Facts

I was about to blog this Harris Poll – but Bob Hoffman did such a good job, why try to top it?

Nasty Little Things Called Facts
… The world of marketing has supposedly been changed by...

"...the advent of the ‘conversation’, the freeing of the captive audience, the ouster of persuasion in favour of ‘engagement’, (and) the rather creepy idea of a ‘relationship’...

A Harris Poll released last week shows something very different:

• Consumers find tv ads more helpful than any other type of commercial message.

• They find tv spots more helpful than online banner ads in deciding what products or services to purchase by an astounding margin of 37 to 1.

• They find tv ads more helpful than search engine ads in deciding what products or services to purchase by a margin of almost 3 to 1.

Harris Poll PDF:

Television Ads Considered Most Helpful to Americans
So What?
While advertisers scramble to create their ad campaigns, one thing they need to remember is that, even if viewership may be down and even with the increased use of digital video recorders so people can fast forward through commercials, television ads are the most helpful to consumers. Also, while an Internet strategy is essential for a comprehensive ad campaign, Internet banner ads are not considered helpful by few and are ignored the most. People are more likely to ignore ads on their computers but are more likely to pay attention to those on their television.

What have I been saying about Baby Boomers?  For the umpteenth time …

The Most Effective Marketing/Advertising Model For Reaching Baby Boomers: What is now called traditional advertising pushing you to an age-friendly, informative product/services web site.

Another recent Harris Poll.

RIP: TeeBeeDee

Readers have emailed wondering why I haven’t commented on the demise of TeeBeeDee.  It’s because I’ve said everything I have to say about these sites – in numerous posts over the years and in my book.

Some posts:

Sleepy Baby Boomer Internet Villages

Invasion of the Baby Boomer Pod People

Invasion of the Baby Boomer Pod People Returns

Eons: An Almost Obit

In a Wall Street Journal blog the founder of TeeBeeDee is interviewed:

Wolaner added that no other companies have successfully figured out this space.

That’s because there is no space - at least ones that can be monetized.  From my book, originally published in 2005 (now available as an updated paperback):

Web pundits are drooling over social networking sites. While this business model is successful and will continue to be, I’m not convinced that people over fifty really care about la-de-da virtual socializing. There has to be a reason to join and hang out other than simply being a Baby Boomer. Sites that center around specific interests like gardening, politics, health, travel, dating, food, art, sports, real estate, education, grandparenting, volunteering, mentoring, etc. will attract a 50+ base. But few want or need to simply hop online and proclaim,“Hello! I’m Joe and I’m a Baby Boomer!”

And TeeBeeDee was one of the better ones.

Advertising to Baby Boomers (Preface & Intro) Free Download

I tossed up the Preface & Intro to my book on Scribd as a free download:

Advertising to Baby Boomers (Preface & Introduction)

It’s culled from the original PDF from Paramount Market Publishing – so it includes the TOC and some blurbs.  (I’m not quite as wonderful as the ‘praise’ page suggests – but most of you know that already …)

The whole thing is easier to read if downloaded.

Advertising Has Removed Music's Soul

Trenchant post by AdRants’ Steve Hall:

Advertising Has Removed Music's Soul
When a musician pours their soul into their work, it has deep meaning and, as a listener, we feel that meaning. When that same music appears in a commercial, it's as if every bit of blood sweat and tears that went into the creation of that music is minimized to a point where the work has almost no meaning at all.

Lots of takes by lots of folks on the same subject:

Invoking "The Sixties"

Ameriprise vs. Fidelity Financial Redux

More In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Boomer Nostalgia

Food fights, Balloons and Dancing Gorillas

77 Truths About Marketing To The 50+ Consumer

An updated edition of the influential 77 Truths is now available:

77 Truths About Marketing To The 50+ Consumer, 3rd Edition
a brief guide to marketing to baby boomers
by Kurt Medina & John Migliaccio
77 Truths shares over 25 years of insight by each of the authors into some of the special views, preferences, likes, and dislikes of the growing market of baby boomers.

I haven’t seen this new edition – but I’d better order one soon because my copy is a disheveled mess from frenetic flipping, corner creasing, Jackson Pollock-like coffee spilling, and Picasso-like underlining and scribbling.