Are Boomer Brains Addled? Hardly, So Target Your Marketing - By John Hendrie

With all the energy focused upon all the other generations, the latest technology and, specifically, the Experience, do not dismiss the Baby Boomers, for they represent a chunk of change and are in the mood to travel, to spend, to seek challenges and just plain have a ball.  They do not look at the golden years as a serene horizon, rather a time for excitement.  And, they have the money to do just that.

You probably remember hearing that old joke.  There are two signs of aging.  The first is that you lose your memory, and, the second, ah…  Those are the senior moments we, those of us in the category, fear the most.  With a perfectly fine dialogue or debate ongoing, we forget the defining premise or observation.  Perhaps, we a bit slower on the tennis court or golf course, but we are sly, as well, parlaying power by placement.  Yep, we have some restrictions, but not for living well, and often on the edge.  Plus, as mentioned, we have the funds.  Now, marketers, how do you reach us with your wonders?

As reported by Nielsen NeuroFocus, a company which specializes in neurological testing for consumer research, that old fashioned stereotypical marketing for the Baby Boomer segment (those over the age of 60) is not as effective as believed.  Enough of the sunsets, quiet pools of water, shades of shuffle board.  As the company points out, “Refuting the traditional belief that older brains cannot learn and adapt,  new research in the field of neuroscience suggests that the mature brain retains plasticity, or the ability to change as a result of experience, even at a late stage in life”.  NeuroFocus went further, suggesting prescriptive means for Brands to better market to this demographic:

• Mature brains have better control over their emotions and attend more to positive advertising messages.  Marketers should emphasize upbeat messages and acknowledge what boomers will gain, not what they’ll lose.
• The boomer generation doesn’t want to feel old or be treated as such. Marketers should avoid stereotypes and steer clear of messages that feature older people. Boomers want to be spoken to intelligently and honestly.
• Although mature brains occasionally struggle with recalling information, they actually have broader attention spans than that of their younger counterparts, allowing them to absorb more nuanced messaging. Marketers can help the boomer brain by creating mnemonic triggers for their brand or product to make them easier to recall.
• Boomer brains process information differently, as they may ignore messages and images that are too cluttered, or scene changes that are too rapid. While the messaging can be complex, the delivery and format should be simple.

LRA Worldwide is a leading research and consulting company in the emerging discipline of Customer Experience Management (CEM). We work with our clients to help them design and deliver consistently exceptional customer experiences in order to drive customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy, and company growth and profitability. We have built a range of quality assurance, mystery shopping, research, training and consulting solutions to help them do so.

Today, we are a growing company operating in more than 120 countries throughout the world, servicing our clients from offices and resources in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions and helping clients such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the National Football League, Avis Budget Group, Madison Square Garden, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group deliver exceptional customer experiences. Every touch. Every time. For more information, visit us at www.LRAworldwide.com.


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