Baby Boomer Women – Respond to Youth in Marketing

Baby Boomer women are ideal marketing targets. They are affluent, at the peak of their earning power, and they love to spend — especially on themselves. But, as they move beyond the age of 50, they are also moving out of the advertising industry’s sweet spot. They are not happy about it. As members of a generation which always defined itself through youth and vitality, Boomer women are very resistant to the idea of getting older, and they are using every tool available to fight it. As reported in « Marketing To Women, » a monthly newsletter devoted to the latest trends in research, advertising and marketing, marketers wishing to tap into this group need to be aware that Boomer women are not content to be labeled « seniors » — and they never will be. « To make the most of these opportunities, » says « Marketing To Women » editor Lisa Finn, « marketing efforts must reflect Boomers’ view of themselves as perpetually youthful. » « Even when Boomers are 80, it is going to be about youth. Not only do Boomer women want to live to be 100, they want to stay young and active while doing it, » says Ann Fishman of Generational Targeted Marketing. So, perhaps paradoxically,