Despite perceptions of the Mature market as not being online, a new report from Focalyst, a Millward Brown specialty practice supported by AARP Services Inc., and Dynamic Logic, a Millward Brown company, finds that not only are there a large number of Matures online, but that they are responsive to Internet advertising.
According to the report, “Matures 62+ On the Internet: An Overlooked Audience,” over a third of the Mature population (aged 62+) are connected and collectively spend almost three-quarters of a billion minutes a day on the Internet. Additionally, Connected Matures are persuaded by advertising they see on Internet. MarketNorms® data from Dynamic Logic indicates that while younger consumers are more likely than Matures to notice Web advertising, when it comes to the bottom line — purchase intent — there is no difference across the age groups. Matures are just as likely to be motivated by an Internet ad as younger consumers in general, and among specific categories, such as pharmaceuticals, consumer packaged goods, entertainment and travel, the purchase intent is even higher.
Online Advertising Impact By Age
% of People Impacted
| Matures | Boomers | Gen X,Y,Z | |
| Aided Brand Awareness | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.1 |
| Brand Favorability | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
| Purchase Intent | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
* Source: Dynamic Logic’s MarketNorms® data from the last 3 years through Q3/2007, N=2,160 campaigns, n= 3,835,361 respondents
“Matures are the fastest growing population but perhaps the least understood, especially in terms of Internet use,” according to Ken Mallon, Vice President of Custom Solutions and Ad Effectiveness Consulting for Dynamic Logic.
“There may be fewer Matures online when compared to younger generations, but those that are online are paying attention and are being persuaded to buy,” according to Jack Lett, Executive Director of Focalyst.
The report also finds that, compared with those aged 62+ who are not on the net, Connected Matures:
- Are better educated (75% have some college or more vs. 42%)
- Have higher incomes ($55,000 vs. $27,000)
- Are more likely to be married (70% vs. 48%)
- Are still working (26% vs. 13%)
- Spend more, an average of $1,754 per month on household expenditures vs. $1,059.
Interesting article. They’re also known as the “silver surfer” generation. Mature 62+ come from a generation who has university grants paid for them and had very little debt. They have saved all their lives and as a result not come into retirement quite well-off. They are taking over younger generations in terms of being ‘net-savvy’, and seem to harness real consumer spending power. Stereotyping consumer by age is no longer viable as more and more companies are tapping into the silver surfer group, realising the potential to be had.
By: Day Dreamer on June 3, 2008
at 9:01 pm