THE VOICE OF AMERICA SPEAKS

It doesn't quite carry the gravitas it once did, but VOA is still one of the top news sources around the world. So you'd better read (or watch) their generic report on marketing to Baby Boomers:

Melanie Ulricksen is 53. She says she's fed up with products that try to make her look younger. "I don't want to be 55 trying to look like I'm 35. Give me something that makes what I have look nicer."

Nothing much new here, although it's worth listening to the sensible advice of Revlon's CMO, Stephanie Peponis:

"We want to make her look her best today. That's different from turning back the clock."

On second thought - this report, though not the most arousing piece of reportage, probably should be rammed down the throats of every advertising agency power-that-be. Of course, only clients can do that.

And I wonder when they will. Clients had better wise up fast and demand intelligent creative when targeting Baby Boomers:

A consulting group, Deloitte, predicts Baby Boomers will dominate the marketplace by 2008.

Boomers, Vacation, Travel

Mirroring a chapter in my book about vacations and travel, add these two trends:

Exotic cruises profit from baby boomers

Affluent cruise passengers are eschewing placid days on a sun lounger for exotic trips to middle-eastern archaeological sites and night clubs.

Volunteering travel is a big success with the 50-plus

Over-5Os make excellent volunteers as they bring with them different life skills and a different outlook to younger volunteers. They tend to be more patient and have very good communication and people skills. Older volunteers sometimes take on a role as an unofficial group leader when placed with younger volunteers which seems to work well. All the skills complement each other.

Now in its eleventh year, i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique travel and work experiences to people of all ages, from all backgrounds.

Baby Boomers Housing Market Primer

Here's the perfect, up-to-date primer for the Baby Boomer housing market: an article by Harold Bubil of the Sarasota Herald Tribune about The International Builders Show in Orlando last week:

The standard retirement community concept -- a cluster of senior housing out in the countryside, often behind gates -- is being altered. The emerging trend in 50-plus housing is to build it in business hubs and commercial centers. These consumers "want to be connected to life outside their own communities and don't want to have to drive to get to shopping and entertainment. Connection to the larger community is essential," according to an NAHB report.

I'm slated to speak at The NAHB Building for Boomers & Beyond 50+ Housing Symposium 2006 in April. Haven't signed the contract yet, but I probably will…

Baby Boomers Burst Online

Tessa Wegert's piece on Click Z about a Burst! Media study is a good one - although there's nothing much new here if you've been keeping up with the Baby Boomer online demographic curve:

Three of five adults 55 years and older, known to be the heaviest consumers of offline media such as newspapers and TV network news, say they use the Internet more today than they did a year ago. This data is supported by com Score Media Metrix research, which finds the number of online adults aged 55 and older grew by 20 percent to reach over 27 million in 2005.

Tessa is an entertaining business writer. Not surprisingly, I found her anecdotal research more compelling than all the numbers. For example, she tells a story about her mother-in-law giving the 20 and 30-something youngsters in her family Logitech video WebCams for Christmas, then announcing:

"Now we can all iChat together and see each other wherever we are … Later, I'll show you all how to set it up."

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U.S. Census Bureau Facts About Baby Boomers

The U.S. Census Bureau has stats about Baby Boomers bundled in a recent special edition of Facts for Features:

Staying Young and Fit
27,813
Number of fitness and recreation centers nationwide in 2003. These are good places to visit on a regular basis for boomers who are trying to become or stay physically fit.

Facts for Features is offered to the press - but anybody can take advantage of the information and downloads.