Generational Heroes

AARP has announced its exclusive presenting sponsorship of “Tony Bennett and The Best Is Yet To Come” concert tour. This is the first concert partnership of its kind for AARP and will launch in early 2007 and tour 20 cities across the US.

Members of AARP may receive special opportunities, such as the chance to see Bennett live at various AARP events. AARP members may also receive discounted concert tickets and backstage access to the star. Wow, that would be something to look forward to!

Will an event like this make AARP more attractive to non-members?

This article raises big doubts that it will have much effect and goes to the heart of a marketing paradox about the 50-plus.

On the optimistic side you have the music consultant who says: "I would hope that one day in the future that my 20-year-old daughter would want to borrow my AARP card to get into a concert just like she tries to borrow her sister's ID." Somehow I think that is not likely to happen for a year or two.

The pessimist (some would say realist) thinks the problem is going to be getting the artists to allow, next to their name, those four feared initials – AARP.

A music talent agent, who books appearances for artists including the Allman Brothers Band, Alice Cooper and Peter Gabriel, says: "I'm the agent for half a dozen acts that AARP is going to want and short of saying, addition to your normal fee we're giving you US$1 million in cash, I don't think they'd have one taker.

In spite of these reservations Elton John performed at the association's Life (AT)50-(PLUS) convention in Anaheim, last month; officials said they have booked Rod Stewart and Earth, Wind & Fire for next year. James Taylor played two years ago, and the group's magazine has named him as one of the hottest people over 50.

For me, the thought of going to a concert given by Tony Bennett is only a tad more appealing than having a molar extracted. But, as his record sales show, loads of people think he is terrific. This is the joy and infuriating difficultly of marketing to the 50-plus; they are a massively heterogeneous bunch. Always have been, always will.

As long as AARP realises that aligning itself with a particular genre of music (or anything else) will attract some and alienate others then that is fine. My fear is that they think it is all a ‘generation thing’ and that by somehow associating with ‘heroes’ from that generation will somehow reposition itself in that generation’s mind. Dick Stroud