Better late than never

Finerday has eventually launched. Was it worth waiting for? The answer is yes and no. You can see I haven’t lost my finely honed consultancy skills of obscuration.

Let’s start with the positives. I really like the site imagery. I like the way the iconography is contemporary and inviting to all ages. Full marks for age neutral design. I like to attention to detail, like during the registration process showing the oldest age first.

Overall I like what the site is trying to do.

What concerns me about the site are the following:


Who the hell is Finerday? The site provides no background about the company (well not that I could find). What has happened to the link with Age Concern?

Why use this very clever, but I think initially confusing, pattern login system. I think somebody has told Finerday that the biggest concern of older people is ‘security’ and that they have gone over the top with this sign in process.

Why does the home page go direct to the login? The relative size of the login box and other information on the home page is fine if this were to be the login page itself but most people will not have registered.

I don’t think the explanation of “Why us it” is convincing. I think there are good reasons but the phrasing and order of these points doesn’t present the best argument.

I really do hope these guys make it since they have clearly put a lot of work into this site. Dick Stroud

It’s not all doom and gloom - luxury with Sunrise Living

Following on from the previous post about the McKinsey research, I read this item about the venture between Sunrise Senior Living and Conrad Properties. They partnership is opening a new luxury independent senior living property.

They have transformed a year old luxury boutique hotel and apartments into a Sunrise Senior Living Residence, with 208 designer apartments and top amenities.

Sunrise expects to attract residents who want a top-flight building that's in many ways like a luxury hotel, but who also want special support services.

You need deep pockets. Rents begin at $2,800 a month for a studio and go up to $9,200 for the six three-bedroom, two-bathroom units. That includes housekeeping, laundry, utilities and "an incredible array of programs and services" - whatever that means.

I think this development and the previous posting illustrate the need for companies to take a highly targeted approach to the market. Dick Stroud

An antidote to cheerfulness

If you have woken, heard the news about the bungee stock market (now in plunge mode), seen the value of house and share portfolio plummet but are still feeling chipper – then have a read of these comforting words from McKinsey.

Despite the economic power of boomers, many aging ones face the prospect of shattered expectations. A generation that lived through unprecedented prosperity and has correspondingly high hopes for its golden years must cope with significant financial, physical, and social challenges.

McKinsey research reveals that:

60% of boomers won’t be able to maintain a lifestyle close to their current one without continuing to work

60% of older boomers already suffer from chronic health problems

By 2015 there will be 21 million single 51- to 70-year-old boomers—more than twice as many single households as the previous generation had at the same age

46% of boomers fear ending up alone

43% percent of boomers are already are frustrated that they aren’t leading the lives they expected to.

Now considering this research was done in late 2007, I reckon you can add a few percentage points of gloom to each of McKinsey’s pronouncements.

The McKinsey consultants laced their boomer vision with a few gem of optimism.

Around 80% them enjoy trying new products and services and believe that they can survive anything life throws at them.

Let me be serious for a moment - you are thinking – what this isn’t serious!.

The McKinsey paper sums up the marketers dilemma that applies to Europe and the US.

Companies considering the boomer market must grapple with a powerful dichotomy. On the one hand, this group has enjoyed more opportunities than any other generation in US history. On the other, although boomers have enjoyed certain advantages, research indicates that many are anxious, frustrated, and more concerned about their future than were the members of the previous generation.

The accompanying graphic is a very elegant way of portraying the boomer generation. It shows the average annual financial data per household in 2006 by segment of US baby boom generation (born from 1946 to 1964). Interestingly by 2015 60% of all consumption will come from those who are in the “unprepared for but envision retirement” group.

Sorry, I cannot give a link to the article it is subscription only.

This age group certainly presents an interesting marketing challenge. Dick Stroud

The Genetic Early Adopters

Most of the time, people predicting the future provide simplistic extrapolations of today’s trends.

I reckon this development is truly amazing and could genuinely lead to whole new industries within a decade.

This month Knome (based in Cambridge, MA) handed out the first of its precious products: an engraved silver box housing a USB drive. On the drive, protected by encryption software, was the sequence of the recipient's entire genome, a proprietary analysis of his genetic risks for disease, and software for browsing the data.

Anybody with $350,000 to spare and an adventurous spirit can now have his or her own genome sequenced.

Knome has not yet disclosed the number of people who have signed up for its service but it aims to sequence 20 genomes this year.

This article in Technology Review is really worth reading since it provides a lot more insights into personal genome sequencing developments.

But just consider this. If it costs $350,000 today, what is it likely to cost in 5 or 10 years time? Most certainly it will be a sum that is well within the spending range of most people. Also, think of the volume of new software developments these developments will stimulate and hence the increased range of uses of the raw data.

There you are – a trip to the local drug store for your personalised medicine all thanks to the USB stick equivalent that is dangling on your key ring. Think this is a fantasy? Have a read of this. Dick Stroud

Profile of campaigns and web sites supplying diabetic products and services

Chuck Nyren is now on a roll and creating audio-PowerPoint presentations like there is no tomorrow.

This time his target for analysis is the suppliers of diabetic products and services. The three companies he has chosen demonstrate: “perfect marketing and advertising archetypes - down-to-earth and accessible - resonating message and very mannered and professional branding - the “happy-face” company.

Interestingly the presentation (in wmv format) is hosted by Microsoft Silverlight. First time I have consciously viewed a video hosted on this service.

Definitely worth watching both for the content and the excellent execution of streaming PowerPoint as a communications technique. Dick Stroud