Don't Ignore the Boomer Consumer

Brandchannel.com, June 25, 2007 — Boomers are reported to spend a staggering US$ 2.3 trillion in annual household expenditures (twice the amount of 18- to 39-year-olds), enjoy the highest incomes of any age group, and were born during a fortunate crack in history to cash in on the real estate and stock booms. Yet despite Boomers' trillion-dollar spending power, Madison Avenue still views 18- to 39-year-olds as the prime demographic to target, paying an average of 25 to 50 percent more to target younger adults, according to research commissioned by TV Land (a unit of Viacom) with Boomer think-tank consultancy Age Wave.

How Marketers Hone Their Aim Online†

Consumer-Specific Ads Gain in Popularity Due to New Efficiencies

Wall Street Journal, June 19, 2007 — When Pepsi-Cola North America wanted to make a splash on the Web this spring to promote its new low-calorie vitamin-enhanced water, Aquafina Alive, the beverage company didn't run ads just anywhere on the Internet. It placed ads only on sites it knew would be visited by people interested in healthy lifestyles.

McDonald's Recruits Mom to Be Ultimate Influencer†

Gatekeepers to Go on 'Field Trips' and Hopefully Return as Brand Evangelists

Advertising Age, June 11, 2007 — Battered by attacks blaming the fast-food industry for making children fat, McDonald's Corp. is recruiting the gatekeeper for its side. The Golden Arches has been quietly amassing an army of moms — often its toughest critics — as "quality correspondents" to act as citizen consumer reporters

Oh, Mother!†

Marketers Struggle to Categorize an Increasingly Complex Demo

Advertising Age, May 21, 2007 — Marketers in search of a few good women to spread the word about their products are finding themselves smack dab in the middle of the Mommy Wars. Sprint Nextel, Nintendo and General Motors Corp. all have been clamoring to reach the high-income, highly influential potential product advocator touted as the Alpha Mom. But now a backlash has begun in the form of the Beta Mom, the self-proclaimed antithesis of the superachieving Alpha.

Baby Boomers More Loyal To Service Providers Than To Products

MediaPost Publications, May 17, 2007 — BABY BOOMERS WERE REVOLUTIONARY--BUT THEY are less brand-loyal than preceding generations. According to a study released this week by market-research firm Focalyst, a joint venture between AARP and the Kantar Group, boomers defy expectation. The Focalyst data provides specific measures of boomer "brand loyalty" for products and services, drawing on a panel of about 35,000 consumers over the age of 42.

Skype joins Wal-Mart's Internet marketplace

USA Today, May 13, 2007 — Wal-Mart shoppers can now add one more item to their carts: Skype's Internet phones. Handsets, webcams and other gear from Skype, a pioneer in PC-to-PC calling, will be sold in more than 1,800 Wal-Mart stores starting Monday. The Wal-Mart partnership is the latest sign that Skype has arrived on Main Street, says Don Albert, vice president of Skype's North American operations.

Cellphones Tailored for Any Organization

New York Times, May 7, 2007 — FOR decades, consumers have been able to choose a credit card based on its affiliation with a particular group — a college alumni association, for example, a sports team or a retailer that offers reward points. Now a start-up company called Sonopia is trying to apply the same concept to the cellphone market. The idea is that instead of having to share space on the screen with a brand name like Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile, an organization that works with Sonopia can put its own logo on the phones.

Luxury Goods Without the Luxury Service†

Are Upscale Retailers Losing Sight of What Draws Their Loyal Customers?

Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2007 — Think of the best experience you've had as a consumer lately. Was it with a luxury company? Chances are, it wasn't. Vivian Deuschl, a 63-year-old Annandale, Va., hotel executive, wears Chanel ballet flats and carries a Prada bag, buys Burberry slippers for her daughter, and gives all manner of luxury items to her 16-month-old grandson. Her mailbox is chock-full of these companies' catalogs, yet she doesn't feel that they really care about her.

Marketing To Women, Part I: Mix Alpha Moms, Cans, Stir In Parties

MediaPost Publications, April 27, 2007 — MANY MARKETERS ARE LOOKING TO new media such as blogs and viral videos to generate buzz about their brands. But the Canned Food Alliance (CFA) is trying an old-fashioned tactic that involves pairing influential women with home-based parties and cans of peas and corn. The CFA is calling on "alpha moms" in the Chicago area to host "CANdelight Dinner Parties," with the bottom line of promoting the nutritional benefits of canned foods and nudging consumers to buy them.

Toyota's Scion Brand Bests E-Tailers With Recognition Among Young Consumers

MediaPost Publications, April 24, 2007 — SCION, TOYOTA MOTOR SALES U.S.A.'S brand founded in 2003 to appeal to Generation Y consumers, has 80% name recognition among young buyers, according to Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG)'s second annual e-commerce survey, putting it ahead of other, well-established branded online retailers Sears, Target, Macys, Best Buy and Amazon.com.