Category — Continuum Crew

My name is Cristian Bitter, intern at Continuum Crew. I have worked with the Crew for four months now and I have been enjoying myself within the group. After seeing the great work Lori and the associates do on a day-to-day basis, I was inspired to start the Social Responsibility initiative at Continuum Crew. This is a passion of mine and I am thankful to Lori for encouraging me to take on this project, and for the enthusiastic response I have received from my fellow Crew members. Creating and developing relationships with various senior initiatives around the country were among my first tasks.

Next month we start our community involvement with the Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s in San Francisco on Saturday, September 11, 2010. With 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s and it being the 7th largest cause of death, Alzheimer’s has had a personal effect on a few of the Crew members. Continuum Crew EVP, Amy LaGrant has said, “John LaGrant is my grandfather. I watched Alzheimer’s change my grandfather from a man who loved life, was always full of energy, was busy completing tasks and always fixing or creating something to a shell of a man who suffered from paranoia and never could settle his own mind. I miss the grandpa I had grown to love and admire. I walk in memory of him.” And CEO, Lori Bitter also had to deal with this debilitating issue, “My Grandma Mary was a vibrant, colorful lady. She loved to laugh and socialize. She was the kind of grandma who gave you little presents that mom didn’t quite approve of – like dangly earrings, red nail polish, and cute patterned hose – all with a fun&ndsah;loving wink and a smile.”

We will walk and fight to carry the legacy of those who’ve touched us in the past, and work to find answers for the future.

Please feel free to support this event and the fight against Alzheimer’s by safely and securely donating on the Memory Walk website.

After 12 years of working in the aging consumer space, I believe that in 2010 we have reached a tipping point. From the health care debate to the adoption of the iPad, people are focusing on the aging of our country’s citizens, and the rest of the developed world. At conferences nationwide experts are talking about the implications of an aging population; the concept of aging in place; and caregiving. At Continuum Crew, we follow these conversations and help our clients translate the trends and data into actionable product and marketing strategies.

I am pleased to present to you our latest issue of C2 magazine. The contributors in this issue are some of the smartest analysts, entrepreneurs and businesspeople focusing on aging consumers and their needs. They understand the intersection of technology and innovation in serving older adults and their caregivers, and they are on the cutting edge of understanding the power of social media.

This aging majority is shaping the zeitgeist of the country and creating a seismic shift in our worldview and approach to all types of goods and services. We have arrived at the tipping point.

Enjoy the issue!

>>Download the magazine here.

That is just one of the findings from our most recent survey. Through this research we wanted to understand the joint and individual habits of mature couples in making a range of purchasing decisions on technology products and services.

Ten years ago when we were more focused on the WWII cohort as the senior consumer, we made many assumptions in our targeting about who led the decisions in a household and who influenced decisions, and therefore how to talk with those consumers. In most categories, we were targeting a male head of household with influence from his wife. We have seen a shift as the financial power of Boomer women has grown—they have something their foremothers didn’t have—access to education, opportunities and careers. The balance of household power is shifting and with this survey we wanted to understand if couples are really shopping for big–ticket items together or acting as individual consumers, particularly as electronics have become more personal, and how and what couples will spend individually without consulting their spouse.

Among the findings are that Boomers report independent purchase behavior, many mature consumers self–identify as being tech–savvy, and Boomer women report the important role technology plays in their lives.

The reports for this research are available for download on this blog, under the ‘Resources’ column on the left. These documents are:

• Research Slides – Mature Consumers & Personal Tech/Consumer Electronics
• Fact Sheet–Research Highlights – Mature Consumers & Personal Tech/Consumer Electronics

An important implication for marketers is that men and women are likely to respond differently to consumer electronics and personal tech device product advertising. While men may be early adopters and have a lot of interest in product features, women are much more likely to care about the product benefits and the way those benefits are conveyed. Women need to understand more explicitly how a technology product will make their life better or easier. The supposition, although it stills warrants further testing, is that once that product becomes integral to their lives, women are more reliant on it and may be more inclined to upgrade or remain loyal. The difference in use and importance of technology in older consumers’ lives has valuable marketing implications. When coupled with the willingness to make separate purchase decisions this information enables marketers to create a powerful sales model for their target consumer.

Continuum Crew is honored to be listed among some great company in Entrepreneur’s Annual 100 Brilliant Ideas in the magazine’s June issue. Continuum Crew was listed as ‘One to Watch’ in the identified fast-growing ‘Seniors’ area.

See the full article to read all the burgeoning areas they list, showcased companies and ones to watch.

As mentioned in my previous post, we’ve taken on some activities here at Continuum Crew in celebration of Older Americans Month. As observed by the Administration on Aging (AoA) within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Older Americans Month dates back to 1963 to honor the legacies and ongoing contributions of older Americans and support them as they enter the next stage in life. The theme issued by the AoA for this year is ‘Age Strong! Live Long!’ to recognize the diversity and vitality of today’s older Americans who span three generations.

So, with 10,000 Americans turning 60 years old each day, and this cohort already outnumbering teenagers in the U.S., we thought a better understanding of these citizens was in order. This list is inspired by the annual fall Beloit College Mindset List™, designed to help college professors at Beloit College in Beloit, WI get a better understanding of their incoming freshmen students. Continuum Crew has developed a ‘Boomer Outlook List’ to celebrate the richness of experience, strength and value of older Americans. Sure, Boomers are of many backgrounds and different traditions, so these generalizations may not apply to all, but we thought this would be fun to pull together to provoke some discussion, and give you the chance to take a trip down memory lane.

Here is our list below. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment about which points you would add.

The 2010 Continuum Crew Boomer Outlook List
These assembled observations attempt to identify some of the experiences that have shaped the lives—and formed the outlook—of American Boomers. Among these are collected facts about the presence and effect Boomers have in our country today.

1. In 2010, 2 out of every 3 people over the age of 50 in the U.S. are Baby Boomers.

2. Baby Boomers are turning 60 years old at a rate of 10,000 per day, and this will continue for the next 15 years. The age group of people 65 and older in the United States is expected to reach 20% of the total population by 2030.

3. In the U.S. there are more people over 65 years old than there are teenagers.

4. They were raised according to the principles of Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Baby and Child Care, a book that broke from the authoritarian tone and rigorous instructions of earlier baby–care books, and empowered mothers saying “You know more than you think you do….Don’t be afraid to trust your own commonsense….Trust your own instincts”. The book became America’s all–time best–seller at the time, only behind the works of Shakespeare and the Bible.

5. They have always lived in the wake of the best thing to happen to our beaches: the bikini!

6. Having learned to write in school using pencils, then pen and ink to learn penmanship, they are now tapping on keyboards. 83% of U.S. Boomers will use the internet regularly in 2011, up from 75% in 2006.

7. Being of a generation famously characterized by having mobilized for social and political change, today almost three–quarters (70%) of Boomers say they still feel a sense of responsibility to make the world a better place.

8. Having graduated college before we knew there was a hole in the ozone layer, Americans 55 years of age and older are now driving green product sales in the U.S., with more than 40 million Boomers actively seeking environmentally friendly brands.¹

9. Their introduction to the foreign cuisine of Italy was none other than Chef Boyardee (and they know he was an actual person).

10. Roller skates had the much more stable 4–wheel configuration…and keys.

11. They remember the cold war, the iron curtain and who was the messenger of the news that Timmy fell down the well.

12. They are among the fastest-growing user groups on Facebook®.

13. Raccoon skin caps were all the rage, and plaid was a wardrobe staple.

14. Boomer women showed off their hot pants and bell bottoms, wore their Levi’s and all things tie-dyed. Now two-thirds of them report that they are purchasing apparel online, with 13% of them now only purchasing online.²

15. Boomers outspend other generations by an estimated $400 billion each year on consumer goods and services. In fact, Baby Boomers in the U.S. constitute the 11th largest world economy.

16. Boomers born in 1946: Bob Vila, Candice Bergen, Cher, Donald Trump, Judy Woodruff, Ken Starr, Sally Field, Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone. At the other end of the Boomer range are those born in 1964: Barry Bonds, Blair Underwood, Clive Owen, Courtney Love, Diana Krall, Don Cheadle, Janeane Garofalo, Jose Canseco and Lenny Kravitz.

17. Can slyly insult oblivious juniors with expressions like: “you sound like a broken record”, “she’s a Chatty Cathy”, and “you are a carbon copy”.

18. They know what “A little dab’ll do ya’!” will actually do.

19. They don’t have to search in Google Images to find out what an 8–track looks like (or Wikipedia to learn what it was).

20. Grew up with a solution to the lost TV remote control: they didn’t have one. They remember their first television—and their first one in color too.

21. They lived through the terrifyingly futuristic year of 1984 and the odyssey of 2001.

22. Phones actually rang, and most everyone’s sounded the same; and rotary had some relevance to phones, not just a local club.

23. Sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, ginger root, multi–grain bread and tortillas were exotic foods.

24. They know the ‘day the music died’.

25. Child car safety meant mom having both arms around you in the front seat.

26. They remember the original Brangelina: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

27. Driving through a fast food establishment had much more costly implications.

28. Despite having witnessed great strides in the advances of technology in their lives there are things that used to be easy but now are difficult, like opening a bottle of Tylenol® (safety caps) and understanding dialogue in action movies.

29. Have long since doubted the true motivation of any woman named Mrs. Robinson.

30. Cereal didn’t always come with ’surprises’ inside—but laundry soap did!

31. A penny actually bought something (and something good too): candy.

32. Lastly, Boomers have some great mentors. Exemplary of the ‘Age Strong! Live Long!’ theme of 2010 Older Americans Month, Centenarians (people 100 years of age and older) are the fastest growing demographic cohort in the country.

For more information about the AoA’s May is Older Americans Month, visit: olderamericansmonth.org.

¹Boomer Quarterly Report, It’s Good to Be Green: Socially Conscious Shopping Behaviors Among Boomers, AARP Services, Inc. and Focalyst, 2007

²Survey, VibrantNation.com, April 2010

Title: Audiology Now
Location: San Diego, CA
Register: here
Description: AudiologyNOW! 2010, the annual conference for the American Academy of Audiology, offers unequalled educational content covering cutting-edge audiological research to timely ideas for managing your practice in a tough economy. The largest gathering of audiologists in the world also offers Audiology Solutions – a show floor featuring the latest technology in hearing care, in no other place can you see as many products or speak with as many industry representatives about your needs. All of this will take place in beautiful San Diego, where hundreds of restaurants, shops, and the San Diego Bay are steps away from the center. Stay for a few extra days to explore the coastline, visit the world famous San Diego Zoo, tour a WWII Aircraft carrier or bring the family and make the most of your educational experience and your limited travel dollars and have an “Edu-Vacation”!
Start Date: April 14, 2010
End Date: April 17, 2010

Title: What’s Next Boomer Business Summit
Location: Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL
Register: here
Description: The premier event for individuals and organizations in business to serve boomers and seniors – entrepreneurs, corporate strategists, marketing professionals, experts in aging, leaders in the market segments interested in strategic alliances, media executives, and analysts.
Start Date: March 18, 2010
End Date: March 19, 2010

Title: NCOA-ASA Aging in America Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Register: here
Description: It is the largest gathering of a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals from the fields of aging, healthcare and education. Join us to find the answers, the experts, the research, the best practices, and the most comprehensive educational offerings available to professionals. The conference provides attendees with the opportunity to network with new and old friends, gain insight from voices from the front line and find new grassroots and national partners for advocacy.
Date: March 15, 2010

Thursday January 21 at 10:30 a.m.

The International Builders’ Show is the largest annual building industry tradeshow in the country, and the National Association of Home Builders is holding the 50+ Lifestyle Central Suite at IBS. This is a new addition to the 50+ HC offerings at IBS in intended to be a way to engage with the leaders and influencers in the Active Adult Builder community including the associate members of the industry. The 50+ Lifestyle Central should be the hub of activity for IBS attendees that are actively involved in the 50+ Housing Segment of the market. I am looking forward to seeing how this new format works.

If you’ll be at IBS next week, come participate in our panel “Networking Using Facebook, Blogs and New Media to Market Your 50+ Communities Panel”: Social media is gaining a foothold in the housing industry – find out how to make it work for your business. Social media, like signage to your active adult community, steers prospects to your web site and builds awareness and credibility. In this interactive session, find out how to use these new tools and technologies to connect to potential 50+ buyers, get them talking about your community and build your sales. We will be sharing our research on how different mature consumers are using social media.

The Anxiety Index has shifted! Based on our original research in December of 2008 with Boomers, GenXers and Ikes, the biggest concern then was collapse of the economy; 45% of Boomers were “very nervous”. Fast-forward to 2009 and Boomers biggest concerns have shifted from the state of the economy to the cost of health care and the political debate surrounding this issue (46%). Hear more about the impact of the headlines.

Most interesting in the recent study is a shift in media consumption. The only media activity that rose dramatically was time on the Internet. No doubt social media has made a significant dent in the time generally reserved for traditional media. Learn what media channels are being crowded out.

Meet the new Boomer Social Maven and discover the influence of their connectedness on their circle. Hear more about who they are and how they can impact ROI for your campaigns.

You can sign up by going to www.immn.org. Hope to hear you there!