Older is younger than we realize!

["Tim Davisson" <timdav@bright.net>]

> The older demos may have more money but TV is driven by a desire to 
> reach 18-49 year olds.   Indeed, folks age 45-54 tend to have higher 
> incomes.  However by the time consumers get into their 50's and 60s their

> buying habits are perceived to be shaped for life.   (dad buying a buick 
> every two years!)  
> Younger consumers are thought to less brand loyal and advertisesrs have 
> more of a chance to get them to try their product or service.


The above is what I'd always believed also.

However, re: quite a few of the national ad agencies I speak 
with (I'm in radio ad sales) are beginning to see a change: that 35-64 is
becomming
a hot, new target demo for advertisers. We are beginning to see more demo
targets
of 35+, even 45-64 (older, working adults).  These are their words,
not mine.

Reasons given: baby boomers are not nearly as brand-loyal as
people age 40-64 were years ago. Add this to the huge bulge in
the population boomers are...and this is just beginning to shake
up the advertising world. Again, their words...not mine.


It's funny how the times have changed before our eyes: the
average oldies stations' core audience is 45-64. A classic rock
is 35-49; hot AC is 25-44 (probably 25-34 to be technical).

When I was still a jock, the CHR/top 40 demo of 12-24 or 12-34
was a real money-maker. Now, with the music tastes of that
age group split into about 4 different (maybe 5) formats....12-34
is more of a hassle to program to and not a big ad revenue
pay-off (audience is too fragmented, too small a % of the overall
population to be a popular ad target for MOST products).

TD

 

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