Not Getting Older, Just More Scrutinized

Here's a bland, generic piece in the New York Times about marketing/advertising to Baby Boomers.

Except for one excellent insight:

They have no use for nostalgia, yet they relate wonderfully to the icons of their past. Marketers say, for example, that Aleve hit a home run when it showed Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock of Star Trek, having trouble making the "Live Long and Prosper" sign with arthritic hands. Why? "It wasn't a trip down nostalgia lane," Mr. (Matt) Thornhill said. "It was using a boomer icon talking about a present and future problem."

Blogging is on hold for awhile. I'm off to a private consulting/speaking assignment in Delaware, a guest talking-head gig for a History Channel special about Baby Boomers, and a speaking slot at the Beyond The Boomers Conference in Chicago on October 20th.

It's probably too late to make plans if you're not in the Chicago area - but if you are, think about attending. There are a few tickets left. Matt Thornhill (quoted above) will be speaking - along with Mike Irwin of Focalyst, Christine Crosby of Grand Magazine, and others. And there will be an surprise appearance by a top international 50+ marketing/advertising executive. He's a paid attendee (coming all the way from England) and not officially on the program, so I can't mention his name - but I'm giving him ten minutes of my speaking time, and he'll probably be on the day-end panel.

Back in a few weeks...