14 November 2011

Graywashing

Good word. 

Graywashing was minted by Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA).  From a recent article in The Journal on Active Aging®:

Tackling Graywashing (PDF)
by Marilynn Larkin
“Graywashing refers to the act of misleading consumers regarding any purported age-associated benefits of a product or service,” Milner explains … “Graywashing gives older-adult consumers a false sense of security by positioning a product or service as uniquely beneficial to them…”

…. On the opposite end of the stereotyping
spectrum are campaigns that suggest
all older adults should be superstars.
“Portrayed in the media and marketing
materials as healthy, wealthy and defying
aging, ‘superstar’ older adults present
an image that also distorts reality,”
comments Milner. “Such stereotypes
imply or explicitly state that ‘aging well’
requires health, independence, vitality,
economic wherewithal and social
connections. Not surprisingly, these are
qualities we equate with youthfulness,”
he states.

Way back in 2005 I wrote about similar issues:

Don’t Paint Too Rosy A Picture (Excerpts)
imageA recent article in USA Today asks us to “take a moment to journey forward to 2046, when 79 million baby boomers will be 82 to 100 years old.”  A paragraph later, the reporter asks, “So just what kind of America will be forged by this crowd of geriatric goliaths?”

Excuse me for being an unassuming ‘David’ (or even worse, a genocidal Grim Reaper) but I doubt very much that all 79 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. will still be alive in forty years, swaggering like giants – unless the medical establishment is holding out on me.

The good news you know: many Baby Boomers will live longer, healthier lives – more so than in any previous generations. The bad news you also know: by 2046 a huge chunk Boomers will have passed on, and another huge chunk will be dealing with acute diseases and afflictions. 

The problem is that well-meaning articles in the press like the USA Today piece, along with mountains of 50+ marketing fodder, are setting up Boomers for a psychological fall.  There will be a backlash.

And I’ve blogged about them through the years:

Boomer Backlash II
If every time someone over fifty sees a commercial targeting them and it’s always for an age-related product or service, pretty soon their eyes will glaze over, they’ll get itchy and grumpy.

The Era of Oversell is Over
There’s nothing wrong with being positive and aspirational – you just have to temper it with dollops of reality so your marketing won’t be dismissed as pie-in-the-sky nonsense.

Uh-oh. We’re in trouble
Rapped on the knuckles…

imageMarilynn Larkin interviewed me for the article.  I put up a tongue-in-cheek post about it:

The Best Anti-Aging Products, Services, and Activities: Guaranteed!
There are plenty of anti-aging products, services, and activities that are staggeringly effective.  They stop the aging process almost immediately…

So quotes from yours truly are splattered throughout Tackling Graywashing – along with trenchant comments from Lori Bitter and Dr. Bill Thomas.

Thanks, Mr. Milner, for coming up with a masterful phrase to describe it all.

10 November 2011

The New Millennium Tales: Baby Boomer Marketing Stories

MillenniumTalesCover
It’s larger than this, hardcover and classy – suitable for dazzling display on a petite coffee table. 

Yours Truly scribbled a tale, one of many penned by marketing, advertising, business, political, and artsy folk from around the globe.  Also expect poems, illustrations, cartoons, great commercial photos and print campaigns, etc.
The Pilgrim behind it all:
imageKevin Lavery He is one of the founders of Millennium, the UK's leading specialist advertising and marketing agency for the 50+ market. Kevin is an advertising and direct marketing specialist with over 37 years' agency experience, having started with Ogilvy & Mather in 1974.
The Pilgrim behind the Pilgrim behind it all:
imageReg Starkey
Reg's practical experience of working with many of the world's most acknowledged advertising agencies has now been combined with an in-depth knowledge of the important and neglected mature market. His knowledge and consultancy in this sector is sought by discerning clients in a broad range of sectors.
From The Introductory Tale:
imageThis book is just a step along the way. It’s not a ‘how-to’ book, it’s more an ideas book. Can we offer Baby Boomer marketing enlightenment?That’s for you dear reader to decide. What I can promise is the these diverse tales will give you a worldwide view of baby boomer thinking, needs and wants, and hopefully stimulate you to look at your Baby Boomer marketing with fresh eyes. In much the same way as the Canterbury Tales gives a snapshot of life in late 14th century England, I hope this book will give you an insight into the world of the Baby Boomer at the start of the second decade of the new Millennium.
A handful of blurbs from the back cover:
image

Praise for The New Millennium Tales

This book is ahead of its time in its recognition and understanding of the importance of the mature market. Whilst others waste time obsessing about youth, this collection sheds all the light you need on reaching Baby Boomers.” – Fiona Webster, former Editor of Active Life magazine, writer, broadcaster and mature market specialist.
“Chaucer would applaud this stereotype-busting snapshot of the Boomer generation. Marketers would do well to pay heed to Kevin Lavery’s impressive band of marketing pilgrims who know
the best route to the Boomer’s heart and pocketbook.” – Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. CEO, BoomerInfluence.com, Co-Author of: Vibrant Nation: What Women 50+ Know, Think, Do and Buy (with Stephen Reily)
“It is quite remarkable that the marketing community has managed to ignore the maturing baby boomer market; the largest, wealthiest and best educated segment of our society… Lavery’s book hopefully will go a long way towards opening some eyes.” – Jerry Shereshewsky, GrownUpMarketing, New York
The New Millennium Tales is now available on Amazon (UK). Copies may make their way along worldwide trade routes, becoming obtainable elsewhere. 
imageAs sooth is said, eld has great advantage;
In eld is both wisdom and usage;
Men may the old outrun but not outred.
– Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales

Age has its advantages, after all. It is a sign of wisdom and of long practice. You can outrun the old, but you cannot outwit them.
– Canterbury Tales, A Retelling by Peter Ackroyd (Penguin Hardback Classics)
Now for the COMPLETE LIST OF NEW MILLENNIUM TALES.  I’ve linked to a few PILGRIMS, but google some on your own.  It’s an eclectic, impressive bunch:
The Introductory Tale
Kevin Lavery...........................….. 7

The Designer’s Tale
Rama Gheerawo......................... 11
The Lifeboat Man’s Tale
David Brann................................ 15

The American Consultant’s Tale
Chuck Nyren....................……….. 20

The Messenger’s Tale
Tim Hamill................................. 25

The Raku-Raku Land Tale
Florian Kohlbacher............…..... 29

The Actor’s Tale
Mike Grady.........................…..… 34

The Historian’s Tale
Leon Kreitzman.......................... 37
The Retailer’s Tale
Sara Prowse................................ 41

The Celebrity‘s Tale
Lynda Bellingham....................... 45

The Journeyman’s Tale
Dick Stroud................................. 46

The Ambassador’s Tale
Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles.......... 50

The Australian Forecaster’s Tale
Charlie Nelson ………................... 53

The Journalist’s Tale
John Tylee................................... 58

The Trade Unionist’s Tale
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe........ 63

The Photographer’s Tale
Peter Rand................................... 67

The German Marketer’s Tale
Frank Leyhausen......................… 73

The Supermodel’s Tale
Paula Hamilton........................... 77

The Sexpert’s Tale
Carol Martin-Sperry.................. 79

The Gamekeeper’s Tale
David Wethey............................ 84

The Poet’s Tale
Roger McGough...........…........... 89

The Cruiser’s Tale
Nigel Lingard.................…......... 90

The Blue Cross Tale
Zair Berry................................... 94

The Soldier’s Tale
Major General David Burden... 95

The New American
Woman’s Tale
Leda Sanford............................. 100

The Disability
Consultant’s Tale
Mary-Anne Rankin................... 101

The Music Magazine’s Tale
Brian Oliver............................... 104

The Eco-gardener’s Tale
John Dominic............................ 105

The Australian
Ad Woman’s Tale
Gill Walker................................. 109

The Wife’s Tale
Sue Gluck...........................…...... 114

The Ex-Patriate’s Tale
Allein G. Moore..............….......... 115

The Producer’s Tale
Peter Shillingford..............…...... 120

The IFA’s Tale
Peter Maxwell-Lyte................... 121

The Californian Tale
Bill Kay....................................... 125

The Ad Man’s Tale
Dick Lumsden........................... 129

The Project Leader’s Tale
Matt Thornhill........................... 130

The Choirboy’s Tale
David Watson............................ 134

The Media Man’s Tale
David Cravit.............................. 135

The Media Woman’s Tale
Pat Lowe.................................... 140

The Researcher’s Tale
David Sinclair............................ 142

The Inventor’s Tale
Arlene Astell............................. 146

The Grandfather’s Tale
Charles Grimaldi....................... 147

The Straight Man’s Tale
Peter Tomlinson........................ 152

The Parisian Tale
Brent Green............................... 153

The Builder’s Tale
Keith Chapman......................... 156

The Nurse’s Tale
Kathleen McGrath.................... 157

The Doctor’s Tale
Dr Michael Chamberlain.......... 161

The Brand Doctor’s Tale
Chris Payne............................... 162

The Policeman’s Tale
Michael Hinchliffe.................... 163

The Personal Trainer’s Tale
Angie Best................................. 167

The Planner’s Tale
Nicholine Hayward.................. 169

The Radio Operator’s Tale
Tony Hertz................................. 174

The Media Independent’s Tale
John Ayling............................... 175

The Father’s Tale
Andrew Kitching...................... 177

The Mathematician’s Tale
Mark Ronan............................. 178

The Anchor’s Tale
Richard Quest......................... 182

The Teetotaller’s Tale
Anthony McLellan........l.......... 183

The Brewer’s Tale
Keith Quinn............................. 187

The Paparazzo’s Tale
Eddie Boldizsar........................ 191

The Lawyer’s Tale
Yvette Vanson & Michael
Mansfield QC..................... ...... 193

The Cartoonist’s Tale
Gray Jolliffe.............................. 197

The Author’s Tale
Richard Donkin........................ 200

The Yankee’s Tale
Hunter Riley.............................. 201

The Media Correspondent’s Tale
Torin Douglas............................ 205

The Butterfly’s Tale
Rachel Meade...............….......... 206

The Buddhist’s Tale
Michael Armitage..........…......... 210

The Teacher’s Tale
Robert Johnson.................…...... 211

The Artist’s Tale
John Fisher....................….......... 216

The Slimmer’s Tale
Ann Wimbledon.................…..... 219

The Dancer’s Tale
Eva Lewis...........................…..... 220

The Social Worker’s Tale
Anne Mummery............…......... 228

The Animator’s Tale
Tony Cuthbert............…............. 229

The Accountant’s Tale
Gordon Cowie..................…....... 231
.
The Dermatologist Tale
Dr Nick Lowe MD..................... 232

The Hippy’s Tale
Steve Ballard......................…..... 236

The Graphologist’s Tale
Erik Rees.......................….......... 237

The Typographers Tale
Adrian Greenaway........…......... 239

The Islander’s Tale
Jeremy Thomas...............…....... 240

The Visionary’s Tale
Joan Bird...........................…...... 243

The Weaver’s Tale
Jon Stannah and
Emily Luscombe............…......... 244

The Co-pilot’s Tale
John Peake........................…...... 246

The Dreamer’s Tale
Sally Wilton...................….......... 249

The Scientist’s Tale
Professor James Scott......…...... 250

The Winner’s Tale
Michael Seymour.........…........... 252

The Collector’s Tale
Chris Ingram..................…......... 253

The Compassionate Tale
Andrew Tyler................….......... 256

The Agency President’s Tale
Lori Bitter.................................. 257

The Fundraiser’s Tale
Margaret E. O’Grady................ 261

The Cheesemonger’s Tale
Justin Tunstall........................... 262

The Eagle’s Tale
Michael Belben.............….......... 265

The Corporate Cook’s Tale
Mark Lyons................................ 266

The Pumpkin’s Tale
Paul Mercieca....................…..... 267

The Godfather’s Tale
Reg Starkey......................…....... 271

The Literary Agent’s Tale
Dinah Wiener............................ 272

The Trainers’ Tale
Speakers’ Corner...............…..... 273

02 November 2011

The Press Release Parade Marches On

I’m in a bad mood today (for personal reasons) so I’m putting up a nasty post.  It’ll make me feel better. 

It’s a follow-up to this one:

The Press Release Parade
… Press Releases are like virtual confetti nowadays … Most are daft, pointless blather…

While I usually sweep up the confetti and toss it, for some reason I bent down and read this one (names not revealed to protect the guilty):

Chuck, Good Morning.

****** Adding a New twist to Mobile Advertising

“Coming Soon” will now allow Apps to promote before launch

Mobile marketing platform ******* is launching a new ad unit for iPhone that lets app developers promote the applications they’re about to launch. The “Coming Soon” ad doesn’t just announce the forthcoming applications, however, but can also gather early sign-ups from potential users through its “notify me” button.

So far, so good.  Not that I think apps will be taking over the world like most people, but I think they’re fine.

The press release continues:

Here are some statistics about mobile advertisements:

  • Mobile advertising generates 2.5 times more attention than a static billboard.
  • 97% is the recall rate on mobile advertising.
  • 96% of respondents say mobile advertising is more effective than traditional outdoor advertising.- Outdoor Advertising Magazine TACA

…. What?  Something sounded very weird, especially the percentages.  I knew these had to be wrong. 

So I did a bit of research.  The “statistics about mobile advertisements” are about those moving and/or animated ads on commercial vehicles.  Moving billboards are more effective than simple paper billboards. 

This has absolutely nothing to do with smartphone apps.

imagePower of Mobile Advertising

  • 97% is the recall rate on mobile advertising.
    - Outdoor Advertising Magazine
  • 96% of respondents say mobile advertising is more effective than traditional outdoor advertising.
  • Mobile advertising generates 2.5 times more attention than a static billboard.
ADHITCH

The press release is from a semi-major PR outfit.  Do they check their facts before sending out press releases?  Do they make sure a press release is reviewed by a few other employees before going public? 

imageHere’s a quiz.  Take it, and grade it yourself:

The person who wrote this press release…
a)  is an idiot.
b)  is sloppy and incompetent.
c)  is trying to put something over on all of us.
imaged)  has some form of myopia or mental condition, and can’t tell the difference between a ‘mobile billboard’ and a ‘smartphone app’.
e) possibly isn’t confused, and is really promoting outdoor mobile advertising, not a smartphone app.  I’m the one who’s confused.
f)  Come up with your own reasons for this silly, useless, deceptive press release.

… Whew.  I feel so much better now.

20 October 2011

Baby Boomers & Smartphones

It was way back in 2007 when I blogged a bit about smartphones vs. simple cell phones, listing “The Good” and “The Bad”:

The real issue:
Marketers assuming that if you're over fifty you're automatically a member of one and only one age demographic - all with the same needs and wants.

It’s not a question of dumbing down technology for Baby Boomers (we invented and were the first users of most of this stuff) – but more a question of universal design, easy-to-handle knobs and controls, bigger fonts and correct color contrasts…

A few experts on this subject:

Smartphones & Usability
Jakob Nielsen:
How do you design mobile applications for older people? With great care.

 

imageTech & Baby Boomers: Universal Design vs. Universally Dull
Dr. Joseph Coughlin
The convergence of technology and global ageing is driving new business opportunities, innovations in service delivery and the promise of a better life tomorrow for older adults …

Fat fingers are no barrier to using the iPhone
By Dick Stroud
The first video is from the Ellen DeGeneres show. It is an amusing parody of the Apple's iPhone 4 ad. I have to say I think it contains a smidgen of truth.

So four years later it’s nice to find another expert with a practical list of smartphone features he uses regularly:

imageSmartphone Features for Baby Boomers
by Robert Fowler
… I found my smartphone easy to use and now understand it’s features and how it will help me in my daily life. I think Boomers will continue to discover the benefits of smartphones  and find them useful like I did.  As we get older using technology will make life easier and more manageable.

For all smartphone designers to remember: an easy-to-grip handle on a utensil is not ‘dumbing down’.

15 October 2011

Understanding the Boomers and Beyond Market

imageCD Publications has a long history of excellent 50+ Marketing books, pamphlets and newsletters.  77 Truths About Marketing To The 50+ Consumer by Kurt Medina and John Migliaccio was published over a decade ago, and updated in 2009Selling To Seniors has been around for I don’t know how long, and yours truly has been featured in it I don’t know how many times.

Their latest offering: 

imageUnderstanding the Boomers and Beyond Market 
Publisher: Mike Gerecht Senior Editor:
Dr. Leslie M. Harris
This new Special Report, published by Selling to Seniors – the 50+ Marketing Report,  zeros in on the aging Baby Boomer market and how it differs significantly from both older and younger generations … The book includes essays from some of the world's leading experts on the 50+ market, including:  Adriane Berg, Brent Bouchez, Mark Gaylor, Gary Geyer, Steve Howard, Paul Johnson, Gerry Linda, Theodore Reed, Jerry Shereshewsky, Jane Singer and Dick Stroud, as well as Dr. Harris.

imageIn the first chapter by Gerry Linda, there is discussion about The Nyren Hypothesis – something I never knew existed. (Then again, hypotheses may not exist, since they are by definition hypothetical.)  If I told you what it was, I’d have to defend it with footnotes and citations and all sorts of academic rigamarole.  You’ll just have to read the book. 

And do.  Understanding the Boomers and Beyond Market is full of outstanding, easily digestible, practical marketing advice.