• by Patrick Freuler , October 20, 2014

Want the key to successfully marketing health care products to aging Boomers? Here’s a hint: don’t focus on aging. 

It’s a marketing Catch-22. Seventy-six million U.S. Boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964—are moving into the next stage of their lives. Roughly 17% say they have retired, up from 10% in 2010, and every month, more than a quarter-million Americans turn 65. And as they do, their needs change for everything from aspirin to hearing aids. 

As CEO of Audicus, a next generation hearing aid company that sells affordable hearing aids online almost exclusively to Boomers, I can tell you first-hand that it’s a delicate marketing equation. In fact many more Boomers would benefit from a hearing device than admit that they need one. According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 40 million Americans suffering from hearing loss and less than one quarter of those have hearing aids. 

For many, hearing loss, like mobility and other age-associated health issues, often involves the stigma of aging. So the question becomes one of finding the sweet spot. How do you effectively meet the unmet and often unarticulated needs of an older audience that increasingly requires health-related products without alienating them in the process?

The answer, like all great marketing, lies in building a lasting emotional connection. This hinges on understanding the unique personality of this generation. Famous for being rebellious and demanding, Boomers are fiercely independent. They are more active, educated and more empowered by technology than any generation before. They also have different role models. Today's 60 year old does not associate with the image of someone elderly or infirm. Think Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, and Mick Jagger. They expect to be served uniquely as a generation; and by the sheer numbers, that expectation is warranted. 

Boomers account for an estimated half of total U.S. consumer spending. With longer life expectancy and lower savings rates than previous seniors, they are projected to spend an additional $50 billion over the next decade. To put that in perspective: by 2017, nearly half of the U.S. adult population will be 50 and older and they will control a full 70% of the disposable income, according to data tracker Nielsen. And yet, for decades, this demographic has been largely ignored by youth-obsessed larger brands. 

But it should come as no surprise that Boomers will redefine old age in the same way they have redefined almost every phase of life yet. Connect with them by respecting their intelligence. Appeal to their common sense, their tech savvy, and empower them to make smart decisions – financial and emotional. 

No one likes the idea of getting old. Getting wise? That’s another story. In short, marketers need to start addressing Boomers the 21st century way. 

Give them solutions that younger generations already use (like shopping online). In short, focus on Boomers’ bright future, and put control of it into their hands. For marketers who understand how to reach them, that future will be equally bright.