Why Brands Need To Respect The New Super Consumer
Kate Christie (lead image) is a time management expert and best selling author. Her most recent book is targeted at 50’ish women wanting to live an audacious life by design – The Life List: Master Every Moment and Live an Audacious Life. In this guest post, Christie says brands who continue to ignore 50-plus women do so at their peril…
Brands, take notice. There is a new player in town and she has the cash, discernment, network, sass and a brewing sense of discontentment to either make or break you. It’s time to rethink your marketing budget and broaden your horizons away from endlessly pursuing Millennials and Gen Z – it’s time to crack a new, highly under serviced, incredibly lucrative market.
Meet the ‘mid-life Super Consumer’: 50+ woman who are finally stepping into the spotlight and challenging the invisibility myth once and for all.
Before you laugh and scoff and return to your oat latte while scrolling Tik Tok – read on and learn. Because here’s the thing – you simply don’t understand us, you don’t appear to want to understand us, and you are only spending between five to 10 per cent of your marketing budget on us.
More fool you.
Because, if you did get us – if you were attentive, thoughtful, engaged, fun and could genuinely ‘see’ us as opposed to ignoring us (or worse, patronising us) – then trust me, you would be richly rewarded. Rewarded to the tune of $15-20 trillion, because that’s our estimated global purchasing power.
So, who exactly are we? Listen up – We despise the term ‘mid-life’. Being ‘our age’ today is very different to when our mothers were ‘our age’ and worlds away from when our grandmothers were ‘our age’. We are not old. We are not invisible. We are fit, youthful, energetic, sexy, sensual, confident, comfortable in our skin, thriving professionally, successful, full of life and champing at the bit to live life in a big and beautiful and spectacular way.
We are the most healthy and active generation of 50+ women – ever. And yet, can you name one fitness fashion brand that uses images of us? Nope – their focus is on the young, leggy, taut and very, very trim, and less on the woman seeking an elastic waste that won’t dig into her old cesarean scar.
We are highly educated. And yet, we can all name brands that love to mansplain…
Our average life expectancy is 83.20 years – so if you get us right you have 33 more years of us wanting to engage with your brand.
We are adventurous, curious and empowered. And yet, a recent study – ‘The Influence and Affluence of Solo Women 50+ in Travel’ – found that 70 per cent of women felt the travel industry doesn’t understand our needs. Oh, you fools – this year I am spending seven weeks in Bali, one of my girlfriends has just booked a month in Spain and another, three months in Italy. Are you listening yet?
We have money. Forbes cites data showing that we are the largest demographic group with incomes over $100,000 pa. We control 95 per cent of household purchasing decisions and 80 per ent of luxury travel purchases. More than 30 per ent of us are happy to upgrade to a new car even if our current one works ‘well enough’. Ford gets us – having recently launched a terrific car advert for International Woman’s Day for a ‘Men’s Only Car’ – google it car brands and learn how to appeal to us.
We are loyal (if we love you, we really love you) and yet, we will vote with our feet if you annoy us – 82 per cent of us are very willing to try new brands and 64 per cent of us will drop you like a hot potato if we think you are ignoring us.
And guess which brands we will turn to? The ones that market to us – it’s not rocket science for gods sakes.
Today’s 50’ish woman is tenacious, courageous and fearless. She is brimming with wisdom and experience and knowledge. She is self-reliant and self-assured and somewhere along the journey her confidence and her common sense and her prudence and self-knowledge have allowed her to discard that part of her ego that used to care what other people think of her. She is bold. She is willing to experiment. She is curious. She wants you to see her – to really see her.
And I promise you this – if you understand her and appeal to her, she will be the making of you.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Kate Christie The Life List: Master Every Moment and Live an Audacious LifeLatest News
Spotlight On Sponsors: PGA Championship Becomes First Men’s Major To Sign Sports Betting Partner
The PGA of America has signed a landmark deal with ESPN Bet, becomming the first men’s golf major to sign a sports betting partnership. Meanwhile, St Kilda has locked down its defence in a new deal with NordVPN. Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside […]
Mackenzie Arnold & Tony Gustavsson To Take Part In Inspiring Conversation At Vivid Sydney
CommBank Matildas’ Mackenzie Arnold and head coach Tony Gustavsson will join this year’s Vivid Sydney taking part in an inspiring Vivid Ideas conversation at Sydney Town Hall on Monday, 10 June. Champions of Change: Mackenzie Arnold and Tony Gustavsson will explore the dynamic between coach and athlete, offering an in-depth look at the pressures and […]
Smart Speakers Stung By Ad Fraud Costing Brands $1M Per Month, Says DoubleVerify
Be wary of a Nigerian sounding bloke that claims he is Kochie and pimping crypto on a smart speaker near you.
Contiki Challenges Influencers To ‘Switch On Social Travel’ In New Campaign Via We Are Social
Contiki wants influencers to give up irritating selfies on holiday by funding them to create irritating selfies. Genius.
“We Are In Our Epic Era”: Natalie Harvey On The Big Changes Coming As Mamamia Celebrates 10 Years Of Podcasting
Natalie Harvey has taken on the Mamamia CEO's chair that B&T hopes sports a mashed pumpkin vomit stain.
TV Ratings (08/05/2024) : Team USA Become First Female Team To Win LEGO Masters Australia
It's not been a great day for Australia - out early in Eurovision, crushed by the Yanks in Lego Masters.
GroupM Hires Former Amazon Ads Global Head Of Services
GroupM poaches Amazon's Mark Lomas to lead its retail media business. Says he has no opinion on Jeff Bezos' new yacht.
It’s All About The Indies! Introducing The Best Of The Best Indie Executive Creative Leaders 🎉
Indie agencies are thriving & it's mostly thanks to these industry leaders. And their delegating to the lackeys.
Introducing BrandComms.AI, Forethought Revolutionises How Brands Do Effective Creative
Marketing & strategy agency Forethought unveils new AI offering. Yet can't explain the plot to any of the Matrix films.
Independent Media Agencies Of Australia (IMAA) Announces Record 44 New Group Deals For 2024
The Independent Media Agencies rolls out even more support for its members. Alas, no signs of any discounted arancini.
After Google Search Spike, Reddit Shares Jump 14% In First Quarterly Results Since IPO
It looks like being a top time to be investing in the tech space. Defence industries & missile makers also doing well.
Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special
Yoghurt's a lot like online dating, red wine & running marathons - you think it's good for you, but it probably isn't.
Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis
Latest study finds the ABs are returning to offices & reveals how brands can cash in. Just not the work from home brands.
Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment
Think Mariah's only good for annoying the shit out of colleagues at Christmas? Think again with this new Audible work.
AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements
Work with influencers? This webinar's a must. And, thankfully, sporting immaculately white teeth isn't a prerequisite.
TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years
As much as B&T wanted to use "chucks it in" in this headline, we didn't want the Chinese government coming after us.
News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024
News' D_Coded event returns for 2024. And that can't be said about Alan Jones, the Masked Singer or plant-based meat.
Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead
Maura Halpin brings impressive resume to her new role at Ideally. Although her bronze in Year 12 swimming has vanished.
Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin
Want to help disadvantaged youth all while drunkenly phoning an ex at 3am? Have we found the gin for you!
TV Ratings (06/05/2024): Emotional Lego Masters Goodbye Does The Numbers For Nine
And we thought Lego could only make you cry when you accidentally stood on a piece.
Lisa Wilkinson AM To Join Cannes In Cairns As Keynote Speaker
Multi-Award Winning Journalist and TV Host Lisa Wilkinson AM to speak at Cannes in Cains, sponsored by Pinterest.
Mamamia Names Natalie Harvey As New CEO
Mamamia has today announces the appointment of Natalie Harvey as Chief Executive Officer.
‘The Media Has A Way To Go On Diversity’ – Diversity Council Leader Lisa Annese On Industry Diversity And Why Sunita Gloster Is An Important Addition To Their Board
Few are more qualified than a Gruen regular to knock adland and the media into shape on diversity.
Mike Shows Up At A Wake And Still Hasn’t Seen That Show, In Latest Instalment Of ‘I Saw It On Binge’, Via Thinkerbell
Why is it we pay for 19 SVOD accounts namely due to FOMO but then rarely bother to watch the shows anyway?
Flexiroam Partners With Specialist Agencies To Launch “Ready For Anything” Global Campaign
Do you return from overseas with Bali belly, a possible STI & a huge phone bill? FlexiRoam may help with the last one.
Samsung Unveils Power Of AI To ‘Upscale Every Moment’ With Neo QLED 8K
Got mates who brag about their 83-inch, 10K resolution, OLED screen TV? You're just as bored & baffled as all of us.
Media-Wize Wins AUSCERT PR Account
Media-Wize calls itself "a media training and technology and cyber security PR agency". Think nerds with better hair.
Snapchat Taps Gelato Messina In New Brand Campaign
B&T needs little tempting to scoff more Gelato Messina. Apart from having to go up a size.
Travel Insurer Trippi Draws Ire From The Brazilian Embassy Over Cheeky Brazilian Ad
There's a very fine line between "playful" and "utterly offensive". These ads are almost a dictionary definition of it.
Racing NSW Hits Tabcorp With Legal Action Over $6 Million Revenue Loss
Here's some horse racing news that thankfully doesn't require a silly hat or passing out in a nearby rose bush.
AI Tools Such As ChatGPT Leading To ‘Content Overwhelm’ Among Marketers
Study says tech leading to an avalanche of content for marketers. Not to mention having to read the instruction manuals.
Stake Appoints 72andSunny As It’s Creative Partner
72andSunny nabs Stake's creative. And by that we mean the investment platform, not the nemesis of all vampires.
61% Of Aussies Want Corporate Australia To Stay Away From Social & Political Issues Leo Burnett Study Finds
Do you love a study that appears to fly in the face of every study before it? Be mesmerised by these results from Leos.
Brendon Cook, OAM, Inducted into the OMA Hall of Fame
Other than Australia's typically pleasant weather, no one's done more for outdoor than the former oOH! boss.
New Campaign Highlighting Renewable Gas As A Crucial Component Of Energy Transition
It's hard not to make a renewable gas ad sound like a tedious Year 9 science lesson. So well done to the agency here.
Love Media Welcomes Alana Dowling As New Client Director
Seasoned media pro Alana Dowling joins the Love Media team. Clearly replacing someone who didn't love it