Member Article

Half of UK Baby Boomers prepared to try a brand they haven’t tried before if it is on promotion, new research finds.

Half of UK Baby Boomers are prepared to try a brand they haven’t tried before if it is on promotion; over a third if it has been recommended by family or friends, and nearly a quarter if they have seen independent reviews online, according to new research from consumer insight agency Engage Research.

Of those surveyed 54% said that they would try a brand “if it looks really interesting”; 50% if the product was on promotion; 42% if they felt that the product looked like it really worked; 37% if the brand or product was recommended by family or friends; 34% if they trusted the brand, and 23% would try it if they had seen independent reviews online.

The findings of the research also suggested that brands able to tap into this demographic’s health, fitness and technology-related desires could achieve success with Baby Boomers. The survey found that although two thirds are worried about their health as they get older and half actually fear growing old the research found that half of Baby Boomers under 60 and two-thirds of those over 60 say they feel younger. The survey picked up a direct correlation between health and happiness: 78% said that they were happy with life; 56% said they were in either good or excellent health. 45%, though, said that they sometimes feel they are being left behind by technology.

When it comes to technology, however, 78% have a smartphone and for 57% of these it is an important part of their life. Over two thirds use social media and a third say it is an important part of their life (half strongly relate to using social media to keep in touch with friends and family).

“The message to brands is to consider how their products and communications are currently aligned with the Baby Boomer demographic, and whether this demographic could be targeted with specific products to meet their needs around supporting their health, fitness or technology,” explains Lyndsay Peck, Director, Engage Research.

“Boomers are a diverse group, just like the rest of the population, but many with disposable income. Many aren’t over the hill they are on top of it, ready to try new products and experiences and brands could do a lot worse than target them.”

Priorities before reaching the age of 71 included improving health, eating out more, doing more gardening, travelling, using technology and seeing family.

• 58% want to improve their health or get fitter • 45% want to eat out more often (59% love trying new foods or cooking styles) • 67% currently regularly garden – 42% want to do more gardening. • 32% want to travel more, either in the UK or in Europe; 23% want to travel outside of Europe • 26% want to improve their tech skills

Lyndsay Peck, Director, Engage Research:

“This is the demographic that has witnessed perhaps more change in their lifetime than any other. There have been major improvements to their healthcare; they have benefited from a sharp rise in property prices; have experienced changes in traditional household and family structures; have powered the growth of consumerism, and have witnessed enormous technological advances from no computers to Internet, mobile phones and social media. The message we received is that they are used to this change and ready to embrace more.”

Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and are now in their 50s, 60s and early 70s. They reached maturity in the 1960s and are referred to as ‘baby boomers’ because during this period of time, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of birth rate (post war).

Ends.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Adam Gilbert .