There are a myriad of advertising techniques that can be used to influence the elderly. Bootstrap recognizes these as very effective, and condemns the all too frequent abuse of this knowledge in the marketing industry. We feel it is our moral responsibility as advertisers to proceed with caution when using these methods and require all Bootstrap clients to fairly market to this demographic without an abuse of power occurring.
60 percent of respondents age 65-plus said they feel younger than their actual age — in many cases much younger. “Among respondents ages 65 to 74, a third say they feel 10 to 19 years younger than their age, and one in six say they feel at least 20 years younger than their actual age”.
According to a report presented in AdWeek, “Older consumers could care less whether the person in the photo has gray hair or even is bald. They want to see the person being vital and active — doing something that is relevant to their life, not necessarily to their age.”
One stereotype about seniors is perfectly accurate, judging by polling data and the views of people involved in marketing to that cohort: the role of grandparent is a big and a main focus for many older consumers. A recent poll asked individuals in this demographic to cite the one thing they value most about getting older. The top two answers were “having more time with family” (28 percent) and “spending time with grandchildren” (25 percent).
Additionally, a “deep-seated longing for connectedness” carries over to the way this demographic tends to respond to the imagery in advertising. The Harff agency conducted research last year on what older people liked or didn’t like about photography in print ads. Among the findings: “All the ads that scored well showed connectedness,” with people in the photos interacting with one another.
Then again, there are needs that aren’t strictly utilitarian. An overlooked point that should be emphasized is that those in the Silent Generation often share a sense of having been overshadowed throughout their lives — growing up in the shadow of the generation that endured the Depression and won a world war, and then being eclipsed by the baby boomers.
This situation has resulted in many of the Silent Generation feeling a deep desire to get some enjoyment out of life before they are done. This means that they’re never going to be the hedonistic spenders that the baby boomers are, however they want some adventure in their lives.
Resources for more info: http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/marketing-todays-65-plus-consumers-99953/
Info above modified from this article for Presentation