Observations, insights and innovations that connect with the 50+ market.

Ageing in prison - a sad tale from Japan
by Kim Walker 28 July 2010 13:09:12

Even if you don't understand Japanese, the disturbing pictures in this programme tell a sad story. Although this has no real relevance to marketing, the programme offers a sobering insight to the social consequences of an ageing population we will all need to get used to. According to this article in CNNgo, some of Japan's prisons are introducing rubber flo... more

'Age Matters' By Chivas Regal? 'Keep Walking' Is Real Ageless Marketing
by Kim Walker 26 July 2010 10:55:20

I got quite excited when I read news that Chivas was launching an 'Age-Matters' campaign. Could this be a tipping point for the age awareness evangelists, I wondered? Sadly it is not. Read about it here. But there is another, arguably more famous brand campaign that identified it's ageing customer base and according to their global research "Consumer research revealed... more

Study On Sex And Boomer Women Reveal Surprising Results
by Kim Walker 12 July 2010 17:30:21

A 'Giant Market Opportunity', according to this post in Engage Boomers. The study, conducted by VibrantNation.com reveals that Boomer women in the USA: More than half say they are dissatisfied with their sex lives. Eighty percent said they masturbate and 56% use sex toys (another 10% is interested in them). 44% have sex less than once a month. Yet, an all-male p... more

Ringo Turns 70 But "In my head I'm 24"
by Kim Walker 09 July 2010 13:41:36

If we ever needed reminding about cognitive age versus physiological age, this quote does it. On the event of his 70th birthday, when asked "How are you feeling about the number 70" he answered: "As far as I'm concerned, in my head, I'm 24. That's just how it is. The number, yeah it's high. But I just felt I've got to celebrate it. I'm on my feet and I'm doing what I lo... more

Skype On TV? Why Does Gran Need A Computer?
by Kim Walker 09 July 2010 12:15:23

Skype recently announced that new web-connected TV sets from LG, Panasonic and Samsung will now ship with Skype software pre-loaded. Add a TV webcam and you can make high-definition video calls from the sofa. On Skype's website, the pitch is clear "Soon you'll simply gather the whole family on the couch for video calls with loved ones overseas, and give them a regular w... more

Comic Pair Draw Attention To The Important Role Of Older People
by Kim Walker 08 July 2010 18:38:06

An unlikely pairing of a 37-year-old agnostic comedian and the 75-year-old Catholic priest have lent their support to the aged care industry's united election campaign in a bid to get people talking about the older people who have had an impact on their life. The core idea around "Grand" (Grand parents etc) is fun a puts a wonderful, positive and uplifting spin on the us... more

Over Half Of All Japanese Men 65~70 Still Earning!
by Kim Walker 06 July 2010 15:00:44

In fact, fifty-two percent of men aged 65-69 are gainfully employed, according to a survey by the government-affiliated Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training. Furthermore, 17.7% of men in that age bracket want to work but cannot find employment. For 55-69 year olds, a combined 60% of men and women are working to bring in a salary. (Men = 72.2%, Women = 48.5%). ... more

Japanese Luxury Customers Spend Differently With Age
by Kim Walker 04 July 2010 12:17:32

Increasingly, Japanese consumers in the luxury segment are behaving differently-by age, gender, and even geography. According to a new McKinsey report just released entitled “Japan’s luxury consumer: Detecting a pulse?” showed that 22 percent of 20-year-old luxury consumers are willing to pay full price for luxury goods, compared with just 9 percent for ... more

Hospitals Marketing To Boomers
by Kim Walker 30 June 2010 10:13:14

Hospitals in the USA are jockeying to position themselves for growth amid a perfect storm of aging baby boomers and a health-care-reform bill that will result in millions more insured patients down the road. Nationally known hospital brands such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Massachusetts General Hospital are ramping up... more

Artificial Intelligence To Better Serve The Elderly?
by Patrick Loh 28 June 2010 11:31:24

It is interesting to imagine where evolution is taking man and how older folks of the future will be when compared to the older folks of today. But perhaps the future is already here. This article on AI (artificial Intelligence) , from the New Paper, illustrates this point.Rapid progress has been made in recent years in AI and the prospect of machines listening, speaking... more