A knee replacement at 55? Get in line. We hear a lot about the rising popularity of "spare parts," namely joint replacements, among Boomers. Indeed, as this generation ages and the national obesity rate reaches a whopping 33%, the number of joint-replacement surgeries is growing fast, and certain to keep growing.

Now that I have your attention, let's look at this enlightening data from a marketing perspective. This result is from a Harris Interactive survey of 2,000 adults in October 2011 on the behalf of GameHouse. There is much discussion around the billion-dollar gaming industry and how to understand and connect with the target audience. Surprise -- online gamers are comprised of 55% women with the majority over the age of 35. They tend to be happier, engaged socially online and apparently have more sex.

Steve Jobs was born in 1955, smack in the middle of the biggest burst in the Baby Boom. Of all the articles written since his death at 56, I haven't seen anyone point out that the products he designed were always as successful among people Jobs' age (other Boomers like him) as with those younger than himself. In some cases, Boomers have bought more of Apple's products than anyone else.

Things are looking up this holiday season, and not just because of the annual prospect of mocking your awkward uncle's unusual taste in holiday sweaters. Black Friday saw record numbers in terms of retail spending, and Cyber Monday went down in history as the biggest online shopping day ever. It seems as though there's holiday cheer to spare this year.

According to Pew Research, Baby Boomers and older folks using social media has increased enormously in 2010 and it continues to grow into 2011. The 55 to 64 and 65+ age groups are catching up to younger demos. In fact, it's the 65+ age group that has grown the most in the past two years, increasing by 49%. At more than 100 million strong, baby boomer and older customers (born before 1965) are the single largest consumer group in America, and they are the wealthiest, best educated and most sophisticated of purchasers. With more disposable income than any population in …

The new Apple 4GS iPhone is one of the fastest-selling devices of all time-they're simply flying off the shelves at Apple Stores and other retailers. While it doesn't look much different than the iPhone 4, the new iPhone has some significant differences that may make it a game changer for Boomers and the marketers who love them.

As marketing professionals, we have all experienced introducing a product to the market place that we felt was not quite ready, not created with enough consumer input, or is just poorly designed. It is frustrating when communication is expected to overcome problems intrinsic to the product.

The healthcare conversation is changing, and is no longer merely an exchange between doctor and patient. That's forcing healthcare brands to look for ways to bridge the gap between operational needs and patient/consumer expectations. And, as their consumers age, healthcare marketers also need to keep abreast of the trends affecting perhaps the fastest-growing group, namely, the Boomers.

A Baby Boomer's state of mind includes, "I am youth-oriented, physically active and have a can-do spirit." We should thank the culture of the 1960's and 1970's, Jane Fonda's aerobics and Bruce Jenner's fitness influences on making dreams come true. Fast forward today and we see pharmaceutical companies enhancing youth, automotive firms recapturing youth and anti-aging cremes and lotions promising youth. And when Baby Boomers become empty nesters, there is more time and money available to capture their youth again.

For many years, marketers have treated Moms as increasingly irrelevant as their children grew older. Believing that children start asserting their own preferences and controlling their own purchase decisions, brands also assume they can ignore these children's mothers. Some recent research proves both assumptions wrong.