CONSUMER CHOICE


Data Reveals a New Picture F


or Colleen Scholer, data has fl avor. Large-scale quantities of research, segments and sub-segments, analy-


sis—she approaches these with curiosity and an investigative spirit, discovering interest- ing mixes and zaps of insight. She’s vice president of brand insight and


strategy at Ageist media company, “dedi- cated to championing the vitality, infl uence, and contributions of the modern 50-plus demographic, and an agency that advises businesses, brands, and organizations on emerging trends and how to better under- stand, speak to, and engage this important and growing segment.” As well as brand services and research,


the hybrid organization produces a news- letter rich in stunning images and profi les of older adults (it was founded by a photog- rapher), well-being conferences, and soon, a podcast. Scholer shares some of the overturned assumptions about the 50-plus market.


Think in terms of tribes “All people do not age the same way,” Scho- ler says. “That’s obvious, but it’s astonishing how often it’s forgotten.” “The more people age, the more they di-


verge. Youth culture can be a monoculture. But age leads to a multi-sector tribalism,” she says. “You have to be wary of the mass surveys around age.” To refl ect that diversity, Scholer likes to


speak in terms of “tribes”—like segments, but with diff erent types of diff erentiators. “It all begins with the up-front sample criteria,” she says. “Determine who is your target market, then research within that. But be open-minded to those divergent segments, and how messaging might vary among them.”


Qualitative data has added value Numbers matter, but they don’t necessarily rule. “You want to back up your claims with quantitative data, but you also want to get the fl avor by capturing the verbal data, on a human-to-human level,” Scholer says. In a 15-question survey, about two open-ended questions is a good balance. These have garnered comments that


jump off the page: “I feel stronger and smarter than ever,” and “I’ve learned to love myself more.” These are the types of content you could build a whole campaign around, Scholer says.


Insights into a targeted segment Ageists recent survey looked at a segment, or tribe, of 50-to-70-year-olds in a criteria segment who were currently healthy, active, curious, and fi nancially stable—about 20 percent of the people in that age range in the United States. Scholer shared some of the results and how these might apply to senior living. Picture them positively. 79 percent feel


healthy; only 12 percent said they feel old, and only 5 percent said they had noticed a mental decline. This keys into how this group wants to be portrayed in imagery, ads, and content: As energetic, as enjoying life, but also as intelligent and experienced. No “OK, Boomer” blowups. Another


surprise was how much data showed that marketing to 50-to-70-year-olds is “not so different from marketing to the coveted millennial market,” she says. “There’s so much in the news about the


dichotomy, but we fi nd there are many sim- ilarities,” she says, in how they look at love and relationships, belief in sustainability practices, and daily use of technology, for example.


44 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019


of the Emerging Senior Market By Sara Wildberger


Change Agent Profi le


Colleen Scholer Vice president brand insight and strategy, Ageist


Consider office space. 50 percent said


they would work as a freelancer in their area of expertise after they retire. Senior living communities, Scholer speculates, may want to think of offi ce spaces or meeting rooms that can accommodate this going forward. They will research the heck out of you.


93 percent are “very curious.” This leads to a big behavior shift that looks like it will continue into future generations. Today’s 50-to-70-year-olds value their experience and are proud they’re “still learning.” “They know themselves, they know


what they need, what they like. They have a sense of security in their power to make decisions,” she says. “Unlike some in our parents’ generations, they’re used to researching options. They’ve been condi- tioned to make decisions based on research and fact-fi nding.” That practice extends to their adult


children who might be working with them to make decisions about where they’ll live: They have the same high expectations of life in aging and the same propensity to hunt down information. “They’re going to be the next customers


on the horizon,” Scholer points out. “So they’re interested for themselves, too.”


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