• Reuters, Monday, March 13, 2006 11:45 AM

Food marketers are creating new products and targeting a generation that most advertisers ignore--baby boomers over 50. "As the kids leave the household and you've got that older consumer, there are a lot of needs that we see," said David Johnson, president of Kraft's North American Commercial group. Kraft has responded with products including a South Beach Diet line and Crystal Light drinks, which not only appeal to older consumers but also to those looking for healthier alternatives to products like Kraft's macaroni and cheese. Other food marketers like Unilever and Sara Lee Corp. are also exploring possibilities. But marketers need to realize that these products need to be handled differently than others. For example, Ken Dychtwald, a psychologist, gerontologist and president of AgeWave, says companies must pay attention to where such products are placed in stores. Aging shoppers with arthritis cannot reach higher shelves without discomfort, while those wearing bifocal glasses don't clearly see what is placed on lower shelves, he says. Also, commercials should use actors in a higher age range, rather than just loud, hip ads that appeal to a younger market with less spending power.

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