There's a lot to get excited about in marketing to women online - but there's one segment of the women's market I'm especially excited about. Is it single moms? Is it Gen Y? Nope - it's women 50-80.
I see some of you scratching your heads - 50 to 80? Are they even online? And aren't they retired and going to early bird specials and saving every penny they have? NO - these women are active, they're online and not only do they control massive amounts of money - they're spending it.
Don't believe me? Listen to the leader in marketing to women Marti Barletta in her article Targeting a Powerhouse Female Demographic: Older Women. Why Mass Mutual's New Web Strategy Hits the Mark.
Why are marketers obsessed with youth when women between 50 and 70 are the golden bulls-eye of target marketing? This group is more educated, active and affluent than any preceding generation of women. Yet many marketers choose to ignore this economic powerhouse.
Marti Barletta goes on to profile Mass Mutual's web seminar, "10 Financial Questions and Answers for Women" is an interactive audio learning experience that addresses the older female consumer's financial concerns.
Financial institutions are finally starting to wake up to the power of the older women demographic. I've been impressed with Lincoln Financial Group's "Hello Future" campaign - both the TV commercials and their online efforts.
Experts in older demographics like David Wolfe at Ageless Marketing have been shouting about the power of aging boomers for quite some time. I find it strange more marketers aren't listening.
Look at the TV networks. It's actually considered a bad thing to have lots of viewers over 50. Just look at this AdAge quote
More than 45% of NBC’s prime-time audience consists of adults aged 50 and over, according to a report out today from Magna Global USA. That’s bad news for the network that traditionally has made its bread and butter delivering advertiser sought-after 18- to 49-year-olds.
What - are they crazy?? Though I guess you can't blame the networks too much, it is the marketers and advertising agencies who are determining which demographics should be "sought-after."
You'll be hearing a lot more about the older women demographic from Marti, myself, and lots of other marketing professionals who understand the incredible purchasing power of this highly stereotyped and misunderstood market.
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