Your Financial Advisor Is Not The Pillsbury Doughboy

A piece with not much new, but worth a look:

Silver Tsunami: Getting Real with Boomers
By Paul Menchaca   
February 17, 2010

This independent nature, which many boomers adopted when they were young, is now guiding them to retirement. Autonomy — or the ability to age in place — is part of a five-point value system that Sullivan applies to boomers. The others: Connectivity to family and friends; altruism, or the desire to give back to causes or charities which are important to them; and personal growth, whether it’s mentally or spiritually; and revitalization—through hobbies, travel or other activities.

So what does this mean to advisors?
According to Sullivan, it provides financial planners a means for connecting with their clients.

It all reminds me of a section in my book where I come up with a mock campaign for a financial services company: 


 
Take a look at this campaign for more inspiration:

Boomer Backlash II
The new TV commercials have ordinary boomer men and women engaged in some unscripted banter … The TV spots are carefully crafted to appeal to boomers…

Dublin, Istanbul, New York

Dick Stroud keynotes in Dublin on March 3rd:

 

 

 

 

 

Yours Truly will be in Istanbul on March 19th:

 

 

 

 

Kevin Lavery, Todd Harff, and organizer Les Harris will be in New York in May:

 

 

 

For all of us, busy is good. 

And good for advertisers.

PMP Spring 2010 Marketing/Advertising Catalog

Paramount Market Publishing has just released their Spring Catalog – and it’s a huge one, packed with fresh titles, author interviews, and stacks of real and virtual marketing parchment. Click to download. (PDF):

One title just released, one not quite released:

Custom Surveys Within Your Budget
Maximizing Profits Through Effective Online Research Design
by Brian Cooper and Maria Philips
Custom Surveys acts as a comprehensive guide to cost effectively managing a survey and covers everything from the evaluation of a research program to the actual output and analytics of the research.

Women, Wealth & Giving
The Virtuous Legacy of the Boom Generation
by Margaret May Damen and Niki Nicastro McCuistion
This uplifting book shares the stories of some of these wise women and how they have found fulfillment through giving. With over 43 million boom-generation women at or nearing the age of retirement.

My book is in there somewhere.

And here they are - Jim (The Publisher), Anne (The Art Director), and Doris (The President).  They’re all laughing and smiling, reading the eBook edition of Advertising to Baby Boomers.

It’s Easier Than Learning The Twist!

A good piece by Emily Brandon of U.S. News & World Report (and not only because Yours Truly and Brent Green are quoted):

Social Security Administration Sees Stars
February 1, 2010
(Chubby) Checker is the latest star in a series of celebrity-studded Social Security public service announcements that have come out over the past year, most of which feature actress Patty Duke.

I warn against nostalgia because it’s almost always a disaster when used in most advertising campaigns. And I don’t believe employing a celebrity spokesperson is usually a good idea. From Harris Interactive:

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS THAT ARE MOST PERSUASIVE

But Chubby Checker is fine.  He represents innocent times.  And it’s a public service announcement. Very few people are going to say to themselves, “Gee, I wonder if Chubby is getting the big bucks to push this product/service on me.  He probably doesn’t even use it. I’m no sucker! Just because he’s a celebrity I’m supposed to believe him?”

The spot is simple, with a simple message.  It works.

Disruptive Demographics: Global Aging, Technology & Innovation

Complementing Laurie Orlov’s Aging In Place Technology Watch and Dick Stroud’s Mobile apps for Baby Boomers, Joseph Coughlin has a new blog:

Disruptive Demographics: Global Aging, Technology & Innovation
Insights on the impact of aging and technological change on innovations in society, business and government.

Dr. Coughlin heads up MIT AgeLab.  He also puts on a great show when presenting at conferences and seminars.  Here’s one I had something to do with:

While on a private day-long consult for a major pharma company and their marketing agency, I met Dr. Joseph Coughlin, founding Director of the MIT AgeLab … The numbers-cruncher wore a very conservative, gray suit, the academic a dark pinstripe and loud bow tie, and the ad guy a mock turtleneck and over-the-top orangey sport coat. We were straight from central casting.

Dr. Coughlin’s premiere post dissects the delicate balance between new technology in automobiles and the necessary ‘multitasking’:

How do vehicle designers and engineers manage the marriage between consumer electronics and the dashboard to give drivers the mobile lifestyles they may desire but not the distractions they may introduce?

This will also be an issue when marketing and advertising automobiles with all the fancy gizmos and widgets. The ‘auto’ in  automobile is taking on new meanings.  

So bookmark Disruptive Demographics.