I agree with you Matt that XM is missing out on a huge potential audience in the boomers. Of course, I feel the same way about OTA radio too is missing out on a huge potential audience in the boomers as those ad folks don't want to sell to us. I've heard all the arguments about brand loyalty as you age and it's true generally. However, there's many products and services out there that boomers use where there is more than one brand so it's not impossible to sell us on trying a new product if we believe it will be a better buy (that made Walmart a success) and work just as well, if not better ( I've not seen a bottle of Mercurochrome in years as there's something far better today) , than what we've been using. Convenience items that make a job easier are prime products for us aging boomers. We're the largest population demo, who STILL love to listen to both AM and FM radio and we're blown off. You know the stats, once you're past 49, the ad people don't care if you listen or not, you're not even a bonus, they don't want you. Seems crazy to me, but it is what it is.
Interestingly, it seems to me that if it weren't for the medicine spots on cable TV, the cable industry would go bankrupt, so they see the value of having the likes of Sally Fields and Henry Winkler pitch medical products to us boomers ( you can't imagine how weird it is to see fellow boomers on TV pitching "geezer products" . Radio should get on board and actually target us by having programming that is aimed at us and then sell spots to those companies that we'd be interested in using. NPR and PBS know how to target the more mature listener as many of us love NPR and PBS and willingly donate some of our money to support their programming. Investment portfolio's for retirement, vacations, the better restaurants, theatre productions in the local area, concerts of groups that appeal to boomers, etc, etc. We won't be like our parents as seniors, we'll still be going places doing stuff, so why shouldn't radio get a major piece of the action. Short sightedness on the part of these young turks running ad agencies. Appealing to the gray haired brigade isn't sexy, but would make money.
Interestingly, it seems to me that if it weren't for the medicine spots on cable TV, the cable industry would go bankrupt, so they see the value of having the likes of Sally Fields and Henry Winkler pitch medical products to us boomers ( you can't imagine how weird it is to see fellow boomers on TV pitching "geezer products" . Radio should get on board and actually target us by having programming that is aimed at us and then sell spots to those companies that we'd be interested in using. NPR and PBS know how to target the more mature listener as many of us love NPR and PBS and willingly donate some of our money to support their programming. Investment portfolio's for retirement, vacations, the better restaurants, theatre productions in the local area, concerts of groups that appeal to boomers, etc, etc. We won't be like our parents as seniors, we'll still be going places doing stuff, so why shouldn't radio get a major piece of the action. Short sightedness on the part of these young turks running ad agencies. Appealing to the gray haired brigade isn't sexy, but would make money.