Top 10 misconceptions that sabotage marketing to mature audiences – #7

August 19th, 2009 by Robbie Magee

As we grew up, why did our parents tell us to “just be your self?” when we were faced with new or scary social situations?  It’s difficult advice to follow, mainly because we all recognize that we’re not perfect, but also because it’s hard to believe that anyone—especially those we want to impress most—would ever be happy with us just as we are.

For advertisers, peoples’ insecurities are a wonderful thing.  Just try to think of a product that isn’t positioned as having the ability to make us more attractive, popular, and successful…or thinner, smarter, and richer.

So what do advertisers do when these motivations alone cease to lure our prospective customers, specifically mature adults? The first thing to do is recognize the following misconception:

#7: Older adult audiences share the same aspirations, and respond to the same motivational stimuli, as younger consumers.

As a whole, emotions across all generations energize buying behavior. One of the main challenges in reaching older adult audiences is that our motives for acquiring things change as we age.  This phenomenon is largely influenced by the breadth of both positive and humbling experiences we accumulate over time.  As a result, older adults genuinely tend to be more comfortable in their own skin, more accepting of who they are, and their “lot in life.” Aspirations are not focused on material possessions or physical beauty as much as they are on spiritual fulfillment or emotional contentment.

So, then, what does help us to engage our older prospects?

For one, the promise of connectedness resonates with mature adults because it speaks to the importance they place on being needed and having purpose—not to mention the fundamental need to have a support system in place to remain independent.

Equally important is the attainment of emotional goals, such as happiness, which differ significantly from the more materialistic goals of younger adults.

When presenting your brand, product, or service to older audiences, your competitive edge really lies with fulfilling an emotional contract by demonstrating how it supports their values and complements their evolved self-image.

— Robbie Magee

This entry was posted by Robbie Magee on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 and is filed under Brand Strategy, MF, Marketing, Mature Market, Senior Marketing, Success. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.