Monday, January 19, 2009

Some marketing advice from a Boomer

Do NOT call me a Senior.
Let me rephrase that - DO NOT CALL ME A SENIOR!
I know I am a Baby Boomer. I know I am at the forefront of the Baby Boomers in terms of age. I get that and I am trying to deal with that in my own way [denial is helping a lot].
I get that marketing groups see my generation and they get dollar signs where their pupils used to be. Here we are 73 million strong marching forward to that final finishing line and we all need hormone pills, and antacids, and larger print, and scooter chairs, and lower cholesterol, and heart pills, and on and on.
But if you are going to get my attention, don't do it by addressing me as a Senior. I will put my fingers in my ears, sing "La La La, I can't hear you!" and move on.
Case in point - I got a robo call today. First clue, caller ID said "Name Unavailable". I shouldn't have picked up but curiosity got me and I did and said "Hello". There was a moment's hesitation [a sure sign it was a recording] and then the dreaded words "Hello, Senior".
Click.
I didn't hear any more and I don't care to.
Ever.
If you didn't get the memo - we Baby Boomers are not our parents. We are the same as we were in the 60's, with only slight changes, barely noticeable. If you want to sell to us, show us how it will make our lives better and more fun, how it will let us keep doing what we are still thinking we are capable of doing but don't imply it's because we can't. Tricky? Maybe. But that's your job to figure out. You're the marketing gurus.
And so far you are way off mark.

1 comment:

  1. I agree, I hate that word, senior. Even when I was a senior in high school, I didn't like it much. What shall we be called, then? The wise owls? Sensible Silvers? I'm sure there's a lable out there we can all agree to.

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