Chapter 15 Age Subcultures

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Chapter 15Age Subcultures
By Michael R. Solomon
Consumer Behavior Buying, Having, and Being Sixth
Edition
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Opening Vignette Kurt

• How has Kurt spent his summer?
• How would you describe Kurts attitude?
• What is Pams frustration with Kurts behavior?
• What is Pams perception of her generation in
  comparison with Kurts?

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Age and Consumer Identity

• Age Cohort
• Consists of people of similar ages who have
  undergone similar experiences.
• The Teen Market Gen Y Like Totally Rules
• Generation Y Those born between 1977 and 1994
• Teen Values, Conflicts, and Desires
• Autonomy vs. Belonging
• Rebellion vs. Conformity
• Idealism vs. Pragmatism
• Narcissism vs. Intimacy

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Household Income by Age
Figure 15.1
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The Nostalgia Scale
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The U.S. Teen Population
Figure 15.2
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Spring Break

• A growing number of marketers are capitalizing on
  the ritual of Spring Break to reach college
  students.

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Discussion Question

• This ad for Prestige car stereos states,
  Research shows excessively loud car stereos are
  the number one annoyance to people over 40.
  Whatever.
• What is the apparent strategy with this ad? Who
  is the target audience?

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Appealing to the Youth Market

• Tweens
• Children aged 8 to 14
• Speaking to Teens in Their Language
• Rule 1 Dont Talk Down
• Rule 2 Dont Try to be What Youre Not. Stay
  True to Your Brand Image.
• Rule 3 Entertain Them. Make it Interactive and
  Keep the Sell Short.
• Rule 4 Show That You Know What Theyre Going
  Through, but Keep it Light.

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Influencing Teens through Ads

• Marketers often influence public policy by
  creating messages to influence behaviors like
  smoking or drug use. This mosaic was used to
  promote Lorillard Tobaccos Youth Smoking
  Prevention Program.

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Youth Tribes

• Youth Tribes
• Tribal phenomenon most pronounced among young
  consumers
• Products and services reinforce the notion of
  belonging
• Tribal phenomenon most pronounced in Japan
• Techno-cultural suppleness A willingness to grab
  something new and use it for their own ends

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Researching the Youth Market

• Coolhunters
• Kids in major markets like New York, LA, or
  London who roam the streets to report back on
  cutting-edge trends.
• Big (Wo)Man on Campus Were Talking To You!
• Attractive market because they have yet to form
  brand loyalties
• College students are tough to reach via
  conventional media
• Wall media Advertising posters

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Japanese Children and Cell Phones

• Hip Japanese kids have invented a new way to send
  cell phone messages. A graphics- based language
  called emoji uses tiny images instead of words.

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Discussion Question

• Calvin Klein has been criticized for its strategy
  of adolescent sexuality to promote its products.
  Likewise, Abercrombie Fitch was criticized for
  a line of thongs for preteen girls.
• Why do companies engage in these obviously
  controversial tactics? Should there be penalties
  for engaging in this type of advertising?

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Generation X

• Baby Busters Generation X
• Generation X The cohort of consumers born
  between 1966 and 1976.
• Stereotyped inaccurately as alienated, cynical,
  and lazy
• Advertising campaigns that tried to appeal to the
  stereotype failed
• Actually an entrepreneurial generation
• Desire stable families after being latchkey
  children

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Baby Boomers

• Baby Boomers
• People born between 1946 and 1965
• Sheer size of this generation has made it the
  source of many cultural and economic changes
• More active and physically fit than previous
  generations
• Baby boomlet The new upsurge in the number of
  children born in comparison to that of the
  original baby boom.

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Pepsi

• This 1962 Pepsi ad highlights the emphasis on
  youth power that began to shape our culture as
  baby boomers came of age in the 1960s.

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Botox for Boomers

• Many Boomers are interested in maintaining a
  youthful appearance and will go to great lengths
  to preserve it. Botox injections are the newest
  craze.

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Working Mother
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The Gray Market

• Gray Power Seniors Economic Clout
• Gray Market Seniors impact the market place
• Account for more than half of all discretionary
  spending in the U.S.
• In many product categories, seniors outspend
  other age groups
• Understanding Seniors
• Autonomy Leading active lives and being
  self-sufficient
• Connectedness Bonds with friends and family
• Altruism Giving something back to the world

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The Gray Market (cont.)

• Perceived Age Youre Only as Old as You Feel
• Chronological age Actual number of years lived
• Perceived Age How old a person feels
• Feel-age How old a person feels
• Look-age How old a person looks
• Many marketers emphasize product benefits rather
  than age appropriateness

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Segmenting Seniors

• Typical Segmentation Bases
• Chronological age
• Age cohort
• Current marital status
• Health
• Outlook on life
• Social Aging Theories
• Theories that try to understand how society
  assigns people to different roles across the life
  span.
• Gerontographics
• Divides the mature market into groups based on
  both levels of physical well-being and social
  conditions, such as becoming a grandparent or
  losing a spouse.

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Zoomers

• Sony sells about 1/3 of its products to consumers
  age 50 and older. The company is targeting mature
  consumers with ads like this one that celebrate
  Zoomers freedom.

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Selling to Seniors

• Product Adaptations
• Packages sensitive to physical limitations
• Serving sizes
• Mature Marketing Messages
• Prefer ads that provide abundant information
• Not amused or persuaded by imagery-oriented ads
• Basic guidelines for advertising to the elderly
• Simple language
• Clear, bright pictures
• Action attracts attention
• Speak clearly, low word count
• Single sales message emphasizing brand extensions
  for familiarity
• Avoid extraneous stimuli

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Jockey Targets Seniors

• Jockey Apparel is one of many advertisers that is
  increasingly featuring attractive older models in
  its ads.