physically able to age at home and not depend on assisted care. Until then, we want to continue to participate in favorite activities and be "fun" grandparents who can keep up with the grandkids.

Gyms are responding with kinder, gentler regimens including fitness training that focuses on smooth, controlled muscle resistance through air pressure rather than traditional weights and chains. They're also re-thinking the entire environment, making the rooms more spacious with better lighting and softer music. In other words, gyms aren't tolerating boomers; they're recruiting them. Seems that mainstream gyms are catching on to what Curves has been saying for years: working out isn't about torturing your body; it's about strengthening your body (and spirit in the process).

This new focus on workouts for Boomers and matures in particular makes sense when you consider that in less than 25 years, there will be 71 million 65-year-olds. That's twice as many as in 2000. We can't all be planning to use walkers - it would cause an aluminum shortage and we need the aluminum for the cans of high-energy drinks we'll be consuming.

Look for Boomers to spend more time in the gym, then bring the gym home. As we design the homes we'll retire in, expect to see exercise rooms become a must-have. One more thing... I'm predicting that sales of hangers will go up. After all, we'll need somewhere else to hang all those clothes that have been covering the treadmills and recumbent bikes!