Mature Market Experts

Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - How to Be Sure Your Web Page Has Enough Color Contrast for Greatest Legibility.  The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which sets technical standards for the web, has come up with a formula to check that your site has enough contrast between the foreground and background colors, or when viewed in a black and white mode, to ensure legibility - critical when marketing to boomers, seniors, and the mature market.

Several programming companies have taken this a step further and created a formula to automatically adjust foreground colors to pop against background color as it is chosen by the program user. To learn more about this click here.

From the W3C website: “Two colors provide good color visibility if the brightness difference and the color difference between the two colors are greater than a set range.

Color brightness is determined by the following formula:
((Red value X 299) + (Green value X 587) + (Blue value X 114)) / 1000

Color difference is determined by the following formula:
(max (Red 1, Red 2) - min (Red 1, Red 2)) + (max (Green 1, Green 2) - min (Green 1, Green 2)) + (max (Blue 1, Blue 2) - min (Blue 1, Blue 2))”

There are some fascinating entries here, including evaluating legibility with color blindness (according to W3C  one in twenty people have some form of color vision deficiency), low vision and other disabilities - perfect for those marketing to baby boomers, seniors and the mature market. To see the complete list of web accessibility evaluation tools put out by the experts at W3C click here.

Technical stuff, I know, but making sure your designers (both print and web) have an empathy towards the mature market’s vision issues can make all the difference. For a less technical discussion on understanding vision and contrast, here’s a video of me discussing the issue with the marketing group from T. Rowe Price.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Are Online Video Viewership Claims Realistic? The October 28th issue of Advertising Age raises some very interesting questions for marketeers to consider before purchasing online ad space. By asking some very pointed questions, author Jim Louderback (the CEO of internet video network Revision3) analyzes the validity of self reported viewings. Sites can claim a viewing even if it was watched for only a second, if a viewer has technical difficulties and repeatedly clicks on play, or even more egregiously, if the video starts automatically when entering a website. Would Nielson TV ratings include channel surfing for less than a second as a viewing? Advertisers wouldn’t stand for it, but they are being duped into just that by allowing the current self reporting to continue to mislead them (wittingly or not). Louderback suggests you ask the following questions when analyzing a site:

“How about multiple views from the same user?”

“How many views do you get for each episode?”

“Is viewership growing, shrinking or steady?”

“How do you count unique viewers?”

“Where do the views come from?”

“Do you pay for any views, or are they all organic?”

How important is this for the mature market anyway?

Keep in mind, that according to Pew that although internet viewing is not the norm among seniors, the 50+ segment of online video viewers continues to grow. In fact, among users ages 50-64, viewership is up 34% from just last year with 41% of this age group now saying they watch video on sites such as YouTube. In 2009, 27% of seniors 65+ now watch videos online, as compared to just 19% last year.

To read more click here.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats on boomers, seniors, and the mature market that you can use: Woohoo — Internet usage is up. Those of us who are technology enthusiasts get all excited with this sort of data (from Pew Research, January, 2009): “The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 can be seen in the 70-75 year-old age group. While just over one-fourth (26%) of 70-75 year olds were online in 2005, 45% of that age group is currently online.” And 24% of those age 75-84 are online. And of course, there’s my favorite broadband statistic about broadband access among 65+ rising from 19% in 2008 to 30% in 2009.

Even centenarians read e-mail and web surfing keeps the aging brain active. The Evercare survey of 100 healthy hundred-year-olds could really look like a trend to technology optimists like me. You may remember that 19 percent of responders use cell phones and 7% were using e-mail. And of course we know (studies show this through age 76) that surfing the web is good for the aging brain. But let’s not confuse technology optimism with reality. Questions in my mind remain about the oldest among us:

1. Who is the customer? I visited a Selfhelp independent living complex in Queens today, where I had a pleasant chat with a 90-year-old woman who still walks 6 blocks to the library for a concert, plays Mahjong with her friends daily and does her own shopping. She had QuietCare motion sensors throughout her apartment. I tried to interest her in the concept of a cell phone since her friends have them — no need, she said. Her dial wall telephone kept her nicely in touch with her adult children — when she is in. What about a computer?  She smiled very graciously and told me that she took the training and can’t see the point. Online Mahjong? Order her groceries? E-mail with her kids? No thanks, she smiled. [Note: And Selfhelp has the wonderful benefit of a full-time tech administrator]. 
2. What is the profile of those most served? On the other hand, home bound seniors — those who are visited by care or case managers, who don’t get out of their apartments to the library or anywhere else — seem like obvious candidates to use technology. But could you push a Quiet Care (or WellAWARE or  Healthsense or GrandCare) system into the home of the most stubbornly independent? Who will pay for a home bound 90-year-old’s system? How will they find out about such a risk-avoiding technology? And as in this example, if they are healthy and active, is it necessary? Reassuring? Superfluous?
3. What is the compelling argument about cost of computing? Let’s assume that you could persuade a) the very independent that they would enjoy a computer, that you could encourage the b) frail and home bound (or their families) that an enormous social benefit could be realized with a computer or c) that hospitalization could be avoided with home monitoring, as studies have shown.  Who buys the computer? Who pays the bill for tech support?  Who provides the tech support arrangement or covers the ongoing service fee? Perhaps grants and state funds can help — as in the case of Selfhelp in New York and NewCourtland in Philadelphia. 
4. Are adult children the right customers for home monitoring? I was reminded of this when a friend told me about his still-sharp 94-year-old father and 89-year-old mother who has mild memory impairment — both of whom separately suffered bad falls in their house — neither were discovered right away. She wasn’t noticed by her husband who had the TV at high volume and can’t hear well. And on another day, he fell backwards off his chair and couldn’t get up until someone looked in on him.  Meanwhile, the adult children are trying very hard not to interfere with their parents’ ‘independence’ and denial, recognizing a crisis is looming.

For the oldest, the profile of receptiveness and access appears narrow. So I wonder. Today, if you have technology advocacy in senior housing AND social work AND seniors are receptive AND family members are aware and interested AND a payer can be found, then 85-and-older individuals may encounter the risk avoidance of home monitoring systems. Similarly, access to a computer and the internet is constrained by awareness, financial capability, availability of tech support, and, not least, adequate training. 

Solutions — more needed. Here are a few thoughts. I would like to see large corporate users of PCs examine their technology refresh cycles (typically 3 years) and donate their computers to senior centers. I would like to see volunteer networks of tech-smart individuals (including retirees) formed into well-organized clusters around neighborhood senior housing, homecare organizations and senior centers. AARP could be that organizing entity, although its center of age gravity appears headed downward.

I would like to see computer vendors like HP, Microsoft, Dell, IBM, follow the example of Verizon and HopeLine (for victims of domestic violence): donate technology to senior centers, but go one step further — and donate train-the-trainer time and fund videos of training that can be circulated. Pay for public service advertising that could get the attention of adult children. Remember that 1 out of 2 baby boomers has at least one living parent. The odds are good that this parent may be one of the 5.3 million age 85 or older, the fastest growing age segment.

Filed under: Laurie Orlov, Technology, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Selling to seniors? Why hire a marketing company instead of an amafessional? Amafessionals, amateurs empowered by the computer and internet to reach sometimes professional looking quality, are quickly escalating in number. Though profit motivates many, others do it purely for enjoyment. The Wall Street Journal reports that thanks to technology, this up and coming group is encroaching on many fields that were formerly the exclusive domain of the professional, such as musical performers, writers, critics, and yes, advertising. 

What differentiates the professional marketer from the hobbyist who has learned how to utilize advanced graphic programs with seemingly competitive results? Are these efforts achieving your marketing goals? Your marketing or advertising agency must provide knowledge based on understanding the key concepts of human behavior; a strong, diversified team of marketing professionals with experience in what works; design professionals that understand what attracts the human eye and visually conveys your message. Even better, find the niche advertising agency that excels at reaching your target market. The amafessional is learning as they play. Can you afford to be their guinea pig? To read more on the topic click here.
Related stories:

The Secret to Selling to the Mature Market

The Best Type Font to Use on a Website Targeting Seniors

At TR Mann Consulting, we specialize in marketing to boomers, seniors, and the mature market. For us, it’s not about about winning awards for a pretty page or website layout, its about focusing on winning customers. For more on communicating with the mature market and understanding seniors click here.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Here comes “Nana Technology.” Andrew Carle, assistant professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, uses the term, nana technology (as opposed to nanotechnology), to describe the technology being developed to assist baby boomers as they age. We’ve all heard of life line pendants, that can send an alert when an elderly or disabled person needs assistance. Carle and Russell Bodoff of the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) relate how future technology will offer many other forms of help to seniors. Several companies are creating intelligent phones that could help those with memory loss by showing a picture of the caller, their relationship to them, and notes on their last conversation. Smart walking aids will be able to avoid obstacles, come when summoned and perhaps even detect irregularities in gait (that may predict a fall), along with a locator beeper so the device can be found if misplaced. In as soon as two to three years, robotic “nurses” may be available to help lift a patient. Shoes that aid balance, trackers for Alzheimer’s patients, smart pill dispensers and medicine cabinets are all in development. To read more in an  click here.

It will be interesting to see how these products are marketed.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Erickson Retirement Communities Bankruptcy - I’ve been trying to make sense of Erickson Retirement Communities’ recent declaration of bankruptcy and their possible sale to Redwood Capital Investments LLC. Hard to do, considering I grew up around the place (I was 26 when I joined the company and didn’t leave until I was 41). In 2007, my last year at Erickson, the housing market was slowing but absorption was still strong. During that healthy span of time, I saw and took part in some amazing things. Good things, things that changed how people age.

My parents moved into an Erickson community which I still consider a true blessing. My Mom eventually developed Alzheimer’s and lung cancer and passed away. I don’t know how I would have managed to get through that difficult period without the support of my parents primary Charlestown physician, Dr. Myla Carpenter; Dr. Gary Applebaum (the “father” of Erickson Health); and the rest of the Charlestown team. I feel fortunate that my Dad still makes Charlestown his home.

So, my personal experience with Erickson has been extremely positive. Professionally, I consider myself lucky to have stumbled upon such an incredible education at such a young age. When I was there, I saw the company go from one tiny retirement community to a national company with over one billion dollars of annual revenue.

Two years ago, when I was starting TR Mann Consulting, many of my new clients were just beginning to feel the pain of the housing market slowing down. It was a good time to be selling marketing and advertising expertise. I watched from the sidelines as Erickson’s problems began to multiply and I worried for my friends. I consider myself very lucky to not have been around Erickson for the most painful period. That being said, many of my close personal friends are still there. I consider them warriors fighting the good fight for an important company and a very important industry. I am hopeful that with a fresh influx of cash the company will be able to turn itself around. In my humble opinion, they still offer a superior product and a superior team.  I can tell you this much, if I was the buyer, I know which assets I would want and which ones I won’t touch.

So what happened? Simply put, I think the company grew too fast, intoxicated by the times and blinded by their success. They were not alone. As one of the members of the senior executive team, I was one of the revelers at the bar: together with our nation, we got drunk.

Now, once again, I count myself among the lucky. I have a thriving business built upon my total experiences, both good and bad. And damn, what a roller coaster ride it was. My team and I are able to take the lessons we’ve learned from those experiences and share them with our clients. And for this, I will be forever grateful to my friends and former colleagues at Erickson.

So, here’s my prediction. Many bad things will be said about the retirement community industry in the wake of the Erickson Retirement Communities bankruptcy. As someone who has experienced the “continuing care retirement community” experience from both sides of the fence (as an employee of Erickson and as a son of residents) my very inner core says this is an experiment worth pushing forward.

Yes, one day technology may eliminate the need for “senior housing,” but for now, they’re the best solution we have. In fact, technology will never be able to replace the most important asset these communities offer … human interaction.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - ‘Personal Mobility’ Devices Target Baby Boomers. Honda recently introduced its prototype of the U3-X, a “personal mobility” device similar to the Segway, adding another prospective competitor in this emerging market, which anticipates the needs of the growing elderly population. The U3-X is much smaller and dexterous than the Segway, but may be trickier to ride, at least in its current incarnation. Riders sit on a unicycle-like device and need to balance themselves. It moves at 3.7 miles per hour, far slower than the Segway’s 12 mph. There is also a third product in development, Toyota Motor Corporation’s Winglet, which is similar to the Segway in that it is meant to be stood upon. But it only moves at 3 mph. The Winglet comes in three sizes, with variable handle bar heights. Currently Segway is the fastest and most stable device, and has the largest range, but is also the heaviest and largest of the three. The Winglet and U3-X are much smaller and lighter, but have less range and require more operator coordination. The U3-X can move sideways. All three have rechargeable batteries and move intuitively, responding to the rider’s body movement. To learn more about this innovative technology click on the following links:

U3-X

Winglet

Segway

All three should seriously consider retirement communities as their ideal marketing grounds where flat, controlled terrian make these practical tools for residents.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Taking the marketing blinders off. What happens when you are too close to your product? You may start making assumptions about how your product or service is perceived, who is buying it, etc., which inevitably leads to poor marketing strategies. As a professional marketer, how do you avoid this blind spot? I recommend getting back to basics and asking your marketing team these questions: “Who buys the product? Who is the real decision maker? Is it the husband, wife or kid? What’s their age? What basic need on the Maslow’s Pyramid does your product or service fullfill? And does your marketing (advertising and packaging) address these key questions?” We can easily become so familiar with a brand, especially if we work in-house, that we assume consumers identify with it. Much like a horse with blinders on whose narrow line of vision becomes simply what is in front of him, in-house marketers are especially vulnerable to thinking the consumer knows about their product in detail (it’s natural, as someone who ran a large in-house advertising agency for 15 years, I’ve understand how it happens). Is there someone in charge of brand management in your company whose job is to check that each project maintains and enhances the brand? Do you occasionally invite someone in from the outside to give you a fresh perspective? (Note to in-house agency heads, this process is much more helpful and less stressful if you are the person who initiates this process … rather than having it pushed upon you.) With the new year rapidly upon us … and with the “new” economy, now might be a good time to refresh and recharge your marketing efforts.

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WANTED:  RECENT COLLEGE GRAD AND SKILLED WRITER FOR RAPIDLY-GROWING UPSTART AD AGENCY.  MISERABLE HOURS, LOW PAY, DEMANDING BOSS, EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY. YOU WILL DO IT ALL … PRINT, INTERNET, TV, DIRECT MAIL, CLIENT CHARMING, ETC.  OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A IMPRESSIVE RESUME AND PORTFOLIO. MEEK OF HEART NEED NOT APPLY. MUST BE IN THE BALTIMORE/ELLICOTT CITY AREA. SEND RESUMES TO TOM@TRMANN.COM.

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Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors and the mature market - Wet or dry? And the vision thing for seniors . . . A good friend of mine has age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which means, in layman’s terms, he is slowly going blind (side note: did you know that there are two types of macular degeneration? Wet and dry). Luckily for him, he lives at a continuing care retirement community, so his life is very manageable. So far, he hasn’t let this obstacle slow him down. But every time I visit him, I am reminded of the importance of vision and just how frequently mainstream society forgets the importance of making their advertisements, appliance dials, etc. readable for aging eyes.

Even for people without this horrible disease, the vision thing becomes a challenge. Older people’s eyes have smaller pupils which mean that less light is entering into their eyes than a younger person’s. This lack of light makes determining colors very difficult. And for scientific reasons far too complicated for me to explain, your eyes become less sensitive to additive light (i.e., lamps and overhead lights). Plus, the lens of the eye tends to accumulate yellowish deposits with age. All of which means, blues and purples appear dull or even gray to seniors.

If you’re having a hard time discriminating between colors, then you’re going to have trouble distinguishing boundaries for colors that are close together. I have often argued with our team’s graphic designers to avoid collages because I can’t see/differentiate where one photo/image begins and the other one ends. Thus, making it hard for me to comprehend what I am looking for. What I ask for is high contrast between objects — black text on a white background, for instance. Most times, increasing the text size will greatly improve contrast and readability. I know most of you are thinking, “No duh!” This is obvious to you and me . . . not so obvious to a 20-something working at the typical ad agency.

Next up is decreased acuity, meaning simply that as you age your eyes have decreased ability to detect fine details (i.e. small print). Add to this the difficulty glare adds for an older set of eyes and you begin to understand why more and more of your friends have stopped driving at night (here’s a video of me discussing vision and marketing at a meeting with T. Rowe Price marketing folks).

So what do you have trouble reading? Is there anything we could do on our website that would improve your reading enjoyment? Let me know.

PS      Good news for my friend: scientists are in hot pursuit of a treatment for macular degeneration.

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