Mature market is virtually untapped - middle aged market - International Mass Retail Association in Print

Discount Store News, June 3, 1996

Although they are the most loyal and devoted readers of newspapers, the middle-aged market--those consumers ages 50 and over owning half of the country's discretionary income, is virtually ignored by marketers, especially in newspaper advertising.

Ken Dychtwald, president of consumer research consultants Age Wave, Emeryville, Calif., urged mass retailers at IMRA to re-evaluate their marketing angles when it comes to this highly cashpowerful group.

"They trust newspapers--they were weaned on them," he said. Ads in print are potential winners with older customers because they are less intrusive than other forms of media, yet the nature of print creates a deeper level of involvement. However, in his year-long study, Dychtwald found few retailers targeting their print ads to an older audience and noted that those ads were blurry and hard to track.

Dychtwald broke the consumer segment of 70 million people into two parts, those ages 50 to 64 (middle adulthood) and those ages 65 to 79 (late adulthood).

Those in the middle adulthood category have little free time, spend $73 more than the national average on apparel, $616,more on furniture, $2,673 more on transportation and $981 more on utilities.

Things to note for marketing angles: They came of the post war boom in America during the emergence of the middle class, when consumerism was rampant. They are typically big spenders, are pro-business, somewhat technically at ease (half can program the VCR) and conventionally spiritual.

Those in late adulthood--some 40 million retirees--have a lot more free time on their hands than the middle adults and are looking at about 20 years of retirement ahead of them. They are the perfect targets for retailers that wish to make more money during the quiet hours of the day. Dychtwald suggested arranging special shopping events just for these people at times when other working consumers may not have the luxury of attending.

This group spends $1,553 more than the national average on health care, but they are tighter with their money than any other group. This stems partially from the fact that they grew up at the tail-end of the depression and remember when a six-room house cost $32,800 and a new Chrysler cost $995.

This group came of age during World War II and is instilled with a militaristic sense of teamwork and high regard for authority. They are savers, patriotic and seek security, both financially and physically. They appreciate well-lit, crime-deterring parking lots.

Mature audiences prefer to be portrayed as active, attractive, intelligent and healthy. "People over 50 feel 10 to 15 years younger than their age," Dychtwald stressed, scorning many advertising creative folk who tend to over-project when they create images.

Dychtwald listed a Q rating, or a listing of the most popular famous personalities (excluding politics) of the top five for both groups (see chart).

Dychtwald gave kudos to Osco Drug for providing a city map of where its stores are located and for distributing in-store maps to consumers. Another amenity for the group: the option of 24-hour shopping, or at least extended hours. He mentioned that a lot of these consumers prefer the option of shopping at 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m. Offering home delivery, shuttle service around a mall, free assembly, patrolled parking lots, hands-on demonstrations, money-back guarantee,s, wheelchair access, places to sit, store greeters and personal shoppers are other ways to win over these consumers.

Top five Q ratings among the middle adulthood
audience (ages 50 to 64)