Even though most of the countries’ expendable income is held by individuals who are over the age of 50, the majority of advertising is still focused on those individuals aged 49 and under. For marketers who are looking to capitalize on this lucrative demographic, this is a golden opportunity to appeal to an often overlooked group of people. However, to effectively advertise to individuals 50+ it’s important to remember to pay attention to the differences in characteristics between this demographic and those younger.
How to Effectively advertise to individuals 50+ and older
Easily Distracted
While older individuals use mobile and online devices just as much as younger generations, they are much more susceptible to being distracted by the bombardment of online messaging. For marketers looking to advertise to individuals 50+, it is important to focus on using simple fonts and clean lines. This demographic also prefers simple navigation that is easy to browse through and find what they are looking for and pay without too much hassle. Reducing the number of clicks it takes from chart to purchase is important as it helps reduce drop-off rates. Using print advertising to drive consumers to make online purchases and to help reinforce messaging can also help increase sales.
Prefer positive messaging
While they might be older than everyone else they don’t like to be reminded of that fact. These days individuals over 50 are living longer, healthier, and more active lives than ever before and they want the messaging directed at them to reflect that. Boomers have already spent a significant amount of their lives working and they are at a point in their lives where they want to enjoy themselves and be rewarded for the years of hard work they have put in. They tend to like advertising that is factual, respectful, and funny. “When asked specifically about the use of humor in ads, 90% of seniors surveyed agreed that it’s an effective way to gain their attention and deliver a message. ”
Traditional Approach
When it comes to sales approach, media, and customer service consumers over 50+ prefer things a little bit more traditional. This means taking the time to go through benefits and features in a way that makes them feel taken care of a catered to. Older generations are most often looking for services and options that will make their lives easier and help save them time. They especially like technology that is intuitive that does not have a learning curve. They look to the internet as a means of communication and as a research tool but still prefer a lot of their interaction face to face. They also expect salespeople to ask for the sale, or close the deal and show a strong respect for titles and other forms of outward recognition.
While older Americans use their phones and get online just as much as everyone else their media consumption still skews mostly traditional in comparison to other generations. Adults ages 50 and overwatch more TV than any other generation but only on TVs and seem to have no desire to ditch cable as of yet. Older generations also still read newspapers and magazines at a higher rate than other generations also and tend to be loyal subscribers and readers of their favorite publications. Typically spending an hour or more with their favorite publications every month, print still appeals to multiple generations as a trustworthy news source. Niche Publications tend to be the ideal way to reach boomers in that they are a cost-effective way for advertisers to reinforce messaging and hone in on their ideal target audience that command larger amounts of expendable income.