M+E Connections

When we told our son the internet passed its golden age (50) awhile back, he asked how old folks like his grandpa and us communicated back in the Dark Ages. “You know, before email, texting, iPhones, WhatsApp, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter.”

Since he’s also a musician, we gave him a point of reference to illustrate that Boomers still have something to offer the Gen Z and Gen Y kids: Ringo Starr (The Beatles) was 82. Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) was 79. Bruce (The Boss) Springsteen was 73.

It echoed Norman’s observation in On Golden Pond, “There’s something to be said for a deviant lifestyle!”

Take that kid!

In fact, eMarketer recently reported that boomers may be aging, but they don’t expect to get old.

Boomers and matures represent about 30 percent of the global population, make the money (where do you think the under-19-year-old gets his?), and provide the greatest potential for “upgrading” their connection tools – hardware, software, service. Boomers were the largest living adult population until 2019 when millennials took top slot.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Boomers remained the second-largest population group last year, comprising 71.6 million people ages 58 to 76. Globally, there is an estimated 1.6 billion Boomers.

Similar to Gen X, Boomers have above-average incomes; a greater share of household wealth, an unmatched level of mortgage-free homeownership and a semi-detachment with the rocky job market.

With many of them choosing to retire or work parttime, it leaves them positioned to survive financial blows.

A recent JWT BOOM study reported that Boomers account for 70 percent of the country’s net worth; their “category” will grow by 50 percent while the coveted Gen X/Y populations will grow only three percent; 80 percent use desktop computers, 20 percent laptops to connect; 90 percent have broadband to the home; 75 percent have at least one streaming service; 82 percent research online; 70 percent are online gamers; 82 percent use smartphones.

They participate more in viral (word-of-mouth) marketing than the younger groups, sharing with friends, children, spouses and partners, co-workers and parents. They also use the Internet differently than GenX, Yers, with more email and browsing use.

If there are so many of them, and they are expanding their use of connected technology, logic says they also represent a rich potential for sales. Boomers are also involved with their media (iNet, streaming content, smartphone) in different ways.

In fact, a recent Nielsen report noted that the Gen Xers are increasing their streaming content viewing to that of the Boomers. At the same time, Boomers are ramping up their use of the Internet and smartphones … only in different ways.

According to one report, Boomers are “adopting’ Gen Z/Y habits of playing videogames. These people made gaming what it is! The Atari 2600, 7800, Lynx? Do you think that when they became an “adult” they retired their youth?

Do you seriously believe that the games people are downloading for their smartphones just appeal to kids? Like Ethel said in On Golden Pond, “I’m going to be right behind you, holding on tight and away we’re going to go, go, go!”

Do you believe that Nvidia’s and AMD’s GPUs got installed in their systems because kids wanted to play golf, tennis, bowling and “mild” shoot-em-ups? You don’t think there are Boomers who sit in their den all night long with Mortal Kombat or World of Warcraft?

Even more Boomers are in front of their big screen sets with their Switch or PS4 consoles taking on God of War, Red Dead Redemption or Call of Duty challenges.

Still others put on their wireless VR headset, earbuds, tracking controllers to compete with the best of them in the virtual world. In long, boring meetings, there’s nothing more satisfying than playing mind escape games like Tetris, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact, or even the resurgent Pac-Man on the smartphone.

Boomers go on the net with a purpose, not to write on people’s walls or post new adventure pictures but to get information, buy something! Boomers and Matures are more inclined to communicate and share information with people using email than by texting or messaging.

Twittering? Don’t know. We’re not interested in following Elon and others or in having them follow us! TikToking? We’re not into hawking beauty products or busting something just to make you laugh. However, when there’s a site where we know we share things in common with people of similar interests or a podcast on something of current interest to us …

That’s what keeps social sites thriving and of interest to more marketers … a very tightly profiled audience.

Boomers are less “attached” to their mobile phone than Gen Yers — 80 percent preferred these devices while only 55 percent of the Boomer Plus preferred them. Regardless of the generation, most will text folks rather than place a call.

Accenture recently reported that the growing Boomer and Mature segments are quickly coming to rely on the features/capabilities of the mobile device: watching video has risen from 15 percent to 40 percent, using the device to access the Web rose from 10 percent to 30 percent, and web browsing is now one of their top three mobile apps.

Forty percent listen to music on the device and 50 percent play videogames on the go

Several industry analysts attribute the increased interest in these PC/CE devices to the economic downturn. If retirement is in the distant future, they need to master today’s communications tools.

But there is also a very real (and selfish) reason companies are becoming “demographically diverse.” They have come to realize that the marketplace is becoming more difficult, more complex, and more attuned to rapid changes.

Companies want to hang onto/leverage the experience and expertise these individuals possess and use it as long as possible.

At the same time, people in business/industry are finding that the new tools and the new capabilities that today’s communications tools provide make their work more challenging, more interesting, more fun.

In On Golden Pond, Norman, with his years of hard-earned experience said, “you’re right about me. I am fascinating.”

The Boomer crowd is a huge and growing segment of the marketplace that has wants and needs different from the generations that grew up not knowing a world without constant connections.

Interestingly they are more likely to stick with an organization and contribute rather than jump from one organization to another and they stay until a project is done right rather than head home or call in sick … except when they’re really sick.

They are also at a personal “experience level” where they know what and how to carry out their job without constant supervision and know what works – and doesn’t.

And when it comes to making a purchase, they also know what they want and aren’t afraid to express themselves with their credit cards, billfolds.

Sort of a win/win.

And in referring to today’s Millennials, we showed our son a Maxine cartoon. She reminds us, “Do you realize in about 40 years, we’ll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos and rap music will be the Golden Oldies?”

Andy Marken [email protected] is an author of more than 700 articles on management, marketing, communications, industry trends in media and entertainment, consumer electronics, software and applications.