Adland is fixated on talking to Millenials. Sure, that’s fun. But it’s not good business. Over 50s represent 60% of consumer spending in the US and they hold 40% of the total wealth in Aus.

The over 50s are already 39% of Australia’s population (7.3 million Australians) – and growing.

They don’t think it’s uncool to own things. But 94% of them think the way advertisers talk to them is very uncool.

If you’re working on a fast food brand, you can stop reading now. Approximately 70% of Millenials prefer to eat pizza, hot chips, barbecue chicken. Approximately 70% of over 50s prefer salads, sandwiches and soups. [Morgan Research]

Those health, wellbeing, fitness and allied health ads you fill with 30 year old bodies are most likely to be reaching people at least 20 years older.

Ditto travel ads. Unless you’re trying to reach those travelling with a change of undies and a toothbrush in a backpack. Over 50s travel. A lot. Freedom (at last!!!) is rated very highly. That 59.4% of them work full or part time just means they have money to spend.

Creative director, Nick Wooster (54) and actress, Diane Keaton (69) are not average over 50s. But then neither are Justin Bieber and Ellie Goulding average Millenials. 

Which brings us to everyday essentials. Over 50s represent 60% of consumer spending in the US and they hold 40% of the total wealth in Aus. (That’s worth stating twice.) They’re highly likely to try new brands and products. 64% of Australia’s over 50s are enthusiastic fans of online shopping, now and in their future. They’re proving in ever growing numbers that you don’t have to be a digital native to be digitally literate. The over 50s spend 21 hours a week online (on average) and view over 3,000 Internet pages every month [EMMA].

They’d listen to your messages if you were spending more than 5% of your marketing dollars talking to them. And when you do, remember that they see themselves as living healthy and exciting lifestyles, chasing experiences in all sorts of places – both familiar and new…

…who read blogs, humour, entertainment, news, travel…love YouTube. Have Facebook accounts. Know how to shoot on iPhone6. Listen to music streaming. And get VOD.

They don’t want to pre-pay for their own funeral to do right by the kids, but thanks anyway.

By Candide McDonald, editor.