Motivations to stay healthy

The annual research conducted by The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) among US Boomers provides some interesting insights into why Americans (well some Americans) are concerned about their health.

The main health worries are the need to lose weight (40%), high blood pressure (35%), joint pain (30%) and high cholesterol (29%).

The above chart shows the factors motivating this group to try and stay healthy.

When you think that each of these factors represents billions of dollars of consumer spend, it is worth taking seriously. Dick Stroud

The environmentally aware or nationalistic 50-plus?

The over 50s seem to be more environmentally savvy than their younger counterparts, with a greater understanding of seasonality and propensity to “buy British”. These conclusions come from a research study conducted by BMRB.

It looks like 55% of 25-34s are aware of the concept of food miles compared with 72% of over 50s. 49% of 25-34s regularly or always buy food grown in Britain, compared with 66% among the over 50s.

I think this research is possibly drawing false conclusions, although I cannot sure without seeing the research questionnaire. I think the propensity of the 50-plus to “Buy British” has far more to do with supporting British (often English) farmers than concern about food miles and the ozone layer.

It would be interesting to hear from anybody who was involved in this research to know if these motivations were excluded from the results – I bet my boots they were not. Dick Stroud

How to delight women, gays and baby boomers

If you don’t, you should subscribe to the newsletter from Trendwatching, which is an opinionated consumer trends firm that takes a global view on what is driving consumer behaviour and most importantly consumer spending. I really like its style and the scope of its coverage – like the comment about the photo. Yes, we know these pictures are cheesy.

This month’s edition has the eye catching title of “How to delight women, gays and baby boomers”.

It is has some good examples of what is going on with the boomer consumers and the products that are tempting them in the categories of dating, health, travel, homes and housing plus another half a dozen product groups. Definitely worth a look.

What it doesn’t do – I suspect because of space problems – is to look at the interaction of these three groups. Now that is really interesting and a subject I am going to blog a lot more about. Dick Stroud

50-plus fitness - fantasy or fact?

Fitness First, claims to be the largest gym, health and fitness club group in the world, has done a survey (8,000 respondents)

Over 93% of the over-50s claim to ate healthily, 84% said they were careful about alcohol consumption and three-quarters avoided additives in food. A total of 55% were content with their body shape and nearly four in five had a good work/life balance.

For the 18-29 year old group, 79% claimed they ate sensibly and 69% said they drank in moderation.

Surprisingly 62% were satisfied with their physique but just over two-thirds of this group were happy with work/life balance.

I tend to take all of these surveys with at large pinch of salt and I wouldn’t put too much store in the absolute numbers. But, I think it shows that there is a huge market for the health-aware sector of the 50-plus. The other explanation is that the over-50s are better liars, especially about their drinking habits! Dick Stroud

Travel and cookery get the video habit

This is an off-subject blog posting about video. At the beginning of 2007 I suddenly became aware that the future moved. I think video-free web sites will soon start to look the same way that animated GIF's appear to us today.

Here are a three examples of companies using video to bring life (and value) to their Web activities.

Lonely Planet has launched a brand new online channel featuring the best travel videos from around the world. This is a vertical YouTube for travel. You can upload and watch videos created by Lonely Planet as well as other travelers. Users can rate each video, share them with friends and create playlists and friend groups. All good Web 2.0 stuff.

Ocado is a rapidly growing home delivery grocery service. Instead of boring old recipes go and look at how to prepare the meal and with a push of the button add all of the ingredients to your shopping basket. Now that is smart marketing.

The dreaded Martha Stewart has just launched her new web site that is dripping with video.

No video no credible web presence - what do you think - is this the message of 2007? Dick Stroud

Boomer food

A Reuter’s press release claims that: “Food manufacturers and retailers are recognizing that they need to go after aging U.S. baby boomers who have money to spend and time to shop”.

Some of the companies who are turning their marketing budgets on the 50-plus are:

Kraft - who calls consumers 50 years and older the "liberated boomers." (give me a break) has products such as a South Beach Diet line and Crystal Light drinks and of course the company's mainstay products such as macaroni and cheese. (Sounds as appetizing as a baked brick). Soon to hit the supermarket shelves will be its Bistro Deluxe line ("a sophisticated Mac & Cheese experience with unique ingredients that appeal to an adult palate"). This makes the brick sound appetizing.

Unilever - has its restaurant-style line, Bertolli Dinner for Two

Sara Lee - hits the floor running with its ready-to-eat meals such as Jimmy Dean sausage sandwiches and skillet meals.

Wild Oats Markets - is a company that thinks it is well placed to cater for the boomer with its range of natural and organic foods, also has gluten-free, sugar-free and diabetic products.

Ken Dychtwald (“the man”) is much quoted in the press release. Why do I think he hasn’t been trying the delights of a skillet meal or a ‘sophisticated’ Mac & Cheese experience, washed down with a mug of Crystal Light.

This food sounds dreadful. I can only assume that these global food giants have concluded that one of the physiological effects of aging is the complete loss of taste and smell. Dick Stroud