Search by name, company, title, location, etc.

Lori Bitter

Member since April 2007Contact Lori

Lori Bitter provides strategic consulting, research and product development for companies seeking to engage with mature consumers at The Business of Aging. Her book, “The Grandparent Economy” debuts in September 2015. She also serves as publisher of GRAND – the digital magazine for grandparents. Lori is the former president of Continuum Crew and Crew Media, owner of Eons.com. She was president of J. Walter Thompson’s Boomer division, JWT BOOM, the nation’s leading mature market advertising agency, and led client service for Age Wave Impact. Lori was recently featured on American Marketing Association’s blog, AARP Magazine, Los Angeles Times, CNBC, Forbes magazine, Ad Age’s mature consumer supplement, and named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 to Watch List. Lori serves on the Leadership Council of the College of Media for the University of Illinois.

Articles by Lori All articles by Lori

  • The Intergenerational Imperative: A New Narrative in Engage:Boomers on 04/18/2017

    We must end the conversations pitting generation against generation. It's ageist and supports generational stereotypes that don't value the best that young and older people have to offer - especially to each other. It's time for a new narrative that highlights the importance of the unprecedented shifts every generation is experiencing, one that reflects the commonalities as opposed to differences.

  • The Death Of The American Dream: Is Home Ownership Dead?  in Engage:Boomers on 02/20/2017

    It seems that baby boomers and millennials have quite a bit in common. Both are losing sight of what was once the great American Dream, a home of one's own. In the past few years, home ownership rates have fallen to a historic low. And while millennials are part of the issue, a study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard found that the 45-64-year-old demographic saw twice the share of renter growth of younger households.

  • Holding Out For A Hero: Average Joes & Josephines in Engage:Boomers on 12/19/2016

    As we cross the threshold into 2017, it seems like a good time to let consumers speak for themselves. Much has been made in the last few months of the "voice of regular people" and those who are disenfranchised. Let's be honest, most of "those people" aren't the targets of campaigns. Many categories in the boomer marketing space target the mass affluent consumer. But there is a real sweet spot in a segment we call "Average Joes & Josephines." They are neither rich nor poor. They are articulate, smart consumers. As they age, they need brand heroes.

  • Tiny Living For The Not-so-small Life  in Engage:Boomers on 10/17/2016

    Tiny homes are emerging as a trend in the 50+ consumer marketplace. According to research by The Tiny Life, 38% of tiny-home owners are over the age of 50. The movement has shifted from pioneers living off the grid to a mainstream desire to downsize our lives. Keep in mind, the average home in the U.S. is around 2,600 square feet. Tiny homes vary from 100-400 square feet. The movement is being fed by FYI's "Tiny House Nation" and HGTV's "Tiny House Hunters," the growing number of web sites, and how-to books.

  • The Un-Stuffing Of America: The #1 Business Opportunity Serving The Boomer Population in Engage:Boomers on 08/15/2016

    It isn't a technology solution. It is decidedly low-tech. It's not a medical device, but it does ease suffering. And while we sometimes joke about hoarding, older adults are buried in stuff - the accumulation of a lifetime (or two). The resistance to letting go of it is an enormous issue for caregivers, senior living providers and aging in place experts. Of all of the issues of caregiving, this one is the gift that literally keeps on giving.

  • Boomers & Politics in Engage:Boomers on 06/20/2016

    I can't help but think that as a generation we are blowing it. Politically. We now have two candidates - squarely of the Baby Boomer generation and neither is talking about the aging of America. Why aren't we holding them accountable for that? Why hasn't the generation that created a "movement" for every cause taken up the cause of our own aging?

  • Midlife Is Having A 'Moment' in Engage:Boomers on 04/18/2016

    And I think it is important to understand why. No less than ten new books have been published in the last 18 months on the subject of how to find purpose, careers, re-imagine your late life years, and most recently disrupting the idea of aging. Everyone from television personality Jane Pauley to aging guru Dr. Bill Thomas has weighed in how to live a fuller, more connected life.

  • A Valentine To The Agency Business in Engage:Boomers on 02/16/2016

    I need to talk to you about your affair. It's turned into an obsession, really, and, frankly, you are starting to look foolish. On top of that, you completely misread the signals and you're bound in a relationship that makes no sense. Can I help you find a way out of this before it's too late?

  • The Psychology Of Marketing To Grandparents in Engage:Boomers on 12/21/2015

    Let's face it. Psychologist Abraham Maslow never wanted to be a marketer. In his work, "Toward a Psychology of Being," he describes the 13 personality attributes of the self-actualizing person. Often depicted as the top of the pyramid on the Hierarchy of Needs, "Self-actualization" is the realization of one's full potential, with a focus outside of self.

  • Reaching The Mature Audience in Engage:Boomers on 10/19/2015

    I have always loved the concept of AARP's "Movies for Grown-ups." Mature adults are different. Developmentally, as we age, we connect more with great stories and complex, layered characters; in many ways, we process our own lives through the stories of others. Praise for the movie "The Intern" with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway resonates with older adults navigating the intergenerational workplace.

Comments by Lori All comments by Lori

About Edit

You haven't told us anything about yourself! Surely you've got something to say. Tell us a little something.