You know our beef by now.
People aged between 60-78 in the UK have the most cash, spend the most cash and are in full possession of their marbles, so why do advertisers make such little effort to appeal directly to them?
Can’t be bothered, making enough money as it is, don’t believe the facts.
What is it?
We spent 6 months having a nosey around the leisure travel market to see if they’ve been doing anything to change our opinion. The answer, in the main, is no.
Rather than bang on myself, I’m going to share some of the insights into effective advertising from those on the receiving end who we’ve spoken to about messaging that resonates or irritates them when considering leisure travel purchases.
Let’s start with tone.
Take these 2 opposing takes on cheese in the context of being referred to as a ‘mature consumer’. Made me laugh:
‘Old, vintage, like Cheddar’
‘Older probably 60 plus but I really don’t like it as a term. It sounds patronising and reminds me of cheese!’
Interesting musings when asked whether 'how they think, feel and act towards advertising has changed as they’ve got older':
‘I see all content as relevant 'advertising' if it's interesting, whereas I used to distinguish content from ads. I entertain the idea of curated/interesting experiences much more; I look at the small print and service offer. A lovely picture may capture my interest but it needs a bit more substance to trip me into purchase’.
Bit blunter.
‘Advertising has changed since I got older, I no longer find advertising, creative, entertaining or brave.’
And for some we’ve just blown it!
‘Just try to avoid it.’
Digital is, of course, on their radar. They invented it.
‘I definitely get sucked in by advertising especially on Facebook and Insta. It’s much easier to do everything at the touch of a button or two!’
‘Digital is convenient and after adequate info’ gathering is reasonably transparent. There is always the issue of data gathering by partners and the subsequent sea of advertising that follows. Face to face is more sociable and pleasant but it’s also sometimes a case of only being told the minimum that will secure your purchase rather than a more comprehensive explanation of the whole service/situation.’
Descriptive words used to describe their usage and expectation from digital platforms include:
‘Easy to use’, (personal) ‘service’, ‘clear’, ‘simple’, ‘inspiration’, ‘reliable’, ‘functionality’, ‘reviews’, ‘ideas’, ‘feel’, ‘range’, ‘helpful’, ‘photos’.
The top 3 rated booking platforms by a mile are:
1. Airbnb
2. Booking.com
3. Tripadvisor
Brand switching requires some intellectual graft and punchy creativity:
‘It would have to be that something new did something different. I am happy with things for a reason, and I am unlikely to change on a whim’.
‘Sense of respect from the brand - older consumers are powerful, discerning and do not want to be patronised (still fully capable thank you).’
And if you’re targeting a leisure traveller:
‘Not all advertisers have the time or patience to explain all aspects of travel to oldies. If they are targeting oldies they need to think like one.’
Plenty of opportunities to be found in sensitive targeting and timing though…
‘Following the death of two or three friends of ours that were the same age as us, I think we looked differently about how we spent our money. So rather than keeping money for a rainy day, we decided that we would spend the money on things that we like doing holidays and travelling.’
…and relevant product development:
‘I can think of times where we might reconsider going abroad in order to stay closer to healthcare.’
If it’s loyalty you're after from the leisure traveller, just focus on doing 3 things well:
VFM rather than discounts.
Personalised service.
Offer sustainable options throughout.
Final thought for the day?
‘Pretty much everyone treats me like a moron obsessed with his kids and wearing cardigans and suffering from ED and prostate problems. I also hate the idea of cruising (on ships, not for sex) and why the F+*K would I want to buy insurance for a funeral and what kind of a buffoon do you have to be to not see that a reverse mortgage is a legal scam. And you can throw in any comms where some old bastard tries to be empathic while talking to me through the screen.’
It is Friday!
So, if any of this makes you think that some innovative planning advice or old-fashioned ideas for perking up my peers to reach for their wallets and clutch purses would not go amiss for 2025, then see our shopping list here:
If you want to know more about what we are up to (currently investigating the appetite of the older consumer for personalised digital health and wellbeing products and services, talking to 2000 odd 60-78 year olds) or just fancy a beer and a chat, then please get in touch.
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