Why brands and jewelers should focus a lot more on the Golden Age

31 March 2014 | Esther Ligthart | Marketing, Business & Industry

As I walked down the aisles of the last trade fair here in Utrecht it just struck me once again how much focus there is on young and fashion. It’s this combination that is the key to marketing for almost any brand I witnessed there. But are we right to focus on youth?

no words needed, the above 55 are much more active then ever before

Baby Boomers and the over 55

There is a huge amount of people that are over 55 today. We have the baby boomers now retiring and they are nothing like the elderly people of the generation of their parents. These baby boomers have now in many cases no longer mortgages. They have made their careers and they often have some savings and their pensions.

Too much focus on youth?

They certainly are not the generation that expects others to arrange everything for them, but rather take matters in their own hands. They are embracing social media.In some countries they might have embraced the elderly customers maybe better than here. But what I see here in the Netherlands is a rapid change of jewelry stores showing ever more marketing products like the brands we have grown accustomed to in a short amount of years really; Ti sento, Zinzi, Guess, Buddha to Buddha, Pandora, Trollbeads the list is endless.

When you were over 40 your career as an actress used to be over, but nowadays there are more and more actresses above 40 still going strong. And they are still incredibily sexy

Cameron Diaz is right

They show jewelry which has all been mass produced in the Far East mostly. With campaigns that are specifically for a young and hip public. But are they really the most interesting clients? Maybe not half as much as the older or better: golden generation. There is a shift of thinking around the corner: life isn’t all about being young. We have put such a focus on how to avoid looking older. Being older is anything but sexy for most. And this is going to change. (did you see the campaign of Cameron Diaz? And how she is protesting against the word so much used in cosmetics? Anti-aging? She has a point!)

60 is the new 40?

People that are now retiring are very much alive and active. They travel, they share experiences online, and they care about their looks and are certainly not buying granny dresses. These are the people that have the time and the money to spend on for example jewelry. And they want fun and quality.

Search for stories!

So what is my suggestion?

If you are a jeweler and have only trendy and young jewelry, then focus well on that generation and respond to their way of engaging with your shop and your brands. But if you really want to make a leap then start thinking of what is important to people over 40, 50 and 60 and 70. What is appealing to them? They might want to buy something for their kids or grandchildren too in your shop so you should always have something light and fun like the brands mentioned earlier. But dare to find new brands. Brands that have a story, that are made by artisans. Search for jewelry to build a story around. Present something appealing to this interesting group.

Go and check out companies that do not focus on age or fashion but on quality, story and that ideally market to a much wider age group with their marketing efforts.

Embrace the golden age

I would embrace a company that clearly focusses on the golden age group. With designs that meet the interest and desire of that group. Now there is a challenge. But if you know how to do this one right, you might hit the jackpot.

A very sexy group indeed

My mind is filling itself with more and more ideas about this as I watched a documentary about a group of young entrepreneurs focusing on the golden age group. And how companies like Heineken for example are beginning to understand that this is very interesting and may I say: a very sexy group.

So…..who is ready to make a leap?

And what to think about this bunch of male singers. Still all of them are performing today and they haven't lost their sex appeal. Mind you; these guys are all 70+ !