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.

Virtual Professor Chuck

It all started around 1999 when I was writing on the web about Baby Boomers.  My articles were getting hits from a University of Southern California intranet site.  I thought for sure that some professor of English or Literature or an artsy subject like that had made my online scribblings mandatory reading. 

Then I found out the truth: the course was about Gerontology.

Skip ahead a few years, and yours truly pens a book about advertising to baby boomers.  I was floored when it was selected as a Classroom Resource by The Advertising Educational Foundation.  I still get emails from students and professors around the world.  The book is in the libraries of many colleges and universities.

Professor Chuck.  Funny.  At least to me.

Now I’m getting oodles of whacks from another college intranet site – and it seems as if one of my PowerPoint presentations is required watching. 

The hits are coming from Southern Oregon University’s Blackboard System.

Those poor kids … having to listen to some old guy ramble on and on …

A Quick Peek at Retirement Homes of Tomorrow

From MarketWatch:

Rough outlines
By Steve Kerch
… When it comes to retirement living, golf courses are out … Bike paths and walking trails are the new greens and fairways.

As usual, that sounds familiar.  Years ago you could’ve had a ‘quick peek’ at this MarketWatch piece. From my book ©2005:

Read the chapter (PDF):

Chapter 4:
Give Boomers Room for Choices

No News News: Super Bowl Ads Highly Effective

I’m one of the few bloggers to take pride in bringing you no news news. I’ve been offering my readers no news news for years.

With the Death of Television, today I offer you this new no news news:

Super Bowl Ads Still Sell
by Steve Hall/AdRants
Despite the uncertain economy, three out of four Americans are still more likely to research or buy a product after seeing it advertised during the Super Bowl … 64% would be disappointed if advertising during the game disappeared … 66% still remember their favorite brand advertiser from last year's Super Bowl while only 39% remember who won the game.

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘facebook’ this no news news – so a half dozen more people can be enlightened. But please do it before the Super Bowl. Afterwards, hundreds of millions of people will be too busy researching and buying products they saw advertised, and my very important ‘social marketing/viral’ advertising message might get lost in the ethereal vortex.