The Invisible Woman

We in the Western world have a bad case of youth myopia. Because marketing as a discipline came of age about the same time the Baby Boomers did, a lot of our marketing thinking is rooted in how to market to young people. As an extension, we market to people as though they wish to be young. Any woman above 50 is invisible to most marketers (Or worse. Some marketers insist on addressing these women as "mature").

Evidence shows that Americans are getting over their youth obsession, though. The Boomers have grown up. According to the results of a new Adweek Media/Harris poll, "Given the choice, most Americans would rather be richer and thinner than smarter and younger."

But as marketers, we've let ourselves fall behind this trend. Stuck in the stereotypes of a bygone day, we're letting our outdated language and imagery get in the way of our biggest opportunity - the Prime Time Woman.

Comments (1)add
written by Rick Henkin , September 01, 2010
Here, here. I'm in my late 50's and I relish my age, wisdom gleaned over the years, and decades long friendships. My only disagreement with the AdWeek poll is the "smarter/younger," notion as if somehow after a certain age were not smart anymore. I'm much wiser now than I was in my 20's and 30's.

Marketers better get hip to the fact that the boomer group controls the purse strings in this country, not the 18-34 yr. old demographic.
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