Are you too nervous to sell to grandmothers?
Or worse, actually have their product associated with such an unsexy subject.
But a lot of this reluctance about reaching out to a group who are the world’s healthiest, wealthiest and best educated women ever, is probably more about ignorance than anything else.
One of the main problems is that the image of a grandmother has changed radically in the past 20 years, so much that the stereotype of the aged, frail, white haired, pensioner that everyone loves, is more of a memory than a reality.
Let’s look at some examples: US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, probably one of the world’s most powerful women is on the cusp of grandmotherhood.
She is joined by Carole Middleton, the mother of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who stunned everyone with her poise when her daughter married the future king of England.
Our own Governor General Quentin Price is one of the most glamorous and hardworking grandmothers in Australia.
You probably have it wrong
When I searched Google images on ‘grandmothers’ today, the stock photographs were typical of white haired ladies usually sitting passively reading to their grandchildren. No sign of the dynamic and sexy women I mentioned above.
So there is a long way to go, because as this group of boomer women expands they will also manage extraordinary amounts of money (that they love to spend). This is the wealth that they will receive from their ‘builder’ parents and their own spouses who are more likely to die before they do.
Time for a rethink marketing to grandmothers
In her blog: Marketing to Women Online, Holly Buchanan cites a Vibrant Nation article based on research from Rose Cameron from Euro RSCG. about marketing to grandmothers:
Is it surprising that Rose herself explained that it was almost impossible to find an ad that featured grandparents? If they did, the grandparents looked like senile or passive seniors, not the active 50-somethings they are.
Finally, for those of you who love the stats, one of the most compelling reasons to market to grandmothers comes from the tremendous influence on their children as well as grandchildren.
According to Rose Cameron:
- 48% of all US grandparents today are Boomers, and they are highly involved in the lives of the children of their Millennial children.
- 55% see those grandchildren more than once a week.
- 74% are deeply involved in raising grandchildren.
- 62% spend significantly on these extended family members.
Try this exercise: talk a walk around the office or the block and try to identify the grandmothers, then have a chat to them about how they spend their money.
You may just come up with that killer strategy for 2012.
March 13th, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Well said, the face of grandmothers has definately changed. We are still working some even starting their own business. We are a force to be identified. Do not overlook us.