• by Matt Thornhill , June 28, 2010

A few years ago, the PBS documentary, "Boomer Century," produced by and featuring Age Wave author Ken Dychtwald, identified four traits found in Boomers: idealism, anti-authoritarianism, eagerness to embrace change, and self-empowerment. We think that's as good a list we've seen, although the underlying question fueling those traits in Boomers is, "What's in it for me?"

Boomers may have formed this underlying "self" focus as a defensive mechanism to deal with their sheer numbers. Rare is the Boomer who was an only child, given that some 90% of the women who could have children had, according to the U.S. Census, an average of 4.0 across the 19-year (inclusive) span of the cohort. From the early days of vying for attention among siblings, Boomer children had to identify, develop, and articulate their individuality.

The reality was that even if you were "one in a million," there were 78 more Boomers exactly like you. As a result, the desire to be unique and noticed has driven Boomers to be "self" centered throughout their lives.

Marketers should understand this, especially since today's older Boomer Consumer is more motivated by internal, inwardly focused values than by the social, or outwardly focused values of youth.

A commercial from a few years ago, from a financial services giant, tells the story of a 60-something man who owns an exotic car repair shop. He is talking with a younger fellow who says, "So you're finally selling the place."

The man replies, "Yes, I just finally had to pursue my dream before I get too old to enjoy it." They talk further about the "new guy" buying the shop and that he'll do a good job.

The scene changes and the "new guy" pulls up and gets out of this car. He, too, is 60-something years old. The younger fellow says to him, "So, you bought this place?" The "new guy" says, "Yes, I figured I had to pursue my dream before I got too old to enjoy it."

That company was showing older Boomers that it understood everyone has their own dream -- dreams are as different as snowflakes.

Even marketers selling mass market products and services need to frame their message in the context of addressing that underlying Boomer question: What's in it for me?

When we work with marketers, we advise them to be careful with the language they use to describe their product or service. Even if almost every single person in American already consumes and loves your product or service, don't tell that to Boomers in hopes of getting them to try or buy. Their response when they hear "everybody" in any marketing message is to think, "I'm not everybody. I'm me."

Instead, a better approach is to talk about the types of people who try or buy your product or service. Describe the buyer, or tell a story about them that shares who they are, their attitudes and values, their interests and life styles, or their life stage. Paint a picture of the consumer for your product or service so Boomers can decide on their own if you've described something they can relate to. If Boomers feel that they are indeed like the consumer you've depicted, then they will become interested in your product or service.

Boomers also want to answer "What's in it for me?" by determining for themselves the benefits of your product or service. If you tell them what the benefit is, it should be talked about in such a way that they can modify and personalize it -- like the financial services giant, helping people pursue their dreams.