This book gives insight as to the impact and attitude differences that marketers need to consider. There are also some excellent examples of how some organisations have got it right including those operating in the area of new media."
Christine Cryne, Executive Director, The Chartered Institute of Marketing
Chapter 3 : Myths and marketing myopia
All the research and market data proves that the over-50s are rapidly increasing in importance. With such compelling evidence you would expect the marketing world would be frantically devising new strategies to target the older consumer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Ranged against the data that proves the need to question marketing's fixation with 18-35 year old age group is an array of arguments, hunches and myths to justify maintaining the status quo. Some of the arguments are plainly silly. But some are rooted in a homely, "common sense" logic that makes them sound, at least on first hearing, believable.
A few of the arguments are valid for specific combinations of countries, products and markets. Unfortunately, many of them have assumed the mantle of "universal truths", even though they possess little supporting evidence.
This chapter discusses these arguments and assesses their value in justifying marketing's pro-youth anti-oldies bias.
