The 50-Plus Market: Why the Future is Age-Neutral when it Comes to Marketing and Branding Strategies [Hardcover]

Dick Stroud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2006

* Contains original research conducted by OMD into the relationship between age and consumer behavior

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A thoughtful, well-researched and thorough exploration of the 50-plus market." Media Week "Uses first-hand research to prove that the same marketing rules apply to the over-50s as to the rest of the population." In-Store Magazine "The over 50s are not a niche market - they account for 40% of the UK's adult population." Brand Republic "Stroud argues that not only are the assumptions we make about the older age groups inaccurate, but by ignoring them we miss out on one of the greatest ever target group bonanzas." Marketing "Stroud argues persuasively for 'age-neutral' advertising and for businesses to study the 50-plus market and find out where they are missing potential revenue." Director "Ushers in the era of age-neutral marketing... compelling." European Business "Takes stock of the marketing approach to the seniors market." EFMA Magazine "An unusual book, which addresses and challenges stereotypes, prejudices and assumptions in the marketing industry." Professional Manager "The most thorough and comprehensive analysis of this market published to date." Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice "A persuasive argument that fundamental change is needed to shake marketers from their comfort zone, one that leaves them unwilling to explore a new model that includes older consumers in their sales planning." Forbes online "Uses original research from OMD, the second largest media communications specialist in the world, to dispel the myths and explain the truths of marketing to the over 50s." European Foundation for Management Development "Will help you from research, planning and creative perspectives right through to implementation. What it does in the main is dispel the view that marketing to the young is the only profitable route." Enterprise Enfield "Provides a new approach to how companies interact with older customers, advocating age-neutral marketing strategies to ensure the growing numbers of affluent over-50 consumers aren't overlooked." Midwest Book Review "A wake up call to marketers to respond to the demographic and economic changes that will shape business success in many industries." All About Branding "Explores why the 50-plus market is both important and valuable" Journal of Economic Literature "Successfully examines a market that has been overlooked as a result of decades-old myths, lack of research, and the narcissistic, youth-oriented makeup of the advertising industry. This is an excellent book for companies looking to stay ahead of an inevitable demographic change instead of being swamped by it." Strategy & Business "Shows why marketers can no longer ignore the inevitable consequences of demographic and economic change." Abstracts of Public Administration, Development and the Environment "In his book, Stroud describes this 2.5 million contingent as the "charmed generation", and his research shows that they are among the top spenders on luxury goods and services" Marketing Age, Winter 2007 "Filled with strategies and statistics, the book offers valuable advice for reaching this lucrative market" Choice, December 2007

About the Author

Dick Stroud is the managing director of 20plus30, a marketing strategy consultancy that advises companies about the business implications of population ageing. He is the UK's leading expert on using interactive channels to communicate with the over-50s market.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Kogan Page Business Books (February 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749442581
• ISBN-13: 978-0749442583
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,426,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a consultant, lecturer and writer.

Most of my time is spent as the MD of the niche marketing consultancy, 20plus30. We specialise in advising companies how to capture the buying power of 50-plus consumers.

Before 20plus30 I worked in digital marketing at the start of the dot com era. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of those who became a millionaire!

Palgrave Macmillan published my first book, Internet Strategies, that charted how the Internet would change the fabric of business. Since then I have been a writer about technology and marketing issues. The 50-Plus Market is my latest book.

I am a training course director at the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a visiting lecturer at the London Business School. I have also taught at the American University in London and Southampton Business School.

In July 2003 I started the world's first daily blog that is dedicated to 50-plus marketing.

Before running my own companies my career included working for IBM and PA Management Consultants.

At the dawn of time I collected a first-degree in Electronics and an MBA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wise guide to marketing across the age barrier, August 26, 2008

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 50-Plus Market: Why the Future is Age-Neutral when it Comes to Marketing and Branding Strategies (Hardcover)

The world's population is getting older. Shouldn't marketers address this phenomenon? No. Actually, they should ignore it most of the time, says author Dick Stroud, who advocates marketing without regard to the consumer's age, except when a specific situation seems to call for it. Stroud and other contributors contend that focusing your general marketing effort solely on younger consumers is a waste of outreach opportunities. He bases his recommendations on global demographic surveys and on his experience with the 50-plus market. This practical book contains information about demographics and segmentation techniques, as well as the results of international studies of older consumers. It provides real bonuses, such as questionnaires you can use to gauge your company's attitudes toward older people, but it is also repetitive. getAbstract recommends it to serious market researchers and others who want to consider how age affects marketing worldwide.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Assessing the affluent, over-50 market, April 13, 2006

By 

D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 50-Plus Market: Why the Future is Age-Neutral when it Comes to Marketing and Branding Strategies (Hardcover)

ick Stroud's THE 50-PLUS MARKET shows that the typical marketer's rush to reach young consumers is ignoring a potentially lucrative market: that of older consumers ages 50 and older. However as the Boomer generation ages this market can no longer be ignored: THE 50-PLUS MARKET provides a new approach to how companies interact with older customers, advocating age-neutral marketing strategies to ensure the growing numbers of affluent over-50 consumers aren't overlooked.