Posted in on December 10, 2012

Mature Marketing Links of the Week – 12/10/12

Happy Hanukkah to our friends who celebrate! The Festival of Lights is well underway, and so will be this weekly round-up of top mature marketing links in 5, 4, 3 …

1. MOST CLICKED: Our free whitepaper on website usability for active adults was clicked and shared and clicked and … It contains insights into navigation and information flow, with an emphasis on designing a clear site that is clearly motivating to baby boomers and seniors.

Download the white paper: http://creatingresults.com/usabilityguide

2. MOST SHARED: A tie!

– Where will future seniors live? A new report from the Urban Land Institute says it won’t be in retirement communities. As LeadingAge reported,

[ULI] “predicts that future generations of older adults are likely to age in place. Those who do move from their homes will be drawn to a diverse mix of community-based living options, including cohousing, multigenerational living and affinity retirement communities that house people with shared interests.”

See a video interview with report author, John McIlwain: http://bit.ly/U9KmN7.  Request the report from ULI: http://bit.ly/SLhigq

Seniors attend an event showcasing educational and lifestyle opportunities at North Hill retirement community in Needham, MA.While I agree with McIlwain’s analysis that we no longer have one group of “seniors” — we have three distinct generational cohorts over the age of 65 — I struggle with his rejection of retirement communities. Creating Results has the good fortune to work with a variety of CCRC. When I talk with the members of these communities and their prospective residents, it’s clear these are places that do more than just house people with shared interests. They create dynamic opportunities for people to pursue those interests as they age. And they create opportunities to find new interests. Services are personalized and friendships are paramount.

It seems to me that many older adults will find that aging-in-place will not give them the hospitality and lifelong learning they desire. With their voracious appetite for new experiences, VIP treatment and communal spirit, smart Baby Boomers will value retirement communities because they are uniquely able to meet those desires.

What do you think? Please share your comments below.

– Want to reach GenX through advertising? Keep it calm, safe and REAL, says NielsenWire.

“Generation X is uniquely positioned. They know what they want and what they like and most importantly who they are,” says Joe Stagaman, EVP, Advertising Effectiveness Analytics for Nielsen. “Recognizing this creates an opportunity for marketers to appeal to this population with a genuine and realistic campaign that Gen Xers can identify with.”

Read the post: http://bit.ly/TYfYpt

Jeanne Kessinger Brown, a skilled freelance writer and communications consultant, questioned whether the fact that Gen Xers are typically parents with younger kids at home led to a desire for safe and calm. She noted ” at this point in time, GenX is firmly in the ‘responsible’ years.” I feel that the uneasy childhood Gen X “enjoyed” (the Cold War, 3 Mile Island, AIDS, pollution, hunger, skyrocketing divorce rates, high numbers of latchkey kids …) is another reason.

Timeline - influences on GenX - marketing generational cohorts

What are your thoughts about this Gen X desire for REAL and calm? Please share them below.

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