Consumer Study Indicates Marketers Could Be Wasting Millions Trying To Reach The Baby Boomer Segment

NEW YORK, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent national study monitoring the attitudes of Baby Boomers, marketers may be making fatal flaws in their assumptions about this large and important market segment.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120717/NY39536 )

The market research study, conducted by Applied Research & Consulting (www.arcllc.com) in conjunction with the advertising agency Under The Radar (www.undertheradarltd.com), identifies 6 costly misconceptions marketers have about baby boomers.  

The study also sheds new light on the generation's current beliefs, expectations, priorities, and spending habits.

According to Andy Tuck, a principal at Applied Research, "There is a lot of conventional wisdom about Baby Boomers that doesn't hold up under close scrutiny.  This is a very diverse demographic group that resists easy stereotyping. If there is anything we found that makes them distinct from other younger generations, it is in the nature of their expectations."

Denis Glennon, a partner at Under The Radar observed, "Given the recent socio-economic turmoil, it is naive to still think of the baby boomer segment as a holdover from the 1960s. Nothing could be further from the truth as this generation, characterized by its sense of self-determination, has once again learned to adapt, improvise, and thrive during these challenging times."

Research Methodology
To assure depth of response and broad projectability, study comprised of two components:

1.) Ethnographic Interviews with Boomers
45 ethnographic interviews (and 26 shorter "screening interviews") were conducted with a range of boomer respondents in several U.S. markets.
Markets:  New York metro area, Washington D.C./suburban Maryland, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago.

2.) General Population Online Survey
Nationally representative sample of 1,200 American adults ages 18 - 64, surveyed online.  Multiple age segments were included in order to establish comparative norms among Boomers (45-64), Gen-X, Gen-Y (25-44) and Millenials (18-24).

Applied Research & Consulting is a public opinion polling and market research firm that offers sophisticated analysis and strategic insights for business and government entities based on in-depth understanding of human attitudes, behavior, and social context.  ARC's research is designed to enable clients to understand their relationships with key publics and constituencies--consumers, business customers, employees, shareholders, voters--in order to rethink problems and find innovative solutions.

Under The Radar is a full-service advertising agency that counts among its client categories consumer package goods, consumer electronics, household goods, corporate image, healthcare, life/disability insurance, OTC/DTC pharmaceuticals, all of which have contributed to a deep understanding of the sensibilities of the baby boomer segment.

For more information about the study contact:

Andrew P. Tuck PhD.
Applied Research & Consulting
www.arcllc.com  
[email protected]  
212.226.1007 x25

Denis Glennon
Under The Radar
www.undertheradarltd.com  
[email protected]  
1-917-546-9368

SOURCE Under The Radar; Applied Research & Consulting