Ignoring Boomers is Billion-Dollar Mistake

This article appeared in AdAGe.com.

Ken Dychtwald told a roomful of media buyers and marketers that marketers should target the 40-to-60 year olds.

“As an outsider, I see a situation where the boundaries and lines of demarcation don’t effectively line up with the new market opportunities and lead people to mistakenly believe it’s a snapshot of the marketplace,” he said. Instead of buying on 18-to-49s or 25-to-54s, try looking at audiences in segments of 18-to-39, 40-to-59 and 60-plus, he suggested and “you’ll get a look at a landscape that’s breathtaking.”

“Here’s the good news and bad news,” he said. “Lifelong brand loyalty is disappearing.” The presentation was sponsored by Viacom’s TV Land, which is touting its ability to reach boomers while many other cable networks -- Lifetime, TBS, TLC and A&E -- have tried or are trying to age down.

According to network executives, about 70% of its audience is within the boomer demo. “If you did an intersection of boomers, ages 40 to 60, and then 25-54, our sweet spot is the intersection of those groups,” said Karen Bressner, senior VP-ad sales for the cable network.

Mr. Dychtwald said so many media are missing the mark by cultivating an “overwhelmingly strong interest in youth.” Youth, he said, is not where marketers will find the growth, money and consumption. The 40- to 60-year-old age group comprises $2.1 trillion in spending power and they are leading spenders in categories such as movie tickets, computer hardware and software, cellphones and home electronics. Dick Stroud