Boom

Citation

Dietz, J. (2007), "Boom", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 57-59. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363760710721000

If you are a Baby Boomer, born between 1946 and 1964, you will understand the points these authors make about marketing to Boomer women. If not, the book will help you in your own marketing efforts. Regardless of what stage the reader is in (and whether a man or woman), some very simple points will help to refine how companies can successfully market to women in the Boomer generation: Relationships are king, keep things simple (read: Boomer friendly), market to life stage rather than age, and avoid stereotypes. Women have long been known for being the more compassionate gender, but the price tag attached to marketers not understanding this need is huge. To quote the authors, “In 2006, Boomer women not only have their own money – they have a lot of money” (p. xiv).

In addition, the theme throughout the book is to avoid the stereotypes that older women are “set in their ways”. Just the example of the Red Hat ladies, who go so far as to wear red hats and purple dresses, at one million strong, is enough to wake up moribund marketers (p. 170). I can understand this because I remember when my grandmother was “old”, yet she was probably about my age today. That is a real wake‐up call, especially for younger marketers trying to create attractive packages for women over 50. Such women may be grandmothers, but they sure don't act like it and they sure don't shop like it!

The authors wrote this book, using examples and articles concerning 40 top marketers, to give a competitive edge to companies that pay attention to the entire spectrum of attracting and, more importantly, keeping, the Baby Boomer woman. The book's back cover states: “With the Baby Boomer women spending well over a trillion dollars a year on goods and services, the days of women 40+ being ignored by marketers are numbered”.

It is a very readable book, with seven chapters and 35 contributing authors. Although I found that the contributed articles somewhat disrupted the flow of the book, I think that they contribute an overall balance to the message. Representatives from companies such as Ford Motor Company, Citigroup, Walt Disney and Liz Claiborne are on the front lines of the quest for the dollars controlled by Baby Boomer women. The chapters and the main themes within them are:

1. 1.

   She's the Sweet Spot – The New Demographic of Choice. Two trends that have converged include the growing influence women have over all aspects of the economy and the impact that they have as they move into mid‐life, as opposed to the previously less vocal. “silent generation”. “Beyond the sheer size of this demographic, Boomer households spend an additional $10,000 more every year on consumer goods and services than their younger cohorts” (p. 18). So, they spend more than their mothers and significantly more than their daughters. “Even in categories traditionally considered to be ‘male’, it turns out that women are responsible for more than half the purchases. They make 80 percent of home improvement decisions, spend more than $55 billion annually on the $96 billion consumer electronics industry, account for 65 percent of all new automobiles sold every year, and purchase over 66 percent of computers” (p. 20). Earlier, I mentioned the need to avoid stereotyping. Here is why: “Not only did many companies believe that marketing to her would be a bother and a waste of time, but that by doing so, they would turn off the prized younger consumers as well” (p. 26). Perhaps these companies cannot count.

2. 2.

   She's Complex – Why there's No Such Thing as “The” Baby Boomer Woman. Some Boomers are members of Latino families, where vacations include several generations. Some have a tendency toward idealism and some towards immediate gratification. If marketers do not research their targets well enough, they risk not reaching any of them.

3. 3.

   She's Her Stage, Not Her Age – Leveraging Her Life Transitions. Here is where the life stage comes in. Some Boomer women are raising small children and some are grandmothers – possibly the same chronological age but different life stages. It is the life stages to which marketers must pay attention. The book reviews five life stage portraits (p. 83):• Body and Soul (Pilates, a low‐stress exercise, vs. army‐style gym classes).• Work and Money (she spends 40 percent more time than men researching her investment options).• Leisure and Travel (Boomer women generate more travel than any other age group in the United States) (p. 91).• Home and Family (“Help strengthen her connections with loved ones and streamline her multiple social roles”, but don't do it with a barrage of incontinence ads) (p. 95).• Technology (Boomer women are used to catalogs, but the Internet offers a whole new world). “In 2003, online retail sales totaled $52.6 billion, with women making up 52 percent of online shoppers.” (p. 97).

4. 4.

   She's Motivated – The 3‐D View of Her. Here, the authors discuss three motivational touch‐points: The Conventional Boomer Woman; The Transitional Boomer Woman; and The Aspirational Boomer Woman. For instance, “Saturn appeals to (the) Aspirational woman with a print ad for the Saturn Relay, commemorating the fact that, ‘The family car has grown up’” (p. 130).

5. 5.

   She's in the Driver's Seat – She'll Problem‐Solve Her Way throughout the Marketplace. This is where the authors specifically describe the differences between women and men. For instance, “the Baby Boomer woman's search is all‐encompassing, more lengthy, and nonlinear in its progression … .she will start by reaching out to all referents … On the other hand, a man, the hunter, wastes little time” (p.142). This means that marketers have to focus on helping her solve the problem. Hilton Garden Inn takes this approach by including text boxes for all their amenities (p. 152). While she is problem solving, the Boomer woman expects good and competent service. “However, only 19 percent of women say they actually receive good customer service even though 97 percent expect it” (p. 163). Nothing could be more important than training customer service personnel to take care of Baby Boomer women well, because the loyalty can be well worth the cost of the training.

6. 6.

   She's Changing Channels – Shaping the New Brandscape. “Even though Mary Kay has brands and products that are specifically meant to appeal to the younger Gen X and Gen Y customers…Mary Kay has always helped Boomer women feel special and shown them the respect they deserve as they age” (p. 175). The Baby Boomer woman is creating a word‐of‐mouth channel unparalleled in her predecessors, and she creates the legitimacy with her expectations. “Don't underestimate the power, positive or negative, of your web presence: 30 percent of women say that a bad website will not only induce them to shop somewhere else online, but can make them less likely to buy from that same company offline” (p. 191). This is one of the most important points in the book and is taught in any fundamentals of marketing class. You have to get everything right to keep the customer. As new channels are developed, the Baby Boomer woman expects them to all meet her expectations if her business is to be retained.

7. 7.

   She's Waiting – The Marketer's Call to Action. As I pointed out in the beginning, “This woman is defying the stereotype that by the time she reaches midlife and beyond, her brand preferences and purchasing behaviors are set in stone. This is a generation of women who have been bringing innovative thinking and problem‐solving strategies to every stage of their lives” (p. 200). She is living about 30 years longer than she did 100 years ago, and she has no tolerance for inconsistency in communication.

As a Baby Boomer born in 1950, I relate and can attest to what these authors are communicating. I can draw a list from this book of marketers who should read it and learn from it. Nordstrom is at the top of my list, but they don't have to be because these trends and the increasing financial power of Baby Boomer women have been quite predictable. I also think banks, restaurants, and clothing retailers of all types can improve their business with attention to its contents.

There were some points when I felt that focusing just on women was overkill, as many male and female Baby Boomers share expectations and life experiences. However, that is a minor point and it would probably have made the book too confusing to broaden it.

I see an opportunity for this book to be used in marketing meetings, journalism classes, and training programs everywhere. As Brown and Osborn so aptly put it, “marketers of nearly every product category are waking up (too late for many) to the sheer number of Boomer women in the marketplace, and they are realizing that they have ignored us at their peril” (p. 212).