article: The big bang of older TV viewers

[gregg75]

Television has changed a lot over the years and the older generation (once tossed aside) is now the new goldmine.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...dience-20140223,0,4321850.story#axzz2uEnKQ8w7

 

[umfan]

Interesting article. The key questions remains, 'Will advertisers pay to reach an older demo?" I hope the answer is yes, but the indications are that it is no.

 

[landtuna]

We keep telling 'em and they keep ignoring us. I really don't care one way or the other. I need not be courted by advertisers as I am pretty much immune to advertising of all types but I would hope that the type of programming they consider putting on the airwaves is at least appropriate and intelligent for the senior sector. And by that I don't mean anything by Robin Williams.

 

[Avid Listener]

Interesting article. The key questions remains, 'Will advertisers pay to reach an older demo?" I hope the answer is yes, but the indications are that it is no.

I hope the answer is, "Advertisers will find better criteria for picking audiences than just age. Age-based demographics are so 20th Century." I suspect that savvy advertisers are starting to realize that all people of the same age group do not all think alike. There are better ways to slice and dice the universe into groups of desirable customers than just age.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

advertiser may eventually just give up on seeking young viewers on the broadcast networks, and maybe eventually cable, younger viewers are more likely to watch shows after their scheduled network times somehow

 

[LKellerIII]

We keep telling 'em and they keep ignoring us. I really don't care one way or the other. I need not be courted by advertisers as I am pretty much immune to advertising of all types but I would hope that the type of programming they consider putting on the airwaves is at least appropriate and intelligent for the senior sector. And by that I don't mean anything by Robin Williams.

That's exactly why advertisers aren't interested in older viewers. They think we're all pretty much set in our ways, and are immune to their wiles. I'm not so sure. While I generally watch everything through my DVR and fast forward through commercials, there are times I stop and watch an ad - generally ads for movies, and sometimes for product categories I'm considering for purchase. I've always liked cars - so if I see an ad for a new model, I generally watch once. If it's a year I'm looking to buy a car, the ad might have some influence - at least get me to check the pricing and take a test drive.

 

[Avid Listener]

That's exactly why advertisers aren't interested in older viewers. They think we're all pretty much set in our ways, and are immune to their wiles. I'm not so sure. While I generally watch everything through my DVR and fast forward through commercials, there are times I stop and watch an ad - generally ads for movies, and sometimes for product categories I'm considering for purchase. I've always liked cars - so if I see an ad for a new model, I generally watch once. If it's a year I'm looking to buy a car, the ad might have some influence - at least get me to check the pricing and take a test drive.

I suspect the misconception that older people are set in their ways is an outdated, 20th century paradigm. I wouldn't argue that people born before 1940 are set in their ways. But I think that those of use born in the Baby Boom are very much different from what our parents were as we get old. We grew up in different circumstances, and just as we weren't the same as our parents were when we were in our 30's and 40s, we'll also be a lot different from them when we're in our 60's and 70's. Smart advertisers will approach things differently, while not-so-smart advertisers will cling to outmoded, 20th Century practices. The smart ones will prevail.

 

[landtuna]

That's exactly why advertisers aren't interested in older viewers. They think we're all pretty much set in our ways, and are immune to their wiles.

I would have to agree. Mr. Edwardo keeps saying the cost of advertising is too high to seniors and that may very well be true. If I am interested in a product I will do research to create a short list. Advertising plays no part in my product selection. OTOH, I actually have a rather large file of commercials saved on my computer. These are ads that I find touching, humorous, compelling or just brilliant work. Example: the recent Little Debbie ads which feature an adult and the child which will become the adult. I don't eat Little Debbie products but love their commercials.

 

[LKellerIII]

I would have to agree. Mr. Edwardo keeps saying the cost of advertising is too high to seniors and that may very well be true. If I am interested in a product I will do research to create a short list. Advertising plays no part in my product selection. OTOH, I actually have a rather large file of commercials saved on my computer. These are ads that I find touching, humorous, compelling or just brilliant work. Example: the recent Little Debbie ads which feature an adult and the child which will become the adult. I don't eat Little Debbie products but love their commercials.

Oh, I do the research too. But perhaps the main purpose of advertising is to make consumers aware of products they may not have heard of. Going back to my car analogy - I can think of one example. I became aware thru TV commercials that Mazda came up with an updated Mazda3 model. I prefer smaller cars, and I've read about the earlier models, read Consumer Reports data on reliability, and know what the old model cost. Seeing the ad caused me to read reviews of the new model, and look up pricing. Since I am considering a new car purchase this year, the Mazda3 will definitely be on my short list.

Then again, I just might buy a late model used car and save $10,000 like I typically do...

 

[landtuna]

Oh, I do the research too. But perhaps the main purpose of advertising is to make consumers aware of products they may not have heard of.

Thinking back on all the commercials I viewed yesterday (for example) most of them feature price as the primary selling point. Some are snob appeal (Mercedes, Lexus). Some bellow the tired old refrain "NEW! NEW! NEW!" which is typically false - the only new thing being the packaging colors. The only truly new products are those advertised late at night or on the sub movie channels like THIS or MOVIES. You know, the stair climber, walk-in bathtubs, electronic help transmitters for all us old farts. I can't remember the last time I've ever seen a really new product advertised on radio or TV before I saw it in a trade or general publication.

The Internet is a very good source for discovering new products and also pretty good for evaluating major purchases. Just yesterday I learned a high school girl in BC had invented a flashlight that works on hand heat and doesn't need batteries (I'll be searching to buy one as soon as she cuts a deal). One of my go-to sites to both investigate and purchase has been Amazon.com as there are usually quite a number of previous purchasers who have bought before me. I found Consumer Reports to be only marginal in that area because a great many of their reviewed products are no longer on sale by the time the review is published.

For cars I like Car & Driver and Edmunds.com. Truecar.com gives pretty accurate pricing info. (Your Mazda3 is an excellent choice BTW.)

Of course, I am retired and have plenty of time for research so looking up comments from previous diners on that new steakhouse tends to prevent disappointment whereas in the old days I might have just given it a try.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I occasionally respond to a commercial. For example, the next time I go to Hardee's (Carl's Jr. for some of you) I will get their fish sandwich. I've been wanting to try it. But I didn't when it was around earlier because their turkey burger is so good. And why did I notice? The sexy girl.

 

[davideduardo]

I suspect the misconception that older people are set in their ways is an outdated, 20th century paradigm.

But that is not the basis for avoiding 55+ (radio) and 50+ (TV) in ad campaign targeting. The issue is ROI... return on investment.

Most advertisers find that advertising against 55+ does work. The issue is that it takes more impressions to create a sale. That means you have to run more spots, and that costs more money. With many products and services, the added expense is greater than the profit margin allows, so older consumers as a group are not targeted.

 

[Avid Listener]

I just learned from a TV commercial that Subway has a new sandwich with Fritos on it. I like Subway, and I like Fritos. I also saw a commercial for McDonalds low priced chicken wings. Tomorrow, I'm probably going to have to stop somewhere for lunch at a fast food place. I usually pick Burger King, because I love the "Angry Whopper". But based on those two commercials, I'm thinking about maybe trying Subways or McDonalds. For what it's worth, I'm 62 years old.

And it didn't take multiple impressions to get through to me.

 

[landtuna]

I just learned from a TV commercial that Subway has a new sandwich with Fritos on it. I like Subway, and I like Fritos.

If your Subway is like my Subway you will be severely disappointed in the Fritos sandwich.

 

[Avid Listener]

If your Subway is like my Subway you will be severely disappointed in the Fritos sandwich.

If there was a significant investment of time or money involved, I would pay careful attention to word-of-mouth recommendations. If I said I was thinking of buying a new car, or even a new refrigerator, a warning like that would cause me to pause and reconsider. For an investment of under $5 for a sandwich, I might risk the disappointment.

The truth of the matter is my decision whether to get a Fritos sandwich at Subway or wings at McDonalds will probably be based on the length of the lines at their respective drive-thru windows.

 

[landtuna]

If there was a significant investment of time or money involved, I would pay careful attention to word-of-mouth recommendations. If I said I was thinking of buying a new car, or even a new refrigerator, a warning like that would cause me to pause and reconsider. For an investment of under $5 for a sandwich, I might risk the disappointment.

The truth of the matter is my decision whether to get a Fritos sandwich at Subway or wings at McDonalds will probably be based on the length of the lines at their respective drive-thru windows.

Excellent point. When spending major bucks for a new refrigerator or car it is well worth the time to do in-depth investigations. A lunch sandwich doesn't require the same due diligence.

 

[crainbebo]

And, actually, speaking of "Big Bang", my grandmother watches Big Bang - she is in her mid 70s! She finds Sheldon very funny. Kind of odd that seniors are tuning into Big Bang Theory, but it's true!

-crainbebo

 

[Avid Listener]

And, actually, speaking of "Big Bang", my grandmother watches Big Bang - she is in her mid 70s! She finds Sheldon very funny. Kind of odd that seniors are tuning into Big Bang Theory, but it's true!

-crainbebo

Not really. What is odd is that people assume that other people keep changing in the exact same way as the get older. That's just not an accurate observation. All generations have certain common characteristics that they maintain as they grow older. Baby Boomers, who are now in their 60's and early 70's, are not the same kind of old people that their parents were at the same age. And Gen X, Gen Y and the Millenials will all also be different when they get older. Anyone making pronouncements like some sort of sage oracle about "people 55 an older" that attempts to claim that the Baby Boomers are identical to what the Greatest Generation was at the same age is wrong. The age demographic cutoff points that had some real meaning in the 70's, 80's and 90's are no longer valid in the same way in the 21st Century. Things changed. People who keep up with change will thrive in the marketplace. People who remain buried in the past are doomed to fail.