Older generation have the cash
Can anyone explain to me why the vast majority of this country's businesses and manufacturers have so little interest in profit that they address all their advertising campaigns to the wrong market? I refer to TV commercials which seem to be designed to appeal almost exclusively to the Youth Generation.
Have these businesses done their homework? The 20 - 30 age group, at whom practically all marketing and advertising is aimed nowadays, have never been so in debt in our history. They have huge mortgage millstones around their necks; they spend their working lives trying to pay back inflated university grants and all their spare cash is mopped up by Credit Cards repayments and interest.
So who should these companies target if they want to attract more sales? Go to the other end of the age scale and consider the older members of our society. They've paid off their mortgages long ago; their children are no longer financial burdens as they've flown the nest; they're sitting on a fortune in property equity; and most of them have cleared all their lifetime debts.
Yes, there are unfortunate pensioners who live on a pittance (particularly those targeted by Gordon Brown) - but nowadays the majority of Senior Citizens have ready cash to spend and no-one seems to be interested.
Don't believe me? I went round to our local record store at the weekend, intending to stock up on a new collection of DVD's for my flat in Spain. Apart from half a dozen dog-eared items, there was not a single recording which appealed to me. Everything was geared towards the younger generation's unattractive, cacophonous, un-musical dirges.
I left the store without spending a penny. Nice to know that the record companies are so well off they don't want my custom.
By: Oracle 2007
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The original post was about older people having disposable income and advertisers not marketing to them.
I would like to add that few over 50s ( or even younger people? ) like piped music in shops and restaurants so if businesses want to get their hands on the grey pound they should turn the damned piped music off. We hate it and I for one am going to refuse to give my custom in future to companies that try to force it on me.
I would like to add that few over 50s ( or even younger people? ) like piped music in shops and restaurants so if businesses want to get their hands on the grey pound they should turn the damned piped music off. We hate it and I for one am going to refuse to give my custom in future to companies that try to force it on me.
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another anon - 13-Aug-10 23:52
I Hate The Old - why should your grandfather use his savings on grandchildren who aren't responsible enough to bail themselves out of debt? Let him buy himself a decent resting place - if the family's in debt it's the only way he'll get one!
I suspect you're just a troll who deliberately made an incendiary comment for kicks.
I suspect you're just a troll who deliberately made an incendiary comment for kicks.
+8
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I Hate The Old - He can buy Cornettos for the whole town if he likes. It is his money after all.
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My greedy grandfather wants to spend £5000 on setting up the headstone on his grave rather than to assist grandchildren's debt they might have acquired for their university education. This is the priority of the greedy previous generations. They are nasty selfish people. Put then all in homes and don't bother to visit them. Nasty people.
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I Hate The Old - 26-Jul-10 16:23
What do you expect?, The young of today have the attention span of a gnat, they buy and discard fashionable accessories on a weekly basis. The older population look at goods in an entirely different way and buy quality long lasting products. So what better way to increase company profits than to offer low priced tat which will be thrown away in a matter of weeks to be replaced with the latest "must have" accessorie
-5
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Hello Oracle. I am a gent of 69, who grew up with the music of the 40s, 50s, 60,s and seventies.
I played drums in Big Bands, Jazz orchestras, Military, Scottish, Irish, Country, Club Combos and Rock bands. I have recently been enjoying the BBC Four ' American Song Book' series ( Compliments to BBC ) lately and realised just how long it is since music died ! The wonderful expressive sound of acoustic music should be available to our young people to hear and experience and hopefully start again to practice instruments with feeling and rhythm.
We rarely see real musicians and orchestras on TV and consequently the young don't know what a real musician is. All we seem to get is canned electronics and the 'singers' sound like they are singing down a drain pipe. Pop music is OK for the young but is soon forgotten when they slow down into later life. It is time for the mature ( majority ) population to be catered for so come on Recording Companies, We 'oldies' have money to spend too !
I played drums in Big Bands, Jazz orchestras, Military, Scottish, Irish, Country, Club Combos and Rock bands. I have recently been enjoying the BBC Four ' American Song Book' series ( Compliments to BBC ) lately and realised just how long it is since music died ! The wonderful expressive sound of acoustic music should be available to our young people to hear and experience and hopefully start again to practice instruments with feeling and rhythm.
We rarely see real musicians and orchestras on TV and consequently the young don't know what a real musician is. All we seem to get is canned electronics and the 'singers' sound like they are singing down a drain pipe. Pop music is OK for the young but is soon forgotten when they slow down into later life. It is time for the mature ( majority ) population to be catered for so come on Recording Companies, We 'oldies' have money to spend too !
+6
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Hello,
I'm a student at Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City. We are doing a research project and creating a fashion magazine targeted to women between the ages of 50 and 65. We are trying to prove that their is a market/demand for this because theres nothing out there right now like this. I was wondering what your views are about this idea, do you like it or not? Why and why not. Also, if you have any suggestions we are open. You can comment me back or contact me at: katholickouture@gmail.com
Thank you.
I'm a student at Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City. We are doing a research project and creating a fashion magazine targeted to women between the ages of 50 and 65. We are trying to prove that their is a market/demand for this because theres nothing out there right now like this. I was wondering what your views are about this idea, do you like it or not? Why and why not. Also, if you have any suggestions we are open. You can comment me back or contact me at: katholickouture@gmail.com
Thank you.
-7
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I totally agree with oracle on this one.
My biggest complaint in this regard is that nightclubs & discos are all aimed at the younger generation. If it wasn't for pubs putting on live bands we'd have nowhere to go for a boogie every now & then!
It's particularly bad in holiday resorts. There seems to be nothing between the awful music that passes for dance music these days & bingo for the seriously elderly!
My biggest complaint in this regard is that nightclubs & discos are all aimed at the younger generation. If it wasn't for pubs putting on live bands we'd have nowhere to go for a boogie every now & then!
It's particularly bad in holiday resorts. There seems to be nothing between the awful music that passes for dance music these days & bingo for the seriously elderly!
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grumpyoldwoman - 18-Apr-08 17:27
Because,
1. Youth typically have more disposable income because they *dont* have mortgages, children etc.
2. Todays youth have been indoctrinated in hardcore capitalism and are more willing to spend (and get into debt doing so).
3. Most advertising is "aspirational" - most healthy adults still probably feel 20-something inside and so "young" adverts will reach them too.
4. Most of those with real wealth don't watch much TV or read the magazines/papers "the masses" do (too busy earning/spending/living or have a superiority complex).
5. Old rich people have been through at least 1 World War, weren't indoctrinated with the "you can buy happiness" mantra when young, and so are *very* spendthrift as a result.
1. Youth typically have more disposable income because they *dont* have mortgages, children etc.
2. Todays youth have been indoctrinated in hardcore capitalism and are more willing to spend (and get into debt doing so).
3. Most advertising is "aspirational" - most healthy adults still probably feel 20-something inside and so "young" adverts will reach them too.
4. Most of those with real wealth don't watch much TV or read the magazines/papers "the masses" do (too busy earning/spending/living or have a superiority complex).
5. Old rich people have been through at least 1 World War, weren't indoctrinated with the "you can buy happiness" mantra when young, and so are *very* spendthrift as a result.
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I don't have definate proof but being in the age range you are talking about I would like to give my thoughts to your gripe. From what I can gather and have experienced, manufacturers target the 20-30 age range not just they suspect they have money, but because they have a high "disposable income". What I mean is that they are likely to have multiple credit cards that they juggle every month without much concern about paying the bulk back. Another thing is that a lot of them are still living with their parents because buying a house is out of the question in todays current housing climate. Now, it takes harsh parents to charge their "grown up" kids a realistic rent, so they save a lot of money here! The 20-30 age range will throw money about like its going out of fashion with a "live for today attitude" believe me - I am one of them!
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It's always a surprise to me that, whenever I send a gripe to this excellent site,
subsequent correspondents get the wrong idea about what I am writing. Every
time they seem to go off on a tangent and end up contradicting points which I
never made. Must be my fault for not expressing myself clearly: I'll try harder.
This particular gripe was only intended to attack manufacturers who were
targeting the wrong market for their products. I never had the faintest intention
of criticising the Youth Generation for the way they spend their money.
Nor was I boasting about wallowing in cash, as some of these comments are
implying. Yes, I'm better off nowadays than I used to be and, as all my debts
and mortgage are settled, I have a bit of money to spend.
But, as some of the writers guessed, I sure earned it! My early years began in
real poverty (not the misleading "relative poverty" we experience nowadays)
and there was no Welfare State to protect my family from harsh reality. I left
school at the age of 14 years, 11 months - couldn't go to university as I had to
start work immediately, or we wouldn't have had food on the table; have
worked every day of my life ever since; and am still working. All taxes paid all
my life and not a penny taken back in benefits. It's not a bad record
And a special word to Peace keeping middle class tree-huggn hippie. It's a
pleasure to read something from someone in their 20's expressed with so much
colour, style and clarity. I was beginning to despair about your generation but I
can see there's hope yet. And thanks for placing me in the Beat and 60's
counterculture but, ouch, I pre-date them.
subsequent correspondents get the wrong idea about what I am writing. Every
time they seem to go off on a tangent and end up contradicting points which I
never made. Must be my fault for not expressing myself clearly: I'll try harder.
This particular gripe was only intended to attack manufacturers who were
targeting the wrong market for their products. I never had the faintest intention
of criticising the Youth Generation for the way they spend their money.
Nor was I boasting about wallowing in cash, as some of these comments are
implying. Yes, I'm better off nowadays than I used to be and, as all my debts
and mortgage are settled, I have a bit of money to spend.
But, as some of the writers guessed, I sure earned it! My early years began in
real poverty (not the misleading "relative poverty" we experience nowadays)
and there was no Welfare State to protect my family from harsh reality. I left
school at the age of 14 years, 11 months - couldn't go to university as I had to
start work immediately, or we wouldn't have had food on the table; have
worked every day of my life ever since; and am still working. All taxes paid all
my life and not a penny taken back in benefits. It's not a bad record
And a special word to Peace keeping middle class tree-huggn hippie. It's a
pleasure to read something from someone in their 20's expressed with so much
colour, style and clarity. I was beginning to despair about your generation but I
can see there's hope yet. And thanks for placing me in the Beat and 60's
counterculture but, ouch, I pre-date them.
-3
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Oracle,
I am in my 20's and I side with you...I realize and don't even care that most of my generation will make the baby boomers and depression era babies look fab-tab-u-lous in comparison! I say way to go. I know I will have to earn my keep and bust my ass- I have a long, long ways to go...very long ways...until I can speak like you. I say congratulations for arriving to that destination. Especially when you've seemed to arrive competent- unlike many of your Beat & 60's counterculture peers who did not make it for the drug induced coma that they put themselves in...by not knowing when too much acid or coke was enough.
Congrats mate. You seem to speak as if you earned it...and who can fault that...
And for the record, to the comment: what's wrong with Keith Olberman's Countdown-?
I am in my 20's and I side with you...I realize and don't even care that most of my generation will make the baby boomers and depression era babies look fab-tab-u-lous in comparison! I say way to go. I know I will have to earn my keep and bust my ass- I have a long, long ways to go...very long ways...until I can speak like you. I say congratulations for arriving to that destination. Especially when you've seemed to arrive competent- unlike many of your Beat & 60's counterculture peers who did not make it for the drug induced coma that they put themselves in...by not knowing when too much acid or coke was enough.
Congrats mate. You seem to speak as if you earned it...and who can fault that...
And for the record, to the comment: what's wrong with Keith Olberman's Countdown-?
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peace keeping middle class tre - 27-May-07 08:16
We're rich when we are old, because "we are worth it".
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The Oreal Oldie - 25-May-07 00:02
" Everything was geared towards the younger generation's unattractive, cacophonous, un-musical dirges.
I left the store without spending a penny. Nice to know that the record companies are so well off they don't want my custom. "
I think that says more about your taste in music than anything else?
But hey, if you're complaining about having so much cash whilst us younger generation are so poor, feel free to share...by all means.
I'm sure you've earned your welloffness though. congrats.
I left the store without spending a penny. Nice to know that the record companies are so well off they don't want my custom. "
I think that says more about your taste in music than anything else?
But hey, if you're complaining about having so much cash whilst us younger generation are so poor, feel free to share...by all means.
I'm sure you've earned your welloffness though. congrats.
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What a miserable gripe this one is. It almost seems anti-youth in tone! Watch daytime TV, including Countdown and The Weakest Link, all the TV advertisements seem to be geared to the older generation - step-in baths, denture fixent, whole life insurance policies, etc etc. What more do you want? Stop being so miserable and get yourself to Spain!
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