Baby Boomer Insights

Boomers rule the Oscars! Acceptance speeches reflect boomer values

If you've known me longer than five minutes, you know I LOVE movies! I'd go see one every single day if I had the time. I even spend part of my vacation time each year attending a film festival so I can see what may or may not ever make it to American theaters. (In fact, it was at a film festival that I saw "The Messenger" and "Precious" before they were released.) So, I anticipate the Academy Awards as much as anyone and last night's was no disappointment, in part because there were so many fabulous artists to admire, but also because it was a night for boomers.

Did you realize that all the major category winners, except one, Mo'Nique, are boomers? What a kick to see Kathryn Bigelow (58) become the first woman ever to win the statue for directing! Meanwhile, Jeff Bridges (60) finally won on his fifth nomination for best actor. Sandra Bullock (45, the youngest boomer) took home a little gold man for her fabulous performance in "The Blind Side" and Christoph Waltz (53) won for his great performance in (IMHO a terrible movie) "Inglorious Basterds."

One thing they all have in common is that they've spent years studying their craft and turning in solid performances time and again. But what I also enjoyed was hearing how their acceptance speeches reflected boomer values and experiences.

Kathryn Bigelow used her time to thank the soliders who fight on behalf of our country. Rather than use her stage time to protest the war, she let the film speak for itself and took satisfaction in knowing that her win will most likely result in more people seeing the movie and getting her message. (Boomers have evolved from our days of carrying protest signs to speaking out by using our skills.)

Jeff Bridges focused on the importance of family, thanking his parents, his wife of 33 years, his daughters and his family of actors who helped make "Crazy Heart" his best work. (Boomers tend to be close to their families and friends.)

Christoph Waltz thanked Quentin Tarantino and his castmates for the lessons learned from exploration, noting that it was their gift for navigation that enabled him to try something new and to challenge himself. (We boomers love to try new things!)

Sandra Bullock first honored her peers, offering each a gracious nod for their own fine work before emotionally thanking her late mother who taught her that "We are all deserving of love." (Boomers have led the movement toward equality and self-actualization.)

What I love most is that each of these artists chose to take the high road, developing and using their talent to influence others. Too often, boomers are seen as self-absorbed mouthy malcontents looking for a platform to push an agenda. These winners all prove you can make an important point simply be being the best at what you are and trusting that others will see the value. Congratulations to them all!

What a weekend for Boomers! We cheer Watson's amazing performance and Cronkite's incredible legacy

What an emotional weekend! We lost one of the greatest journalists of all times, which, even though expected, was sad. Then we experienced the pure joy of watching Tom Watson show the world that winning isn't always reflected on a scoreboard.

Growing up, the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite was where this boomer turned to learn what was going on in the world. From the living room of our ranch home on the outskirts of a small Southern town, Cronkite made us feel protected somehow. We knew he'd tell us what we needed to know and why we needed to know it. His signature, "And that's the way it is" was oddly comforting and authoritative.

Cronkite was the epitome of integrity and class, and he inspired me to go to college and be a journalist in hopes of one day covering stories that mattered. From his emotional coverage of the assassination of President Kennedy to the first lunar landing, to his smart coverage of every political convention for over 20 years, he oozed authenticity and insight. My family of eight gathered around our Zenith black and white TV to see what he had to say, no matter the topic.  Since he left his post as the first person ever to anchor an evening news show, I've never been as devoted to a particular anchor (though I was quite fond of Peter Jennings for years and was actually a bit angry with him for cutting his life short through his cigarette addiction).

I like to think if Cronkite were covering today's news, he would take delight in reporting the amazing accomplishment of Tom Watson at the British Open this weekend. Another true original, Tom is a nice guy with a devoted fan base that appreciates the fact he gave his very best. And even though he didn't win, for a couple of days, we brought together people of all ages around the world who pulled for the 59-year-old boomer to become the oldest person to win a major golf tournament.

Watson made boomers everywhere feel a little prouder, a little younger and little more confident in our belief that we can't be counted out on anything just yet, including a game that is increasingly dominated by young people (including 16-year-olds like Matteo Manassero). But most of all, like Cronkite, Watson exudes pure class and that's something we just don't see enough of any more.

Truthfully, I feel a little sorry for Stewart Cink, another classy guy whose first major win is being overshadowed by Tom Watson's loss. And yet, it seems like a perfect demonstration of just how news coverage has changed over the years. Cronkite could never have imagined that one day it would be tweets, blogs and ireports that would inform the news. (In fact, Cink himself tweeted as he golfed.)

So in one weekend, we've celebrated the accomplishments of a Gen-Y prodigy (Manassero), a Gen X-er (Cink) and a Boomer (Watson), and a senior (Cronkite). And as a result, at least for today, I feel a little better about the world. And that's the way it is.

Three famous boomers die, leaving lasting legacies: RIP Farrah, Michael and Billy!

Wow... hard to even imagine that it's possible for the world to lose three iconic boomers in a matter of two days: Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and Billy Mays. I admired each of them for entirely different reasons. Each was a quintessential boomer, too, whose lives closely tracked their fellow boomers, whether we realize it or not.

Farrah, as she came to be known (no last name required), 62, went from being one of the most cherished poster pin-ups to being a serious, credible actress. Like many boomers, she chose a career and worked very hard to be good at what she did. She wasn't always taken seriously and she had to start with commercials and bit-parts, but eventually her skill served her well, earning her critical acclaim, the respect of those who worked with her, and the love of legions of fans from every generation. Like many boomers, Farrah was independent and liked to do things her way. Her determination to fight her disease led her to travel to Germany to seek alternative, but eventually unsuccessful, treatments. She was also willing to use her bully pulpit as one of the most famous dying people in America, to share her experience and lessons via a documentary, which originally aired on NBC. Farrah proved that nice people can be successful, even in one of the toughest businesses.

Michael Jackson, 50, was also known by names other than the one his parents gave him: MJ, Wacko Jacko and others not suitable for a "family blog." I admired his incredible talent that spanned several decades. We grew up together (well, chronologically, anyway), so I've heard his music for most of my life. I remember "I'll Be There" like it was yesterday and sat in awe of Thriller when it was released on MTV. He was innovative beyond words and influenced musicians across genres and generations. He was also known for his big heart. Boomers love to give money, raise money, and volunteer their time to their favorite charities and MJ was no exception. In fact, he donated millions of dollars to about 40 charities he personally chose. On the other hand, he also wasn't a particularly good money manager (just like many of his fellow boomers). He made hundreds of millions, and yet spent it as fast as he could make it, indulging his desire for material things, as well as giving much of it away to friends, family and in support of his fanciful dreams according to many sources.

THEN THERE'S BILLY MAYS, WHO SHOUTED EVERYTHING! The iconic pitchman, 50, was the most in-your-face product endorser/demonstrator on TV. Even if you didn't know his name, because of him, you know about products like Oxyclean, ShamWow, and Kaboom. He was the most successful pitchman in the history of television, bringing companies that hired him millions of dollars in a matter of moments (especially on the Home Shopping Network) from viewers who couldn't resist his enthusiastic yelling. He even was selected for the Discovery Channel's reality show, "Pitchmen."  What I liked about Billy was that, like many boomers, he had an amazing entrepreneurial spirit and used his unique skill to get rich by making others rich. His, "Hi, Billy Mays here" was a common intro to his product pitches, and became a way of creating a personal brand that transcended whatever he was selling. If anyone ever doubted his fame and success, all they'd have to do is type his name into an internet search engine and see how many spoof videos appear. He was proof that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

One thing that strikes me about these three boomers is that they all became famous first because of television. In recent years, you could find them on countless web sites, social networks and on YouTube, but they earned their fame the old-fashioned way. Each had to reach out to disparate, disconnected audiences and hope to improve ratings, unlike some of today's artists, who seek fame online with hopes of making it onto television. Today's many communications venues offer a chance to connect people to one another first, then use their connections to advocate for favorite artists across multiple channels. (Who can forget Susan Boyle?).

One thing's for sure... boomers will continue to play a significant role in creating tomorrow's famous performers. After all, in addition to being one of the fastest growing groups on the Internet, we still love our television and aren't likely to let it go any time soon.

So RIP, Farrah, Michael and Billy. Know that you've touched multiple generations with your talents and "you did it my way."

Gotta have my HGTV: Fellow Boomers share my addiction

I'm thinking I may soon need to find a 12-step program for viewers of HGTV. I'm seriously addicted. From Property Virgins to House Hunters International, to Devine Design, I rarely miss an episode about people buying houses, decorating houses, renovating houses, or selling houses. And then, there's the landscape makeovers to see. It's exhausting, yet I can't pull myself away! Last night's show demonstrating new gadgets and home features from the International Homebuilders Show made me want to start replacing fixtures and ripping out bathrooms!

I think subconsciously I believe that just viewing these shows will somehow improve my real estate karma, sort of like thinking that just regularly walking through Office Depot will ensure that I'm a better business professional.  (Just so you know I haven't completely lost it, I do not believe that standing in my garage makes me a sports car.)

It turns out that my addiction (or at least preference for viewing HGTV) is shared by my fellow Boomers. In the Boomer Insights Study, 2007 conducted by Strategy One and Edelman several months ago, we zeroed in on Boomers' media consumption habits and HGTV made the list for both men and women.

Perhaps it's because Boomers aren't following the patterns set by our parents when it comes to deciding how we'll live as we consider retirement. I confess I've waffled some myself on exactly what my next real estate investment will be. When I visited a Del Webb active adult community neighboring Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee in middle Georgia, I loved it. (Ironically, just a couple of weeks later, a reporter at the Atanta Journal-Constitution called to ask my perspective on Boomers seeking places like Del Webb as a retirement choice.)

Then a renovation show on HGTV just about convinced me to just change the home I live in today and stay there... until I saw a few shows on Boomers heading to places like Costa Rica and even Panama. I loved the idea of adventure and lower housing costs. But I couldn't stand the idea of being so far from my adult children.

I still haven't ruled out the possibility of trading in a big suburban home for a townhouse in the city, either.

The point is, like many Boomers when it comes to making decisions about how to live out the last quarter of my life, nothing is set in stone. We love adventure, spending time with our families, making new friends, volunteering and trying new things. And where and how we choose to live is a big part of all of that.

This is becoming even more and more evident to me as I have the opportunity to work with many of Edelman's real estate clients, all of whom want to reach Boomers in some way.

If you're a Boomer, what would you tell real estate clients to do to get through to you?

Tornadoes hit Atlanta: Boomers turn to local news for coverage

By now you have seen the countless videos, pictures and stories about the tornado that touched down in downtown Atlanta Friday night. How did you find out? Chances are, the generation you're in made some difference in how you learned about the news and how you've kept up with the aftermath.

Tornadoes rarely hit metropolitan areas, especially on densely populated streets full of high-rise buildings, but this one was a doozy and left downtown Atlanta a mess. Thankfully, Edelman's offices on the 29th floor of Centennial Tower overlooking the trashed Centennial Olympic Park made out OK under the circumstances.

My husband and I learned the news from WSB TV. We kept the TV on  - tuned to local stations, rather than CNN or the Weather Channel -  almost around the clock through this morning, watching for updates and learning all kinds of new things from meteorologists armed with the latest in 3D technology.

Meanwhile, my youngest daughter (18) learned the news about the tornado when someone texted her on her cell phone, then sent some video. My oldest daughter (22) heard about it from a friend she was visiting, who got an email on her Blackberry from a friend whose mother had called her. To my knowledge, none of these young people have turned to television for their ongoing news. Instead, they've relied on radio, the Internet, text messages and voice messages from their universities.

While I want to know every last detail (and have been very frustrated by the lack of TV footage of my office building), my Gen Y daughters are satisfied to know just enough to be in the know at a surface level. If they want an update, they'll seek it out, usually by going to CNN.com. Tuning into the 11:00  p.m. news for updates ranks right up there with sliding down the dinosaur's tail when the bird whistle blows.

None of this surprises me, especially after seeing the results of the 2007 Boomer Insights Study by Edelman and Strategy One. In it, we learned that Boomer men prefer local evening news while Boomer women want to catch the morning shows. Boomer women seek the feature-type stories that tell about a rescued baby or how a handicapped person was cared for during the tornado, while Boomer men want to know what's being done, how long will it take and what's the likelihood of this happening again.

In other words, the classic "give me the information and I'll draw my own conclusions" is the male perspective. Females want to feel good and reassured that all is well. We both want to get the news from sources we trust, such as local papers, news anchors and "people like me." We like knowing we can find out more if we want by going online, but for the most part, we're more interested in hearing news from the same people who have been delivering it for years.

Think about the implications of this. It's risky to think you can get your messages to Boomers by putting all your efforts into courting the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek. Sure, we read them, but not as consistently nor as thoroughly as we consume local news. So don't blow off that local paper with a circulation of only 50,000 or a news station whose signal doesn't extend past four counties. You just may be missing your best opportunity to reach your target audience!