Observations, insights and innovations that connect with the 50+ market.

Silver Market Phenomenon Second Edition - Advance Order Now
by Kim Walker 22 August 2010 23:49:12

We have contributed a chapter to the second edition of The Silver Market Phenomenon - Marketing and Innovation in the Aging Society to be published in Autumn 2010. Our chapter is titled: The Age-Neutral Customer Journey. The chapter demonstrates why and how businesses and brands should become age-neutral. Using three distinct case studies, we introduce SilverAudit, a uni... more

Broadcast audience aging faster than population
by Kim Walker 18 August 2010 19:20:12

No big surprise here but yet another wake up call for marketers still blind to the impact that an aging consumer has on the fundamentals of business. The median age for viewers at American TV networks including CBS is now 51 according to this report from AP. Furthermore, the broadcasters' audience has aged at twice the rate of the general population during the past two d... more

5 Things Retailers Need to Know About Marketing To Baby Boomers
by Kim Walker 09 August 2010 16:42:40

Okay, it's USA-based data, but regardless, some interesting learnings from recent reseach conducted by Matt Thornhill, of the Boomer Project and collaborators and detailed here. 1. Older and Younger Boomers Are Different The two groups have different frames of reference for decision-making, shopping, spending leisure time, cultural icons and involving themselves in medi... more

'Age Matters' By Chivas Regal? 'Keep Walking' Is Real Ageless Marketing
by Kim Walker 26 July 2010 10:55:20

I got quite excited when I read news that Chivas was launching an 'Age-Matters' campaign. Could this be a tipping point for the age awareness evangelists, I wondered? Sadly it is not. Read about it here. But there is another, arguably more famous brand campaign that identified it's ageing customer base and according to their global research "Consumer research revealed... more

Skype On TV? Why Does Gran Need A Computer?
by Kim Walker 09 July 2010 12:15:23

Skype recently announced that new web-connected TV sets from LG, Panasonic and Samsung will now ship with Skype software pre-loaded. Add a TV webcam and you can make high-definition video calls from the sofa. On Skype's website, the pitch is clear "Soon you'll simply gather the whole family on the couch for video calls with loved ones overseas, and give them a regular w... more

Comic Pair Draw Attention To The Important Role Of Older People
by Kim Walker 08 July 2010 18:38:06

An unlikely pairing of a 37-year-old agnostic comedian and the 75-year-old Catholic priest have lent their support to the aged care industry's united election campaign in a bid to get people talking about the older people who have had an impact on their life. The core idea around "Grand" (Grand parents etc) is fun a puts a wonderful, positive and uplifting spin on the us... more

Hospitals Marketing To Boomers
by Kim Walker 30 June 2010 10:13:14

Hospitals in the USA are jockeying to position themselves for growth amid a perfect storm of aging baby boomers and a health-care-reform bill that will result in millions more insured patients down the road. Nationally known hospital brands such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Massachusetts General Hospital are ramping up... more

Networking Sites Reach Up To 80% of 55+ Internet Users In APAC - Download Report
by Kim Walker 23 June 2010 11:32:13

Older consumers in Asia Pacific are in line with global trends in social networking, revealed in an analysis of comScore data across thirteen APAC countries. Download the SilverMatters report here. Some Highlights: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, (about a third of all countries surveyed) - have the highest percentage of mature internet users logging on ... more

1 in 3 Online Entrepreneurs Are 50+ - Survey
by Kim Walker 14 June 2010 15:02:31

A USA national survey of 25,000 businesses also found that the morning newspaper has become almost irrelevant to small business owners, with 48% going online immediately after waking (compared to just 3% reading print news). CityMax.com who conducted the survey said "We've seen a recent surge in older entrepreneurs making their own websites," The survey found California ... more

What Generation Gap? Ageless Marketing = Generation Everyone.
by Kim Walker 05 June 2010 20:51:43

Here's a great article that discusses the idea of Generation E (Generaton Everyone). The author argues "will the idea of a "generation gap" eventually atrophy into obsolescence?" He's talking about ageless marketing. His examples include: moms and daughters with matching Ugg boots, Juicy Couture sweatsuits, Abercrombie hoodies and Coach handbags. Fathers and sons compari... more